Like anyone else, children have nervous systems too. At Delta Chiropractic, we strive for nervous system optimization, and spinal health in every person who comes through our doors. Of course, some of the common reasons children are brought to us include, trouble breast or bottle feeding, colic, reflux, help meeting milestones of motor development, ear infections, bedwetting, pediatric headaches.
As soon as parents are comfortable bringing a child to see us, we’re prepared to check them. We have been the one stop parents make on the way home from the hospital, or the first place they take their newborn after birth at home. It’s never too early. Children have developing spines and nervous systems. Like a young tree planted in the ground, chiropractic care can be a tool to help them develop to their best potential.
Many parents or even children themselves report less fussiness, better sleep, resolution of chronic ear infections, no more bed wetting, better latch and efficiency while feeding. These are some of the common things parents share with us. Case studies and more examples of how chiropractic care may help your child can be found at icpa4kids.org
We have a saying, “Children don’t simply grow out of challenges. They develop into different ones”. For example, it has been observed in both the chiropractic and optometry fields that children who don’t crawl may struggle more than their peers with motor coordination and reading.
First of all, we encourage parents to be advocates for their child’s health. We never discourage western medical care, but we have observed time and again that children receiving regular chiropractic are less likely to require western medical intervention for conditions such as acid reflux and ear infections.
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How Our Care Plan Works
1. Relief
Finding the root cause of your problem is the fastest and most effective way to get relief and see lasting results. We all know that swallowing hand fulls of pills is not the answer. True relief comes from the removal of the cause of your problem.
2. Corrective
In order to keep your symptoms from returning and to make sure we can get you to optimal health, a plan of correction must be laid out and executed. Corrective care ensures that you not only feel your best but have a plan to be your best as well.
3. Wellness
The only way to coast is downhill. Once we reach our corrective goals we don’t want to stop there. We ultimately want to have the habits in place to keep us at our best. A wellness plan ensures that we are actively working to achieve our life long health goals.
How We Treat Kids at Each Stage in Their Development in Rochester Hills, MI
Newborn Chiropractic (Birth to First Year)
The birth process, even under the best circumstances, can place significant stress on a newborn’s delicate spine and nervous system. Whether it’s a natural delivery, assisted birth (with forceps or vacuum), or C-section, the twisting, pulling, and compression involved can lead to subtle misalignments in the spine—known as subluxations.
These subluxations may interfere with how the baby’s nervous system functions, which is crucial since the nervous system controls every part of growth and development. Parents often bring their newborns to a chiropractor to help with:
• Breastfeeding difficulties (like trouble latching or favoring one side)
• Torticollis (head tilt or limited neck movement)
• Colic or excessive crying
• Digestive issues (such as gas, reflux, or constipation)
• Sleep disturbances
• Head shape concerns (like flat spots from favoring one side)
Gentle chiropractic adjustments—using light fingertip pressure—can help restore balance to the nervous system, relieve tension, and support optimal function during these vital early weeks of life. Most importantly, chiropractic for newborns is safe, specific, and tailored to their tiny, developing bodies. In babies, subluxations—small misalignments or restrictions in the spine—can develop as early as during pregnancy or birth. Their developing bodies are especially sensitive to stress, and even gentle forces can impact the alignment of their spine and function of their nervous system.
Some common ways subluxations can develop in newborns: include
Intrauterine position: If a baby is breech, transverse, or stuck in one position for a long time, pressure on the spine and skull can cause tension or misalignment even before birth.
Birth trauma: The birth process itself—especially if it’s long, fast, or assisted with tools like forceps or vacuum—can place significant stress on the baby’s head, neck, and spine. Even in smooth deliveries, the twisting and compression involved can affect spinal alignment.
C-section deliveries: While often medically necessary, C-sections can bypass the natural compression and rotation of the birth canal, leading to different kinds of pressure on the baby’s spine and nervous system.
Physical stress after birth: Newborns are still developing head and neck control. A fall, a rough diaper change, or even spending too much time in car seats or swings can create or exacerbate spinal stress.
Because the nervous system is developing rapidly in these early weeks, even small subluxations can impact how a baby feeds, sleeps, digests, and connects with their environment. Chiropractic care helps address these issues gently and early, so babies can grow and thrive with a healthy foundation.
Subluxations disrupt the communication between a baby’s brain and body by placing stress on the nervous system. Because babies are growing so rapidly, even small misalignments can have a big impact.
They may lead to:
• Trouble with feeding, like poor latch or favoring one side
• Digestive issues such as gas, reflux, or constipation
• Tension or imbalanced movement (e.g., torticollis or flat spots)
• Difficulty sleeping, excessive crying, or being hard to soothe
• Delays in motor development or sensory processing
Adjustments for babies are extremely gentle—no cracking, twisting, or heavy force. Pediatric chiropractors use light fingertip pressure, about the same as testing a ripe tomato. Each adjustment is specific to the baby’s age, size, and needs, ensuring it’s safe, calming, and effective. Most babies relax, yawn, or even sleep through it.
In infants, chiropractic care may help with:
Subluxation driven colic, torticollis, acid reflux, constipation, trouble with breast or bottle feeding, ear infections, motor development delays, sleep challenges and more. By supporting healthy nerve function, chiropractic gives infants a gentle foundation to grow, move, and thrive more comfortably.
Toddler Chiropractic
A balanced nervous system may help a child avoid struggles with feeding, digestive health challenges such as reflux or constipation, even lessen the likelihood of having ear infections.
Like Benjamin Franklin said, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” When checked and corrected early, challenges stemming from subluxation can be avoided. Let’s help raise healthy children rather than wait to fix “bruised and broken” adults.
Learning to walk is one of the most exciting and physically demanding milestones in early childhood. As toddlers take wobbly steps, fall frequently, and constantly test their balance, their spine and nervous system are under a lot of stress. These repetitive bumps, twists, and tumbles can lead to small misalignments that affect posture, coordination, and even behavior.
Chiropractic care helps keep the spine aligned and the nervous system clear during this rapid phase of growth and development.
The physical stress of the fall could be jarring to the neck, back, or pelvis creating restriction and motion pattern changes due to that restriction or perceived pain by the child.
Chiropractic care for toddlers uses gentle, specific adjustments to correct subluxations—tiny misalignments that can disrupt nerve function. These adjustments help restore proper movement in the spine, allowing the nervous system to communicate clearly with the rest of the body. As a result, toddlers may experience better balance, coordination, digestion, sleep, and behavior—all key parts of healthy development.
Speech and social development rely on proper brain and nervous system function. Subluxations can interfere with how a child processes sounds, coordinates mouth movements, or responds to their environment. Chiropractic care supports clear nerve communication, which may help children engage, express, and connect more easily during these key developmental years.
Are spinal injuries always apparent? Not always. Many spinal misalignments in young children don’t cause immediate pain but can still affect posture, balance, behavior, or development. That’s why regular checkups are important—even without obvious symptoms—to catch and correct issues early before they create bigger challenges
School-Age Chiropractic (5 to 12 Years)
What is scoliosis?
Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine that typically develops during childhood or early adolescence. It can range from mild to severe and may affect posture, movement, and even breathing in extreme cases.
How do you identify it?
Parents might notice uneven shoulders, a tilted head, one hip higher than the other, or that their child leans to one side. A chiropractor can perform a gentle, non-invasive screening to check for spinal imbalances or early signs of curvature.
How do you treat it?
Early, conservative care is key. Chiropractic doesn’t “cure” scoliosis, but it can help manage progression, improve posture and mobility, reduce tension, and support the nervous system—especially when paired with stretching and movement strategies.
What other risks do school-age children face that might cause injury to their spine?
Heavy backpacks, long hours of sitting, sports injuries, falls, and poor posture from screens all place stress on a child’s growing spine. Regular chiropractic care helps keep the spine aligned and the nervous system functioning optimally, even with these everyday demands.
Chiropractic for Teenagers (12–18 Years)
What are the common challenges teenagers face that make them good candidates for chiropractic care?
Teenagers deal with rapid growth, sports strain, heavy tech use, academic pressure, and often poor posture. Chiropractic care helps reduce physical tension, improve focus, and support healthy development during this intense season of change.
What are some of the mental and emotional benefits of chiropractic care that might work on an individual with raging hormones?
Chiropractic adjustments help regulate the nervous system, which can calm stress responses, improve sleep, and boost mood stability. For teens riding the rollercoaster of hormones, this kind of balance can support clearer thinking, better emotional regulation, and a greater sense of wellbeing.
Common Childhood Conditions That We Have Helped in Rochester Hills, MI
Breastfeeding Problems
Why is breastfeeding important?
Breastfeeding provides essential nutrients, immune support, and bonding between mother and baby. Breast milk is uniquely designed for your baby’s development and offers protective antibodies that help fight off infections. Beyond nutrition, breastfeeding supports emotional connection and promotes healthy jaw and facial development through the act of latching and sucking.
Why would it become difficult?
While breastfeeding is natural, it’s not always easy. Challenges may arise from latching issues, pain during feeding, or babies favoring one side. Structural imbalances such as tongue or lip ties, birth trauma, or spinal misalignments—especially in the upper neck—can make it difficult for a baby to feed comfortably and efficiently. On the mother’s side, stress, positioning, and supply issues can also add to the challenge.
What are the signs of breastfeeding difficulties?
You might notice:
• Clicking or noisy feeding sounds
• Baby popping on and off the breast frequently
• Fussiness or arching during feeds
• Preferring one breast over the other
• Shallow latch or ineffective suction
• Painful nursing for the mother
• Inadequate weight gain or frequent feedings with little satisfaction
Reflux
What is acid reflux?
Acid reflux, or gastroesophageal reflux (GER), happens when milk or stomach contents flow back up into the baby’s esophagus. While some spit-up is normal, persistent reflux can cause discomfort and feeding challenges. In babies, this often doesn’t present as “heartburn” like it might in adults, but rather as irritability, arching, or trouble feeding and sleeping.
What are the signs of infant reflux?
Common signs include:
• Frequent spitting up (especially shortly after feeding)
• Fussiness or crying during or after feeds
• Arching the back during feeding
• Gagging, coughing, or choking
• Hiccups or sour breath
• Poor weight gain or slow growth
• Restless sleep or frequent waking
It’s important to note that not all reflux involves spit-up. “Silent reflux” can look more like gas, discomfort, or trouble settling.
What are the causes?
In newborns, the muscle at the base of the esophagus (the lower esophageal sphincter) is still developing. If it’s weak or not functioning properly, it can allow stomach contents to move back up. Reflux may also be influenced by:
• Misalignments in the spine (especially near the diaphragm and vagus nerve)
• Tension from birth (especially in the upper neck or mid-back)
• Feeding issues, overfeeding, or sensitivity to certain formulas
• Immature digestive system or food intolerances (in breastfeeding mothers or formula-fed babies)
How does chiropractic help relieve reflux?
Chiropractic care focuses on the nervous system and spine—key players in how the body digests food, coordinates muscles, and maintains comfort. If your baby’s spine or nervous system is under stress from birth or tension (especially affecting the vagus nerve, which helps control digestion), this can interfere with the body’s natural ability to process food comfortably.
By using gentle, specific adjustments, pediatric chiropractic care can help restore balance to the nervous system, improve digestive function, and reduce tension on the diaphragm. Many parents report that after a few adjustments, their baby is more relaxed, feeding becomes easier, and reflux symptoms improve—sometimes dramatically.
Colic
What is colic?
Colic is defined as excessive, often inconsolable crying in an otherwise healthy baby—usually lasting more than three hours a day, three days a week, for three weeks or more. It tends to show up around 2–3 weeks of age and often peaks at six weeks. While colic eventually resolves on its own, the waiting game can feel endless for exhausted parents.
Why is it a problem?
Colic doesn’t just affect babies—it impacts the whole family. Sleepless nights, constant crying, and the stress of not knowing how to help your little one can take a toll on parents emotionally and physically. Colic often leads to frustration, helplessness, and feelings of failure—especially when nothing seems to work.
How does it happen?
There’s no single known cause of colic, but contributing factors may include:
• Digestive discomfort or immature gut function
• Nervous system imbalance (especially if birth was difficult or involved intervention)
• Sensory overstimulation
• Tension or misalignment in the spine affecting the baby’s ability to self-soothe
Should exhausted parents “wait it out” or try chiropractic care?
You don’t have to just “wait it out.” Gentle, specific chiropractic adjustments can help restore balance to your baby’s nervous system and reduce physical tension—allowing your child to better adapt, relax, and often sleep more peacefully. We’ve worked with many babies who found relief after just a few visits, and their parents often say, “I wish I’d known about this sooner.”
What can a chiropractor do about inconsolable crying?
At our office, we use gentle techniques tailored specifically for infants—no cracking or popping. These adjustments can help ease discomfort, support better digestion, and calm an overstimulated nervous system. Our goal isn’t just to reduce the crying—but to support your baby’s development and give your whole family a little more peace.
Asthma
What is asthma?
Asthma is a chronic condition where the airways in the lungs become inflamed and narrowed, making it difficult to breathe. Common symptoms include wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. It often begins in childhood and can range from mild to severe, sometimes interfering with sleep, play, and overall quality of life.
Why is it so common in kids?
Children’s immune and respiratory systems are still developing, making them more sensitive to allergens, irritants, and infections that can trigger asthma. Add in environmental factors, genetic predisposition, and today’s high-stress lifestyles, and it’s no wonder we’re seeing asthma diagnoses on the rise in younger children.
What are the mechanics of an asthmatic attack?
During an asthma attack, the muscles around the airways tighten, the airway lining becomes inflamed, and mucus production increases. This combination significantly restricts airflow, making it hard for air to move in and out of the lungs. The nervous system plays a major role in this response—especially the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary functions like breathing.
How can chiropractic care help regulate respiration and lung capacity?
Chiropractic care doesn’t treat asthma directly, but it does help the nervous system function more optimally—especially the parts that control breathing and lung function. Misalignments in the spine, particularly in the upper back and neck, can interfere with nerve signals to the lungs and diaphragm. Gentle adjustments can reduce tension in these areas, improve posture, and support more open, unrestricted breathing.
Many parents report that with regular chiropractic care, their children experience fewer flare-ups, improved breathing patterns, and a greater ability to participate in physical activities.
If your child struggles with asthma, we’re here to help support their lungs—and their life—with a nervous system-first approach.
Issues with Crawling, Standing, or Other Movements
Why is “tummy time” so important?
Tummy time is one of the most important activities for your baby’s early development. It helps strengthen the neck, shoulders, arms, and core muscles—all of which are essential for motor skills like rolling, crawling, and eventually walking. Tummy time also supports healthy spinal curves and gives the brain important feedback through movement and body awareness.
How do physical milestones help determine proper physical and neurological development?
Physical milestones—like rolling, crawling, sitting, standing, and walking—aren’t just cute moments. They’re windows into your child’s neurological development. Each stage activates new pathways in the brain, helping your child build coordination, balance, and sensory integration. Delays or difficulties with these movements can be early signs that your child’s nervous system might need extra support.
How would a musculoskeletal issue interfere with a child’s ability to hit those milestones?
If a baby has tension or misalignments in the spine or pelvis, it can affect how they move, turn their head, bear weight, or balance. Even subtle restrictions can make tummy time uncomfortable, cause uneven crawling, or lead to skipped milestones. When the body isn’t moving freely, the brain doesn’t get the input it needs to develop properly.
What could happen if a problem goes undetected and uncorrected?
When these issues go unnoticed, it can set off a domino effect. Movement compensations might lead to further delays, poor posture, or future struggles with coordination, focus, or learning. The earlier we catch and correct the issue, the better the outcomes—especially while your child’s brain and body are developing so rapidly.
What can be done to ensure they are properly developing?
A pediatric chiropractic evaluation can help identify any areas of restriction, imbalance, or stress in your child’s nervous system. Through gentle, specific adjustments, we help restore normal movement and function so your child can hit their milestones with confidence. Combined with tummy time, play, and proper stimulation, chiropractic care can be a key part of your child’s developmental support team.
If you’re unsure whether your little one is on track, let’s take a closer look together. Early support can make all the difference.
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1136 S Rochester Rd Suite B, Rochester Hills, MI 48307
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New patient special includes Consultation, Exam, X-Rays & Doctors report of findings