Infant Chiropractic Care in Ormond Beach

Why Do Infants Need Chiropractic?

Chiropractic care for infants supports the developing musculoskeletal and nervous systems. Gentle, non-invasive adjustment addresses misalignments from the birth process, whether vaginal delivery or cesarean section, which can cause discomfort or affect neurological development. Proper spinal alignment supports optimal growth, better feeding and sleep patterns, and general wellbeing, as supported by research in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (2012).

The aim is that the infant's neurology works without interference, so that a small child can grow and develop the way they are meant to.

We adjust infants very gently. About the same amount of pressure you would use to check a tomato for ripeness.

What Infants Come in For

Colic

Excessive crying and discomfort, potentially linked to spinal misalignment, can be eased with gentle adjustment, as noted in a 2019 systematic review in Chiropractic and Manual Therapies.

Torticollis

The neck muscles pull the head into a tilt. Soft tissue therapy and adjustment improve the mobility.

Feeding Difficulties

Misalignment in the upper cervical spine can affect latch or swallowing.

Sleep Disturbance

Adjustment may promote relaxation and improve sleep by reducing nervous system irritation.

Birth Trauma

Gentle technique addresses the subtle spinal issues that come out of delivery.

What Parents Notice

Improved nervous system function, which supports healthy development, as evidenced by research in the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal and Family Health (2016). Beyond that:

• Improved breastfeeding
• Less fussiness
• Reduced gas
• Better quality sleep
• Fewer colic symptoms and improved digestion
• Better natural immunity
• Developmental milestones met
• Birth trauma resolved
• Infant torticollis resolved
• Hip dysplasia resolved
• Some skull malformations resolved

What We Examine in an Infant

Gentle, non-invasive examination of spinal alignment, muscle tone and neurological function. That means checking for asymmetries, reflexes and mobility in the neck, spine and hips, using light palpation and observation.

• Infant milestones, against standardized health criteria.
• Nerve interference through the full spine, with a focus on the upper and lower cervical spine, which are the most neurologically important.
• Ratio of head circumference to chest circumference, to detect hydrocephalus or similar conditions.
• Newborn and first visit hip motion, to detect and correct hip dysplasia.
• Skull shape, to detect and correct deformities that occur before or during childbirth.

How We Treat an Infant

Infant bones are in the early stages of forming, so the treatment is very low force. Correction may be a mild vibrational and directional adjustment to bring the bones and joint into proper position, for function and for the least possible nerve interference.

An infant's skull takes up to a full year to close the fontanelles and lock in the joints that shape the skull. During that window, some malformation, even significant malformation, is treatable. We use low force technique that subtly adjusts the position of the skull bones and sutures.

Making You Both Comfortable

We do everything we can to put you both at ease. Every step is explained to you, and the doctor would rather answer the question than have you wonder about it.