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I’m Sick, Daddy . . .
Adjust Me
Dr. Don Parkerson, Jr.
CBS News recently ran a story
on chiropractors successfully treating children for ear infections. While it was a bit shocking that a major
media outlet would give chiropractors good press, the actual point of the story
reflects a major part of my own childhood.
The Times, They Are a Changing
In the report titled,
“Chiropractors Treating Kids to Fight Infections,” the reporter profiles a
mother who chose chiropractic care for her children, as opposed to antibiotics,
Tylenol, and Motrin. The mother goes on
to credit chiropractic for keeping her kids healthy through several winters.
The chiropractor himself was
quoted as saying, “Chiropractic care is simply the art and science of aligning the spine to
take pressure off the nerves and ultimately allow the body to heal
itself."
While
chiropractors have preached this same principle for over 100 years, this is the
1st instance that I can recall of a national media story giving it
positive press.
When I was a kid . . .
Growing up in my house, there were three major
influences: Church, the Bulldawgs, and Chiropractic. All leisure time and vacations generally
centered around one of those three.
And, as the son of a chiropractor, I never even knew
what an ear infection or antibiotic was.
In my world, they didn’t even exist until I reached an age where others
talked about their illnesses and subsequent treatments.
Some
people look at me like I’m crazy, but I grew up without having any shots or
medicines of any kind. While I’m not
suggesting that my childhood experience is the only way to raise a child, I
bring up the point only to demonstrate that it actually is possible for children to be completely healthy without giving 
them drugs.
My Dad
checked my spine when I was 5 minutes old and from that moment, any sickness I
felt was usually followed by the phrase, “I’m sick, Daddy. Adjust me.”
In the picture
to the right, you see our daughter, Sadie, being checked during the 1st
day of her life. In case you’re
wondering, Sadie experienced no birth trauma and her alignment checked
perfectly.
Why Do People Get Sick?
Unless you live in some remote wilderness, your body
is constantly exposed to bacteria and viruses that could make you sick. Some people fight off the would-be invaders
before they ever manifest in the body while others seem to be continually sick.
Each of us has an immune
system that serves as our army of defense against colds and sickness. The relative strength of our immune system
against these bacteria and viruses may be termed our “resistance.” As such, the higher your body’s resistance,
the less likely you are to get sick.
What If Your Child Gets
Sick?
If you
see physical indications that your child might be getting sick, you must first
realize that your son or daughter’s body is under attack by a bacteria or
virus. Secondly, you must immediately go
into defense mode to raise your child’s immune resistance to whatever illness
is trying to make them sick. I recommend
a 5-fold method of attack to help your child’s body fight off 
sickness:
1.
Make sure their spine is balanced – A properly functioning nervous system is essential
for optimal immune function. A
chiropractor can determine if your child has a spinal alignment problem that
might be causing their immune system to function poorly.
2.
Monitor the fever – Raising our body’s core temperature is our immune
system’s tool for fighting off sickness.
In a child, an increased body temp in the 100 – 103 degree range is
usually an indication that their immune system is under attack and using heat
to fight back. Using drugs to lower a
fever that is 103 degrees or less hampers the immune system’s ability to rid
the body of sickness.
3.
Water, not juice – Water cleanses our bodies and helps rid our
bloodstream of toxins. Juice,
particularly orange juice, is loaded with sugar that actually decreases your immunity. If you are giving your child juice just to
increase their Vitamin C intake, there are much healthier options.
4.
Antioxidants – As our immune system works harder, more nutrients
are required to fight off the bacteria or virus. Sick children can increase their Vitamin
intake with various powder mixes or easily dissolved Vitamin C tablets made by
Hyland’s. These can be found at Whole
Foods, Harry’s Farmer Market, and most health food stores.
5.
Proper clothing – Keep your child a little warmer than usual as their
body tries to fight off sickness. This
goes hand-in-hand with monitoring their fever.
For further information on this topic, you may contact
Dr. Parkerson at 770.952.5353, by email at Parkerson@humberparkerson.com,
or visit our clinic on the web at www.HumberParkerson.com.
The Highest Level is the monthly e-mail newsletter of
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© Humber Parkerson Clinic 2007
April 2007 issue of The Highest Level
