Paediatric Chiropractic Care

At Lakeside Chiropractic, we offer chiropractic care tailored for infants, children, and adolescents. Our approach focuses on gentle, age-appropriate techniques designed to support your child's development, mobility, and overall well-being.

What Is Paediatric Chiropractic Care?

Paediatric chiropractic care involves the gentle assessment and treatment of the spine, joints, and nervous system in infants, children, and teenagers. The aim is to support healthy growth, movement patterns, posture, and musculoskeletal development.

Children may experience physical stress from:

• Birth trauma (e.g., prolonged labour, forceps or vacuum delivery)
• Falls while learning to walk
• Poor posture from carrying school bags or using digital devices
• Sports injuries or repetitive movements

These stressors may affect spinal mobility, posture, or nervous system function. Chiropractors use gentle, modified techniques to help improve joint movement and soft tissue function.

What Techniques Are Used?

For infants: Chiropractors may use gentle fingertip pressure—no more than what you'd use to test a ripe tomato. Adjustments may be made using the Activator® or other low-force techniques.

For toddlers and older children: Treatment is modified to suit their age and tolerance, using gentle manual techniques or instruments.

Soft tissue techniques: Myofascial release and gentle stretching may help reduce tension or support movement coordination.

Each child’s care plan is based on a thorough health history and physical assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How do I prepare my child for their first visit?

 We aim to make every visit relaxed and positive.

• Infants: Try to book at a time they’re usually settled. Feeding and letting them nap beforehand often helps. Comfort items like a dummy or toy are welcome.
• Toddlers and older children: Let them know their body is being checked to help with movement or comfort. You can bring snacks, toys, or books for the visit.

2. Why do parents bring their children to a chiropractor?

 Common reasons include:

• Postural asymmetries or muscle tension (e.g., torticollis, flat head, side preference)
• Delays or concerns with crawling or walking
• Discomfort following minor falls or injuries
• General support for musculoskeletal development during growth spurts or physical activity

Chiropractors do not treat medical conditions like asthma, colic, or ear infections. If concerns fall outside our scope, we refer appropriately.

3. Do chiropractors have paediatric training?

Yes. All registered chiropractors in Australia complete university-level training that includes paediatric content. Our team also continues postgraduate development in this area.

4. Will my child need scans?

In most cases, no. We use clinical examination and your child’s health history to guide care. However, if we suspect certain conditions—such as scoliosis, which typically begins to show during growth spurts between ages 10 to 14—we may refer for spinal imaging to confirm the diagnosis and monitor progression.

5. Can I stay with my child during treatment?

Absolutely. Parents and guardians are always welcome during assessment and treatment, and we explain everything as we go.

Relevant Research & Clinical Evidence

Recent studies have looked at the safety and use of chiropractic care in children:

• A large Australian survey found that parents frequently use chiropractic and other complementary therapies for children, often reporting perceived benefits. It emphasised the need for coordinated care with other health providers (Steel et al., 2020).
• A cross-sectional study exploring paediatric spinal manipulation therapy reported generally low levels of side effects, with most adverse responses described as mild (Dabbs & Lauretti, 1995).
• Another study reviewed the use of complementary and alternative medicine in children with musculoskeletal concerns and noted chiropractic as one of the commonly used approaches (Moore et al., 2019).

Our Commitment to Evidence-Informed Care

At Lakeside Chiropractic, we follow the standards set by AHPRA and the Chiropractic Board of Australia. This means:

• All care is tailored to each child’s needs, based on thorough assessment and current best practices
• We obtain informed consent from parents or guardians before starting any treatment
• We monitor progress carefully and make referrals when needed

If you’d like to learn more or book a consultation, call us on (08) 9300 0095 or book online for an assessment.

References

Steel, A., Frawley, J., Sibbritt, D., & Adams, J. (2020). Complementary medicine use in children: A national survey of Australian parents. BMJ Open, 10(2), e035405. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035405

Moore, C., Burgess, J., McLellan, L., & Adams, J. (2019). The use of complementary and alternative medicine for children with musculoskeletal conditions. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 19, 120. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-019-2447-2

Dabbs, V., & Lauretti, W. (1995). A survey of chiropractors’ attitudes and experiences with paediatric patients. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 18(7), 476–484. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3364062/