Keeping Children Healthy - The Spinal Column: Lee Hazen, D.C.

Keeping Children Healthy

As parents, always concerned for the health of our children, I thought it prudent to suggest some health tips which I have found beneficial with respect to keeping the children who visit our practice healthy.

Exercise

Thirty minutes a day of moderately intense activity outside of doors will serve to effectively build strong bones, a healthy cardiovascular system, and assure that the child gets adequate sunshine and vitamin D.

In the winter, our homes or schools may be poorly ventilated, with overheated rooms that can be breeding grounds for viruses which are easily spread amongst the occupants. All the more reason to get out as much as possible.

Wash your hands

A Purdue University study demonstrated that people who wash their hands with soap and water frequently throughout the day are one-third less likely to catch a cold. An important caveat, however, is to avoid soaps that contain antibacterial agents. Although it may seem like a good idea to kill all the germs and bacteria, the detrimental effects of these cleaners may very well outweigh their benefits. First, there are friendly bacteria which play an important role as protectors against the bad germs. Another important concern is that of creating more resistant mutations of bacteria called "superbugs" which resist antibiotic therapy and normal human immune responses.

Take your vitamins

Vitamins, minerals and herbs can help maintain your child's healthy immune system. Be sure that your children are taking a strong multivitamin, with extra zinc, and vitamin C. as well as immune support herbs such as Echinacea etc.. The 10 most common vitamin mineral deficiencies in children (according to the vitamin supplement journal) are: Two out of three children don't get the calcium they need. One-third are deficient in iron. About 50 percent lack sufficient zinc. Over 90 percent are deficient in magnesium. One in six lacked vitamin A.. Nearly half are seriously deficient in vitamin C.. Nearly one-third are deficient in vitamin B6. One in seven are deficient in vitamin B12. One in five are deficient in folate. Nearly three million children between the ages of 6 and 17 have high blood-pressure due to inactivity and obesity.

Spinal care

Most parents schedule regular dental and pediatric checkups for their children, but what about spinal checkups? The spine is literally the body's lifeline. This delicate structure houses and protects the spinal cord, which contains millions of nerves. These nerves are lines of communication with every single cell in your child's body. If your child's spine is injured during a difficult birthing process, tossing your child in the air, yanking the child by one arm roughly, a falloff bicycle, or other "play" injuries he or she may have significant nerve pressures due to misalignment spinal bones. Children quickly become accustomed to these spinal misalignments and continue on with their daily activities unaware of the potential health consequences.

Some signs and symptoms of spinal misalignments include getting colds often, multiple ear infections or sore throats, hyperactivity, bedwetting, and posture changes such as a higher shoulder or hip, or one foot pointing out or in. If you suspect a problem have your child's spine examined. A Doctor of Chiropractic is trained to detect and treat spinal misalignments. A 1989 study compared 200 children under chiropractic care with 200 children under medical care.

The chiropractic children had fewer infections, fewer allergies, fewer cases of tonsillitis, and needed less medical treatment such as antibiotics and medications. The health of the children under chiropractic care was significantly better than the children under medical care.

Lee J. Hazen, D.C.

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