When a child is born, they go through significant stress and pressure during their journey through the birth canal. However, sometimes these little ones experience trauma or excessive stress on their bodies that surpasses their natural capacity to handle it.
A 2015 study published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association revealed a critical insight: 99% of healthy newborns exhibit Somatic Dysfunction. This means that even when a child is deemed healthy at birth, there’s only a 1% chance they won’t have a somatic dysfunction.
So, let’s delve into what this means for your child, their development, and more.
Somatic dysfunction refers to impaired or altered function in components of the musculoskeletal system, including bones, muscles, joints, and connective tissues.
Here are the findings from the study of 100 healthy newborn infants:
- 99% had a sphenobasilar synchondrosis strain pattern.
- 95% experienced condylar compression.
- 94% had one lumbar vertebral segment out.
- 91% had at least one cervical vertebral segment out.
- 85% had temporal bone restrictions.
- 80% had a fixed sacrum (posterior sacral base).
- 63% had sidebending rotations with sphenobasilar synchrondrosis
In simple terms, when a child has one or more of these issues, the most significant impact on their life is likely to be a decrease or lack of optimal brain development. Each of these dysfunctions can affect a child’s head positioning, breastfeeding, colic, developmental milestones, vision, learning, language development, behavior, emotions, social interactions, and more.
This happens because somatic dysfunctions result in suboptimal input to the brain (movement is crucial for brain nutrition and development), leading to poor input signals, akin to nails on a chalkboard.
Sometimes, symptoms may not manifest until later in life, emphasizing the importance of having your child evaluated by a chiropractor, especially one specializing in pediatrics. They have the tools to assess spinal health, cranial evaluations, reflexes, and more, ensuring everything is in sync for optimal brain growth. This, in turn, leads to a happier, healthier, and more vibrant child.
Don’t delay. If you want to evaluate your child’s hindrances to growth and development or ensure they start life on the right track, we can help!
Schedule an appointment with us today or text us at (865) 214-7438.
Remember, maintaining balance early on is crucial, as it impacts all subsequent milestones. Building a solid foundation ensures your child can adapt and thrive to their fullest potential.