Upper cervical chiropractic is a safe and gentle way to reduce or relieve many childhood conditions or symptoms that relate to the nervous system.

How Could My Child Have a Misalignment?

This is a common question that parents ask. However, there are many way to get an upper cervical misalignment. The C1 and C2 are responsible for more than half of the movement of the head, but along with this additional mobility comes a greater risk of the bones becoming misaligned.  Here are some examples of ways that a child could end up with an upper cervical misalignment:

• While at Play – From playing around the house to hanging out on the playground at school, there are plenty of opportunities for kids to trip, fall, and suffer a misalignment. Kids are pretty resilient, so most will feel okay just moments after a fall, but if a misalignment occurred, it could work under the surface for months or years to cause symptoms.

• Car Accidents – A car seat can save a child’s life when an accident occurs. However, it may not stop all damage from occurring. Anything that can jar the neck can cause misalignment, and a car accident is certainly included.

• At Birth – A difficult childbirth could be behind an upper cervical misalignment. However, even during normal childbirth, the head may be bent or twisted in ways that could result in misalignment.

• As an Infant – It can take up to 6 months after birth for a baby’s neck muscles to develop to the point where the child has full head control. Most babies begin to lift their head up for the first time by a month old. But it can take up to four months before an infant can hold up his or her head while in a sitting position. This is a critical time in development and neck support is vital, while the child is being held.

These are just a few ways that a child may have ended up with an upper cervical misalignment, perhaps even months or years ago.

Childhood Health Conditions Possibly Related to the C1 & C2

We don’t have room to discuss every condition that may be related to a C1 and C2 misalignment, but here are some of the more common ones:

• Headaches/Migraines – According to the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, 40% of children have their first headache by age 7. 10% of kids get migraines. According to one case study, a 9-year-old boy who used to get 10 migraines and tension headaches per month had a history of trauma and an upper cervical misalignment. After upper cervical chiropractic, his headaches and migraines completely resolved.

• Back/Neck Pain – As much as half of the children over the age of 4 suffer from back pain. In one study, upper cervical chiropractic completely relieved back pain for an 8-year-old in under 5 months. The child had previously suffered from intermittent middle and lower back pain for 2 years.

• Scoliosis – An upper cervical practitioner treated a 10-year-old girl six times for a 35-degree idiopathic (cause unknown) scoliosis. After 25 weeks, the scoliosis was reduced to 25 degrees, and the results were independently confirmed.

• Seizures – 0.5% of people suffer from a seizure condition. Most cases of idiopathic (cause unknown) seizures begin in childhood. Once case study involved a 5-year-old girl who suffered from 30-70 seizures per day, despite medicinal treatment. On the 27th day following upper cervical chiropractic, the seizures stopped for four weeks (no change in medicine dosage). Her medicine dosage was cut in half, and her parents reported that the girl now suffered a maximum of 6 seizures per day, less than 10% of her previous maximum while on a full dosage of the medication.

• ADHD – In a 2014 case study, an 11-year-old boy with ADHD received upper cervical care twice a week for three months. He had suffered a neck injury following an altercation with a teacher. Following care, the child had better TOVA (test of variables of attention) scores.

• Post-Concussion Syndrome – Concussions are growing common among children, especially those who play competitive sports. A 16-year-old girl suffered headaches, dizziness, neck pain, and cognitive issues following a concussion. Upper cervical chiropractic completely resolved her headaches and neck pain. Her dizziness and cognitive symptoms also improved by 60%.

These are just some of the conditions where upper cervical chiropractors have published case studies regarding the benefits of care for children. Additional health conditions that have responded to upper cervical care: ear infections, bed wetting, allergies, asthma, colic, digestive disorders and more.

References

Elster, Erin L. (2003). Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care for a Patient with Chronic Migraine Headache’s with an Appendix Summarizing an Additional 100 Headache Cases, Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research.

Herman, Charmaine. (2016). Resolution of a Low Back Pain in an 8-year-old Following Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care: A Case Report. Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research.

Chung, Jonathan; Salminen, Bryan. (2011). Reduction in Scoliosis in a 10 Year-Old Female Undergoing Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care: A Case Report. Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health.

Goodman, Robert J; Mosby Jr., John S. Cessation of a Seizure Disorder. Upper Cervical Monograph.

Bagnaro, Nick. (2014). Improvement in Subjective, Academic and TOVA Measures in a Child with ADHD Following Upper Cervical Chiropractic Management. Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research.

Chung, Jonathan, (2015). Improvement in Post-Concussion Symptoms in a 16-Year-Old Female Under Cervical Chiropractic Care – A Case Report. A. Vertebral Subluxation Research.