Each of these postures put extra stress on the spinal joints and a stretch on the nervous system. This nervous system stress can impact how a child grows, develops, performs, concentrates and heals. In fact, having this nerve interference is like having a dimmer switch on your child’s health. Have nerve interference in your child’s upper back? It can present as asthma like symptoms or a persistent cough. Have the nerves going to the child’s stomach stressed and it can present as acid reflex or excessive spitting up. The most impactful stress in the body occurs in the upper neck and it is the most commonly seen. This area being stressed can interfere with sinuses, ears, concentration and sleep to name a few.
Parents will often ask, "how in the world, did my child get interference in his/her spine?" Well, the list is long. Research has shown that 80% of newborns suffer with neck trauma just due to the birth process. Then we have sleeping in the car seats with the head hanging to one side, the jumpers, the walkers, the bumbos, etc.. Then if they are lucky enough to make it through the infant stage, we have the toddler stage. This is where they have hundreds of falls. As they get older, there are sports and hours upon hours of head down screen time. One study showed ages 2-5 had 32 hours of screen time per week while ages 6-8 had 28 hours per week. This head down posture completely reverses the natural curve of the neck impacting their posture and their nervous system at an early age.
It is essential that babies have plenty of tummy time. When they are on their tummy, they are developing a healthy strong posture. This tummy time and eventually crawling is also crucial for brain development. The best thing to do is to avoid all the products that get them standing and sitting before they are able to do it on their own. These put great stress on the nervous system and their posture and will cause interference to their health and development.
In this day and age, with all the sports and the falls and the hours of head down posture, it is crucial to have your child’s posture and health checked by a Pediatric Chiropractor periodically. Why wait for these stressors in the body to become big health problems?
If you have questions or concerns about your child or anything discussed here, feel free to contact me personally at drm@mitchellfamilychiro.com.
Dr. Susan Mitchell is passionate about maximizing our children's overall health and dedicated to educating and empowering parents to raise healthy, happy kids. Mitchell Family Chiropractic works with children with ear infections, ADD, acid reflux, asthma, bed wetting, allergies, and headaches to name a few.
Mitchell Family Chiropractic is located at 1210 Towanda Ave, Suite 17 in Bloomington. Learn more by visiting www.mitchellfamilychiro.com.
