Does Chiropractic Work for Children

Sometimes your Somerville chiropractor gets the question: Does chiropractic work for children? There are a few ways you can get a good answer:

1. Ask the children who get chiropractic treatments and observe them both before and after the treatment.
2. Compile statistics from the chiropractors that treat children.
3. Ask the parents for their input as to whether or not chiropractic works on their children via a survey or taped interview.

You could then score your rating according to the six sigma rating scale (more on that later).

In one study organized by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, their goal was to test out the effectiveness of chiropractic for children. They asked parents and chiropractors to answer questions in a survey about chiropractic.

To be considered a valid study on chiropractic, researchers knew they couldn’t have a few dozen participants; they needed hundreds or thousands. And that’s what they got. Their surveys from chiropractors were responses about 5438 office visits from the treatment of 577 children and the responses from parents for 1,735 office visits for the treatment of 299 children.

Out of all the chiropractic visits, there were only three that the chiropractors considered
“adverse events” where chiropractic was not effective. That’s a rate of less than 1% - 0.055% to be exact.

Out of the 1,735 office visits from the parents, there were only two visits that children complained about that were not effective. This is 1.1%.

The chiropractic treatment was very effective when you look at it from a six sigma business perspective. The six sigma rating is a rating system that was developed by Motorola to achieve perfection in business, and especially customer satisfaction. Here’s how big business uses this rating process:

• A rating of 2 sigma correlates with a customer satisfaction rate of 69%.
• 3 sigma correlates with 93.32%.   
• 4 sigma correlates with 99.38%.
• 5 sigma correlates with 99.98%.
• 6 sigma correlates with 99.99966%.

The chiropractic rating (from chiropractors) on the effectiveness of chiropractic in children’s musculoskeletal conditions was between a rating of 4 sigma and 5 sigma. The parents’ rating with fewer visits was between a 3 sigma and a 4 sigma (i.e., 93-99.38%).

Chiropractic wins the customer satisfaction rating for effectiveness in kids. So if your child is suffering in Somerville, take comfort in the fact that chiropractic can offer natural pain relief for patients of all ages. Call Dr. Cordima to help your child enjoy the pain-free life they deserve!

Reference

 Alcantar, J., Ohm, J., and Kunz, D. The safety and effectiveness of pediatric chiropractic: a survey of chiropractors and parents in a practice-based research network. Explore (NY), 2009 Sept-Oct; 5 (5): 290-5.