Expert: Gerald Anzalone, D.C. - 9/18/2006

Question
My wife had my two daughters evaluated by a Chiropractor at a free clinic and he found minor
issues with both....(so he says). One is 6 and the other is 8 years old. Both have no back pain at all. My wife wants to make an appointment to have there backs worked on. I think it is totaly insane to work on two little kids that are not complaing of back problems. Im I wrong?

Answer
Bryan,

Thank you for your question. I understand your concern.

In response to your question, my questions would be:

1. What was the problem that was reportedly detected by the chiroprator? Was it a muscular problem, or a joint dysfunction problem, or some structural problem (i.e. scoliosis or postural distortion)?

2. Do your children have any symptoms of a musculoskeletal nature?

If the answers to those questions are "no", then my challenge to chiropractors who claim that asymptomatic children need to "be adjusted" or receive manual spinal therapy is this: show me the evidence, because as far as I know, there is nothing in the peer-reviewed, scientific literature to substantiate asymptomatic care in children (or adults, for that matter).

There is also a paucity of material in the scientific literature to support the efficacy of chiropractic care for non-musculoskeletal problems, and this type of chiropractic is not consistent with evidence-based care paradigms.

I have just returned from this year's annual research conference sponsored by the Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research, of which I am a member, and where I myself presented a topic for discussion, and this very concept was discussed in the terms I have outlined above.

If your children can be given no other diagnosis than "vertebral subluxation" in the absense of any definite signs or symptoms, if they have no symptoms of a musculoskeletal nature, and if x-rays are suggested in the absense of symptoms, I would be highly suspicious, and I would conclude that you are dealing with dogma rather than an evidence-based practitioner.

There are reputable chiropractors who do take legitimate care of children (and adults) who have bona fide muscuoskeletal problems. However, it may take some investigating to locate them. As the old saying goes, don't fix what isn't broken.

I hope that this is of help to you.