Archive for pediatric chiropractic
Dr. David Hoewisch is a strong believer in pediatric chiropractic, as well as getting kids active, rather than TV or computer bound. Some kids are “naturally” active. But, at times, it can feel draining attempting to keep up with a five-year-old who is. In fact, if you have an active child of this age, or if you’ve ever been around one for any length of time, you may have found yourself longing for the kid to just stop moving for a little while. But, new research is affirming the long-term health benefits of this whirlwind of activity. In fact, according to a new University of Iowa study, instead of making an effort to slow these little ones down, five-year-olds ought be aided in being as active as possible. Why? “Because it pays off as they grow older,” said Kathleen Janz, lead author of the study and professor of health and sport studies in the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Even if kids don’t stay as active later in childhood, being active at age five helps them to avoid excess fat as they get older. “We call this effect ‘banking’ because the kids benefit later on, similar to having a savings account at a bank. The protective effect is independent of what happens in between,” Janz went on to say.
The UI team tested the body fat and activity level of 333 kids at ages five, eight and eleven using a special scanner that accurately measures bone, fat and muscle tissue, and an accelerometer that measures movement every minute. Rather than counting on kids or parents to track minutes of exercise, the kids wore accelerometers to record their activity level for up to five days.
The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, indicates that kids who are active at age five end up with less fat at age eight and eleven, even when controlling for their accumulated level of activity. The average five-year-old in the study got thirty minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per day. For every ten minutes on top of that, kids had one-third of a pound less fat tissue at ages eight and eleven.
Although further research is necessary to learn what happens to the active kids’ bodies that keeps them in better shape down the road, Janz said that it could be that the active 5-year-olds didn’t develop as many fat cells, improved their insulin response, or that something happened metabolically that offered some protection even as they became less active.
However, as exciting as this study is, weight moderation is not the only benefit of early exercise. As a chiropractor I have discovered in my own practice that active kids don’t have as many ordinary childhood health problems, like catching colds and the flu. chiropractic care is, without a doubt, exceptionally beneficial in helping kids to stay healthier. But, in addition, the stimulation to the brain that happens during activities, especially those that necessitate “cross pattern” motor movements of the larger muscles, i.e., right hand/left leg and left hand/right leg, such as crawling, running, climbing, and skipping, also boosts the autoimmune system and keeps kids healthier.
Too many children these days are overweight and unhealthy. Though part of the problem is an inappropriate diet, lack of exercise is also a major contributing factor. If you have a five-year-old who chooses to watch television or play video games rather than to participate in more active play, help your child to get up and get moving into healthier activities. Moderate to vigorous activity will not only benefit your child now, but will help to build a healthier future. You can bank on it!
Your Santa Clara Chiropractor Talks About Allergies, ADHD, and Pedicatric Chiropractic
Posted by: | CommentsDr. David Hoewisch believes strongly in pediatric chiropractic, and wants you to know about allergies, ADHD, and chiropractic care: You may have been told that chiropractors treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Well, that’s just not the case. Chiropractors don’t “treat” ADHD. But, nonetheless, chiropractic care can absolutely help children, and adults too, who suffer from it. The reason why chiropractic treatment is helpful is because ADHD is a neurological disorder. Chiropractic adjustments not only help to reduce nervous system disruptions in general, but an adjustment can be intentionally directed to stimulate under-active areas of the brain and calm over-active areas as well. Due to the fact that a chiropractic approach to ADHD is natural and drug-free, quite a few parents choose chiropractic care over the conventional medical practice of giving children Class 2 psychotropic drugs that have dramatic side effects including personality changes and permanent alterations in the brain. The vast majority of parents who’ve opted for chiropractic treatment for their children have observed amazing behavioral changes as a result.
Due to the differences between the ways in which boys and girls employ the left and right hemispheres of their brain, ADHD seems to afflict more boys than girls and, in addition, is often more conspicuous and easily observable in the behavior of boys rather than of girls. Some of the symptoms that are most pronounced include difficulty concentrating and sitting still, lack of ability to control impulsive thoughts and behaviors, easily distracted by noises and activities, chronic movement of fingers, hands, arms, feet, or legs.
Many children who manifest ADHD symptoms are hypersensitive to certain foods, such as dairy or gluten products, and sugars and artificial sweeteners. Additionally, they generally have a hypersensitive response to additives in foods, herbicides and pesticides used to grow non-organic fruits and vegetables, and laundry products such as detergents, fabric softeners, and other chemicals. Frequently, the removal of these environmental agencies can go a long way in easing ADHD symptoms.
Determining the presence of spinal anomalies and express responses to specific neurological tests are included in the comprehensive examination given by your Santa Clara Chiropractor.
You may be able to help your child to get his or her life back in balance through natural, safe chiropractic care. Before taking drastic pharmaceutical measures, if your child displays the symptoms of ADHD, call your chiropractor to make an appointment for a complete evaluation. Call today for the health of your child!
Your Santa Clara Chiropractor Can Help Reduce Your Child's Ear Infections
Posted by: | CommentsYour Santa Clara Chiropractor wants you to know that pediatric chiropractic can help to reduce your child’s earaches and ear infections. Earache is the most common reason for office visits to pediatricians. By the age of three years, more than 70 percent of children will have had at least one episode of earache and about a third will have had more than three episodes. It is not surprising, therefore, that earache is also the most common reason for children under the age of five years presenting to the chiropractor’s office.
When a child with earache is diagnosed with middle ear infection by the pediatrician, the usual treatment involves a course of antibiotics. New research has determined that this is often misguided. The cause of the child’s middle ear infection may not be due to bacteria, and since antibiotics are only effective against bacterial pathogens, frequently there will be no response. Since numerous cases of middle ear infection can be caused by a virus, and viruses do not respond to antibiotics, this may be the reason why children develop chronic ear infections.
How Chiropractic Care Relates to Earache and ear infections
Your Santa Clara chiropractor’s task is to ascertain if the reason for the body’s inability to combat the earache/ear infection is caused by irritation of the small nerves in the spine (called free nerve endings).
When these nerve endings are irritated, an abnormal tension is produced in the small muscles of the neck. This muscle tension can place pressure on the lymphatic drainage ducts resulting in inadequate drainage from inside the ear, thus preventing the body from being able to naturally correct the problem. Balance can also be affected.
Identification of such a problem is made by detecting increased tension in the neck and paraspinal muscles, usually more tension is felt on the side of earache. The chiropractor also looks for spinal vertebrae which are either slightly out of alignment or are not moving within their normal range. This problem may have been due to any one of the number of bangs, jolts and falls that most children experience in the early years of their life. Often, a short course of spinal adjustment and manipulation of the neck muscles can help restore normal lymph drainage.
Research
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), ear infection the most frequent childhood illness after the common cold – accounts for nearly 30 million doctor visits each year; what’s more, at least 6 million courses of antibiotics are unnecessarily prescribed for the condition. Recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released new guidelines for treating pediatrie ear inflammation and specifically recommend a period of “watchful waiting” since, in many cases, infections clear up on their own, without medication; the guidelines suggest medical intervention only in cases that do not subside after three months or are particularly severe in nature.
The American chiropractic Association (ACA) commends the AAP on the guidelines and emphasizes that chiropractic care is a “good first option” for treating ear infection conservatively. “Doctors of chiropractic have been treating children for decades with great success – helping them avoid painful ear infections, antibiotic overuse and resistance, and ear tube surgery,” said ACA President Donald Krippendorf, DC. “Particularly when dealing with young children, drugs and surgery should be an absolute last resort.”
