Children, ADHD, and Sensory Disorders


It is any parent’s greatest wish to see their children happy and healthy. There is nothing more joyful than seeing a carefree, innocent smile light up your child’s face. Read more

Leaky Gut and Autoimmune Disorders


Your gastrointestinal system is an incredible design. It contains endocrine (hormonal) and immune system cells. It cooperates with beneficial bacteria to break down food and protect against harmful pathogens. Read more

••

Raising Healthier Children

November 7, 2012 Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP Babies, Balanced living, Children, Chiropractic, Medicine, Research, Wellness Leave a comment  

I would like to review a paper titled “A Comparative Study of the Health Status of Children Raised Under the Health Care Models of Chiropractic and Traditional Medicine.” This study was printed in the summer 1989 issue of the Journal of Chiropractic Research.

Two hundred pediatricians and two hundred chiropractors were surveyed as to the health of their children. The results of this survey indicate a clear correlation between chiropractic care and superior health. According too the study, the pediatricians’ children had an ear infection rate of 80%, while chiropractors’ children only had an ear infection rate of 30%. As far as tonsillitis was concerned, 43% of pediatricians’ children and 26% of chiropractors’ children were affected. Regarding antibiotic usage, 89% of pediatricians’ children and 50% of chiropractors’ children had ever been on antibiotics.

In my opinion these results are by no means a surprise to anyone who understands basic chiropractic principles. Every function of the body, including the immune system, is under control of the nervous system.. This statement is fact, based on pure anatomical science, plain and simple. If there is any interference in the nervous system, the body cannot function at 100% The further below 100% function, the less healthy a person is.

A chiropractor’s job is simple: remove nerve interference by adjusting the spine. How do you know if you or your children have nerve interference? The obvious answer is when you are sick and your body is not functioning properly. But what if you are not sick and do not have any symptoms? The only way to know if you have nerve interference is to be checked by a doctor of chiropractic. Many offices now have technology called computerized infrared thermal scanners. These instruments conduct a completely harmless, non-invasive test that assesses the body for nerve interference.

Remember this, a body with nerve interference is like an unplugged refrigerator filled with food. On the outside, everything looks just fine. But on the inside, the food is starting to spoil. Please avoid letting your insides spoil by getting regular chiropractic wellness adjustments.


ADHD and Spectrum Disorders: Restoring the Neurological Connection

September 7, 2012 Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP ADHD, Babies, Balanced living, Brain, Children, Chiropractic, Healing, Posture, Pregnancy, Spine, Stress, Wellness Leave a comment  

It is any parent’s greatest wish to see their children happy and healthy. There is nothing more joyful than seeing a carefree, innocent smile light up your child’s face. We love our children so much, and we never want to see them hurt or sick. There are far too many children who struggle with their health and performance. ADHD and related disorders are an increasing epidemic that children and families struggle to overcome every day.

ADHD and spectrum disorders are primarily neurological in nature. Similar to a car, the neurological system has a “gas pedal” and a “brake pedal.” A person can develop a functional imbalance of the brain and nervous system, but this imbalance can often be partially or completely corrected. An accumulation of physical, chemical, and emotional stressors can cause someone to become stuck in the gas mode, without the brakes engaging. Physical stressors include high-intervention pregnancy and delivery, intrauterine constraint, car accidents, falls, and other traumas. In 2008, the British Medical Journal noted that children with head injury or burn injury were twice as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD by age 10.

Children with a diagnosis of ADHD, ADD, or autism spectrum disorder are often locked in a “fight or flight” state. Due to their altered brain function, they are easily over-stimulated by people, noise, lights, and even their own clothing. This may lead to a separate diagnosis such as SPD, or sensory processing (formerly integration) disorder. Often a child with ADHD/ADD also has headaches, postural problems like slouching, sleep disorders, and difficulty with managing emotions. The child’s symptoms can be very disruptive for families and cause poor performance in school, reducing a child’s potential to be their best.

Healthcare providers understand that neurological integrity plays a significant role in children’s learning and behavioral patterns. Doctors of chiropractic offer a non-drug and non-invasive alternative for people with ADHD and spectrum disorders that targets the underlying problems, not just the symptoms. Chiropractic care is designed to rebalance, calm, and organize the nervous system, so the function of body and brain both improve. Many parents have noted that their child’s medical diagnosis is downgraded or removed completely once they begin a program of chiropractic care.


Growing Healthy Kids

March 28, 2012 Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP ADHD, Asthma, Babies, Children, Chiropractic, Digestive Health, Immune System, Medicine, Research, Spine, Wellness Leave a comment  

Every parent wants to grow a happy, healthy child that lives up to their potential. But the stresses of life can keep this from happening. Many problems in children and teenagers can be traced back to a difficult birth process. If a newborn’s head is pulled or twisted during delivery, they can develop spinal misalignments. This distorts the infant’s nerve system function, resulting in motor control issues like torticollis, or digestive issues like acid reflux, colic, and constipation. These issues often clear up after a course of gentle chiropractic care.

Nerve system malfunction (subluxation) frequently results in chronic ear infections. In preschool or elementary school, subluxation can cause problems like asthma, ADHD, emotional difficulties, and learning difficulties. The goal of chiropractic care is to treat nerve system malfunction so the body can return to normal function. Ideally, children will never develop the health problems that held back their parents and grandparents. Childhood should be spent enjoying life, not managing chronic health conditions.

In 1989, a survey of the children of chiropractors and medical doctors showed striking differences between the two health care approaches. Chiropractors’ children showed stronger immune systems than medical doctors’ children. Regarding ear infections (otitis media), 80% of medical doctors’ children suffered from this problem, while only 21% of chiropractors’ children had ear infections. For medical doctors’ children, 88% had taken antibiotics, but only 51% of chiropractors’ children had.

It is easier (and cheaper) to grow healthy kids than to fix damaged adults.


Natural Options for Ear Infections

March 7, 2012 Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP Babies, Children, Chiropractic, Immune System, Wellness 2 Comments

Would you prefer natural health care for ear infections in babies and children? A 1997 study of 332 children with otitis media showed remarkable results. All children were between 27 days and 5 years of age. Children were categorized into four groups, depending on the type of otitis media they presented with. Each child received 4-6 chiropractic adjustments and was monitored for 6 months after initial care. Six months later, between 70-89 percent of the children had no recurrence of ear infections. This study supported a 1996 report of 93% improvement in ear infection symptoms after chiropractic care, typically a 6-visit care plan, in the same age group.

It is important to note that chiropractic is not a “treatment” for ear infections. The intention of chiropractic care is to address the spinal and meningeal structures to reduce impediments to nerve system function. If the nerves to the inner ear and Eustachian tubes are communicating properly, these structures will drain efficiently, and fluid will not build up in the inner ear. This makes children less susceptible to having a cold develop into an ear infection. Parents also find that children under regular chiropractic care bounce back more quickly from illness. If you have ever seen an adult get a chiropractic adjustment, it is nothing like an infant adjustment. For babies, chiropractors use the pressure you would apply to test a tomato for ripeness.

According to AskDrSears.com, indications of an ear infection include 2 or more of these symptoms:

  1. Cold symptoms – keep in mind that ear infections are almost always preceded by a cold. Often a clear runny nose will turn yellow or green before an ear infection sets in.
  2. Fussiness during the day or night
  3. Complaining of ear pain or hearing loss
  4. Night-waking more frequently
  5. Unwillingness to lie flat
  6. Fever – usually low grade (101º – 102º); may not have a fever.
  7. Sudden increase in fussiness during a cold
  8. Ear drainage – if you see blood or pus draining out of the ear, then it is probably an infection with a ruptured eardrum. These almost always heal just fine.

Your child is unlikely to have an ear infection if they have no symptoms of a cold, unless they have had a diagnosed ear infection in the past without a cold. If your child is less than 12 months old, they are unable to precisely localize their ear pain. Infants cannot tell that the pain associated with teething is coming from their ears, or from their jawbones and teeth. The pain of teething comes and goes from about four months of age until the two-year molars have emerged. Infants may also tug or bat at their ears because they enjoy playing with these strange, floppy appendages. Infants interact with the world primarily on a physical level, so sticking their finger in their ear may be exploration, not a distress signal.


Top 10 Things You Need to Know About Vitamin D

February 9, 2012 Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP Aging, Babies, Balanced living, Bone Health, Brain, Children, Healing, Medicine, Nutrition, Research, Supplements, Wellness 3 Comments

Would you trust a nutrient with 3000 cancer studies under its belt? In 2009, a very ambitious research team reviewed these studies. Here’s what they found: we could prevent 100,000 people worldwide from developing cancer every year, if we increased our vitamin D intake. They identified ten different ways that vitamin D fights cancer. What a productive little multitasker!

Everyone should know these things about vitamin D:

  1. About 70 percent of Americans are deficient in vitamin D. “Deficiency” means a blood level less than 30 ng/mL, which is based on preventing bone disorders like rickets.
  2. Vitamin D deficiency has no typical symptoms. Like blood pressure, you need to have it measured.
  3. Many chronic illnesses are connected to vitamin D deficiency: heart disease, Alzheimer’s, depression, Type 2 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, chronic colds and flu, and several types of cancer.
  4. Your skin produces vitamin D from cholesterol if you are exposed to sunlight, but sunscreen will stop you from making vitamin D.
  5. The most recent preventive medicine studies suggest that a blood level of 50-80 ng/mL is associated with much lower risk of chronic illness.
  6. In the northern United States, it is almost impossible to get enough vitamin D from sunlight and foods alone.
  7. Children can easily take vitamin D supplements in liquid form.
  8. You need vitamin D to get calcium from food into your blood, and you need vitamin K2 to transfer calcium from your blood into your bones.
  9. You can request a vitamin D test at your annual physical.
  10. Vitamin D can also be measured in a 5-minute appointment, taking two drops of blood from your fingertip.

Our office carries the world’s premier vitamin D supplement with 3000 IU per serving of vitamin D. The formula also includes vitamin K2, vitamin A, and a blend of immune-supporting, anti-inflammatory ingredients such as turmeric, beta glucan, and grape seed extract. We also provide fingerprick testing for vitamin D.

What gets measured gets managed. How are you managing your family’s plan for creating wellness?


Kids and Chiropractic

December 7, 2011 Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP ADHD, Asthma, Babies, Children, Chiropractic, Medicine, Research, Stress, Wellness 6 Comments

Every parent wants to grow a happy, healthy child that lives up to their potential. But the stresses of life can keep this from happening. Many problems in children and teenagers can be traced back to a difficult birth process. If a newborn’s head is pulled or twisted during delivery, they can develop spinal misalignments. This distorts the infant’s nerve system function, resulting in motor control issues like torticollis, or digestive issues like acid reflux, colic, and constipation. These issues often clear up after a course of gentle chiropractic care.

Nerve system malfunction (subluxation) frequently results in chronic ear infections. In preschool or elementary school, subluxation can cause problems like asthma, ADHD, emotional difficulties, and learning difficulties. The goal of chiropractic care is to treat nerve system malfunction so the body can return to normal function. Ideally, children will never develop the health problems that held back their parents and grandparents. Childhood should be spent enjoying life, not managing chronic health conditions.

 Kids enjoy getting adjusted while cuddling with mom or dad.

In 1989, a survey of the children of chiropractors and medical doctors showed striking differences between the two health care approaches. Chiropractic children showed stronger immune systems than medical children. Regarding ear infections (otitis media), 80% of medical children suffered from this problem, while only 21% of chiropractic children had ear infections. For medical children, 88% had taken antibiotics, but only 51% of chiropractic children had.

Safe. Natural. Effective. What more could a parent want for their child’s health care?

About the author: Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP, is a wellness-certified chiropractor at Vital Life Chiropractic in Eagan, Minnesota.


Breech Babies and Reducing Intrauterine Constraint

November 23, 2011 Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP Babies, Chiropractic, Pregnancy, Research, Webster Technique, Wellness 1

Pregnancy is a time of drastic changes in a woman’s weight-bearing patterns and body mechanics. As her body prepares for the task of childbirth, her ligaments become more flexible. These changes can cause subtle misalignments of the skeletal system. Misalignments in the pelvis can cause muscles and ligaments to tighten abnormally. This can lead to twisting of the uterus, which is known as intrauterine constraint. Breech presentations are most often the result of intrauterine constraint. While many infants in breech presentation before 34 weeks will convert spontaneously to a head-down presentation, few will do so afterwards.

The Webster Technique was developed in 1978 to relieve intrauterine constraint by normalizing mechanics of the pelvis. There are two steps to this technique: first, to correct abnormal pelvic biomechanics by a light-force chiropractic adjustment of the sacrum; and second, to relieve tension and spasm in the muscular ligaments connecting the uterus to the pelvis. It is important to stress that the Webster Technique is not to be misconstrued as the practice of obstetrics. This technique is intended to relieve a musculoskeletal condition and is well within the chiropractor’s scope of practice. At no time does the chiropractor attempt to directly change the position of the fetus, as is done in external cephalic version (ECV). The Webster Technique often reduces intrauterine constraint. This allows the fetus enough room to move into a head-down position.

2008 data from the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) showed that the Webster Technique had a 69% effectiveness rate. A research study from 2002 reported a success rate of 82% and indicated that application of the Webster Technique was most beneficial for the 8th month of pregnancy. Use of the Webster Technique during pregnancy can facilitate easier, safer deliveries for both mother and baby. Many birth care providers are actively seeking doctors of chiropractic with the skills in this technique.

About the author: Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP, is a wellness-certified chiropractor at Vital Life Chiropractic in Eagan, Minnesota.


Do flu shots work? Reviews of medical studies

October 26, 2011 Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP Asthma, Babies, Children, Immune System, Medicine, Research, Wellness Leave a comment  

Do flu shots work? Here is what we learned from reviewing medical studies as a group.

Not in babies: In a review of more than 51 studies involving more than 294,000 children it was found there was “no evidence that injecting children 6-24 months of age with a flu shot was any more effective than placebo. In children over 2 years, it was only effective 33% of the time in preventing the flu. Reference: Vaccines for preventing influenza in healthy children. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2 (2008).

Not in children with asthma: A study 800 children with asthma, where one half were vaccinated and the other half did not receive the influenza vaccine. The two groups were compared with respect to clinic visits, emergency department (ED) visits, and hospitalizations for asthma. CONCLUSION: This study failed to provide evidence that the influenza vaccine prevents pediatric asthma exacerbations.  Reference: Effectiveness of influenza vaccine for the prevention of asthma exacerbations. Christly, C. et al. Arch Dis Child. 2004 Aug; 89(8):734-5. “The inactivated flu vaccine, Flumist, does not prevent influenza-related hospitalizations in children, especially the ones with asthma…In fact, children who get the flu vaccine are more at risk for hospitalization than children who do not get the vaccine.” Reference: The American Thoracic Society’s 105th International Conference, May 15-20, 2009, San Diego.

Not in adults: In a review of 48 reports including more than 66,000 adults, “Vaccination of healthy adults only reduced risk of influenza by 6% and reduced the number of missed work days by 0.16 day. It did not change the number of people needing to go to hospital or take time off work.” Reference: Vaccines for preventing influenza in healthy adults. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 1 (2006).

Not in the Elderly: In a review of 64 studies in 98 flu seasons, for elderly living in nursing homes, flu shots were non-significant for preventing the flu. For elderly living in the community, vaccines were not significantly effective against influenza, influenza-like illness, or pneumonia. Reference: Vaccines for preventing influenza in the elderly. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 3(2006).

 

About the author: Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP, is a wellness-certified chiropractor at Vital Life Chiropractic in Eagan, Minnesota.

 


Helping preemies recover from a rough start

August 24, 2011 Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP Asthma, Babies, Children, Chiropractic, Digestive Health, Research, Wellness Leave a comment  

A case report authored by Kelly A. Miller credits chiropractic care with the successful management of a pre-term infant who had suffered severe lung ailments, gastrointestinal complications and developmental delays, both physical and mental.

More than 50,000 babies are born prematurely in the United States each year. Of those who survive, many suffer from lung ailments and respiratory distress, with some facing a life-long battle.

These alarming numbers have our office pointing to the case report published recently in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research.  The report suggests that chiropractic care may alleviate some associated effects of premature births.

In this particular study, an infant born at 24 weeks gestation underwent surgery and spent four months in a neonatal intensive care unit. After her discharge from the hospital, she continued to receive antibiotics as well as ventilation and oxygen therapy. Three months after her discharge, she was diagnosed by a chiropractor with spinal subluxations. The infant weighed only 12 pounds; she was listless, constipated and congested. She was put on a regimen of regular chiropractic evaluations and adjustments, starting with twice daily for two weeks, that were decreased gradually to once every two weeks. During the course of chiropractic care, according to the case report, the baby increased her range of motion and started breathing on her own as her lung function improved; she was less congested and colicky and became noticeably more verbal and alert to her surroundings.

Four months later, the infant was virtually symptom-free and in no need of further medical attention. In her physical and cognitive development she was now one month ahead of her age.

This case study is promising, but more studies of this kind are needed.  Nevertheless, this report gives hope to many parents of premature babies with underdeveloped lungs.  Even full-term infants as young as a few months can benefit tremendously from regular chiropractic care.


Autism spectrum disorders: a case study, aged 7

July 13, 2011 Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP Babies, Brain, Children, Chiropractic, Healing, Spine, Wellness Leave a comment  

Sometimes, you can’t help but share a success story. This clever, inquisitive little girl is seven years old and has been diagnosed on the autism spectrum. Before care, changes in her routine would cause anger, sleeping was fitful and irregular, and attention was a challenge for her. Ritalin had little effect on her behavioral challenges. After 11 adjustments, mom noted the following improvements: she was sleeping better, able to sit still longer and focus better on tasks, more adaptable to change and “taking things in stride.” These behavioral changes are exactly what mom and I had hoped to see, as her nerve system function improved.

You can also see physical improvements in her nervous system diagnostic scans. These scans show measurements of muscle activity. We use this technology to determine whether a person’s energy is being drained through excess muscle tension. If the brain and organ systems are being deprived of energy, symptoms of malfunction can appear in the mental, digestive, hormonal, and respiratory systems. This is why chiropractic care is effective for more than just headaches and backaches.

Before care, this little girl’s muscle energy was off the charts (black bars). In terms of excess muscle tension, red is severe, blue is moderate, and green is mild; white is normal range, yellow is below normal. If your child’s unbalanced nervous system was wasting energy on muscle tension, do you think it might cause problems in their behavior and development?

7yo girl muscle scans, before and after chiropractic care

This is an example of how a child’s nervous system can become deranged as a result of birth trauma. It is also an example of how the body and brain can resume normal function, once normal nerve function is restored. If you know a child with behavioral challenges or a diagnosis on the autism spectrum, make sure they are examined by a doctor of chiropractic.

www.vitallifechiropractic.com


1 2   Next »