Sleep is an essential part of life which help us to restore our body physically and let our brains and nervous system rest and recuperate for the next day. This is especially important for our kids, as they are growing and developing more each and every day.
For young children, lack of sleep or trouble sleeping can have some serious consequences both in the short-term and long-term, including the following:
Behavioral Issues
Hyperactivity
ADHD
Stunted brain development
Growth and developmental issues
It is no surprise then that lack of sleep in our kids is normally seen alongside other issues with either physical health or behavior. Treating the root of these symptoms and treating your child’s health as a whole is what pediatric chiropractic care aims to do, and studies have shown that it can yield significant positive results.
The Root Cause of Pediatric Insomnia
Clinicians agree that knowing the exact cause of sleeping troubles is difficult and that the reason for disturbed sleep in its various forms is usually multi-faceted. The diagnosed causes can include behavioral patterns, chronic pain, breathing problems, neurological issues, and more.
The usual method of treatment for addressing these issues and improving sleep tends to be medication, though there is not a large amount of evidence for the effectiveness of this and many parents tend to worry about the side effects and dependency that these medications bring with them.
Pediatric Chiropractic care aims to treat the child as a whole and break the cycle of disturbed sleep and the consequences it brings.
What Does Chiropractic Treatment Look Like?
Pediatric chiropractors are experts in assessing and treating children for a huge range of health conditions. After a thorough assessment, adjustments that are specifically designed for pediatric patients are used to relieve any inflammation or subluxations which are present in the spine and are contributing to neurological disturbance.
Chiropractors have found that, for many decades, multiple problems with behavior and sleep in children could be traced back to a subluxation in the child’s spine. chiropractors aim to correct those subluxations (or misalignments) in order to restore full function to the child’s body, allowing him or her to sleep and behave as they should.
A 5-Year-Old Boy Who Couldn’t Fall Asleep or Stay Asleep
A great example of how pediatric chiropractic care can help can be seen in this case study of a young boy who had terrible trouble sleeping and, although very bright and inquisitive, was described as being hyperactive and, at times, uncontrollable.
The case study follows “Master J,” a 5-year-old boy who had been experiencing significant sleep problems and troubling behavior during the day. His parents had been very vigilant and not only tried the usual tactics, such as winding down before bed and avoiding fizzy drinks and technology but had also tried a pharmacological approach, which had no effect.
After a thorough assessment, there was significant spinal flexion present in both the upper and lower spine. Precise, regular chiropractic adjustments were then applied on a weekly basis, to begin with, and then at longer intervals. This resulted in an almost instant improvement in the sleep patterns of Master J, with his mother reporting that after the treatment, sleep began to improve and two years later, his sleeping patterns and behavior are now normal and age appropriate.
Greater Life’s Mission for Your Child
Our goal is to provide your entire family with the chiropractic care that will enable you and your family to live life to its full potential. Getting a full, restorative night’s sleep is pivotal to this, and practice members report time and time again how much better their sleep is after receiving adjustments.
Give our team a call to discuss how we can come up with a plan that gets to the root of the problem and optimizes your mind and health!
Sources
Alcantara J, Desilets J, Oman R, 2008. Chiropractic care of a 3-year old male with sleep-disordered breathing syndrome. Chiropractic Journal of Australia, 38 (2), 69 – 74
Kurth S, Dean III DC, Achermann P, et al. Increased Sleep Depth in Developing Neural Networks: New Insights from Sleep Restriction in Children. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Published online September 21, 2016
http://goodnightsleepsite.com/blog/2013/05/29/guest-post-how-pediatric-chiropractic-care-may-help-your-child-sleep-better/
Lara Cawthra BSc, MChiro, MCSc.(Paeds), FRCC (Paeds), Chiropractic management of a 5-year-old boy with sleep disturbance and challenging behaviour: an evidence-based case report
Vernon, Leonard. “The Chiropractic Subluxation and Insomnia: Could there be a Connection?” J Sleep Med Disord. 2015 2(5): 1032.