Jodi, a first time mum, was at her wits end. Her three month old son had colic, and its impact on their life was devastating. Nobody was getting enough sleep, and she was finding it difficult to connect with her newborn because she was so exhausted. “I hadn’t been prepared for this,” she says. “I felt so sad when I looked at my baby. I wanted nothing more than to feel that rush of love I’d heard about, but I was just so sick and tired all the time.” When a friend suggested she take him to a chiropractor, she was sceptical. “Like most people,” she says, “I had an image in my mind of a chiropractor cracking people’s backs and twisting their necks until they crunched. There was no way I was doing that to my baby!” But after a few more weeks of sleepless nights, she was so desperate that she contacted her friend’s chiropractor and made an appointment. The chiro talked her though it, explaining every movement in detail and Jodi saw firsthand the gentle techniques that chiropractors use when adjusting babies. Best of all, her son’s colic all but disappeared and he started sleeping. Today Jodi says, “I am so grateful to the chiropractor for what they have done for us. We, as a family, are able to enjoy our time together instead of dreading the next colic attack. Now the whole family sees a chiropractor on a regular basis and it has truly changed our lives.”

History of chiropractic

Though some would argue that healers have been performing adjustments for thousands of years, the actual profession of chiropractic dates back to 1895. It was founded by D.D. Palmer, whose first adjustment restored a man’s hearing. He went on to establish the Palmer School & Infirmary of Chiropractic in 1898. Without using drugs, Palmer began to cure many common illnesses in his patients and his practice grew. Originally called ‘hand treatments’ he coined the term chiropractic, which comes from the Greek (‘chiro’ meaning hands; ‘practic’ meaning practice). Though the success of his treatment was obvious, many were sceptical. The medical establishment, in particular, labelled him a ‘charlatan’ and sought to legally prevent him from practicing chiropractic. He was eventually charged with practicing medicine without a licence and sentenced to 105 days in jail. Though he served only 23 days, he did pay a $350 fine. He continued to practice until his death in 1913, at which point his son, B.J. Palmer, took over the role of promoting chiropractic care.

Today, chiropractic is well established as a complimentary or alternative medicine (CAM) in Australia. Some still question its validity and argue that it is not based on evidence, but for many people, its results are undeniable. Chiropractic for children and babies in particular, however, is still an area where many parents might feel unsure. Certainly the outdated image of chiros using high velocity manual adjustments to correct subluxations would be enough to concern most parents. Chiropractic is, however, one of the most powerful ways that you can protect your children’s health.