A Better Beginning: Gentle Chiropractic Care for Kids
Parents today are more proactive than ever about seeking gentle, natural options to support their children’s health. Chiropractic care—particularly specific, low-force methods like the Gonstead System—has become increasingly popular among families looking for help with issues ranging from colic and constipation to sensory challenges, immune concerns, and neurologic conditions. A growing body of published literature helps us understand why.
Understanding the Literature
When you look at the research on pediatric chiropractic care, you’ll notice that most studies are case reports, case series, and observational studies rather than large randomized clinical trials. This is sometimes interpreted as “weaker” evidence because it is less controlled, but it’s actually appropriate for the type of care chiropractors provide to children.
Every child’s needs are unique, making standardized trials difficult. And it wouldn’t be ethical or practical to place infants in “sham treatment” groups. This is why much of the evidence comes from real families in real clinics. These studies show how chiropractic care works in everyday life.
This type of real-world evidence gives us valuable insight into what parents consistently report: chiropractic care is gentle, safe, and supportive of healthy development. While the research isn’t built on large lab-based trials, it is rich in practical findings, parent outcomes, and decades of clinician experience—all pointing toward improved well-being and strong safety for children under chiropractic care.
Why Should Kiddos See a Chiropractor?
The modern medical model works great for emergency care, but with chronic illnesses on the rise and overall wellness declining, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is an increasingly popular resource for adults and children alike. The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) from 2007 and 2012 found chiropractic care to be the most popular CAM therapy for children in particular (Alcantara et al., 2020).
Alcantara et al. provides an overview of the benefits of pediatric chiropractic care, using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System. A total of 724 parents completed a series of questionnaires both before and after a period of chiropractic care for their child. Areas assessed included physical function mobility, anxiety, depression, fatigue, peer relationships, and pain interference. Statistically significant improvements were observed in all areas, indicating overall improved quality of life.
While adults often seek chiropractic care for pain, children are usually brought in for functional problems (colic, difficulty breastfeeding, bed wetting, behavioral issues, etc.) and wellness care. There is a plethora of clinical evidence in the literature to support an overwhelmingly positive response to pediatric chiropractic care. Chiropractors do not claim to treat or “cure” any of these conditions, but the nature of correcting spinal subluxations is that the body is allowed to adapt and heal itself in incredible ways. You can read about a few interesting examples below…
Evidence From Pediatric Case Studies
Asthma, Allergies, and Chronic Colds
A 7 year old boy was suffering from the above conditions since 5 months of age, and missing 1-2 days of school per month because of it. Allergy and asthma medications were discontinued after just 2 weeks of chiropractic care. Five months into care, the child had not missed a single day of school due to illness (Alcantara and Van Roo, 2009).
Constipation
A 2 year old boy presented to the chiropractor with constipation lasting one year. The child’s stool was painful to pass, and produced a strong odor. He was taking senna and Movicol to help manage the constipation. After 4 chiropractic treatments, his mother reported that the child was sleeping through the night for the first time in his life and routinely passing stools with no complaint (Thomas, 2018).
Colic
An 8 week old girl was described by her mother as a “fussy, high maintenance” baby. She had excessive gas, difficulty sleeping, and a strong preference for breastfeeding on the right. After 5 chiropractic visits, the child was no longer irritable, slept easily, gained rotation of her head to the right, and breastfed normally on both sides. Upon a 6-month follow up, she was still in good health (Alcantara et al., 2011).
Autoimmune Symptoms
A 2 year old girl was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis shortly after an automobile accident. She was experiencing ear infections, ptosis of the right eye, leg weakness, fatigue, and abnormal speech. She was taken to 2 pediatric neurologists and a pediatric opthalmologist, and her parents were told that nothing could be done for her. They pursued chiropractic care as a last resort, and after 5 months of care the child showed nearly 100% improvement (Alcantara et al., 2003).
Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders
A 22 month old boy was multiply impaired and suffering from nonfebrile seizures. The authors note that “conventional medical treatment had produced a poor prognosis for any developmental or functional progress.” After 8 years of chiropractic care, anticonvulsant medications were discontinued, the boy was “ambulatory, interactive, and mainstreamed into his age group for regular public school education” (Pistolese, 2001).
Is Chiropractic Care Safe for Kids?
The short answer is — yes, absolutely!
Chiropractors recognize that developing spines are different from adult ones. Webster is clear that pediatric adjustments should be low force, low amplitude, and non-rotational (Pistolese, 1998). Many chiropractors will use light fingertip contacts, or even a gentle instrument to adjust tiny spines.
Regardless of age, reports of serious complications following chiropractic care are extremely rare. A review of the literature found the risk of neurological and/or vertebrobasilar complications to be about 1 in 250 million. This is significantly lower than the risk of many medical procedures listed for comparison (Pistolese, 1998). The author attributes much of the publicity and fear around N/VB complications to be the result of misleading and inaccurate reporting.
The Gonstead Difference
When it comes to caring for infants and children, not all chiropractic techniques are the same. The Gonstead System stands out because it is built on precision and gentleness—two qualities that matter deeply when caring for developing spines and nervous systems. Unlike generalized adjusting methods, Gonstead chiropractic uses a highly detailed analysis to determine exactly which vertebra needs to be adjusted, how it needs to move, and how to do so using the smallest, safest amount of force (Anrig, 2006).
This thoughtful, precise approach allows children—from newborns to teens—to receive chiropractic care that is safe, comfortable, and tailored to their unique stage of growth.
References
Alcantara, J., et al. (2020). The quality of life of children under chiropractic care as measured by the PROMIS parent-proxy short forms. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice.
Alcantara, J., et al. ( 2014). An integrative review of the literature on the chiropractic care of infants with constipation. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice.
Alcantara, J., et al. (2011). The Chiropractic Care of Infants with Colic: A Systematic Review. Explore.
Alcantara, J., et al. (2003). Chiropractic care of a pediatric patient with myasthenia gravis. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics.
Alcantara, J., Van Roo, L. (2009). The chiropractic care of a pediatric patient with asthma, allergies, and chronic colds. Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health Chiropractic.
Anrig, C. (2006). The Gonstead System: A Specific Biomechanical Approach for the Expectant Mother, Infant and Child. Gonstead Clinical Studies Society.
Pistolese, R. (2001). Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders: A Review of Literature Relative to Chiropractic Care of Children. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics.
Pistolese, R. (1998). Risk Assessment of Neurological and/or Vertebrobasilar Complications in the Pediatric Chiropractic Patient. Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research
Thomas, L., et al. (2018). Positive chiropractic treatment outcome of chronic constipation in a 2-year-old male: a case report. Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics.