Pediatric Chiropractor For Kids in Columbus, OH

How We Treat Kids At Each Stage In Their Development in Columbus, OH

Newborn Chiropractic (Birth to First Month)

Newborns experience more physical stress than most people realize, starting with the birth process itself. Whether a baby is born naturally or via C-section, the pressure on their delicate spine and nervous system can lead to subluxations (misalignments)—especially in the upper neck.

These tiny misalignments can affect feeding, digestion, sleep, and even immune function. Many parents bring their newborns in for care when they notice issues like difficulty latching, colic, reflux, or favoring one side of the head, all of which can be signs of nervous system interference. Addressing these concerns early ensures that a baby’s body can develop and function at its highest potential.

Adjusting a newborn is completely different from adjusting an adult. Pediatric chiropractors use extremely gentle techniques, applying no more pressure than you would to test the ripeness of a tomato. There’s no twisting, cracking, or discomfort—just light, precise touches to restore proper alignment.

Removing subluxations helps babies’ nervous systems communicate more efficiently, allowing their tiny bodies to grow, digest, and rest without interference. The earlier these corrections are made, the better the foundation for healthy development, proper motor function, and a strong immune system.

Infant Chiropractic (First Month to 1 Year)

As babies grow from one month to one year, their bodies undergo rapid development, making this a crucial time for their nervous system to function at its best. Chiropractic care can help with common childhood issues such as colic, ear infections, reflux, sleep disturbances, and developmental delays—all of which may stem from spinal misalignments that create stress on the nervous system.

As infants learn to roll, sit, crawl, and eventually walk, they experience frequent tumbles that can cause minor misalignments, affecting balance, coordination, and muscle development. Gentle chiropractic adjustments ensure that their spine and nervous system function properly, allowing their body to develop without unnecessary interference.
An optimized nervous system is essential for growth, immunity, digestion, and brain development. The nervous system controls everything from a baby’s ability to turn their head evenly to how well they process new sensory experiences.

When subluxations are present, they can subtly impact a child’s development in ways that may not be noticeable until later in life. Identifying and correcting these issues early helps prevent long-term imbalances, poor posture, and nervous system dysfunction, setting the foundation for a healthier, stronger, and more resilient child. Chiropractic care during infancy ensures that babies hit developmental milestones smoothly and grow into thriving, active kids.

Chiropractic for Toddlers (1-3 Years)

Toddlers are constantly on the move, and learning to walk is one of the most physically demanding milestones of early childhood. In the process, they fall hundreds of times—sometimes onto their bottoms, sometimes face-first, and often significantly impacting their growing spine. These repeated falls, while a normal part of development, can create small misalignments (subluxations) in the spine, particularly in the hips, pelvis, and lower back. When left uncorrected, these misalignments can lead to balance issues, uneven walking patterns, and even coordination and muscle development delays.

Chiropractic care for toddlers gently corrects these misalignments so their nervous system can function at its best. Using light, precise adjustments, we help restore proper alignment, allowing for better balance, improved posture, and optimal nerve communication between the brain and body. An optimized nervous system supports stronger immunity, better digestion, and even improved sleep and behavior. Chiropractic care helps set kids up for a lifetime of healthy movement, development, and resilience by ensuring a toddler’s spine is healthy and aligned during these critical growth years.

Preschool Chiropractic (3-5 Years)

The preschool years are a time of rapid brain and body development, including significant growth in speech, motor skills, and social interactions. Because the nervous system controls every function in the body—including the ability to process and respond to the world—chiropractic care plays a vital role in supporting speech and social development. When the spine is properly aligned, nerve signals travel efficiently between the brain and body, helping children with focus, coordination, and even emotional regulation. Many parents notice that after starting chiropractic care, their preschoolers experience clearer speech, improved confidence in social settings, and better emotional adaptability.

One of the biggest misconceptions about spinal health is that if there’s no pain, there’s no problem—but for young children, spinal misalignments aren’t always obvious. Subluxations can occur from minor falls, poor posture, or even stress during early development, and they may not show immediate symptoms. Instead, they can subtly impact a child’s growth, leading to postural imbalances, behavioral challenges, or sensory processing issues over time. Chiropractic care helps identify and correct these hidden misalignments before they become bigger problems, allowing children to grow, learn, and interact with the world without nervous system interference.

School Age (5-12 Years)

The school-age years are critical for posture, spinal health, and overall development, as kids spend long hours sitting in classrooms, carrying heavy backpacks, and engaging in sports and physical activities. One of the most important spinal conditions to monitor during this time is scoliosis, a sideways curvature of the spine that typically develops between ages 8 and 12. Early signs can include uneven shoulders, an imbalanced waistline, or one hip sitting higher than the other.

Since scoliosis often starts subtly and progresses without pain, regular chiropractic checkups are essential for early detection, allowing for intervention before it worsens. If scoliosis or other spinal misalignments are detected, chiropractic care focuses on gentle, corrective adjustments, posture retraining, and strengthening exercises to improve spinal alignment and mobility.

In addition to scoliosis, school-age children face other spinal stressors, including falls, poor posture from screen time, and sports injuries. Regular chiropractic care helps ensure that these small misalignments don’t turn into long-term issues, allowing children to move, grow, and perform at their best—whether in the classroom, on the field, or at play.

Chiropractic for Teenagers (12-18 Years)

Teenagers face unique physical and emotional challenges as their bodies grow rapidly and they take on more responsibilities. Poor posture from excessive screen time, heavy backpacks, sports injuries, and stress from academics or extracurricular activities can all take a toll on their spine and nervous system. These factors often lead to headaches, back pain, fatigue, and even trouble focusing in school. Chiropractic care helps correct posture, relieve tension, and improve mobility, ensuring that teens can stay active, pain-free, and perform at their best—whether in the classroom, on the field, or behind the wheel.

Beyond the physical benefits, chiropractic care can also support mental and emotional well-being during the hormonal rollercoaster of adolescence. The nervous system plays a significant role in mood regulation, stress management, and sleep quality—all of which can be thrown off by misalignments in the spine. Many teens who receive regular chiropractic adjustments report feeling less stressed, more focused, and better able to handle anxiety and emotional ups and downs. By optimizing nervous system function, chiropractic helps teenagers not just survive these years but thrive with more energy, clarity, and emotional balance.

The nervous system, which consists of your brain, spinal cord and nerves, controls everything in the body, including growth and development. Subluxations, also known as misalignments, in the spine can prevent proper communication from the brain to the body. These subluxations cause stress to the nervous system, which can lead to a decrease in function of the affected area.

Infants, children and adults can all experience subluxations in the spine. Infants and children can become subluxated from birth trauma, other minor or major traumas and developmental stress. During the first five years of life, the body produces more neural pathways than at any other time. It is vital this production is optimized through children’s chiropractic care, as the first few years are crucial to each child’s potential.

Even if your child is in excellent health, minor traumas from bumps, bruises, falls and spills accumulate over time and can result in pain, discomfort and/or health issues in their teen and adult years.

Common Childhood Conditions That We Have Helped in Columbus, OH

Colic

Colic is excessive, inconsolable crying in infants, often lasting for hours at a time, leaving both baby and parents exhausted and overwhelmed. While the exact cause isn’t always clear, studies suggest that spinal misalignments from birth trauma can contribute to digestive discomfort and nervous system stress, both of which chiropractic care can help resolve.
Instead of simply “waiting it out,” exhausted parents can explore gentle chiropractic adjustments, which have been shown to reduce crying time and improve digestion in colicky babies. By relieving tension in the nervous system, chiropractic care helps babies feel calmer, sleep better, and digest more comfortably, giving parents much-needed relief.

Ear Infections

Ear infections occur when fluid builds up behind the eardrum, creating a breeding ground for bacteria or viruses. Symptoms can include ear pain, fussiness, trouble sleeping, tugging at the ears, and even temporary hearing loss. They are especially common in children because their eustachian tubes—the small passages that drain fluid from the ear—are shorter and more horizontal, making it easier for fluid to get trapped and cause infection. Many parents feel stuck in a cycle of antibiotics and recurring infections, not realizing there’s a natural way to help prevent the issue in the first place.

Chiropractic care helps restore proper drainage by gently adjusting the upper neck and spine, relieving tension that may prevent the eustachian tubes from working correctly. Studies have shown that children under chiropractic care often experience fewer ear infections and may even avoid the need for tubes altogether. By removing nervous system interference, chiropractic allows the body to drain fluid more efficiently, helping to stop infections before they start—giving kids (and parents) fewer sleepless nights and less time in the doctor’s office.

Asthma

Asthma is a chronic condition that causes the airways to become inflamed and narrow, making breathing difficult. It’s especially common in children because their immune systems and lungs are still developing, and they’re more sensitive to triggers like allergens, cold air, or physical activity. Symptoms often include wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing, and chest tightness, ranging from mild to life-threatening.

During an asthma attack, muscles around the airways tighten, inflammation increases, and mucus production spikes, restricting airflow. Chiropractic care helps by removing interference in the nervous system, specifically in the spine’s thoracic region, which controls lung function and diaphragm movement. Chiropractic care can help regulate breathing, improve lung capacity, and reduce the frequency and severity of attacks by ensuring that the nervous system is properly communicating with the lungs, allowing kids to breathe easier and live more active lives.

Bedwetting

Bedwetting, or nocturnal enuresis, is a common challenge for many children and can be frustrating for both kids and parents. While deep sleep patterns or delayed bladder maturity are sometimes responsible, many cases stem from nervous system interference that prevents the brain and bladder from communicating correctly. The nerves that control bladder function originate in the lower spine, and a misalignment (subluxation) in this area can disrupt the signals between the brain and the bladder. This miscommunication can cause the bladder to empty involuntarily at night, even when the child is physically capable of staying dry.

Chiropractic care focuses on removing these spinal misalignments, restoring proper nerve function, and allowing the brain and bladder to work together effectively. Gentle adjustments in the lumbar and sacral regions help improve bladder control, often leading to fewer nighttime accidents and greater confidence for kids. Many parents report that after a series of chiropractic visits, their children experience more consistent dry nights without needing medications or alarms. By addressing the root cause rather than just managing symptoms, chiropractic care offers a natural, drug-free approach to resolving bedwetting and supporting overall nervous system health.

Scoliosis

A healthy spine has three natural curves that help distribute weight evenly, support posture, and allow for proper movement. When viewed from the front or back, the spine should appear straight, with each vertebra stacked in perfect alignment. This structure is essential for protecting the nervous system, maintaining balance, and preventing unnecessary strain on muscles and joints. However, when the spine curves abnormally to the side, it leads to a condition known as scoliosis, which can affect mobility, posture, and even organ function in severe cases.

Scoliosis is most commonly diagnosed in children and adolescents, particularly during growth spurts, though it can also develop in adults. Signs include uneven shoulders, an imbalanced waistline, or one hip sitting higher than the other. If left unaddressed, scoliosis can worsen, leading to chronic pain, reduced lung capacity, and poor posture. While severe cases may require bracing or medical intervention, chiropractic care is critical to early detection, spinal alignment, and posture correction. Gentle adjustments, postural exercises, and neuromuscular re-education help prevent worsening curvature and support a strong, flexible spine for long-term health and mobility.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is chiropractic safe for a child?

Yes! Pediatric chiropractic care is gentle, safe, and specifically tailored for growing bodies. Light adjustments support proper development and nervous system function. My kids get adjusted weekly and have been since the day they were born (literally).

When should you take children to a chiropractor in Columbus, OH?

Children benefit from chiropractic care at any stage, but common times to check them include right after birth, during growth spurts, after injuries, and when dealing with health challenges like colic or ear infections.

What age can a child start seeing a chiropractor?

Babies can be checked and adjusted as early as birth, especially if they’ve had a difficult delivery, C-section birth, or issues with latching, digestion, or sleep.

How do I know if my baby needs a chiropractor?

Signs include trouble nursing, favoring one side of the head, colic, frequent ear infections, reflux, or difficulty sleeping—all of which may indicate nervous system stress.

How does chiropractic help with colic?

Misalignments in the spine can affect nerve function, digestion, and comfort, and many parents report that after gentle adjustments, their babies cry less, sleep better, and are more at ease.

Can chiropractic help with bed wetting?

Yes! Bedwetting is often linked to nerve interference in the lower spine, and chiropractic adjustments can help restore proper bladder control and communication between the brain and body.

Is pediatric chiropractic the same as chiropractic for adults?

No, pediatric chiropractic uses gentler, more precise techniques with much lighter pressure—often no more than the touch of a fingertip—to support a child’s growing spine and nervous system.

What are the signs my child should see a chiropractor?

If your child has poor posture, frequent ear infections, difficulty focusing, digestive issues, sleep struggles, or has taken a lot of falls, a chiropractic checkup can help identify underlying issues.

What are the benefits of chiropractic for kids?

Chiropractic care supports better posture, immune function, digestion, sleep, and overall nervous system health, helping kids grow and develop at their full potential.

Should a child see a chiropractor for ear infections before putting tubes in their ears?

Yes! Many ear infections are caused by fluid buildup due to poor drainage, which can often be resolved with chiropractic adjustments before resorting to invasive procedures like ear tubes.

Read on to learn more:
Why Should Children Have Chiropractic Care? International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, accessed April 2017
Safety and Effectiveness of Pediatric Chiropractic, American Chiropractic Association, April 2016
Chiropractic Care for Children [ABSTRACT], Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Journal, April 2000
The safety and effectiveness of pediatric chiropractic [ABSTRACT], Explore (NY), Sep-Oct 2009
Efficacy of chiropractic manual therapy on infant colic [ABSTRACT], Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, Oct 2012