Pediatric Chiropractic Becoming More Popular

Some parents are turning to chiropractors to treat their infants and children for ailments ranging from colic to earaches.

When Alisha Bauer's daughter, Avery, was suffering from severe reflux, Bauer said she didn't get the answers she wanted from doctors. "Avery had been spitting up a lot," said Bauer. "It was to the point that we even wondered if she was getting enough to eat. They just kept saying, 'She'll grow out of it. It's fine.' And I'm like, 'No. It isn't."

So Bauer's mother suggested that she try a chiropractor.

Avery was 5-months-old when she got her first adjustment.

Chiropractors we talked to said they are seeing more parents like Bauer looking for help with everything from reflux to colic to earaches.

"Chiropractic is not a treatment for disease," said Dr. Kristina Ring with Botha Chiropractic in Denver. "However, when the baby's body begins to function better, we do see improvements in those."

Ring has checked out children for seven years, but lately, she said, pediatricians have even started referring patients.

She said the treatment is nothing like the back-cracking, bone-popping image people might have of chiropractic care. "The amount of pressure to adjust an infant spine is about the same amount as on a ripe tomato without piercing the skin. It's very, very gentle," said Ring.

She said it is effective, though, and pointed to a 2009 study funded by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association of hundreds of children in chiropractic care. "They found the only adverse affect was mild discomfort," said Ring. "The majority of doctors and parents reported the kids were sleeping better, better behavior and improved immune function."

However, many doctors are still wary. "I think with infants there is particular reason to be cautious," said Dr. Steve Federico, president of the Colorado chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. "There's very little research that has been done with infants relative to chiropractors." He said, in general, children under 2 years of age are particularly at risk of injury, and that if he had an infant, he would not take the child to a chiropractor. "I think that I would be concerned about the lack of evidence to support the care for pediatric patients in this area," said Federico.

But parents such as Bauer said as long as chiropractic care seems to work when mainstream medicine falls short they believe opinions about it will continue to "adjust."

"This week, I've seen a significant improvement," said Bauer. "So many kids are medicated that don't need to be, so it's great to be able to think about other options."

Copyright 2011 by thedenverchannel.com.

ACA: Include Doctors of Chiropractic In Medical Homes

The Joint Commission has developed a Primary Care Home accreditation program for practices seeking formal recognition as “medical/health care homes.” To ensure that doctors of chiropractic are able to fully participate in these primary care homes, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) has submitted comments in response to the proposal underscoring DCs’ training and qualifications as primary care providers.

Section 3502 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) specifies that Doctors of Chiropractic can potentially be tapped as members of community health teams to support the development of “medical homes.” These teams are designed to increase access to comprehensive, community-based coordinated care.

“It is critical that Doctors of Chiropractic are considered ‘primary care clinicians’ with regard to the standards. As The Joint Commission is aware, Doctors of Chiropractic are well-trained portal-of-entry physicians currently providing primary care services,” states ACA President Rick McMichael, DC, in a March 10 letter to the Joint Commission. “Chiropractic physicians, based on their education, training and experience, provide essential services to treat and manage the broad range of injury, illness and disease involved in the human condition. … The training and licensure of DCs makes them a valuable resource that must be utilized.

While the Joint Commission is one of several entities developing accreditation criteria for medical homes. HHS will ultimately be responsible for implelenting the program. The agency may, however, take into considertion accreditation programs developed by quasi-government groups such as the Joint Commission when crafting its plan - making it critical that ACA provide its advice and recommendations on behalf on behalf of the chiropractic profession.

To read ACA’s letter, visit: http://www.Acatoday.org/pdf/joint_commission_final.pdf.

Source: American Chiropractic Association newsletter, May 2011

Noah's Ark Animal Welfare Assists Disaster in Joplin

Noah's Ark Animal Welfare Association, Inc. Executive Director Todd Cramer spent 5 days at the Joplin Humane Society's temporary animal shelter in Joplin, MO. He assisted with the animal response headed up by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals with support from the American Humane Association and other humane organizations.

Although not damaged by the recent tornado, the disaster left the Joplin Humane Society overwhelmed with animals in need and short on staff to rescue and care for them. At the request of the ASPCA, animal welfare organizations and community volunteers came together to support the rescue effort.

The Joplin Humane Society is linked to New Jersey through their Executive Director, Karen Aquino, who was once the Executive Director at the Animal Welfare Association in Voorhees and a former President of the Animal Welfare Federation of New Jersey. Her step-daughter, Rachel Markham, perished in the storm and the ASPCA has named a grant in her honor. "Karen Aquino is a friend and has been a great leader in New Jersey. It is important to Noah's Ark to extend a hand to our colleagues, their communities and the animals when they need us", said Cramer.

To date, more than 1,100 animals have been rescued and nearly 400 pets have been reunited with their caregivers.

The Joplin Humane Society is in need of gift cards and monetary donations. You can give online at www.joplinhumane.org or at www.noahsarknj.org and please specify the donation is for J.H.S. Thank you.

Health Is No Accident!

When people get sick or experience various aches and pains, it’s tempting to look for causes outside ourselves. The most convenient culprits:

Bad luck. Accidents often fall into this category—being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Germs. Blaming a cold or flu on germs overlooks one critical ingredient—being a hospitable host!

Genetics. The new fall guy is "bad genes.” Yet, research shows that gene expression is a reaction to our environment.

Thankfully, we live in a world of cause and effect. Every symptom has a cause. And as tempting as it is to look to outside causes, many health problems are the result of our own choices, beliefs and habits. Sometimes the effects can take decades to appear.

Ill health is not an accident, but the result of your body’s inability to accommodate physical, chemical or emotional stress. Similarly, good health results when your body works the way it was designed to.

Educational information is provided by the Association of New Jersey Chiropractors and local chiropractors.