Children's Health Issues

Asthma On the Rise

The American Lung Association reports that an astonishing four million children under the age of 18 suffered an asthma attack in the past 12 months. In fact, this chronic condition accounts for more childhood hospital admissions than any other condition. And it’s the most widely reported reason for chronic absenteeism from school.

What causes asthma and how is it treated? Asthma results from an inflammation of the bronchial air passages, resulting from such things as allergies, respiratory infections, environmental irritants (air pollution, cigarette smoke, strong odors) carried through the air and of course subluxations. Approximately 75 percent of children with asthma have significant allergies and are strongly genetically predisposed for the disease.

While there is no known cure for asthma, traditional medicine treats it with drugs, including inhaled corticosteroids, allergy injections, bronchodilator inhalers, and by stressing trigger avoidance behavior.

Several articles that have appeared in Today’s Chiropractic Magazine relate that nerve interference caused by subluxation is often present in children with asthma. Our experience with asthma sufferers has been that regular chiropractic care both diminishes the frequency of the child's asthma attacks and lessens the severity of the condition.

Granted, chiropractic isn't a treatment for asthma! It is certainly worth it to consider chiropractic as an alternative to the traditional medical approach to childhood asthma for your child’s sake, given all the research that points to promising and successful outcomes.

Dr. Barry Asks some important questions of interest to Bethlehem residents - Chiropractor Bethlehem Dr. Barry Asks...

Will chiropractic adjustments make my spine too loose?
No. Only the spinal joints that are fixated and "locked up" receive attention. The occasional spinal joint that moves too much is passed over so weakened muscles and ligaments can strengthen and heal.
Where do most Bethlehem residents get their first subluxation?
Being born in a hospital is a common source of subluxation. Trauma from forceps delivery has been replaced with drugs, vacuum extraction, Cesarean section and births that are "scheduled" to fit the workweek routines of Ob-Gyns. That's why we recommend a chiropractic checkup for every Bethlehem newborn.