Chiropractie voor kinderen: dé chiropractor

What is chiropractic for children?

Chiropractic for children is a gentle, age-adapted care for the spine, the nervous system, and the joints of babies and children. Parents come to Embody Health Chiropractie with questions about a crying baby or a child with a preferred head position, sleeping problems, tension after a birth, or complaints after a fall or bump. Our chiropractors use much lighter techniques than for adults, focused on the muscles, joints, and the spine, and you as parent stay with your child throughout.

You do not need a referral from your GP; your first visit costs €39 and a child consultation €35. Most Dutch health insurers (partially) reimburse chiropractic care from the supplementary package, without touching your deductible.

For all questions about your child's health, the GP and the youth health service come first. Chiropractic care is supportive and never replaces the care of the GP or paediatrician. During the first visit we carefully assess whether chiropractic care fits your child. If your question fits another provider better, we refer you honestly.

Across our three clinics we have helped more than 2500 people over 12 years, from babies to seniors; our average Google rating is 4.9 out of 5.

Complaints in babies and children

A baby cannot tell you where it hurts; behaviour such as excessive crying is often the only signal. Common complaints parents come with are:

• a crying baby: excessive crying, tummy cramps, or colic, often without a clear cause
• a preferred head position: a baby or child that always turns or holds its head to the same side
• sleeping problems, restless sleep, or irritability without a clear cause
• tension or stiffness in the neck and back or shoulders, for example after a fall or bump
• posture complaints in older children, such as slouching or uneven shoulders
• head or neck pain in teenagers, sometimes linked to hours of sitting or much screen use

Causes of complaints in children

The spine of a child is developing fully: it grows, changes, and learns new movements every day. Complaints and tension therefore often have a different background than in adults. Common causes are:

• The birth: during birth, also with a caesarean section, there is tension on the head and neck of the baby; some chiropractors look at that specifically. Whether that plays a role for your child and whether it means anything, we assess carefully during the first visit — without promises we cannot keep.
• Growth and motor development: rapid growth sometimes causes temporary changes in posture and movement, which can create an imbalance.
• Falls and bumps: children fall a lot, while learning to walk, playing outside, or doing sports. Such a bump can strain the young bones, muscles, ligaments, and joints.
• Posture: a poor posture, such as sitting for long periods at school or behind a screen, puts one-sided pressure on the young back and neck.
• Tension: also in children, stress and tension, at school, at home, or from many stimuli, can settle in the body and cause complaints.

Our first step: your child's health comes first

Your child's health comes first with us; that is why every first visit starts with a careful screening. When in doubt about your child's health, the GP and the youth health service come first, and we guide you honestly through that. We also always screen first for signals that need medical assessment: fever with a stiff neck, marked drowsiness, signs of dehydration, or a seizure. Once those are ruled out, we assess whether chiropractic care fits your child: that is where we can help.

Chiropractic treatment for children

What is known from research? Independent systematic reviews of spinal manipulation for children — including the 2022 scoping review by the physiotherapy federations IFOMPT and IOPTP — conclude that the evidence does not support effectiveness for most childhood complaints, and that safety data are limited. That is why we are cautious and honest: only when a musculoskeletal complaint really fits what chiropractic can mean, we start a treatment, and we only work supportively alongside the care of the GP or paediatrician. Where chiropractic care can play a role, it is about physical benefits such as less tension and suppler movement.

With children, less is more, more than ever. The treatment of babies and children differs from that of adults: much lighter, with a safe, calm approach. We start with an intake and listen to your story and that of your child. Then follows a calm and thorough examination of posture and mobility, adapted to the age; your child stays in charge the whole time and we stop immediately if your child does not like it. The treatment itself often consists of mild fingertip pressure or subtle, very gentle adjustments that support the correct position of the joints and reduce tension; these light techniques are much lighter than for adults. Some children notice improvement after a few treatments, others need more time; we discuss that honestly during your first visit. You as parent stay with your child throughout.

Your first visit costs €39; a child consultation costs €35 and a consultation in a recovery package €55. Check what your health insurance covers and the prices.

Advice for home

Lasting support goes beyond the consultation itself. You get practical tips and simple exercises that fit your family, for example about posture while carrying, sitting, or sleeping, and about healthy movement and sports to prevent complaints and improve mobility. Where needed we consult with other care providers involved with your child, so everyone serves the same goal: a healthy and relaxed child with good motor skills that can move and function freely.