4 Gentle Styles to Pediatric Chiropractic Care, Part 1
When parents bring their child to a pediatric chiropractor, one of the most common questions they ask is, "How do you adjust a baby or child?" The answer may surprise them. Pediatric chiropractic care is very different from the types of adjustments often seen in adults. Chiropractors who care for infants and children use age-appropriate techniques that are gentle, specific, and tailored to the child's size, development, and unique needs. Four of the most common approaches include gentle manual adjusting, fingertip sustained contact adjusting, instrument adjusting, and tonal or non-force adjusting.
Gentle manual adjusting uses light, controlled pressure applied by the chiropractor's hands to specific areas of the spine or body. The force used with infants is often compared to the amount of pressure needed to check the ripeness of a tomato. Fingertip sustained contact adjusting involves placing a gentle contact with one or more fingertips and holding that position for a several seconds while the child's body responds and relaxes. Instrument adjusting utilizes specialized handheld instruments such as the Activator adjusting tool that deliver a very precise and low-force impulse to a targeted area. The fourth category, tonal or non-force adjusting, emphasizes working with the body's natural tension patterns, neurological reflexes, and self-regulating mechanisms. Chiropractors using tonal approaches may apply a very light touch, hold specific points on the body, or use gentle positioning to encourage the nervous system to organize and adapt more effectively.
While each of these four techniques differs in its application, they share a common goal: supporting healthy nervous system function and helping children achieve their best potential for growth, development, movement, and overall well-being. Pediatric chiropractors, especially those trained by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA), can become certified by completing a 200-hour program with rigorous tests after each 12-hour training. ICPA certified pediatric chiropractors are trained to select the technique that best fits each child's age, comfort level, health goals, and individual needs. I have been an ICPA certified chiropractor since 2006 and taken an additional 200 hours to become what is known as a board-certified diplomate in pediatrics, the highest postgraduate degree that can be obtained in pediatrics, which was awarded to me in 2008. There are only approximately 100 diplomates in the entire US! Make sure when taking your kids to a chiropractor that they are either certified in pediatrics or a diplomate in pediatrics!
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