Does your baby have limited neck movement or keep their head tilted to one side? If you answered yes, your baby may have torticollis (or wryneck). This is when the child twists or tilts his or her neck to the side, angling it so the chin is turned to the other side. 

Let’s dive deep into what infant torticollis is, what causes it, the signs and symptoms to look out for, and what can help treat torticollis.

 

What is Infant Torticollis and what causes it?

Being a parent, your newborn’s health is undoubtedly the top priority. You want them to grow and develop in a healthy manner. But in some cases, after birth, babies develop a head tilt. When an infant is born with its head turned to one side and has difficulty moving it to the other, this is known as infant torticollis. Torticollis can happen due to positioning in the womb or after a difficult childbirth. It can be a real pain in the neck for newborns. It is very uncomfortable for them. Babies with torticollis can have difficulties with latch or breastfeeding on one side, as it hurts the infant to turn to the other side to nurse.

The longer torticollis is left untreated, the harder and longer it takes to resolve. If left untreated, it can also lead to –

• Coordination difficulties
• Learning difficulties
• Developmental delays
• ADHD
• Vision issues
• Neurodevelopmental issues

 

What are the symptoms of Torticollis?

If your baby has torticollis, you may notice the following signs or symptoms:

• Tilt the head in one direction
• Chin points the opposite way of the head tilt
• Neck muscle tightness or stiffness
• Swollen neck muscles
• Decreased neck range of motion
• The baby may show frustration when unable to turn their head
• May develop a flat spot on their head from keeping their head in the same position when lying down
• The trouble with breastfeeding and/or preferring one breast during feeding
• May have a soft lump in your baby’s neck muscle

How Does The Chiropractor Treat Torticollis?

Chiropractic care is an easy and safe way to detect and help with infant torticollis. Babies with torticollis usually experience subluxations in the upper cervical spinal area. Misalignment of the upper neck puts pressure on the nerves that innervate the muscles in the neck, which causes a limited range of motion, muscle tension, and typically a head tilt preference. This causes torticollis and can worsen with time. 

Chiropractic care focuses on reducing cervical subluxations. It helps to bring the spine into proper alignment, thus allowing the nervous system to communicate more swiftly with the body. This allows the weakened, stiff neck muscle to relax and stretch out, improving the range of motion and thus eliminating the torticollis. 

You might worry that chiropractic care will be too aggressive for your baby or that they must undergo a painful adjustment before their torticollis will disappear. But, you can rest assured, that infant chiropractic care is extremely gentle and safe.

 

At Blossom Family Chiropractic, we aim to help your little one start their new life on the best note. Your baby’s comfort is our number one priority.

As one of St. Petersburg’s top Pediatric chiropractors, we’re always striving to provide you and your kids with the best care and experience. If you are in the Tampa or St. Pete area and are looking for a chiropractor, contact us to schedule an appointment to see how we can help your kiddos!

Shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing? Do you or a loved one live with these struggles? Are you familiar with this? You may be feeling the effects of asthma.

Asthma is a chronic lung disease that causes inflammation and narrowing of the airways. It can occur at any age but is more common in children. The condition causes recurring periods of symptoms that include shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, and tightness in the chest. But what causes asthma and how can this condition be improved? Let’s dive into that.

 

What causes Asthma?

Chronic asthma can feel overwhelming and frustrating, particularly for children. A wide range of conditions may trigger asthma, including genetics, environmental factors, or a combination of the two.

Factors that may put you at increased risk for asthma include:

• Environmental exposures
• Frequent viral infections
• Family history of asthma
• Respiratory infections – Allergies, cold, and bronchitis.
• Additives in some foods 
• Stress and strong emotions
• Physical activity
• Certain medications
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Exposure to secondhand smoke

 

Asthma can be a sign that something in the body is amiss. You may be wondering what can be done to help you or your child who is suffering from asthma. It may surprise you to find out that chiropractic care can alleviate symptoms of asthma, as well as improve overall health and well-being.

 

How Chiropractic Care Works For Asthma

When many of you think about chiropractic care, you think of seeking a way to alleviate back or neck pain. While this is true, the goal of chiropractic care is actually to improve and maintain overall health and well-being.

Regular chiropractic care can be very effective in treating asthma. Spinal misalignment or subluxation can cause changes in the function of the respiratory system that may lead to asthma. These include airway narrowing, which prevents sufficient airflow into the lungs, as well as inflammation. 

Misalignments in the spine can cause dysfunction in the central nervous system. When these are present, nerve communication is impacted which decreases the efficiency of the immune system and bodily processes, like breathing, can break down. 

Gentle chiropractic adjustments remove these misalignments, restore nerve communication, and improve functions of your body, including the lungs, which is hugely significant for those with asthma. 

Benefits of Chiropractic care for asthma

If you suffer from asthma, you will enjoy these main benefits of chiropractic care:

• Reduces the frequency of attacks

Misalignments in the spine can increase the number of attacks. It is important that energy effectively flows through the nerve endings. A non-aligned spine can disrupt energy flow through the nerve endings and trigger a host of health issues. Chiropractic care can help the spine to be aligned, which will improve the function of the lungs and possibly lead to fewer asthma attacks.

• Improved airflow

The lungs are vital for breathing, also, the diaphragm and airway play an important part. They cannot function properly if the spine is not aligned properly. Regular chiropractic adjustments help to align the spine and allow your diaphragm and airway to move as they should and create better airflow.

• Boost the immune system

Your nervous system is linked to the body’s immune system. When the spine is not aligned, it can create stress on your body which leads to a weakened immune system and may increase the risk of asthma attacks. By aligning the spine, chiropractic care helps to improve the functioning of your immune system and makes asthma attacks less likely.

 

Conclusion

At Blossom Family Chiropractic, we aim to return your body to optimal functioning, including your ability to breathe easily.

As one of St. Petersburg’s leading chiropractors, we’re always striving to provide you and your kids with the best care and experience. If you are in the Tampa or St. Pete area and are looking for a family chiropractor, contact us to schedule an appointment to see how we can help your kiddos!

 

Stomach pains? Fussy infant? Bloated?

As a parent, anything can send you into a panic when it comes to the health of your child and that includes constipation and digestive issues too. Constipation is when it is difficult for your baby to poop or when they are not pooping as often as normal. The question is – Is it normal? No.  Is there any help? Yes!

 Is it normal for an infant to be constipated?

We all know the discomfort of bloating and constipation, children feel the same pain and discomfort. Constipation, though common in a lot of kids, is not normal and can cause many issues depending on the severity and age of the child. Regular bowel movements are essential for the health of your child. Constipation is not only hard on their digestive system but can also cause stress on the family when the baby is crying and fussy.  In these situations, the parents are often suffering just as much as the child, because of the lack of sleep and constant worry as they try to help their baby feel better.

 What are the symptoms of constipation?

If your infant is dealing with these recurring symptoms, it could be constipation.

• Infrequent bowel movements
• Bowel movements that appear painful or difficult to pass
• Uncomfortable
• Irritability
• Change in eating and sleeping habits
• Hard stools
• Stomach pain and bloating
•  Being very fussy and spitting up more often 

 These behaviors and symptoms can cause a lot of frustration for your baby and for you as parents. The good news? There is one highly successful option for infants: chiropractic care. 

 

How Chiropractic care works for constipation in infants

Chiropractic care is a very important factor in aiding a child’s digestive system and can be key in getting them to have a bowel movement regularly. It will help restore normal bowel movement and ease symptoms of constipation. Misalignment in your child’s spine can put pressure on the nerves that are responsible for bowel movements. These nerves carry signals and information from the brain throughout the body.  

That being said, when these nerves are compressed, they aren’t able to get the message to the organs correctly and the digestive system can’t work the way it should which leads to constipation. 

Chiropractic care helps to gently adjust the spine to remove the interferences with nerves and restore normal spinal functions and open up the pathways for proper nervous system function. This allows the brain’s messages to get through to the stomach and intestines again and for normal bodily functions to be restored.

 

Conclusion

At Blossom Family Chiropractic, we often see children and infants brought in for constipation. Our goal is to adjust any involved segments of the spine that could be hindering your child’s ability to digest. We make them feel better, provide some relief to the whole family, and get their digestion function restored.

As one of St. Petersburg’s top pediatric chiropractors, we’re always striving to provide you and your kids with the best care and experience. If you are in the Tampa or St. Pete area and are looking for a pediatric chiropractor for your children, contact us to schedule an appointment to see how we can help your kiddos!

 

The arrival of a new baby into the world is a monumental event for mom and baby! Birth is a huge adjustment for your baby as they adapt to life outside of the womb. They go through a significant amount of change in their first year of life, and this period of time is an important turning point in their development.

 

Chiropractic Care in the First Year of Life

Contrary to what is commonly believed, chiropractic care is of HUGE value to patients of any age – but especially in their first year! In light of the fact that childhood is characterized by exceptionally rapid growth and development, it is wildly important to make sure that your child’s nervous system is balanced so that their body can adapt to the rapid changes.

During the first year of life, babies will often encounter a few “common” (but NOT normal) issues. Things like colic, constipation, and ear infection are what parents brace themselves for as their baby moves through their first year. But what if we told you that when babies are regularly adjusted from birth, they experience these things LESS often, and when they do experience them, it is less intense? 

 

At Blossom Family Chiropractic we know the impact that chiropractic adjustments have on the immune system of kiddos and we know that infants who are regularly adjusted experience less of the “common” issues. 

 

The #1 Reason Why New Parents Should See A Chiropractor

Taking your newborn to the chiropractor on a regular basis is like making an investment in their health and their growth. Babies can benefit from chiropractic care from the moment they are born until the time they take their first steps. Gentle chiropractic adjustments give your baby the nervous system balance that they need to readily reach their movement milestones (rolling, crawling, walking) and provide them with the cognitive resources they need to learn how to self-regulate and adapt to the world around them. 

 

Taking care of your health involves more than just attending to it in the here and now; rather, it also involves making preparations for the future. This also applies to your newborn infant!

Newborns And Chiropractic: Reasons Babies Need A Regular Adjustment

If you’re looking for an alternative to conventional treatment, chiropractic care is a great option because it focuses on the nervous system. Maintaining a healthy nervous system is essential since it regulates the functioning of the entire body. The health benefits include, among other things, a better immune system, less stress and anxiety, and better sleep.

 

Chiropractic care gives your baby more energy, helps them digest food better, and relieves the symptoms of colic as well as other gastrointestinal problems (or prevents them altogether!).

 

How often should I take my baby to the chiropractor?

The answer to this question depends on a number of factors, but seeing a chiropractor regularly is generally suggested. At Blossom Family Chiropractic we use in-depth assessments and data to determine your child’s care plan and only adjust when necessary! 

 

If your child is experiencing any kind of acute health issues, your chiropractor may suggest more frequent visits. Consistency, after all, is the key to achieving great results. 

 

During the duration of care, the practicing chiropractor who sees your child will be able to evaluate what your child’s specific requirements are and provide recommendations based on what they find. We suggest finding an ICPA-certified chiropractor who uses the appropriate technology to develop a care plan. 

Takeaway

 

As parents, we want what’s best for our children but we don’t always know what’s best for them so it won’t hurt to heed the advice of those who have gotten through it. Know and take what resonates with your child’s needs. Do your own research and trust your gut instinct. At the end of the day, what matters is that your child gets the best you have hoped for them. 

 

If you are in St. Petersburg, Florida, and looking for an ICPA-certified pediatric chiropractor to balance your sweet, new baby’s nervous system, reach out to us!

 

To book an appointment to get you and your infant evaluated and on the perfect track for development, visit https://blossomfamilychiropractic.com/contact-us/ and reach out to us! 

 

 

Did you know that chiropractic care can significantly impact your baby’s health long into the future?

Your newborn babies’ tiny bodies are going through a lot of changes as they develop and grow. They are developing their sense of smell and taste, learning to calm themselves when they are upset, gaining control over their limbs physically, and becoming more curious about their environment. These changes and transformations can make even the sweetest babies have some BIG feelings. 

Finding out what to do for them at the right times or how to prevent or treat problems to help them stay healthy can be a challenge for new parents. Whether your baby is experiencing behavioral, digestive, physical, or developmental issues, chiropractic care will help.

Why Chiropractic Care is the Best Choice for Babies

Even though chiropractic care may seem like an unconventional choice for infant care, there are a number of ways that it can help babies grow, develop, and function optimally. Chiropractic care has been shown to have many positive effects on infants, including better sleep, easier digestion, and a stronger immune system.  

Chiropractic care for babies is also a favorite for holistic families who prefer not to turn directly to medications when their child is sick. Because chiropractic adjustments help an infant’s nervous system better adapt to illness, many families choose chiropractic care for their babies when they are sick.

How Does Infant Chiropractic Care Work?

At Blossom Family Chiropractic, we know that babies are usually born with some form of “trauma”. Because a baby passes through its mother’s birth canal and is powerfully pushed out, it is not uncommon for its nervous system to be off balance at birth. Chiropractic care for babies brings balance to their nervous system, which allows their bodies to focus on growing and hitting all of their milestones! 

It’s normal for parents to be skeptical about the benefits of chiropractic care for infants. They seem so tiny and fragile, after all. Don’t worry because the chiropractors at Blossom Family Chiropractic are experts in pediatric care, so you can rest assured that your baby is in good hands. They correct the spine and pelvis of infants with gentle pressure and touch to help regulate the nervous system.

Reactive vs. Proactive Chiropractic Care for Babies

When families come into our St. Petersburg office, they are generally there for one of two reasons. Their baby is either experiencing a specific discomfort (like constipation or colic) or they are aware of the benefits of proactive chiropractic care for their baby! Whichever phase that families come into Blossom Family Chiropractic for, they are welcome with open arms.

Reactive

Reactive care is the “immediate response” to a challenge that your child is currently facing. For example, if your kiddo is born with torticollis, we will reactively care for them by adjusting to directly improve their stiff movement. If you bring your kiddo in and tell us that they have recurring ear infections, we will reactively work on their ear canals to improve drainage and lessen the frequency of their ear infections. We are reacting to a specific situation. 

Proactive

BUT, why wait for symptoms when you can prevent them from coming? Prevention is always our preferred method.

Regular chiropractic care proactively helps support your baby’s immune system. A strong immune system is important for overall health, and it can also help protect your baby. When babies are well-adjusted, they don’t get sick as often. We also know that well-adjusted babies adapt better to their environment and are likely to meet and exceed their milestones.

Early chiropractic care provides the framework for peak performance later in life.

As parents, our goal has always been to give our children the best of everything. We understand that at Blossom Family Chiropractic. But often, families overlook what’s ahead and just focus on the present. We are fixated on providing them with healthy meals or engaging them in an active lifestyle, all in the hope that those are enough to get them in tip-top shape. Taking your kids to the chiropractor is a fantastic first step toward building a lifetime of wellness in their bodies. If you are a family in St. Petersburg, Florida who is ready to set your little one up for a lifetime of wellness, click here to book an appointment with us!