"The only real education comes from what goes counter to you."

Andre Gide

Unfortunately, due to the intermittent nature of information on the internet some links provided within the body of our newsletters may no longer be functioning. We apologize for the inconvenience.

April 2004

You will notice that this issue is all about children. That’s because April is Kid’s Month in the office. Each week we will focus on different issues around kids and chiropractic. Check out Office Happenings for more information. Please forward this newsletter to anyone who may have questions about kids and chiropractic.

Contents

1. Why Should Children Have Chiropractic Care?
2. Question of the Month
3. Fitness Corner
4. Health News 
5. Office Happenings

Why Should Children Have Chiropractic Care?

A common perception out there is that chiropractic care is just for adults and for neck and back pain relief. But today more and more parents are seeking chiropractic care for their children. The reason is that a healthier spine and nervous system means a healthier child.

Since significant trauma can occur at birth, many parents have their newborns checked right away. Even natural births, never mind ones with forceps and C-sections, can cause the spine to misalign and interfere with the nerves. This slows the healthy development of that child. As the infant grows to be a toddler, many of the milestones they reach involve stress and trauma to the spine. If you have ever watched them learn how to walk, you can understand how that happens. These are important times to get them checked by the chiropractor.

As children participate in everyday activities, like riding their bike and playing sports, misalignments of their spine can occur. These misalignments don’t often cause pain but if they aren’t taken care, they can lead to problems later in life. That is why regular chiropractic care can be so helpful in setting a healthy foundation to grow from. 

Another sought out reason for care is the resolution of a particular symptom or condition. Parents seek care for conditions such as colic, ear infections, asthma, allergies and headaches (to name a few). They have heard from other parents that chiropractic care can help. A comprehensive collection of research studies are available at the Children's Chiropractic Research Foundation website.

It’s important to understand that chiropractors do not treat conditions or diseases. Our expertise lies in finding areas of the spine that interfere with the nervous system. By releasing these misalignments, the mind and body are better connected. Because the nervous system controls and coordinates the immune, respiratory, circulatory, digestive and hormonal systems in the body, a healthier spine leads to greater health and well-being.

To enhance your child’s ability to be healthier, get their spines and nervous systems checked for signs of interference. We are dedicated to serving children with the utmost of care. Once your family has experienced the many benefits of chiropractic care, please help us tell others.

Question of the Month

How do you adjust a child compared to an adult?

There are some similarities and some obvious differences. We take a case history and perform a chiropractic exam including the computer scans much like we would with an adult. Once I have determined where the adjustment needs to be, how it is performed is different from an adult. The adjustments are modified to take into account the child’s size, weight and unique spinal condition. If I am adjusting an infant, slight finger pressure is all that is needed to release the misalignment of the spine and get the nervous system working better. As the child gets older, I use a hand held instrument that uses very gentle forces to get the job done. Most parents report their children enjoyed their adjustment and look forward to subsequent visits.

Health News

Ear infection antibiotics use questioned

(Please note this is the full article without comments, I couldn’t get the link to work.) 

“Parents of cranky children with ear infections be warned. Antibiotics may no longer be what the doctor orders. Two leading U.S. medical groups are expected to recommend this spring that doctors stop treating most pediatric ear infections with antibiotics, health officials said.

The move contradicts years of medical practice and is expected to upset weary parents of howling toddlers. About half of all antibiotics prescribed to preschool children are for ear infections. Health officials believe if they can reduce antibiotic use for such infections, they can stop the rise of antibiotic-resistant germs created by overuse of the drugs.

''It will mark a dramatic change in appropriate antibiotic use,'' said Dr. Richard Besser, acting chief of the meningitis and special pathogens branch of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Practice must be formally approved by the medical bodies before they are published for doctors.  Currently there is no move afoot in Canada to follow suit. 

The position of the Canadian Pediatric Society is that while the about 80 per cent of ear infections will resolve themselves, it's not generally possible to determine which will go on to cause serious complications. For years, health officials have been battling improper antibiotic use, saying that the drugs should not be used for viruses, such as colds, because they do no good.”

Infants who have fevers become children with fewer allergies

“Infants who experience fevers before their first birthday are less likely to develop allergies by ages six or seven, according to a new study funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).” To read more of the article: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/index.php?newsid=5797

Fevers and ear infections are two of the things that parents worry about and treat the most. It’s time we take a longer look at childhood diseases and how they play a role in developing immune systems. It’s also time that we work on strategies that strengthen the immune system, like chiropractic care, rather than treating infections other issues.

Fitness Corner

This month in Scott McDermott’s free and informative newsletter the topics are:

1) Adjusting your BodyFat Thermostat.
2) The Three Major Elements of Fitness, including the often neglected one!
3) The JOY of Cranberries! (more than just for turkey dinners!) .
4) Magazine Watch: Articles from current magazines reviewed.

To enjoy this and more, send an email to mybestbody@shaw.ca and say you want to subscribe.

Office Happenings

1. April is Kid’s Month. For the month of April, we will be focusing on issues surrounding children and chiropractic care. The first full week in April will be addressing why children need chiropractic care. The second week will be back pack inspection week where parents are welcome to bring their children and their (loaded) back packs to see how they fit, how much they weigh and if they are using them correctly. The third week in April we will focus on conditions (ear infections, colic etc.) that respond well to chiropractic care. The fourth week we will focus on kids and sports. Join us in April to improve the health of your children or grandchildren or any kids you know.

2. New Product in Office. We now carry Herbal Hugs! What's a Hug? It's a soft, polar fleece wrapped bag filled with Canadian grains and dried herbs. The Hugs are a natural therapy for aches, pains, chills, tension, stress and a healthier alternative to heating pads. Place them in the microwave, toss them in the freezer or simply use their comforting and gentle scents as an aromatherapy pillow. They come in four different scent blends; lavender, herbal mint, rose & chamomile and natural. Contact the office for more information.

3. Wellness Orientation Workshops. Do you have questions about my adjusting style? Would you like to know how to get the best out of your chiropractic care? Join us for one of our W.O.W.’s in April. The dates are Monday April 12 and Wednesday April 21. They start at 5:30 pm here in the office. Bring a friend! 

4. March Happenings. Thanks to all those who participated in the Luck O' The Irish Day as $130 will be donated to People’s Place, a temporary shelter. The winners in our referral contest are: Donna Polutnik - model helicopter from Choo Choo Willies, Bob Edwards - $85 Hudson Madison gift certificate, Rhea Graham - model truck from Choo Choo Willies, Erin Bergeson - 3 month membership at Body Basics. Congratulations to all of our winners!

5. Office Closings: The office will be closed Good Friday, April 9. The office is also closed Tuesday April 20 so I can attend a seminar. Sorry for any inconvenience.