Episode 7 – Growing Up Straight: The Importance of Pediatric Chiropractic Care

Growing Up Straight: The Importance of Pediatric Chiropractic Care

Welcome back to Ask the Chiropractor! I am Dr. Brant Hulsebus. Last week, we discussed the “Prenatal Path” and how chiropractic care helps expecting mothers. Naturally, the next step in our 12-week Wellness Lifecycle series is what happens after the baby arrives.

One of the most common questions I get asked is: “Why do people take their babies to a chiropractor? They aren’t even walking yet—how could they possibly have back problems?”

Today, we are going to dive into pediatric chiropractic, why checking newborns is so vital, and how we help children grow up straight and healthy.

A Tradition of Day-One Adjustments

In my family, getting your spine checked the moment you are born is a tradition. I was born in Davenport, Iowa, while my dad was finishing chiropractic college. The very day I came home from the hospital, my parents took me to Palmer College where Dr. Strang, a renowned pediatrics instructor, gave me my first adjustment right there in front of the class.

My uncle Roger was also adjusted at birth by the founder of chiropractic himself, Dr. B.J. Palmer. Continuing the tradition, I checked my own daughter, Caroline, when she was less than five minutes old.

Our family practice has been serving Rockford since the late 1940s, and we have always prioritized pediatric care. We have specialized rooms with coloring sheets and toys, and we make the experience fun and completely stress-free for kids.

Why Do Newborns Need Adjustments?

Even the most natural, normal birth involves a significant amount of physical stress. There is pulling, twisting, and pressure on a newborn’s tiny spine. If a mother has a C-section, that pulling force is actually doubled. If a baby is born “sunny side up” or breech, the physical strain is even higher.

When examining a newborn, we are primarily looking at two major areas: the top two bones in the neck and the pelvis/hips.

How Do You Adjust a Baby?

I do not twist, pop, or use the same techniques on a newborn that I use on my professional hockey players! Infant adjustments are incredibly gentle and passive.

Because babies cannot walk or tell me where it hurts, I use specialized pediatric testing. By gently holding the baby in specific positions, I can watch their reaction. If a baby arches their back and gets fussy when placed a certain way, it tells me exactly which cervical bone is misaligned and pulling on their spinal cord.

To fix it, I simply use a light touch—about the amount of pressure you would use to test a ripe tomato. I usually demonstrate this pressure on the parents’ hands first so they know exactly what their baby will feel. Sometimes, I even perform the adjustment while mom or dad is holding the baby.

The Top 3 Reasons to Bring in a Newborn

If you have a new baby, these are the top three signs they need to see a pediatric chiropractor:

1. They are not sleeping well.
2. They are colicky.
3. They are not having bowel movements.

Sleep and colic issues are almost always tied to the upper neck. The birth process can put pressure on the cervical spine, causing headaches and discomfort that babies can only express by crying. A gentle neck adjustment usually brings instant calm.

Constipation, on the other hand, is linked to the lower back and pelvis. The nerves that control the bowels exit the spine at the hips. When a baby’s hips get twisted during birth, those nerves get stressed. A tiny hip adjustment almost always leads to a dirty diaper before the family even leaves the clinic!

Growing Up: Milestones and Middle School Stress

Pediatric care doesn’t stop after the newborn phase. We want to check kids as they hit major physical milestones. When they start crawling, we check them. When they start walking, we want to evaluate their gait. Why let a child develop a bad movement habit when we can correct the alignment early on?

As kids get older, they face a triad of stress that throws their spines out of alignment:

• Physical Stress: High school sports, carrying heavy backpacks, and playground falls.
• Chemical Stress: Eating junk food and sugar instead of high-quality nutrients.
• Emotional Stress: The heavy mental toll of puberty, middle school, and academic pressure.

While chiropractic care does not “cure” conditions like ADHD, asthma, or bedwetting, removing spinal subluxations takes a massive amount of neurological stress off the child’s body. When the nervous system is clear, the body processes stress better, and many of these childhood issues resolve on their own.

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Are you looking for a pediatric chiropractor in Rockford, Illinois? Whether you have a newborn struggling with colic or a middle schooler dealing with growing pains, our clinic is equipped to help. Contact us today to schedule an evaluation!