By Kevin Donka, D.C.

This is a question parents ask in our office at least once or twice every week. In order to answer it, we need to be clear of both the dangers and benefits of a fever.

Many of you just did a double take when you read that fever can have a benefit. But, according to a 1992 brochure published by the makers of Tylenol, fever is a very important thing for your body to be able to produce. It helps the body prevent or clear infections, whether they are viral or bacterial.

This same publication states that fevers are generally not dangerous until they reach a temperature of 106.3 degrees Fahrenheit. In fact, it says that there is not really even much danger of a seizure from the fever until it has been at 106 degrees for 3 days or more. Furthermore, it states that, “even if a seizure does occur, there rarely is any residual effect at all.”

Now, this is not to say that we want to let a fever get to the point where a seizure or any damage could occur. Nor does it mean that we should not make sure something more serious isn’t going on.

What it does mean is that we should be acutely aware that the body has a specific purpose for producing a fever, and we should respect that and not automatically try to reduce it.

This is a very important thing to understand, and while many adults can now grasp this concept, many of our kids have grown up believing that fever is a bad thing and must be reduced as soon as it starts. We have an explanation for fever in our office that I would like to share with you here. It is the way we explain fever to a child, and it usually helps clear it up for adults as well. It goes something like this…

“Hi Timmy! Your mom told me you’re not feeling quite the way you would like to, and that you have a fever, is that right? Well, do you remember how we always tell you after your adjustment that your Power is on now? You know Tim, that “Power” is just like a light! Have you ever touched a light bulb when it’s been on? It’s very hot isn’t it? Well, sometimes, when your body needs a little more Power to help itself get or stay healthy, it turns its Power up, and you get hot…just like that light bulb! That’s what we call a fever, and it’s a very good thing for your body to be able to turn its power up if it needs to. My job is to adjust you and make sure that your Power gets turned up as high as it needs to go to get you well again, but only as high as it needs to go and no higher! Your adjustment also helps to make sure that your Power is only turned up for as long as it needs to be and no longer. Pretty cool, huh?! Isn’t it great how your body knows exactly what to do to stay healthy?! Come on, let’s get you adjusted and make sure your Light can help your body be the best it can be!”

This kind of explanation from you can help your children understand the incredible miracle they have within them. It will also help them to grow up knowing that health does not come from drugs, but that it is our natural state. And, by keeping our spines aligned and functioning properly so that our brains and bodies are fully connected, we all have the best possible chance of staying healthy and moving toward the full expression of Life. This also means that we all are more likely to reach our potential in life. And after all, isn’t that what life is really all about anyway?

His dad brought him in for me to check him out and of course, I was surprised when I saw the range of motion in the arm and shoulder.

I determined that there was an unusual amount of tension and torque on the tissue around the rib cage and axilla. I adjusted him using the ArthroStim Instrument and KST.

In that one visit, the little boy was able to raise his arm all the way up!  Since then, he has come back and we continue getting more range of motion and there is much less tension around the rib cage area as well.

Chiropractic is Awesome!

Symptoms of colic in an otherwise healthy baby are described as periods of prolonged irritability, fussiness and inconsolable crying that lasts at least three hours a day, at least three days a week. While nearly all infants experience times of unexplained fussiness, colic escalates “fussiness” to a whole new level.

The good news is that colic is very treatable through gentle chiropractic adjustments.

In a study of healthy babies who were diagnosed with colic, chiropractic adjustments were administered to correct misalignments in the infant’s spines. After just two weeks of chiropractic treatment, 94 percent of parents reported that their infants experienced fewer episodes of inconsolable crying and irritability. Of these babies, over fifty percent of them had been previously treated with medication to alleviate the symptoms of colic, but to no avail.
In another study, over 90 percent of the infants experienced a major decline in episodes of colic after just two chiropractic adjustments.

The root of colic behavior can be traced back to the birthing process. As the baby is being born it experiences tremendous pressure and strain on the neck and spine. A prolonged time of “pushing” or extraction with forceps or vacuum multiplies the pressure placed on the baby’s delicate spinal column. During this time it is common for vertebrae in the neck and back to shift out of place, causing pain and discomfort (as well as a plethora of other health issues) that provokes a baby to become irritable, fussy and cry for hours on end.

The good news is that through simple and gentle chiropractic adjustments, an infant’s spine can be realigned, delivering much needed relief to both baby and parent.

It’s never too early to have your child checked and adjusted for misalignments in the spine. It’s a healthy practice that will help your child grow and develop to their fullest potential.

Results from a two-year study found that over 1,500 babies and toddlers were rushed to hospital emergency rooms with health threatening reactions to common cold medications designed for small children. Sparking this investigation was the 2005 deaths of three infants who were found to have up to 14 times the recommended amount of cold medicine in their systems.

The problem is that it’s very difficult to regulate a safe medication dosage for children so young and small. The CDC currently has no dosing recommendations for children under age two.

So what is the best method for helping an infant or toddler fight a cold? The chiropractic community suggests that all infants and toddlers receive a spinal examination and chiropractic adjustments. These gentle chiropractic adjustments relieve misalignments in the spine allowing the immune system to function at maximum capacity, thus quickly and naturally fighting off sickness.

(Source: http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/mmwrnews/2007/n070111.htm)

Each child in the study received a full physical examination, x-rays and surface EMG and thermography test. The results were as follows:

- 96 percent of the children examined had pelvic subluxations.

- Common physical complaints included low back and neck pain, numbness of limbs, pain in limbs, sinus problems, headaches, dizziness, stomach problems, bed-wetting, constipation, diarrhea, asthma, fatigue, colic, and croup.

- Common behavioral concerns included memory and sleeping problems, ADHD, learning difficulties, and elevated temper.

- Common immune system complaints included ear infections, fever, acne and throat complaints such as Strep, tonsillitis and soreness were also noted.

Why did so many children share the same health complaints? Because a misaligned spine causes surrounding muscles to move out of normal position in an effort to correct the misalignment. In doing so, both the subluxation and the over-adjusted muscle cause signals from the brain, traveling through the nervous system in the spine, to be partially or totally blocked. In turn, normal body processes become impaired, health problems begin to immerge and symptoms—like those address above—become present.

How can you correct these harmful childhood subuxations? Seek a spine evaluation and Chiropractic adjustments as soon as possible.

Source: Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research, October 2004

Researcher used to believe that only two in 100 hospitalized kids would experience a drug-related harmful event. But a recent study using a new medical error detection method has found that number to be much higher. It’s now believed that 11 in 100 kids will be harmed during their hospital stay.

Until hospitals begin using fool-proof methods to prevent accidental overdoses and medicine mix-ups, it’s important that parents stay with their children in the hospital and question every medication that is being administered. Ask what medication your child is being given and why. Do your homework and be the watchdog your child needs.

Of course, avoiding the hospital altogether is the highest goal to achieve. That’s why chiropractic adjustments are such a valuable key to maintaining health—even in new born infants and small children. Take proactive measures to keep your kids out of the hospital. Feed them a healthy diet and forget the junk food. Make sure they get outside to play and exercise. And schedule them for regular chiropractic adjustments.

[source: April 2008 issue of the journal of Pediatrics]

The new detection method mentioned in the article was described in a study published in the April 1, 2008 issue of the scientific journal, “Pediatrics“, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. According to the published journal study, “The purposes of this study were to develop a pediatric-focused tool for adverse drug event detection and describe the incidence and characteristics of adverse drug events in children’s hospitals identified by this tool.” The researchers described the tool as an actual “trigger method” that used certain indicators or “flags” to find adverse drug reactions in children as opposed to the previous method of depending on reports from supervising adults.

The results of the study showed that the rate of adverse drug events (ADE) was much higher than previously thought. Dr. Charles Homer of the National Initiative for Children’s Healthcare Quality, whose group helped develop the detection tool used in the study, stated, “These data and the Dennis Quaid episode are telling us that … these kinds of errors and experiencing harm as a result of your health care is much more common than people believe. It’s very concerning.” In the CNN article, Dr. Homer referenced the recent news that actor Dennis Quaid’s newborn twins got accidental life-threatening heparin overdoses in a Los Angeles hospital.

The study looked at 960 randomly selected children’s charts from 12 children’s hospitals and looked for the specific “triggers” in these charts. Researchers found that adverse drug event rates were 11.1 per 100 patients, 15.7 per 1000 patient-days, and 1.23 per 1000 medication doses. The study also showed that 22% of all adverse drug events were deemed preventable, 17.8% could have been identified earlier, and 16.8% could have been handled better.

Possibly the most disturbing portion of the study was that, according to researchers, only 3.7% of the adverse drug events would have been identified by previous methods. Researchers concluded, “Adverse drug event rates in hospitalized children are substantially higher than previously described. Most adverse drug events resulted in temporary harm, and 22% were classified as preventable.”

According to this pediatrician, when trying to clear up an ear infection, the use of antibiotics usually has little to no effect on the condition. Ear tubes, which require a local anesthesia and often fall out, were just an ineffective. So he started referring his troubled patients to the chiropractor.

Doctor of Chiropractic, Richard Rafferty, says that just 12 to 18 chiropractic adjustments in a period spanning one to two month should correct the problem and eliminate reoccurring ear infections. His adjustments have come with such success that the word has spread quickly among parents. On a weekly basis Dr. Rafferty now adjusts between 50 and 100 children suffering with chronic ear infections.

So what exactly is an ear infection, and how does chiropractic cure this condition?

When children (and adults) suffer from an ear infection, it is due to a misalignment in the vertebrae of the neck. These out-of-position vertebrae allow abnormal fluid drainage into the middle ear. That fluid is where bacteria grows, causing a painful infection. In order to cure the problem, chiropractors gently realign the vertebrae in the neck. They use a small instrument called an activator, which delivers a light tap, gently nudging misaligned vertebrae back into place, and thus curing the problem.

The full story can be seen on YouTube at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ThriveChiropractic

And number two, It honors me when they trust me with the care of their children. In the office, we don’t charge for adjustments on kids under 12 (as long as the parent is getting adjusted)

We feel it’s that important.

Here are three things that you can do today to help improve your child’s spinal health:

• Regular chiropractic care. Just as children need good hygiene, dental care and sound nutrition, they also need regular chiropractic care. Chiropractic care will help to restore and maintain normal spinal function, allowing a child’s body to develop optimally.
• Limit backpack weight. One common source of spinal injury for children is their heavy backpacks. Limit the weight of their backpacks to 10% – 15% of their body weight. For example: A child weighing 50 lbs. should carry no more than 7.5 lbs, and a child weighing 80 lbs. should carry no more than 12 lbs. If children carry more than this, they have an increased risk of injuring themselves.
• Keep kids active. There is an epidemic of childhood obesity in this country as more and more children spend their day in front of the television and playing computer games. This not only increases their risk of developing diabetes and heart disease early in life, it is also very stressfull on the spine. More and more children suffer from back pain and headaches simply because they don’t get enough exercise.

Every child is different and has unique needs. Your Doctor of Chiropractic is trained in evaluating and treating the spines of all ages. Give your kids the gift of a healthy spine by getting them regular chiropractic care.