The tissue cells of the body are continually subjected to universal forces. The effects of these forces upon the cell can be measured algebraically. If we divide these effects into units we can classify them as gains and losses. The gains are those experiences in which the cell successfully adapts the universal forces. The losses are those experiences in which the cell fails to adapt the universal forces. The resultant changes caused by that failure to adapt may or may not be measurable. When losses are subtracted from gains, that which remains is called a “survival value.”   —Joe Strauss, DC

When talking about locating, analyzing and facilitating the correction of vertebral subluxation on a regular basis, the question often arises, why? Why visit the chiropractor consistently? Why bring your infant, child or even teenager to the Chiropractor? 

The easiest way to answer that question is by looking at the cause of vertebral subluxation, and why people get their spine checked for the facilitation of correction of vertebral subluxation on a regular basis.

There are many different causes and responses to vertebral subluxation based on adaptation, but regardless of the specific cause or response, universal principles can be applied to the developmental stages of vertebral subluxation. 

As early as conception, stress can begin confronting the fetus. The law of supply and demand in relation to the cause of vertebral subluxation can be applied to determine how the demand of stress alters the supply of physiological healing and whether there is adaptation or compensation to it and the law of cause and effect in relation to the cause of vertebral subluxation can be applied to determine what specific causes of stress alters the physiological response of adaption or compensation to it. These two universal principles can be applied to the fetus through delivery and into the stages of infancy.

Stress on the mother’s quality of life directly impacts the well-being of the baby. Maternal stress levels higher than adaptation by the fetus can and does become associated with negative birth outcomes.  If higher than normal stress levels within the maternity stage impacts the quality of life of the infant, then the conclusion can be made that vertebral subluxation can develop as early as infancy.

So when looking at the question as to why experience regular spinal analysis for the location, analysis and facilitation of correction of vertebral subluxation at an early age, the answer to that question is because of stress and the inherent ability to adapt or compensate to it are what creates the developmental stages of vertebral subluxation. If adaptation to stress is not sufficient then compensation to stress can and does occur creating a perfect environment for vertebral subluxation to develop.

The next conversation that takes place when discussing the developmental stages of vertebral subluxation is the known fact that stress confronts all ages and stages of our life. 

Yes, even infants and babies encounter stress. 

Infants confront more stress than they are given recognition for, probably because the parents are under more stress than they’ve ever been confronted with. Think about that concept. Most parents are trying to adapt to less sleep, more unknowns and just the physical day to day demands of having a tiny living breathing infant under their guard. With all that stress on the parents’ plate, do you think the infant is experiencing any of their emotional rollercoaster and suffering from that extra stress in the household? 

Let’s consider how stress might be negatively influencing infants right before the parent’s eyes.

Ever hear a baby cry because they’re hungry? This is a process of communication, but the process itself can become a form of stress on the baby’s well-being. Have you ever been so hungry for food that your blood sugar levels drop drastically and before long your attitude and behavior turn for the worst? Our internal body chemistry has a profound impact on physiology and when babies get hungry this can become an emotional and physiological stressor on their overall well-being. 

What about sleep, how is your well-being after a poor night’s sleep? Losing one night of sleep might just affect your mood and focus, but add a few more consecutive nights of a loss of sleep and now you’re seeing physical signs of fatigue which greatly impacts your well-being. Sleep is vital for infants too and can become a stressor on them. 

To play fair, some families and infants may be adapting to this stress and growing up and developing in a great environment. Children have an amazing ability to adapt to stress, but being aware of the concept of stress and the potential threat it can play havoc on well-being over time is of key importance.

For the purposes of awareness and education, there is most likely a fair percentage of infants and children compensating to the day to day demands of development and if any compensation takes place throughout the 86,000 seconds of the day-then there is a potential for vertebral subluxation to develop. 

Stress is all around us and infants are no different. Being aware of the fact that infants, babies and children live in the same world of demands and adaptation or compensation to those stressors as adults do. Being aware of these universal principles applying to infancy well-being will give you clarity to how early vertebral subluxation can develop.

In regards to vertebral subluxation developing at an early age, the effects on their well-being may go unnoticed due to the fact that we are unable to measure the relative aspects of health and well-being. A loss of relative aspects of health and well-being at an early age may take months or years to show up as physical signs that compensation has taken place to stress.

The inability to measure the loss of the relative aspects to well-being can create a false definition of well-being in society at large and overlook the presence of vertebral subluxation developing. Our perception that no physical signs of compensation to stress must indicate that well-being is optimal is not accurate. We know with certainty that you cannot determine the quality of well-being by the degree of the presence or absence of symptoms. The same principles are true for the developmental stages of vertebral subluxation.

If vertebral subluxation has developed as early as infancy, finding a Chiropractor with a practice that is focused on evaluating infant spines is the first step in facilitating the correction with a gentle and specific adjustment. Chiropractors that are trained in proper analysis and correct for vertebral subluxation in all ages and stages of well-being along with their professional recommendations for frequency and response to care for the ability to benefit the most from regular chiropractic adjustments is how you combat the negative effects from vertebral subluxation.