Why should my child see a chiropractor? There are multiple reasons your child should be examined by a chiropractor. Difficult delivery, falls, dietary issues, poor immune system, recurrent infections, colic, allergies, asthma, back pain. Any one of these may indicate that your child's nervous system is not functioning at 100%. As a chiropractor my goal is to see that your child's nervous system functions with as little interruption as possible.
Can all chiropractors treat children?
Chiropractors are taught various techniques to adapt to all body shapes and sizes. They also take classes in pediatrics to be able to diagnose ailments that may be more specific to the pediatric population. However, many chiropractors may choose to specialize in certain age groups, conditions, or techniques. Dr. Tobi has been awarded a Fellowship in the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (F.I.C.P.A.). This means she has completed and successfully passed 120 hours of post graduate education specializing in the care of children and pregnant moms.
Probiotic-supplemented infant formula is well tolerated and safe, according to the results of a study published in the February issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Furthermore, treated infants had a lower rate of colic and use of antibiotics.
Am J Clin Nutr. 2004;79:261-267 FEVER The use of anti-fever drugs such as aspirin and acetaminophen may prolong influenza A and possibly other viral infections, according to researchers at the University of Maryland schools of medicine and pharmacy. Pharmacotherapy, December 2000; 20: 1417-1422
Breast Feeding
Breast feeding has shown to give a reduction in the risk of hospitalization due to respiratory tract infections and gastrointestinal conditions during the first 2 years of life.
Eur J Public Health 2004 Sept;14(3):230-4.
Antihistamine therapy may prolong effusions with acute otitis media October 2, 2003 By Anthony J. Brown, MD NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - As an adjunct to antibiotic therapy, treatment with antihistamines or corticosteroids does not improve acute otitis media (AOM) outcomes, new research suggests. In fact, antihistamine therapy may actually prolong the duration of middle ear effusion. "We were surprised to find that neither type of drug improved outcomes and, in the case of antihistamines, actually seemed to make matters worse," lead author Dr. Tasnee Chonmaitree, from the University of Texas at Galveston, told Reuters Health. In contrast to corticosteroids, which are an experimental treatment for AOM, antihistamines are used by up to 19% of clinicians, Dr. Chonmaitree noted. The new findings are of concern because antihistamine use for AOM may be on the rise, she added. "As doctors are becoming more reluctant to prescribe antibiotics out of fear for resistance, use of symptomatic treatments, such as antihistamines, may increase," she said. "Even if doctors aren't prescribing antihistamines for AOM, parents often give their kids over-the-counter treatments that contain them." The findings, which are published in the September issue of the Journal of Pediatrics, are based on a study of 179 children with AOM who were treated with one dose of ceftriaxone and then randomized to receive chlorpheniramine, prednisolone, both drugs, or placebo for 5 days. The four groups did not differ significantly in clinical outcome or recurrence rate, the authors note. However, children treated with chlorpheniramine alone had effusions that lasted significantly longer than those of other children (p = 0.04). Children treated with prednisolone were more likely than others to show temporary normalization of tympanometric findings on day 5 (p = 0.04). So how do antihistamines prolong the duration of middle ear effusion? Dr. Chonmaitree offered two possible mechanisms of action.
"Antihistamines may dry up and damage the cilia cells in the eustachian tubes so that they are less able to effectively move fluid out of the middle ear," she noted. Another possibility is that "antihistamines actually cause thickening of the fluid, making it harder for the fluid to pass through the tubes."
The message for clinicians is that antihistamines should not be used for AOM, Dr. Chonmaitree said. J Pediatr 2003;143:1-9.
