Pediatric Chiropractic/Bodywork

At Acorn, bodywork sessions are performed by one of our family chiropractors.  We use gentle hands-on assessment techniques to locate areas of decreased mobility, tightness or restriction and help release the area using highly experienced touch.  Chiropractic bodywork helps the baby with their overall function focusing on their primitive reflexes, fluid range of motion from tongue to their toes and proper response of their nervous system. Chiropractic bodywork is always gentle and tuned into your infant or child’s unique needs. At Acorn, your infant/child’s bodywork session may be performed while you are holding baby or nursing, comfortaly laying on one of our specially designed pediatric adjusting pillows, while they play or even in one of our Family Chiropractors arms.

We will perform a complete hands-on assessment of your baby’s nervous syste and primitive reflexes, their entire body, particularly the feet, spine, hips, trunk, head and neck, with a special focus on tone as well as inside the infant/child’s mouth assessing tongue function, palate, sphenoid and TMJ (jaw).

We always work with your infant or child and they are free to move into many positions.  We may also move them gently into different positions or play a game to allow the natural forces within the body to help with tension and alignment and help your infant or child “unwind” and improve their overall function.  The bodyworker will always observe and assist baby’s suck and gag reflex, function of their tongue and oral motor skills, neurological function, tone, developmental stages and tummy time skills. At Acorn we understand that the whole body plays a part in overall function and long term health, not just the tongue and jaw, so we ensure we work on their entire body from the top of the cranium to the tips of their toes.

Our Family Chiropractors are trained in Tongue-Tie and TOTs Assessment and work closely with many professionals in the community to co-manage and help these families.  Dr. Jenna Davis founded the PIPS Technique (Pediatric Intraoral Palate Specific Technique) in 2016 which is becoming a highly respected assessment and treatment tool worldwide for intraoral dysfunction, palate imbalance, Pediatric TMJD and poor tongue function.  All our chiropractic bodyworkers are trained and use this technique as needed.

Finally you are a big part of the team and helping your infant or child achieve their overall optimum health and improvement.  You will always be given a few simple home exercises and educated on activities you can provide to support baby’s continual progress.

Some changes you may notice in your infant or child:

  • Increased tongue movements and improved jaw opening (assists with infant TMJD, tongue-tie, lip-tie, post-revision rehabilitation, TOTs)
  • Improved head and neck turning to both sides
  • More comfort in babywearing, car seat, etc.
  • Calm and more relaxed appearance, less tense, more interactive
  • Better and more restful sleep
  • Improved gastrointestinal function (easier passing gas and stools, less reflux-like symptoms)
  • Improved latch and breastfeeding abilities
  • Better tummy time
  • Improved overall tone
  • Better coordination, crawling, climbing, jumping
  • Improved speech, swallowing, willingness to try new foods and textures