Chiropractic & Irritable Baby Syndrome or Colic The constantly irritable infant is often referred to by primary health care providers as being ‘colicky’. Infantile colic has traditionally been used to describe the persistent, often violent crying of an otherwise healthy baby. Infantile colic is suggested to be the end result of a complex interaction between the infant and their environment with a wide range of factors that could be the reason for the child’s distress. Typically the symptoms of a colicky or irritable baby begin quite abruptly and they include: •Loud cry •Cry persisting for several hours at the same time each day •Cry usually begins late in the day or early evening •Face can become flushed •Abdomen showing distension •Legs often draw up to abdomen •Relief is often seen after bowel movement or flatus To reach the diagnosis of “uncomplicated colic” or irritable baby syndrome, a careful evaluation for any underlying pathologies is essential. Protein or carbohydrate intolerances or parenting errors may be complicating the infant’s presentation of irritability. Once the diagnosis has been reached there are two main aspects involved with chiropractic management. Firstly your chiropractor will precisely locate and correct the spinal subluxation, and secondly, give some advise in relation with feeding techniques and settling strategies. The birth process can be stressful for newborns and they can be particularly susceptible to spinal subluxations or vertebral joint misalignments because of this. The chiropractors at Health plus Chiropractic will identify and treat the subluxation precisely and gently causing no pain or distress for the infant. Massage Therapy for Irritable Babies Massage isn’t only for adults. Babies, toddlers and children can benefit from massage, to help them settle for a restful sleep, ease tummy pains such as colic and constipation, provide relief from muscle aches and pains, ease congestion from the chest and encourage a calm, relaxed, happy baby. There are specific massage techniques that calm the nervous system, such as flowing strokes used to send them off to sleep, or help mum and dad bond after a nice relaxing bath. Your massage therapist will be more than happy to demonstrate some techniques for you to use with your little one. Chiropractic, Constipation & Enuresis So when is a child deemed to be constipated? A breast fed baby may have a normal bowel movement anywhere from daily to one every 10 days. However formula fed infant’s bowel movements should be daily. An excessively dry or ‘hard to pass’ stool is also considered to be constipation. The unique chiropractic approach to constipation includes a thorough history to try to identify if there are any dietary changes that need to be made, a full examination of the child to asses for any spinal subluxations and parenting advice when needed. Constipation in children, primarily, is a functional condition that responds favourable to chiropractic treatment. Sacral subluxations are commonly associated with constipation and restoring normal movement to the area can help with the infant being able to pass stools easier. Nocturnal enuresis or bed-wetting as it is more commonly referred to, can be both distressing for the infant and the parents. Once the diagnosis of nocturnal enuresis is made and there is an absence of need for any further specialist investigations, chiropractic care may assist in allowing the child to improve bladder control. Whilst we specialise in adjusting the subluxation in the child to improve neurological control of the bladder, it is also of importance to note that specific home-based strategies will be encouraged to be adopted to further solidify dry nights. Dietetics & Constipation Constipation is a condition where bowel movements may be infrequent, hard and difficult to pass. Constipation often results from eating a low fibre diet, therefore, if you are experiencing episodes of frequent or occasional constipation, a dietitian can help you out. Our dietitian will assess your current intake for: - Sources of fibre in your diet e.g. fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, breads, cereals, lentils and beans
- Types of fibre in your diet such as soluble and insoluble fibre
- Overall fluid intake
Using a combination of science and experience, our dietitian then makes recommendations based on your diet to optimise your bowel health and function. Dietetics & Weight Management Many people struggle with weight management and are confused by the many 'options' available today. A dietitian is a key facilitator in weight loss and management, and can provide scientific based evidence and advice on weight loss and management techniques. Dietitians provide dietary intervention, assessing current intake, patterns and behaviours. They look beyond your intake to assess why it is in fact you have developed these habits, breaking them at the core, thus allowing long term change. A dietitian also explore each individuals barriers to change, working with you to overcome these barriers and optimise your health and wellbeing. Personal and realistic goals which you can commit to are made and achieved each week as you manage your weight. Weight management with a the help of of our dietitian is for the benefit of your health and happiness. Dietetics & Diabetes If you have been diagnosed with type 1 or 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes or glucose intolerance, then consulting a dietitian is paramount to successful management of your condition. Not only is it the role of the dietitian to provide dietetic intervention and advice, dietitians also assess your readiness to change your eating behaviours, providing constant support and guidance along the way. An Early referral to a dietitian is most desirable to ensure that your condition is clearly explained to you. Education and awareness of your condition is one of the most important aspects of management, as understanding your diabetes gives purpose and reason to change. A dietitian also explores your individual barriers to change and assess the psychological burden of your condition, helping relieve the pressure. In terms of health and diabetes management, it is vital that food intake is regulated and balanced against medication, in order to optimise blood glucose control. This also includes assessment of whether your current medication matches your meal pattern and therefore whether it is appropriate. Dietitians also manage and prevent hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia episodes. Constant liaison with the diabetes care team, including your GP, means that your diabetes is controlled as best as possible. Psychology & ADHD Children with ADHD show significant difficulty with concentration, overactivity, restlessness, and impulsivity, with onset usually before the age of 7 years. These difficulties cause significant impairment in different situations: at home, and in school. Children with these problems are sometimes rejected by their peers and show a variety of problems in social relationship. They can end up being a burden to families and school. A multidisciplinary approach is necessary in the management of this disorder. Psychological treatments may include behaviour therapy, family therapy and classroom management. In addition, psychologists at Health plus Chiropractic use established state of the art technology to measure, manage and monitor behavioural, mental and associated difficulties. These technologies include neurophysiological assessments using Brain mapping or quantitative EEG, and brain wave training or neurofeedback. Helping children with ADHD and other developmental disorders is a special interest for us. Psychology & Autism Spectrum Disorder or Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are lifelong and persistent disorders that have serious consequences on every aspect of the person's family and community life. ASD includes autism and Asperger's disorder. Autism is a developmental disorder caused by a dysfunction of the central nervous system. These dysfunctions result in impairments in reciprocal social interaction, communication and in the presence of stereotypic behaviour, interest and activities. Autistic children show a lack of response to other people's emotion, lack of or poorly developed language, stereotypic or idiosyncratic language, and obsessive preoccupation with routine, timetable or objects. They may also show stereotypic body movements and a fascination with spinning or moving objects. The onset of this disorder is before the age of 3 years. Mental retardation is common in these children. Asperger's syndrome is similar to autism and share many features. They differ in that there is no language delay or mental retardation. Common behavioural problems associated with these children include anxiety and anxiety-related problems due to autonomic over arousal and brain dysregulation. Behaviour therapy and brain wave, neurofeedback, training is a fruitful approach demonstrated to assist children suffering from anxiety, attentional problems and obsessive behaviour. Psychology & Anxiety People who suffer from anxiety disorders experience excessive, persistent worry about events in daily life. These worries are ongoing and cause extreme discomfort and tension. Anxiety disorders include panic disorder, generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and social phobias. Symptoms include restlessness, fatigue, impaired concentration, irritability, muscle tension and disturbed sleep. Treatment of anxiety disorders is often delicate as clients may find it difficult and uncomfortable to make the necessary changes towards a more functional lifestyle. We find that Neurofeedback and breath training together with the building of positive expectancy in the client provides a supportive approach with which the client finds reassuring. Psychology & Traumatic Brain Injuries Traumatic brain injuries may result when the head receives a sharp blow. Although minor head injuries are generally considered benign, a significant number of people report persistent symptoms for weeks or months and some for years after the injury. The core deficits of TOBI overlap with those of Attention Deficit Disorder, Adjustment Disorder and Mood Disorders. In addition, sufferers often report memory and socialization problems, frequent headaches, anger problems, depression and personality changes. Often despite several of these chronic symptoms, there is no evidence of brain abnormality from conventional structural neuroimaging tests, such at CT scans and MRI's. We routinely assess suspected TBI patients using electroencephalography (EEG) and quantitative EEG (QEEG) which provide more sensitive functional neuroimaging technique. Follow up Neurofeedback therapy is used as a very effective treatment option to normalise brain functioning. Psychology & Seizure Disorders Seizure is a general term that refers to a sudden malfunction in the brain that causes a person to collapse, convulse or have another temporary disturbance of normal brain function, often with a loss or change in consciousness. About 10% of children diagnosed with ADHD suffer from seizure disorders (e.g. absence seizure), which may not be diagnosed. We use EEG and QEEG analysis to assess the presence of seizure disorders. Neurofeedback provides an evidence based treatment to reduce the number and frequencies of seizures. Psychology & Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Dietetics & Constipation Constipation is a condition where bowel movements may be infrequent, hard and difficult to pass. Constipation often results from eating a low fibre diet, therefore, if you are experiencing episodes of frequent or occasional constipation, a dietitian can help you out. Our dietitian will assess your current intake for: - Sources of fibre in your diet e.g. fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, breads, cereals, lentils and beans
- Types of fibre in your diet such as soluble and insoluble fibre
- Overall fluid intake
Using a combination of science and experience, our dietitian then makes recommendations based on your diet to optimise your bowel health and function. | 
