3 Ways a Chiropractor Could Help Your Child Do Better at School
Posted on: 10 January 2017
Over a decade ago, research proved that chiropractic care is a safe and effective therapy for children, but many parents still aren't aware of how spinal manipulation can improve their children's lives. Many people believe chiropractic therapy is only useful to those who are suffering back pain and posture issues, but spinal manipulation therapy can actually relieve other problems that are seemingly unrelated to the spine. Eliminating these problems can be highly beneficial to a child's daily activity, particularly in school.
How Can The Spine Affect Schoolwork?
Chiropractic care is based on the the idea that the nervous system, composed of the brain and the spinal cord, controls everything in the body. If the spine is out of alignment, then the body won't work properly. Children's bodies are subjected to numerous stresses from the moment they're born. From birth trauma and birth intervention tools or c-section procedures to medications and vaccinations to daily stress and diet, a number of factors can cause the muscles around the spine to tense up. This can cause a vertebral subluxation -- a misalignment of the spine. If they're not corrected by a chiropractor, subluxations can lead to various short term and long term problems, many of which affect your child's school life and grades.
Here are 3 things chiropractic can improve to help your child do better in school:
Help Them Get a Good Night's Sleep
Sleep deprivation is a common problem for children, especially those of adolescent age. Some of the biggest contributors to sleep deprivation in children are homework and exam stress, late-night technology use, and early school start times, but sleep problems can also be exacerbated by a vertebral subluxation and tension in the back. Many children and teens may not even know their back is tense while they're sleeping; instead, they'll have restless sleep and wake up tired and groggy with no explanation.
A chiropractor can reduce this tension and improve blood flow to the area, which relaxes the back and the body and contributes to better sleep. In a preliminary study about the affects of chiropractic on insomnia, 1/3 of participants reported that spinal manipulation therapy improved their sleep.
Reduce Their Sick Days
If you've ever taken a look at your child's curriculum, you may have been surprised to see that teachers attempt to fit an alarming amount of content into the school year. Missing just a few days of school could cause your child to fall behind on fundamental learning that will affect their grades later down the line. Of course, with hundreds or even thousands of children all studying in one building, it can be hard for students to avoid contracting illnesses.
A children's chiropractor can actually help reduce your child's sick days with subluxation correction. A study by cancer prevention researcher Dr. Ronald Pero found that people who had undergone long-term chiropractic therapy had an immune function 200% greater than those who didn't. Boosting immune response makes your child less susceptible to illness and better equipped to fight it off, so they can avoid feeling sick and missing days of school.
Improve Their Behaviour and Focus
One of the biggest problems affecting children's attitudes to learning today is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. If your child has been formally diagnosed with ADHD, you may find medication doesn't work as it should, or you might even be reluctant to try it. Even if your child does not have an ADHD diagnosis, your child's teacher may have reported that they have problems with their behaviour and ability to concentrate in class. This can make learning a struggle.
For decades, research into the affects of chiropractic on ADHD has shown that parents report that subluxation correction and spinal manipulation from a chiropractor improved their child's symptoms. One mother said her child was able to concentrate more, write better, read at an advanced level, and answer more questions correctly after 12 sessions of chiropractic therapy. This is because subluxations are thought to affect neurotransmitters that contribute to focus and attention; treating them allows children to perform better in school.
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