Chiroblog

If you hang around the Rubin Family Chiropractic community long enough, you will see many, many pregnant women and infants get adjusted. We love to watch little babies smile and laugh after their adjustment. At some point, you may have asked the question, how can a chiropractor help all these babies? We hope this post illuminates why chiropractic care is so important for infants and newborns.

A study published in 2015 shows us how important it is for infants to get checked by a chiropractor, no matter how seemingly healthy.  Titled “Incidence of Somatic Dysfunction in Healthy Newborns”, the study looks at the incidence, or percentage likelihood, that a newborn will have dysfunction in their spine. The doctors examined the spines of 100 healthy newborns, including cranium (head), cervical (neck), thoracic (mid-back), lumbar (low-back), and sacral (base) regions of the spine. 51 of these newborns were male, and 49 female, all about 6 hours old.

The results of this particular study were astonishing. It found that 99%, or 99 out of 100, of these newborns had at least one somatic dysfunction, either in the cranium (or skull), the cervical spine (neck) or sacral spine (base of the spine). The study also found that the number one correlating factor to the amount of spinal dysfunction found was labor time. The longer the mother was in labor, the more spinal dysfunctions the baby would have. We chiropractors call somatic dysfunction: subluxation.  What this study tells us is that almost every child born today needs to be seen by a chiropractor, so we can address their somatic dysfunctions or subluxations!  No one escapes being born without needing their spine checked by a pediatric chiropractor.

These numbers are eye-opening, and show the importance of having a baby and pregnant mother checked. Literature has shown us that chiropractic care helps reduce labor time by as much 31%. This now shows the impact that a diminished labor time has on the health of a baby’s spine and nervous system. This 2015 study helps us understand the physical toll the delivery process has on the baby’s spine. Each of these spinal dysfunctions contribute to a less than optimal brain and nervous system in every newborn. Having your newborn checked for spinal dysfunction, or vertebral subluxation, can make an incredible difference in you and your family’s life.

Link to study: http://jaoa.org/article.aspx?articleid=2466228
 

In 2007, Kenneth Bock, MD, published Healing the New Childhood Epidemics. At that time, he reported that Autism was an epidemic: It spiked 1,500 percent in twenty years. ADHD, asthma and allergies have also skyrocketed over the same period of time. As of the 2007 publication, these conditions affected one in every three children in America, and the numbers have only risen since then.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, latest research indicates that rates of children diagnosed with autism have increased from 1 in 110 in 2006 to an alarming 1 in 59 today!

Similarly, ADHD rates have risen. In 2003, 7.8 percent of children ages 4 – 17 were diagnosed with ADHD. By 2007, numbers had risen to 9.5 percent, and by 2011, 11.0 percent of 4 – 17-year-olds had been diagnosed with the condition. Because ADHD had become more prevalent with younger children, in 2016 research methods altered to include children ages 2 – 17, and studies revealed 9.4 percent had ADHD.

Asthma is currently the leading cause of chronic disease among children. While hospitalization rates due to asthma has decreased in recent years, the condition is the third leading cause for hospitalization for children under the age of 15. As of 2016, 1 in 12 (8.3%) children had been diagnosed with asthma.

Allergic conditions are among the most common medical conditions affecting children in the United States. Among children aged 0–17 years, the prevalence of food allergies increased from 3.4% in 1997–1999 to 5.1% in 2009–2011. The prevalence of skin allergies increased from 7.4% in 1997–1999 to 12.5% in 2009–2011. There was no significant trend in respiratory allergies from 1997–1999 to 2009–2011, yet respiratory allergy remained the most common type of allergy among children throughout this period (17.0% in 2009–2011).

Our experience at Rubin Family Chiropractic coincides with the CDC reports. We have seen an ever-increasing number of patients with one or more of the 4-A disorders. There is hope, though! As a neurologically based chiropractic office, we have also seen our patients make dramatic improvements in their symptoms in a relatively short period of time. Through regular chiropractic care, we enjoy helping parents and children manage and alleviate symptoms of autism, ADHD, asthma and allergies among many other common childhood conditions.

References:

Allergies [internet]. Division of Human Development and Disability, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2018 [cited 31 October 2018]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html.

Asthma [internet]. National Center for Environmental Health. 2018 [cited 31 October 2018]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/most_recent_data.htm.

Attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) [internet]. Division of Human Development and Disability, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2017 [cited 31 October 2018]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/features/key-findings-adhd72013.html.

Autism spectrum disorders [internet]. Division of Birth Defects, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2018 [cited 31 October 2018]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data.html. 

Bock K, Stauth C. (2007) Healing the new childhood epidemics: autism, ADHD, asthma, and allergies: the groundbreaking program for the 4-A disorders. New York, NY: Ballentine Books.

Do you get short, sudden jabs of pain or spasms in your lower belly or on either side of your belly/groin area?  This is described as round ligament pain, and is often felt in the second and third trimesters.  Women have two round ligaments, one on either side of the abdominal area.  These ligaments start at the bottom of the groin, fan outward, and connect at the hip area to support the abdominals; thus serving a very important role during pregnancy.  In fact, these ligaments can rarely even be felt unless a woman is pregnant.

So what causes this pain?  Throughout pregnancy, your body is undergoing many changes, growing and stretching to make room for baby.  As the uterus grows during pregnancy the round ligaments stretch, becoming tighter and thinner, like a rubber band.  The stretching that occurs can result in tension and pain in the abdominal area. If the baby is in a non-ideal position, leaning against one or even both of the round ligaments, shooting pain can result.  Another way pain in the round ligaments can occur is when mom’s pelvis is misaligned.  Many pregnant women commonly feel round ligament pain, and the good news is there are ways to ease the pain!

Due to the biomechanical make up of the sacrum and pelvis, if one of your hip bones rocks back into misalignment and the opposite hip bone rocks forward, the sacrum, which connects the hip bones can tilt back one way or the other. This puts torsion on the round ligaments due to its attachment sites. Through chiropractic care and utilization of the Webster Technique (which puts focus on the sacrum as well as the round ligaments) proper alignment can occur, leading to balance of the pelvic muscles and ligaments.

Other helpful tips in addition to seeing your chiropractor:

• Relaxing baths
• Pregnancy massage
• Practice proper posture
• Rest/slow down
• Gentle strengthening/balance exercises

1. Borggren CL. Pregnancy and chiropractic: a narrative review of the literature. J Chiropr Med. 2007;6(2):70-4.
2. Howland G. 11 natural remedies to ease round ligament pain. mamanatural.com [online].

Car seat safety and infant carrying is one of those things that don’t come in a crash course for parenting. That’s why we want to help parents feel more secure strapping a car seat and thereby have your baby safe and mom’s back healthy. According to a 2008 study, published in Pediatrics, the center rear seat is 43% safer than the rear side positions. This study was done mainly on children from 0-to-3 year old on a rear-facing car seat¹. The most common location to place the car seat in the rear passenger side, because it may be easier for parents reach around if need be. You may also think, “What if I have more than one child?”  Since the center seated, rear facing car seat is the safest, put the newborn or the smallest member of the family in the center.

Now, carrying with a car seat is another topic we’d like to talk about.  Here are a few recommendations for moms carrying car seat to better help their posture. Dr. Puente, a fellow chiropractor, has a simple and efficient method for moms:

1) Turn the car seat so your baby is facing you, 2) Loop your arm that’s directly next to the car seat through the handle so the handle rests on the inside of your elbow, and 3) Twist your hand so it’s facing away from your body, and use it to support the car seat underneath the handle. If this doesn’t fit you, another way is to carry in the center, as close as possible to your core and body, like you’d carry a laundry basket. There is also a third method, an over the shoulder strap that helps with the weight distribution. Some brands sell their own straps and others, like Cocobelt, make straps that fit any car seat make and model. All of this, along with chiropractic care, will help improve your posture and make your life better and easier so you can take care of your loved ones.

Reference:

1. Kalian, M., Durbin, D., & Arbogast, K. (2008). Seating patterns and corresponding risk of injury among 0 to 3-year-old children in child safety seats. Pediatrics, 121(5), 1347. doi:10.1542/peds.2007-1512
2. Britax car seats: https://us.britax.com/articles/product-knowledge/safe-secure/infant-car-seats/
3. Dr. Puente video:  https://youtu.be/CCI2EsJ-pEY

Fall is finally in the air in Atlanta, and our patients’ calendars are full with the season’s celebrations, including our office Halloween Bash (this Friday, 10/26/18). For many, these parties mean fun treats of all kinds ranging from sweet cupcakes to crunchy chips to savory dips. For those with food sensitivities, however, celebrations can be challenging because what may be a fun treat for others can create a slew of negative side effects including abdominal pains, inflammation and brain fog to name a few.  Or, these celebrations can feel empty if everybody else is eating but they are not since there is nothing gluten free or dairy free for them to snack on! We want our patients to see how easy it can be to include tasty foods, so our Halloween Bash is gluten-free and dairy-free!

Gluten sensitivities were once considered obscure, but recent research now estimates that gluten-related disorders could affect an astounding ten percent of Americans. For some, cutting gluten out of the diet can come with big benefits including extra energy, reduced inflammation, and relief of digestive symptoms like gas, bloating or diarrhea. For others, going gluten-free could even be the key to reducing behavioral issues and improving symptoms of autism and irritable bowel syndrome. A study in Nutritional Neuroscience found that strict adherence to a gluten-free, casein-free diet led to improvements in autism behaviors, physiological symptoms and social behaviors, according to parents.

Casein can be found in dairy products. Cow’s milk is often one of the first foods introduced to an infant; it is also one of the first and most common causes of food allergy in early childhood. It’s reported that 0.6 percent to 2.5 percent of preschoolers suffer from cow’s milk allergy and must follow a dairy-free diet. Additionally, between 30 to 50 million Americans are lactose intolerant. Like gluten, casein and dairy can create inflammation, poor digestion and low energy if eaten by those who are sensitive or allergic to foods containing those ingredients.

With growing awareness about food sensitivities and the problems some ingredients may cause, gluten and dairy alternatives are more widely available and easier to find than ever before. We are looking forward to offering fun, tasty treats at our Halloween Bash that all our patients and neighbors can enjoy without the bothersome side-effects that gluten and dairy can cause. If you’re in the Atlanta area, we invite you to join us on October 26^th and see how easy it can be to provide your family with a healthy, happy Halloween!

Leonard M, Vasagar B. US perspective on gluten-related diseases. Clin Exp Gastroenterol. 2014;7:25–37.

Pennesi CM, Klein LC. Effectiveness of the gluten-free, casein-free diet for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder: based on parental report. Nutr Neurosci. 2012;15(2):85-91.

Hochwallner H, Schulmeister U, Swoboda I, Spitzauer S, Valenta R. Cow’s milk allergy: from allergens to new forms of diagnosis, therapy and prevention. Methods. 2014;66(1):22–33.

Do you ever find yourself daydreaming or not being able to focus on the task at hand?  As adults, this can be a frustrating thing to realize when we have a to-do list that is a mile long and only 24 hours in a day to complete it.  Well, the same frustrations we feel as adults trying to concentrate, our children feel as well. School-age children with the inability to concentrate often struggle in the classroom to learn material, get frustrated easily and/or get reprimanded by the teacher for not paying attention.

The inability to concentrate is understood to be a lack of ability to focus or concentrate on doing a task or remembering information that is common to us.  This can be accompanied by numerous other symptoms such as: sensory issues, sleeplessness, behavioral symptoms, fatigue, cognitive impairment, and anxiety.  Some things to look for as causative factors include: nervous system interference, lack of sleep or poor routine, a diet high in sugar and fat, excessive screen time, difficulties at home, medication side effects, illnesses, & vitamin/mineral deficiencies.

Ultimately, the inability to concentrate affects the brain’s ability to function.  Dr. Roger Sperry, recipient of the Nobel Prize for Brain Research, stated that 90% of the stimulation and nutrition to the brain is generated by movement of the spine.  This is where the connection between chiropractic and concentration really takes place.  Chronic nervous system interference, particularly in the upper neck region, can significantly impair a child's ability to concentrate. Specific chiropractic adjustments improve the brain’s ability to function in infants, children and adults, helping them reach their full potential by removing interference in the brain and central nervous system. It has been found that the specific area of the brain to be most affected by the adjustment is the pre-frontal cortex. The pre-frontal cortex plays a significant role in executive functions, focus control, attention, memory, initiation of activity, and response to stimuli; thus, it is an important area to address in children and adults with attention and focus problems, memory, and learning issues.

References:

1. Bagnaro N. Improvement in subjective, academic and TOVA measures in a child with ADHD following upper cervical chiropractic management [case report]. J Upper Cervical Chiropr Res. 2014(3):42-6.
2. Lelic D, Niazi IK, Holt K, Jochumsen M, Dremstrup K, Yielder P, Murphy B, Drewes AM, Haavik H. Manipulation of dysfunctional spinal joints affects sensorimotor integration in the prefrontal cortex: a brain source localization study. Neural Plasticity. 2016(2016), Article ID 3704964.

Fish are loaded with healthy fats, known as omega-3 fats, that are essential for our health. Fats play many roles in our bodies, and scientists are continuing to discover how important healthy fats are in our everyday lives. A big reason why fats are important is that our brains are more than half fat (1). Our nerves that run throughout our body are covered in a fatty layer known as myelin that helps them conduct information quickly and easily. In addition, omega 3’s have been proven to help protect against type 2 diabetes (5), inflammation, autoimmune disease (3), and depression (4). A study in the American Journal of Epidemiology showed that it is especially important for pregnant women to get their servings of omega 3 fats from fish as this helps fetal brain development (5).

Many of the problems that the seafood lovers face today is that some fish can contain alarmingly high levels of toxins, including mercury. Mercury is a neurotoxin that has shown to be damaging to the human nervous system, and is a byproduct of coal-burning power plants. The mercury finds its way into our rivers, lakes, and oceans and eventually makes its way into the tissues of the fish living in them. It is very important to find clean sources of fish in order to limit the amount of mercury in your body, and therefore prevent any damage to your health (6). Here is a list of the ten types of seafood lowest in mercury levels, as reported by the FDA (7):

1. Scallops

2. Canned salmon

3. Clams

4. Shrimp

5. Oysters

6. Sardines

7. Tilapia

8. Anchovies

9. Wild salmon

10. Squid

Here is a list of the ten types of seafood highest in mercury levels, also as reported by the FDA:

1. Tilefish

2. Swordfish

3. Shark

4. King mackerel

5. Bigeye tuna

6. Orange roughy

7. Marlin

8. Spanish mackerel

9. Grouper

10. Tuna

A good rule of thumb to follow is that the smaller the fish, the less mercury it is able to absorb, and the safer it is to eat. The larger the fish, the higher up on the food chain it is and therefore the more mercury it is ingesting.

How does this apply to me?

If you are following our RFC blog, you are well aware that we see a lot of pregnant moms and kids in the office. You are also aware that our office is a nervous system based office that works on the spine and the nervous system. For the pregnant moms, it is important to eat seafood for your babies development, however it is even more essential to find seafood's low in levels of mercury and other contaminants. Dr. Mark Hyman, director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine, recommends eating small fish high in omega 3 fats such as sardines, herring, anchovies, and wild caught salmon two or three servings per week. He also recommends the website cleanfish.com to find fish that are ethically raised, no antibiotics or hormones used, and low in mercury while sustainably fished or farmed (8).  Dr. Rubin cautions against eating shellfish during pregnancy, since they are known to cause potential allergic reactions.  

Getting your spine and nervous system checked at RFC is another great way to help your nervous system develop and function properly. So whether you’re making healthy seafood a piece of your diet or not, getting checked by your chiropractor will help ensure that your digestive system is working properly, and that you and your child are functioning at your best so that you can continue living your best life!

References:

1. Innis SM. Dietary omega 3 fatty acids and the developing brain. Brain Res. 2008 Oct 27; 1237:35-43.

2. Nkondjock A, Receveur O. Fish-seafood consumption, obesity, and type 2 diabetes: an ecological study. Diabetes Metab. 2003 Dec;29(6):635-42.

3. Simopoulos AP. Omega-3 fatty acids in inflammation and autoimmune diseases. J Am Coll Nutr. 2002;21(6):495-505.

4. Li Fu, Liu X, Zhang D. Fish consumption and risk of depression: a meta-analysis. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2016;70:299-304.

5. Oken E, Radesky JS, Wright RO, et al. Maternal fish intake during pregnancy, blood mercury levels, and child cognition at 3 years in a US cohort. Am J Epidemiol. 2008 May 15;167(10):1171-81.

6. Guallar E, Sanz-Gallardo MI, van’t Veer P, et al. Mercury, fish oils, and the risk of myocardial infarction. N Engl J Med. 2002 Nov 28;347(22):8622-29.

7. Food and Drug Administration. Mercury levels in commercial fish and shellfish (1990-2010). http://www.fda.gov/food/foodborneillnesscontaminants/metals/ucm115644.htm. October 5 2018.

8. Hyman, M. (2018). Food. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company, pp.94-110.

Pregnancy is an exciting time for mom and dad and with approximately four million births in the United States each year, according to the CDC.  Ensuring a healthy birth and delivery is a most important goal. Key components of this include proper nutrition, adequate movement and exercise, and chiropractic care. During pregnancy, hormonal changes along with increased weight to the abdominal area often result in changes to the spine, causing a variety of new challenges to mom. Chiropractic care addresses this by looking to areas of nervous system interference caused by these spinal misalignments. In addition, paying close attention to the mom’s pelvis as baby is growing and developing rapidly inside this small space helps to ensure that both mom and baby are comfortable.

In the United States, approximately four percent of pregnancies involve the baby in a breech presentation and 13 percent of these result in cesarean section delivery. There are three types of breech, all involving the baby in an abnormal position in the uterus. The most optimal position for delivery of the baby is head down. This ideal positioning allows for a potentially safer delivery and is beneficial for the baby’s neurological development.

The Webster technique is utilized in pregnant moms to ensure proper alignment of the pelvis, thus allowing for increased space for the baby to grow and move. The International Chiropractic Pediatric Association describes this as, “a specific chiropractic sacral analysis,” with the goal of the adjustment being, “to reduce the effects of sacral subluxation/SI joint dysfunction, in doing so, neuro-biomechanical function in the pelvis is facilitated.”

We have patients describe that their best pregnancies and most ideal births came when they were under chiropractic care in addition to their prenatal providers. If you haven’t tried chiropractic during pregnancy, you may be missing out on an improved experience.  Dr. Rubin is a board certified pediatric and pregnancy chiropractor and has had 30 years experience taking care of kids and pregnant moms.  

1. Pistolese RA. The Webster technique: a chiropractic technique with obstetric implications. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2002;25(6):1-9.

2. About the webster technique [Internet]. International Chiropractic Pediatric Association. 2018 [cited 3 October 2018]. Available from: http://icpa4kids.com/training/webster-certification/webster-technique/

3. Births and natality [Internet]. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2017 [cited 3 October 2018]. Available from: https//www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/births.htm

Our brains have 2 sides; left and right.  BJ Palmer argued that our brains are also polarized as Innate vs. Educated.  Part of our brain's function is to use feelings, hunches, and intuition to guide us in making best decisions.  He called that Above-down, inside-out. The other part of our brain is designed to download information from outside in.  Both are necessary to succeed, but don't let one get in the way of the other.

https://soundcloud.com/dr-drew-rubin/episode-213-innate-brain-vs-educated-brain