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Diagnostic X-Rays and Children
Dr. Julie Mayer Hunt
Throughout its more than 100 year history, Chiropractic
has always included children among its growing number of patients. In fact, chiropractic care has succeeded in
restoring health to children often after traditional medical intervention has
failed.
Chiropractors treat subluxations in the spinal column
to restore proper alignment, much like the dentist fixes teeth. However, there is one major difference: the bones of the spinal column house a
critical part of the body’s nervous system, the spinal cord. The spinal cord is responsible for the transmission
of nerve impulses, or messages, between the brain and the body.
A subluxation is when a vertebral bone is out of
alignment with the rest of the spinal vertebrae and this causes changes in
nerve transmission. Think of it like a
kink in a wire causing garbled messages to be transmitted. With all the growing a child’s body has to
accomplish, who would want a child’s body to be receiving incomplete messages
from the brain?
Subluxations can cause a variety of health problems
for a child including, but not limited to:
·
Restricting
fluid drainage from the middle ear causing repetitive ear infection
·
Depressing
normal peristaltic action in a baby with colic
·
Abnormal
function of the bladder muscles and bladder sphincter leading to problems such
as bedwetting and urinary tract infections
·
Damaging the
structure of the vertebral joints through constant pressure causing joint
degeneration.
It is important to recognize the far-reaching
consequences of vertebral subluxation in the development of your child’s
spine. The free-flow of nerve impulses
is necessary to allow the body to function and develop properly.
Given this critical development period, it is
extremely important to have children checked for subluxations. X-rays are only taken if a subluxation is
suspected. Chiropractors are trained to
not only interpret x-rays, but more importantly, to recognize when they are
needed to help identify the condition of a child’s spine. In those instances when radiographs are
necessary, the chiropractor will carefully examine the films for signs of
degeneration, diseases of the bones and soft tissue, abnormal development of
the structures of the spine, for the effects of trauma such as fractured bones
or dislocated joints and then for subluxations.
Chiropractors also analyze x-rays to understand the specific direction
in which a vertebra is misaligned in order to determine the proper vectors to
correct the misalignment and restore body balance.
Chiropractors are particularly careful to minimize
the exposure of children (and all patients) to radiation. With contemporary safeguards, the amount of
radiation received is extremely small.
The risk is negligible. In fact,
x-rays represent a far smaller risk than an undetected and untreated
subluxation. Today’s equipment filters
out unnecessary x-rays and restricts the x-ray beam to only the area of
interest. High speed film and proper
shielding assure that your child receives a minimal amount of exposure.
Dr. Grostic, the founding father of Orthospinology,
felt that chiropractors should always lead the way in x-ray quality and patient
safety. Today children of all ages can
receive exceptional Chiropractic care with the best diagnostic tools available
and their results are optimal health potential.
Dr. Julie Mayer Hunt has been in practice in Clearwater,
To contact Dr. Mayer Hunt, you may call 727-446-6242, or visit Mayer
Chiropractic on the web at www.MayerChiropractic.com.
The Highest Level is the monthly e-mail newsletter of the
© Humber Parkerson
Clinic 2006
January 2006 issue of The Highest
Level
