A while ago, I wrote and article about chiropractic and childhood ear infections that generated a lot of interest
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On one hand, many parents were thankful for the new information and sought out chiropractic care for their children who are now ear-infection-free. On the other hand, some readers were skeptical and asked for more evidence, which I happily provided.
Whenever a new idea hits the mainstream, it is always met with some initial skepticism. This, of course, is normal and appropriate. So I was pleasantly surprised to read “Chiropractors Treat Infants: Gentle Touch is Key When Taking Care of Babies” in the online edition of the Winnipeg Free Press this week.
The article’s author followed one Calgary chiropractor, Dr. Judy Forrester, as she cared for infants and children in her practice with a variety of conditions such as ear infections, colic and digestive problems. Parents were interviewed and reported that their children had benefited greatly from her care.
I love pieces like this because it further solidifies what the chiropractic profession has been saying for decades — although chiropractic is not a treatment for these conditions, by working on the spine an nervous system we can promote health by increasing the body’s ability to self-heal and function properly.
Where the article falls short, however, is the author then proceeds to interview so-called experts to provide a counter-point. Now, these are people who are not chiropractors, have no training in chiropractic and minimal knowledge of chiropractic research, who are of the opinion that there is zero evidence to support these claims. Apparently, they can’t use Google either.
I don’t know about you, but I will never ask my mechanic for dental advice, or my chiropractor’s advice on plumbing. If I am seeking expert opinions, isn’t it reasonable to seek out an expert in the same field of study?
Or better yet, how about asking the millions of satisfied chiropractic patients every year? As a matter of fact, chiropractic enjoys some of the highest satisfaction rates of any healthcare profession with 83%. And yes, for the left-brainers out there, there is research to support the benefit of chiropractic care for children as well.
That being said, in my opinion the best evidence we can provide is the results our patients, both young and old, get.
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