Friday, May 28, 2010

validate this

I just realized, I come here and post all the time. I cite references, make timely observations, talk all doctor-y. Why?

Because I am incapable of not justifying everything I do with a peer reviewed study or massive sample size. I'm so used to being the witch doctor that I try twice as hard as the next guy to convince people of what I can do as a doctor. I guess that carries over, even to my blog posts. I'm not sure if that is the mark of a clinical mind, or just someone wanting validation.

I adjusted a small boy this week, he was clinically deaf in one ear, had asthma, and told his mom that he had a headache ever since he could speak.

I treated him three times, with the last treatment coming 2 hours ago.

As of today at 10:30, a.m. he can hear you speak from a distance even with his good ear covered up. He slept through the night last night. He smiled at me for the first time since I met him.

Placebo? Witchcraft? Luck?

That kid can hear, that kid can sleep. I did nothing but take away the interference to his nervous system. There are no side effects, no dangerous drugs, no pill cycle. I did a scientific analysis of the joint between his skull and atlas, and checked the local muscle tension and corresponding cranial nerves.

I'm done being the torchbearer for chiropractic apologists.

I fix little kids. They know it, I know it. Everything else is moot.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Five, Six, Pick up Sticks

More from my "7 Habits for Healthy Kids Presentation." This next one is one of the toughest, but one of the best for your kids. In order to successfully get your kids to go to bed, you may have to lead by example. Good Luck!

Habit # 6 -- Teach your kids that sleep is a necessity, not a luxury.

Imagine you are in charge of a big factory making tires. You make tires all day, every day, and you have more orders than you know what to do with. From the time you open, to the time you close, you focus on getting as many tires made as you possibly can in order to keep up.
That much tire-makin’ will naturally wear out some machines and some people. Both of which will have to be replaced. You will also need to get all the by-product and trash out of your factory and get it cleaned (the factory) in order to maintain productivity. If you are up to your neck in tires during the day, when are you going to clean the place, change the trash, and put in new machines/fix the old ones? That’s right, at night. It is the only time available. What do you think is going to happen to your factory if you never close, or if you aren’t closed down long enough to get these essential tasks done?

Your body is no different. When you sleep you grow muscle, process emotions and learning, and lose weight. Those things do not happen when you are awake, just like in the factory, you are too busy during your waking hours. If you don’t get enough sleep, over time you suffer and your health will suffer. You must teach your kids (and yourself) that short changing your downtime doesn’t make you tough, it makes you unhealthy. It is even worse for kids. They aren’t maintaining what they already have, in terms of size and strength; they are in the process of addition. Here are several ideas for getting and enforcing a bed time:

• Maintain a daily sleep schedule and consistent bedtime routine.
• Make the bedroom environment the same every night and throughout the night (lights, temp, shades, etc.)
• Set limits that are consistent, communicated and enforced.
• No television or gaming right before bed.

There are many, many tips and tricks for helping kids to get to sleep and stay asleep. E-mail me if you are looking for more, or if you have one I haven't mentioned.
Next week: more stuff!

Monday, May 10, 2010

bigger things

I went to a memorial service for the infant daughter of a good friend of mine this weekend. She was born premature, the mom and dad had less than a day with her. Long enough for an outfit change, some pictures, and a lifetime of unspeakable pain.

I wasn't going to post about it. But I can't get it out of my head. I've been in pain before, and a pretty good dose of it too. Broken bones, 100s of stitches, concussions. Emotionally, I've been there as well. I was thinking about that too, this weekend. The parents of the daughter and I have had our share of nights out on the town when we were in college. They used to joke about how attached I would get to someone, only to have it eternally blowing up in my face.

But nothing I ever went through, no laceration, "its-not-you-its-me", or dream deferred ever hurt like Friday night. I never met the baby, never saw her except for the pictures in the memorial service, but I could not stop crying. I couldn't sleep until Sunday night, haven't been hungry. I don't think you are supposed to get more emo as you get older.

I think it's that, even the worst possible thing that can happen to you as a parent, is better than anything that happens to you when you aren't.

I hope I got that right.





The child they had, but didn't have, that they will have forever.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

5, Alive

Back on the attack, this weeks post concerns a bit about Chiropractic Care for kids.

Habit # 5 -- Teach your kids to take care of their spines.

I get that when we were all growing up, no one had any idea how important it was to take care of their spine. “Sit up straight” and “don’t slouch” were more intended to correct posture than they were to protect your back.

Times have changed. PET scans, MRI, fMRI, NCV, and more mind-numbing acronym testing confirms that bad back = bad health. Not only is an unhealthy back painful, it’s detrimental to the spinal cord and the nerves running therein. Since your back helps protect the spinal cord, if it’s in trouble, then the nerves that run your body are in trouble. This is especially true for kids, who don’t have the coping mechanisms we do as adults. Unhealthy positioning of the bones in your back can contribute to everything from sleeplessness to high blood pressure. There is a reason why we see so many c-section, forceps, or traumatic birth infants in the office. The pressure on the newly developing spine and central nervous system can be overwhelming. Get your spine checked regularly for maximum health.

Alternatively, you can stick your head in the sand and rely on drugs and emergency care for your children.