CHILDS REPORT OF FINDINGS
Where your childs health
is everything
Welcome to our clinic and all that it offers Little in life is potentially as challenging or as rewarding as raising children. One of our greatest responsibilities as parents is caring for their health. At Brighton Beach and Somerville Chiropractic we are a true wellness practice providing a comprehensive and thorough evaluation of your child’s current level of health. Our centres are essential for children not as mobile, energetic, healthy or happy as they should be. The rules for keeping children healthy are the same for all of us: a nervous system free from interference (to coordinate their body correctly); a simple, fresh, varied and appropriate diet; minimal intake of sugar; minimal exposure to toxins; plenty of rest; an abundance of exercise and as much love and support as we can give them. If your children have been challenged with pain, sickness or disease there is no better time than now to begin their Chiropractic journey. If your children have been blessed with a symptom-free and disease-free life up until now and you want them to continue to get the most out of life, Chiropractic is the perfect healthcare choice for your family.
Children and Chiropractic Ever-increasing scientific research is showing that Chiropractic care for children can assist their growth and development, allowing them to reach their maximum health potential. At Brighton Beach and Somerville Chiropractic approximately 35% of our clinics are made up of infants and children as we are a true wellness practice. Whilst a child’s spine is incredibly flexible and mobile, even minor stresses can impact the function of the spine, creating tension and subluxations. Subluxation is the term used for vertebrae and other bones or joints that are not moving well, are misaligned and are causing interference to the nervous system. The nervous system controls everything your child does, from breathing and digesting, to running, playing, thinking and feeling.
Most spinal disorders in children remain unnoticed for years because most parents only associate a spinal problem with pain. However subluxations can often reduce health without obvious symptoms. Extensive clinical experience, supported by an increasing amount of scientific research, has shown that a wide range of childhood symptoms may respond favourably to Chiropractic including colic, back pain, asthma, bedwetting, allergies, learning disorders, headaches, migraine, gastric reflux, sinus problems, tummy aches, ‘growing pains’, poor posture, poor coordination, sleeping problems, ear infections, favouring one side of the neck, flat headedness, breastfeeding difficulties, fatigue and moodiness. The chiropractic adjustment for a child is a very gentle procedure and generally all children really enjoy their adjustments. Our Chiropractors have techniques to suit children of all ages, shapes and sizes.
Chiropractors are experts in identifying subluxations early before symptoms develop.
What to expect after a chiropractic adjustment An adjustment can have a powerful effect on a child’s brain and nervous system. A seemingly subtle correction by a Chiropractor can create significant change. After each adjustment, several possibilities may occur. Your child may feel extremely relaxed or even lethargic. Your child may actually even sleep more than usual. Alternatively, your child may seem extra active, full of energy, possibly even misbehaved, particularly after their very first adjustment. It is also not uncommon for your child to mention that they feel taller, straighter and lighter! In fact you may not notice any change at all. All of these responses are considered normal as every child’s brain processes their adjustments differently. It is important that you inform your Chiropractor of your child’s response to care and if you have any concerns with any aspect of your child’s care.
Your child’s developing spine Children experience many different types of stress (physical, nutritional, emotional, and chemical) which can impact the function of their spine and nervous system. In utero, a developing baby responds to stresses the mother experiences. Even during the birthing process of a ‘natural’ birth, the baby is subject to huge amounts of pressure on its head and neck. Births that require intervention such as a forceps delivery, vacuum extraction or C-section add significantly to these stresses. Babies are born with a ‘C’ shaped spine. A curve in their neck develops as they gain control of their head movement, and the curve in their lower back forms when they begin to sit up and crawl.
During their first year a baby’s spine will increase in size by 50% and continue to grow quickly until 5 years of age.
As babies begin to sit up, crawl and walk they will experience lots of jolts, bumps, trips and falls, all of which are an unavoidable, but important, part of growing up.
In fact by the time a child reaches 7 years of age they have sustained 2,500 significant falls! Any pain associated with these falls is usually soon forgotten as children are incredibly flexible and resilient. Their bodies usually recover quickly and easily from these stresses, however every now and then the altered spinal movement and nerve interference may remain, giving rise to some longer lasting and significant effects on the health of your child. Tension builds over time in response to these stresses and as a result, children can gradually become less flexible. The normal development of your child’s spine may then be compromised. Like tooth decay, spinal problems can build up over time without you being aware of them. Many cases of spinal degeneration and other problems often seen in adults are the result of injuries and stresses that happen during childhood. From the age of 5 there is steady and continual growth in a child’s spine. Children of this age typically enjoy and respond very quickly to Chiropractic because they heal rapidly and they have not yet developed long term altered movement patterns and spinal degeneration. During adolescence children go through a series of growth spurts until they reach physical maturity. As they grow into teens, their need for emotional understanding and support will increase as will their need for excellent physical and mental health. Hormonal changes will take place that will be regulated by the brain and central nervous system. Keeping the nervous system healthy and subluxation free will be essential in avoiding the rise of health issues now and in the future.
Newborn to 3 Years Old In the newborn’s first few weeks, feeding will occur every 2-3 hours. As your baby grows they will want bigger feeds, become more active in between sleeps and sleep for longer periods during the night. By 6 months of age most babies will have developed a fairly regular pattern. The key to establishing a good sleep routine for your baby is to help them differentiate between night and day, and to teach them that the longest periods of sleep should be at night. Most babies quickly learn to settle into the same routine every night as long as the parents are consistent with their routine.
Caring for the intellectual, emotional and creative development of children is often a challenging responsibility. Individual children progress through stages of development at slightly different rates. Certain functions or abilities are enhanced in some children while their peers are improving in other areas. As proud parents it is tempting to see the development of our children in comparison to others as some sort of proof of their physical, emotional, creative and intellectual abilities and of our success as parents. Relax and enjoy their individuality. Children know how to advance through each stage of their development and each child does it differently, completing one stage before moving on to another. Avoiding activities such as using baby walkers or sitting up before they are naturally inclined to do so can help ensure your child develops as completely and easily as possible. Your Chiropractor may also give you special exercises to do with your baby if they feel your baby needs a little help.
An important word about ‘tummy time’: Even though you have been encouraged to sleep your baby on their back, it is very important for babies to have plenty of tummy time every day when they are awake. This will help your baby to develop essential movements and skills, such as rolling, sitting, crawling and hand control, as well as a healthy neck curve. Ensuring good development of these movements helps prepare your baby for more complicated learning later on in childhood. At first, tummy time can be following bath time when you are drying your baby or during a massage time.
If your baby cries, try tummy time for a shorter duration but more often, or distract your baby by talking to them and using toys. Remember, tummy time doesn’t have to only occur on the floor – you can lay your baby along your lap or chest as well! By three months of age your baby should be playing on his or her tummy when awake and you are with them.
Have you ever wondered how your baby learned how to do so much so quickly? Recent advances in brain research have provided great insight into how the brain continues to grow and develop after birth. Research shows that good nutrition and interaction with other people and objects is vital nutrients for the developing brain, and different experiences cause the brain to develop in different ways. The brain is comprised of many regions that perform specific functions. Within each of these brain areas are millions of neurons which send messages to each other across tiny gaps called synapses. In most regions of the brain, no new neurons are formed after birth; instead brain development consists of an ongoing process of wiring and rewiring the connections among the neurons. New synapses are formed while others are pruned away. This happens throughout our entire life. Pruning allows the brain to keep the connections that have purpose, while eliminating those that are not being used for anything. In short, pruning increases the efficiency with which the brain can do what it needs to do. However, the brain operates on a ‘use it or lose it’ rule and overpruning of these connections can occur when an infant or child is deprived of normally expected experiences in the early years. A proper functioning nervous system is vital to enable the correct pruning to take place so that your child’s learning is uninhibited. This is why Chiropractic is so important in these formative years.
Newborn to 3 Years Old Cont. Ways to support your child’s adjustments • Foods to avoid while breastfeeding include: protein bars and
• Check the orientation of your child’s bed, bassinet and cot – does your child always have to turn the same way to see you when you approach? If so, change the layout of the room if possible.
shakes, rhubarb, acidic foods (oranges, berries etc.), split peas, lentils and beans, fatty foods, soft drinks and carbonated beverages, artificial sweeteners, chocolate, as well as anything that contains caffeine.
• Give your baby plenty of supervised tummy time, especially
• Prescription drugs, are sometimes detrimental to babies who
• Encourage your toddler to be active after their adjustment –
do not share their mothers illnesses, as the drugs enter the mother’s bloodstream and become part of the breast milk.
• Avoid nicotine. • Toddlers should be fed a highly varied diet including mostly
on the day of their adjustment.
for most parents this won’t be hard!
• As your child reaches 3-4 years of age, start thinking about introducing a pillow. Your chiropractor is able to suggest one suited to your child’s age and build.
wholefoods in the form that nature provides them to us or lightly cooked to retain their nutrients. An abundance of fruit, vegetables and water is essential, with moderate amounts of protein, good fats and whole grains. Avoid as many preservatives, toxins and sugars as possible.
• Give your toddler plenty of time with no shoes and socks on,
• There is no reason to introduce any sugary products to your
• Take note of your toddler’s movement patterns and let your
child in this age group.
• Start giving your child Omega 3 fish oil when breastfeeding stops.
with access to all different surfaces (grass, shaggy rugs, sand etc.) – this is very stimulating for their nervous system and will help to develop their sense of touch, balance and coordination.
chiropractor know if you notice anything unusual.
• Create a routine for your family that prioritises your child’s sleep routine – sleep is crucial for healthy healing and growth – and the whole family will benefit also.
• Breastfeeding mothers should supplement omega 3 fish oil themselves. Omega 3 fatty acids are so important for a child’s development that the mother will give her child omega 3 from her own cells. For this reason it is vitally important to supplement before, during and after breastfeeding. It is also crucial to build up your omega 3 stores for subsequent children. 0-1 years: Should be consuming omega 3 fish oil with 400mg of EPA and 200mg of DHA, daily. 2-4 years: Should be consuming omega 3 fish oil with 800mg of EPA and 400mg of DHA, daily. Liquid fish oil can be put into formula or concealed in food.
• Avoid lifting your baby briskly. • When lifting your baby you need to support the head, neck, shoulders and lower back with a broad hand contact.
• Encourage head turning in both directions, alternate arms that you hold your baby in, and if bottle feeding swap arms that your child rests in.
If your breastfed baby has problems with windiness, also eliminate garlic, onion, brocoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts.
4 – 12 Years Old Childhood postural patterns can become entrenched in these years, highlighting the importance of correct structure and function of their spine, pelvis and entire nervous system.
During these years your child should be sleeping 11-12 hours every night. Much of the emotional turmoil of childhood comes from the struggle between dependence upon parents for nurturing and guidance and the desire to be independent beings. To assist in the development of children with less stress and turmoil, allow them to make their own decisions as much as safely possible. When telling children what to do, leaving the how to do it up to them (within reason) can help satisfy this desire for independence and at the same time do a great deal to enhance their creativity, problem solving, self-esteem and responsibility. Nutritionally, children in this age group should be eating foods consistent with an adult palate. Avoid sugary treats. Anything more than occasional consumption will have devastating effects on to your child’s metabolism, concentration, learning and energy levels. Just because it is easily accessible and all other children seem to be consuming it doesn’t ‘OK’ the consumption of it.
Focus on providing your child with a wide variety of fresh foods – the less processed and the more they appear like they do in nature, the better. Make sure your child drinks ample water every day, particularly in the cooler weather when they may not feel thirsty, and especially before and during exercise. A simple rule to work out just how much they should drink is to multiply their weight in kilograms by 30; so for example, a 20kg child should drink at least 600ml per day. Be aware that although cordial and soft drinks are made up predominantly of water, the sugar content is frightening, so plain water is best.. Omega 3 fish oil supplementation in liquid form has many benefits in this age group. At around 10 years of age your child’s brain changes in a significant, but often overlooked way. It is at this stage the brains cells begin to develop a sheath along their bodies, a bit like bark developing along a tree trunk. This new development makes the brain a little less open to new connections and much faster along the connections it has built. This change has important implications for learning, but also for feeling. If your child’s posture and alignment is poor at this age it becomes harder to create a new correct neurological pathway. This sheathing of neurons (called myelination) also changes a child’s ability to use good judgement. The patchy quality of this process means that one minute things are working at a sophisticated level, and the next moment they are working at a 7 year old level. This explains in part why teens seem like they have matured but then often go on to do foolish or dangerous things. Clearly the lifestyle our children lead is vastly different to the lifestyle of children fifty years ago. What is very clear in all research is the activity level of your child is directly proportional to the health of your child. Allowing your child not to exercise is a form of neglect. Exercise is not optional, it is an essential nutrient source, providing fundamental health benefits including the development of healthy musculoskeletal tissues, healthy heart and lungs, nerve-muscle integrity and vital proprioceptive input to the cerebellum.
13 – 18 Years Old Have you ever wondered what is going on in your teenager’s head? Don’t despair, there are reasons for your child’s erratic behaviour, laziness and outright rudeness. Adolescence is a time of significant growth and development inside the teenage brain. Because the prefrontal cortex is still developing, teenagers may rely on part of the brain called the amygdala to make decisions and solve problems more than adults do. The amygdala is associated with emotions, impulses, aggression and instinctive behaviour. This back to front development of the brain takes a long time to become complete (up to the mid twenties) which helps to account for how challenging it is to parent teenagers.
Tips for encouraging desirable behaviour and strengthening positive brain connections: Allow your child to take some risks and move towards independence. Help your child find new and creative outlets (sport, writing and other art forms), talk through decisions and potential actions and consequences, provide clear structure and routines, provide boundaries and opportunities for negotiating those boundaries, offer frequent praise and rewards for desired behaviours, maintain a warm and approachable relationship with your child, and be a positive role model. Teenagers are often passionate about their interests, especially the ones that give them the opportunity to socialise. You can help their confidence by supporting their interests and passions. Don’t wrap your child in cotton wool. Overbearing parenting may alienate your child. The postures of our teenagers these days are severely compromised and reaching epidemic proportions mainly because of the time spent sitting and slouching looking at electronic devices such as phones and computers. Unfortunately there are consequences associated with this lifestyle, leading to subluxation, scar tissue, adhesions, and decreased strength and mobility. In today’s society it is absolutely inevitable that spinal tissues will become deconditioned and degenerate without regular exercise and stretching to counter the effects of our sedentary living. We are always going to sit far too much despite the fact that this is as bad for our spines as sugar is for our teeth. Sitting and sedentary living result in global and segmental joint and muscle motion patterns that always result in subluxation and ultimately poor health. It is never too late or too early to work on your posture.
In order to promote good posture it is important to have good posture yourself. You can also point out the posture of others, emphasising those who practice good posture and those who don’t. If your teen plays hours of video games or spends time on a laptop, their posture may tend to be curved or hunched over. Encourage your teen to spend only short bursts of time at these pursuits with breaks every 20 minutes to stand, stretch and walk. Some cases of poor posture can indicate a child is experiencing scoliosis. Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine that may lead to serious detrimental effects on the child’s current and future health. Scoliosis may not appear until your child reaches their adolescent growth spurt in their teenage years. Earlier diagnosis can mean earlier treatment, which may prevent the curve from developing more severely. Exercise during the teenage years is crucial. Exercise increases the sensitivity of brain neurons to incoming stimulation – this is neuroplasticity of a healthy nerve pathway.
Movement increases stimulation of the areas of the brain responsible for learning. The human spine is designed for constant movement, however our modern lifestyles are not. Teenagers should be exercising vigorously at least 60 minutes per day and stretching for at least 15 minutes per day to combat the effects of 21st century living. Healthy eating in teenagers is extremely important. Your child’s adolescent years are vitally important in setting up healthy lifestyle habits for the rest of their life. It is important to ensure the correct nutrients and adequate amounts of these nutrients are being consumed for healthy growth and development. It is also essential to ensure that your child’s diet is free from toxins, pesticides and other potentially harmful chemicals. There is nothing our body needs that is not provided for from nature – we need to teach our children how to access it. All teenagers should read our clinic’s information on the Innate Diet requirements.
Ways to support your child’s adjustment (4-18 year olds): • Keep moving by standing on the dura disc after your adjustment, particularly if you are waiting for other family members to be adjusted. Older children can go for a 5-10 minute walk.
• Keep well hydrated after the adjustment. • Children aged 4 – 12 years should be consuming omega 3 fish oil with 1600mg of EPA and 800mg of DHA daily.
• Children aged 13 – 18 years should be consuming omega 3 fish oil with 2000mg of EPA and 1000mg of DHA daily.
• Ensure your child sleeps on their back or on their side, never on their stomach.
• If your child is particularly sleepy on the day of their adjustment, encourage a short nap.
Proprioception is very important. Proprioception is positive movement information that is vital for healthy brain function. The cerebellum – often called ‘the little brain’ – is the part of the brain that manages proprioception and coordinates movement of all the different parts of our body. When our proprioception is working well, our brain has a good understanding of where all of the different parts of the body are in space. (This is how you can close your eyes but still accurately point to a part of your body without having to see it.) However, when we don’t exercise enough and our joints don’t get the movement that they crave, the messages they send to the cerebellum begin to get garbled and our proprioception deteriorates. People with poor proprioception have poor balance, posture and coordination, which often leads to a loss of body confidence and subsequent anxiety. People with healthy proprioception tend to have good posture and feel centred and calm. The best way to nurture your child’s proprioception is to ensure that exercise is simply a part of everyday life.
• Children must have an appropriately supportive mattress and a single quality pillow suited to their age and build. Your chiropractor can help you choose the most appropriate one if required.
• Encourage good posture regularly. A child needs constant reminding to stand tall, sit tall, sleep tall and THINK tall!
• Prolonged positions of poor posture (such as watching TV and using electronic devices) should be minimised.
Check your child’s proprioception by seeing how well they can balance on one of our Dura Discs! Do they lose their balance if they close their eyes?
• Your child should continue their normal sporting routine unless advised otherwise by their Chiropractor.
• Avoid jarring activity, such as double bouncing on a trampoline, especially shortly after your child’s adjustment. These movements may place stress on their neck, spine and pelvis, and may decrease the effectiveness of the adjustment.
• Check the weight of your child’s schoolbag – it should not exceed 10% of their bodyweight.
• Your teenager’s favourite pair of worn out shoes or Ugg Boots with uneven soles have got to go! They will not help your child hold their adjustment. Invest in good shoes and ensure they are properly tied or buckled.
• If your child wears thongs to their adjustment, have them wear bare feet for at least 20 minutes afterwards. We have to ‘grip’ with our toes when we wear thongs and this changes our gait. Bringing a pair of runners along to walk in afterwards is best.
• Plan family activities that incorporate exercise – take a footy to the beach, walk to school together, or ride your bikes to the shops.
Exercise has huge psychological benefits in young children, improving their control over stress and depression, and assisting in social development by providing opportunities for self expression, building self confidence, social interaction and integration. Children in this age group should accumulate at the very least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity exercise daily. Importantly, exercising greater than 60 minutes per day does provide additional health benefits like reducing insulin sensitivity, improving cardiovascular health, decreasing blood lipids, increasing respiratory health, increasing bone strength, increasing brain function and preventing many types of cancer. Most of the activity should be aerobic, with activities that strengthen muscle and bone at least 3 times per week, such as swimming, play wrestling with parents or siblings or gymnastics.
Antibiotic usage in Children. Incredibly about 40% of the time children see a Medical Doctor, they leave with a prescription for antibiotics. This astounding figure includes sick visits and routine well-child checkups. Antibiotics overuse is dangerous. Antibiotics were a revolutionary advance in the treatment of infectious diseases, and as such their use became widespread. As the years have gone on, prescriptions have become increasingly common for very minor childhood illnesses, and sometimes even those known to be viral just to “be on the safe side.” It was thought that they also might help the child get better a bit faster. Now we know that the opposite is true. Over-prescription of antibiotics is harmful to children and the environment, as it encourages selective breeding of ever-more frightening bacteria, children are more likely to get sick more often, with longer, more stubborn infections caused by more-resistant organisms. Up to 60% of children with common colds are treated with antibiotics (Journal of Family Practice 1996; 42:357--361). Because children average three to eight colds each year, most accompanied by green or yellow runny noses, they can get many, many rounds of unnecessary (and therefore harmful) antibiotics. Did you know that the common cold is a selflimiting illness that can be caused by a number of different types of viruses? More than 200 different viruses are known to cause the common cold so the body never builds up resistance against all of them. For this reason, colds can be a frequent occurrence in childhood, but are involved in building healthy immunity, and being virus-driven, will never respond to antibiotics. Antibiotic use strips the intestinal tract of the vital gut flora so necessary in the defence of an ever-increasing number of illnesses and diseases. Why do we still do this? There are many reasons, but the one cited most frequently by Doctors is that parents want or expect a prescription. Your child has a fever and is cranky. His or her nose has been running for 5 days, and the mucous is getting thick and green. His or her appetite is down, and no one is sleeping well. You've waited for this to get better on its own, but it is getting worse. And you can't afford to miss more work. Doctors want to be able to help you and your child get through this faster. Prescribing an antibiotic this one time won't hurt much. Unfortunately it can. One question all parents should ask when they are at their Medical Doctor’s office with a sick child is:
"Is there any way to safely help my child feel better without antibiotics? That is what I would prefer?” Children fight off most childhood illnesses better without antibiotics. Our job is to gently treat children with
uncomfortable symptoms so they can get the rest and fluids they need. Occasionally, antibiotics are a vital part of the healing process for bacterial infections in emergency situations.
Healthy gut flora and a healthy immune system require: • avoidance of antibiotics. • systematic (not simply eating yogurt) rebuilding of gut flora following diarrhoea or antibiotic use (lack of an appendix means the gut flora reservoir is gone).
• eating a variety of vegetables; avoiding processed food. • using herbs and spices. • don’t overdo hygiene; gut flora diversity derives from bacteria that you eat and those that rub off acquaintances.
• eat seasonally to increase diversity.
Our suggestion for immune challenges with children is: • to get adjusted as soon as possible and for the duration of the illness.
• encourage fluid intake, water is the best option, Hydralyte may be easier to get down reluctant children with gastro symptoms.
• encourage and offer simple nutritious foods, avoid sugar. • encourage rest and sleep. • Reassure the child that their body is working very hard to overcome the illness.
Your nervous system regulates every cell, tissue and organ in the body. C1
CERVICAL
C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 T1
C1
Blood supply to the head, pituitary gland, scalp, bones of the face, brain, inner & middle ear, sympathetic nervous system, eyes
C2
Eyes, optic nerves, auditory nerves, sinuses, tongue, forehead, ears
C3
Cheeks, outer ear, face, teeth, trifacial nerve, lungs
C4
Nose, lips, mouth, Eustachian tube, mucous membranes, lungs
C5
Vocal cords, neck glands, pharynx
C6
Neck muscles, shoulders, tonsils
C7
Thyroid gland, bursa in the shoulders, elbows
T1
Arms from the elbows down, including hands, arms, wrists, fingers, oesophagus, trachea, heart
T2
Heart including its valves & covering, coronary arteries, lungs
T3
Lungs, bronchial tubes, pleura, chest, breast, heart
T4
Gallbladder, common duct, heart, lungs, bronchial tubes
T5
Liver, solar plexus, circulation (general), heart, oesophagus, stomach
T6
Stomach, oesophagus, peritoneum, duodenum
T7
Pancreas, duodenum, stomach, liver, spleen, gall bladder, ovaries, uterus, small intestine
T8
Spleen, stomach, liver, pancreas, gall bladder, adrenal cortex, small intestine, pyloric valve
T9
Adrenal cortex, pancreas, spleen, gall bladder, ovaries, uterus, small intestine
T2 T3 T4
T6 T7 T8
THORACIC
T5
T9 T10 T11 T12
L1
L3
L4
LUMBAR
L2
T10 Kidneys, appendix, testes, ovaries, uterus, adrenal cortex, spleen, pancreas, large intestine T11 Kidneys, uterus, large intestine, urinary bladder, adrenal medulla, adrenal cortex, uterus, ovaries, ileocecal valve T12 Small intestine, lymph circulation, large intestine, urinary bladder, uterus, kidneys, ileocecal valve
SACRAL/SI
L5
L1
Large intestine, inguinal rings, uterus
L2
Appendix, abdomen, upper leg, urinary bladder
L3
Sex organs, uterus, bladder, knees, prostate, large intestine
L4
Prostate gland, muscles of the lower back, sciatic nerve
L5
Lower legs, ankles, feet, prostate
Brighton Beach - (03) 9596 9930 - (03) 5977 7488 S Somerville S/SI- Clinic Prostate, sex organs, bladder, ureter, sciatic nerve, www.brightonbeachandsomervillechiropractic.com.au lower legs, ankles, feet, arches, toes, rectum
Our Findings and Recommendations: ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Ways you can improve your child’s health: • Have your child checked by a Chiropractor on a regular basis to help their nervous system function at its best, reduce the impact of falls and other stresses, monitor for the development of scoliosis and to help them be as happy and healthy as possible.
• Show your child lots of love, warmth and affection. This helps your child feel secure and supported. • Pay attention to your child’s individual interests and talents. Encourage them to do things they love. • Aim to develop healthy eating habits early in your child’s life and encourage them to try lots of different healthy foods. What they eat when they are young can greatly impact the foods they choose for themselves as adults.
• Give your child a high quality omega-3 fish oil supplement daily. Omega 3 fatty acids are an essential nutrient, meaning, your child can’t be healthy without a sufficient supply. Omega 3 fatty acids have been proven to play an important role in growth and development, brain and nerve function, digestion, immune function, heart function and vision as well as improving reading, spelling and behavioural problems.
• Encourage your children to be social and make their own fun. While television is a good time filler it can be stressful on their brain development and encourage anti-social behaviour.
• Sports are fun ways for children to exercise, learn and socialise. Encourage your children to play sports that interest them, but avoid heavy contact sports or those that are particularly stressful to a child’s body.
• Having boundaries helps children learn about appropriate behaviour. Decide on reasonable rules and be consistent.
• Treat your child’s concerns with respect and don’t just dismiss them – their problems might seem minor to you, but can be a really big deal to them. Being open, supportive and a good listener will help build your child’s self esteem.
• Keep in mind that your behaviour, thoughts and values will be one of the greatest influences your child has – be a great role model for your child.
Important things to remember… Remember, your Chiropractor is not treating your child’s symptom(s). Chiropractic works by restoring optimal spinal alignment to remove interference from the nervous system. Once your child’s nervous system is working at its peak potential, symptoms may improve. Chiropractic does not cure anything, the human body does. We put your body in the best position to maximise your healing ability. Chiropractic care for children is extremely safe. It is gentle, effective and can boost your child’s health significantly, without the need for medication. Each Chiropractic adjustment builds on the previous one. Building a strong and healthy foundation requires consistency and adherence to other crucial developmental and lifestyle recommendations. Chiropractic care should be enjoyable! If you or your child have any concerns please discuss these with your chiropractor so your family can get the most from their care.
BRIGHTON BEACH 88 Bay Street, Brighton VIC 3186 (03) 9596 9930 SOMERVILLE 1127 Frankston-Flinders Road, Somerville VIC 3912 (03) 5977 7488 www.brightonbeachandsomervillechiropractic.com.au