When Christine Anthony's chiropractor clinic learned that she had a daughter, they wanted her to bring her in to be checked. Anthony, an Evanston, Ill., resident, wanted to believe that the clinic was good intentioned and not just trying to get business since they seemed on the level. She resisted a while, but eventually gave in.

Her daughter's X-rays came back showing a slight curve in her spine – Anthony could actually see it. The clinic's recommendation was that her daughter get adjustments once a week. "I don't know how realistic and beneficial chiropractic care is for babies, toddlers and kids," Anthony says. "Is it better to wait until they are full grown or is there really good evidence out there that early chiropractic care can really help kids be healthier?"

Based on an American Chiropractic Association Report, there were an estimated 20 million pediatric visits in the 1980s. In 1998, there were an estimated 30 million pediatric visits annually. Last year, utilizing these estimates and based on a study by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA), Dr. Joel Alcantara, ICPA research director, estimated approximately 68 million pediatric visits annually. Since this was derived from a study done by ICPA members, there is some bias, admits Jeanne Ohm, ICPA executive coordinator, because they know their members see a greater amount of children annually than the average chiropractor.

Still, these results clearly show that it is common for children to receive chiropractic care. Furthermore, this care is safe. The ICPA presented preliminary results of their Practiced Based Research Network, listing three improvements with care noted by both doctors and parents involved in the survey:

Content on this site is not a substitute for professional medical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment, and may not be used for such purposes. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical question or condition. Reliance on information presented on this site is at your own risk. This site contains the opinions and views of other users. Given the interactive nature of this site, we cannot endorse, guarantee, or be responsible for the accuracy, efficacy, or veracity of any content generated by our users.