Published: 2009-10-21 18:00:07
Author: Dynamic Chiropractic | October 21, 2009
"The Safety and Effectiveness of Pediatric Chiropractic: A Survey of Chiropractors and Parents in a Practice-Based Research Network," has been published in Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing.
The study, phase one of a project undertaken by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association(ICPA) as part of its practice-based research network (PBRN), assessed pediatric chiropractic by surveying chiropractors and parents of pediatric patients (18 years of age and younger), revealing high overall satisfaction and near-nonexistent complications and adverse events.
Survey of chiropractors: Data was derived from 577 pediatric clinical cases, with patients ranging in age from less than 1 day to 18 years (average age: 7.45 years). All patients received spinal manipulative therapy at each visit (5,438 total office visits).
According to the study, "wellness care" was the primary reason indicated for care [46 percent of patients, 25 percent of whom reported a specific complaint during their presentation (e.g., colic)]. For condition-based presentations, musculoskeletal conditions were the most common presentations seen (26 percent of patients), and diversified, Gonstead, Thompson and Activator with the most common techniques utilized. Other reasons for care included digestion/elimination problems (7 percent), ear, nose and throat problems (6 percent), neurological problems (6 percent), immune dysfunction (5 percent) and other (4 percent).
In terms of safety, no treatment-associated complications were indicated by chiropractic or parent responders, and chiropractors indicated only three adverse events in 5,438 office visits involving treatment of 577 children: "muscle stiffness," "spine soreness" and "stiff and sore." The treating chiropractor's response to such treatment-related aggravations was to re-examine the child and apply a different technique, modification of the manipulative technique originally used, or modification of the spinal segment to which the manipulation was applied.