What Controls Your Child's Development? Chiropractic for Growing Kids
Short answer: your child’s brain is the master controller of every function in their growing body, from breathing and digesting new foods to learning to crawl, walk and run. Chiropractic care for children keeps the spine moving and the nervous system free of interference so the body can develop and regulate as it should. A tiny adjustment today can have a profound impact on a child’s future.
Starting early sets the foundation
Chiropractic care is not just for adults. Starting early supports proper growth and posture, helps the immune system do its job and gives kids a head start on lifelong wellness. It is also simply easier: restrictions that are cleared in a small, flexible body do not become the stiff, painful patterns we see in adults thirty years later.
Ages and stages
Newborns. Birth is the first big physical event. Most of our babies come in within the first days of life for a fingertip check, and parents often bring them straight from the hospital. Read more in when should a baby first see a chiropractor.
Babies. Feeding, digestion, sleep and head turning are what we look at. Reflux, gas, constipation, colic-type crying and a preference for one side are the signs that a little body is stuck in stress.
Toddlers. Learning to walk means falling, a lot. We check the pelvis, the spine and the way they move, and we make it play: our littles have their own spaces to process and play before and after adjustments, which also means you can fully engage in your own adjustment.
School kids. Heavy backpacks, hours sitting, tablets and screens, sports. We look at posture, the growing spine and the nervous system’s ability to adapt, and we give practical advice for bags, desks and screens.
Teenagers. Growth spurts, phones and competitive sport. Forward head posture starts here, and so does the chance to correct it before it becomes structural.
Kids we especially love working with
Dr. Kelli is especially passionate about working with children with autism spectrum disorder, ADD, ADHD, sensory processing differences and other neurodevelopmental challenges. We do not treat these conditions and we do not claim to. What we do is make sure the nervous system is as free of interference as possible, so the child’s own regulation has the best chance, and we work alongside the child’s other professionals. Our very first seminar at the studio, in 2019, was for Spanish-speaking parents of children with these challenges.
What a visit looks like
A relaxed conversation with you, an age-appropriate exam, an INSiGHT scan when the child can sit still for a moment, and adjustments with fingertip pressure or a soft instrument the kids call “the clicker”. Then we explain what we found and how often we recommend checking, so you always know why.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe? Pediatric adjustments use a fraction of the force of an adult adjustment and are adapted to age and size. Dr. Kelli is ICPA-trained in pediatrics and teaches pediatric care at the Barcelona College of Chiropractic.
Do you replace the pediatrician? No. We work alongside your pediatrician; diagnoses and vaccinations stay with your doctor.
How often? Children usually need far fewer visits than adults. You get a clear recommendation after the first visit.
Has your child been checked by a pediatric chiropractor yet? Book a pediatric assessment.