WASHINGTON — Chiropractic care is a popular alternative to restoring your health by making adjustments to the spine. Is it safe for babies? Some parents swear by these treatments. We asked the experts.
The videos are all over TikTok. Some of them have millions of views. They show babies, some as young as newborns, getting chiropractic treatment.
Dr. Greg Lee with Active Family Wellness in Fairfax, Virginia, understands why some would be skeptical. He has been treating infants and kids for years for everything from ear infections, immune system issues and colic, to constipation and not hitting their milestones.
"When you clear up the nervous system of subluxations, which are misalignments in the spine, that promotes health," Dr. Lee said.
Lee said he has seen the success stories.
"We had one patient, they took their baby to the emergency room twice. [The baby] stopped breathing and they had to do CPR. The ER said 'I think it may be acid reflux.' After the adjustments that baby is now thriving," Lee said.
But not everyone is a fan.
“Seeing them with babies and young children was a little concerning and disheartening because I know how fragile these young little ones are and how their muscles and bones are developing,” said Dr. Sean Tabaie.
Dr. Tabaie is a pediatric surgeon at Children's National Hospital in D.C. He said there is a greater chance of putting pressure on babies' soft tissue around nerves and vessels.
"Any slight manipulation can result in damage to a nerve or vessel that can have severe consequences," Tabaie said.
But for parents like Erin Greer, it was worth the risk.
“I didn’t have concerns because I think what chiropractic care is doing is realigning what our body naturally already has within it," Greer said.
Greer said her child's constipation issues were solved within 10 minutes of their first adjustment.
Bradley Faige brought his 3-month-old son Mason to see Dr. Lee. Mason was colicky and not sleeping well.
“Within the first week of getting adjustments to Mason, he was sleeping through the night, his colic was gone, we were amazed,” Faige said.
Lee understands that every parent may not share the same viewpoint.
"When I see these stories all the time, almost on a daily basis, I can't help but get this word out. But I also know that everyone is not open to it, and that's OK. It's just a different perspective."
It is important to note that the American Academy of Pediatrics has not found any specific benefits from chiropractic care for infants and young kids.