The short answer: chiropractic care for kids is gentle, specific and adapted to their age and size. It uses far less force than care for adults, and always goes at your child's pace. A good chiropractor will do a thorough check first, keep you in the room, and work alongside your child's GP, paediatrician and other practitioners.
It's one of the questions parents ask me most, and it's a fair one. You want to know exactly what's happening with your child before anything happens. So here's an honest look.
A child is not a small adult
This is the first thing I tell parents. Care for kids looks completely different from caring for adults.
Kids' spines and nervous systems are still developing, so the techniques are different too. For children, I use neuro-tonal adjusting, a very gentle, low-force approach. It's specific, light and guided by what we find in their assessment and scans. For little ones, it's about the pressure you'd use to check a ripe avocado.
And we always go at your child's pace. If they're not comfortable with something, we don't do it. We'll find another way, or come back to it another day. Kids need to feel safe, and so do you.
Trained for kids
I'm PX Docs certified, a training program focused specifically on chiropractic care for children and families. I've looked after kids and mums through pregnancy right through my time in practice, and it's the part of my work I love most.
What the research says
In 2019, Safer Care Victoria ran an independent review of chiropractic spinal manipulation in children under 12. It drew one of the biggest public consultations ever held in Australia, from parents and health practitioners alike.²
The review found no evidence of significant harm from chiropractic care of children, and no examples of serious harm were reported through the consultation. It also noted that care for kids needs to be modified for a child's age and stage of development, which is exactly how we approach it.
The same review was honest that research on how well spinal manipulation works for specific childhood conditions is still limited. That's why we never promise outcomes. We assess carefully, explain what we find, and work alongside your child's GP.
What a child's first visit looks like
A kid's first visit in our practice is warm, relaxed and welcoming. They'll get to hang out with our CAs, do some colouring and keep busy with activities while we chat. You're in the room the whole time.
Here's what happens:
We hear your story. I want to understand your child and what's brought you in, from pregnancy and birth to now. Parents usually know far more than they think, and it all helps.
We get to know your child. No rushing. We spend some time with them so they feel comfortable before anything else happens.
We do a gentle assessment, including a spinal check that's adapted for their age.
We do the INSiGHT scans. They're quick, non-invasive and kid-friendly. (More in What is an INSiGHT scan?)
That last step matters to me. You can't measure what you don't test. Instead of guessing, the scans give us a clear picture of how your child's nervous system is functioning and give you real information about what's going on. They don't diagnose anything, but they help guide care and track changes over time.
How we know chiropractic is right for your child
We only recommend care when the assessment and scans show it's a good fit. If it isn't, we'll tell you.
Most kids already have a GP, and I'll always keep in touch with your child's GP if there's anything they need to know. I also love working alongside the other people in your child's corner, like OTs, speech pathologists, dentists, podiatrists and paediatric physios. Kids do best when the people looking after them talk to each other, and those connections are honestly one of the best parts of my job.
Kids don't grow out of things. They grow into the next thing.
This is something I talk about with parents a lot. It's easy to hope a child will just grow out of whatever they're finding hard. Sometimes they do. But often, what a child struggles with at two looks different at five and different again at ten.
That's why I love seeing kids early and seeing whole families together. When the whole family comes in, we get to understand how everyone's nervous systems are interacting, and look after each person based on how they're presenting. (More on that in What is the vagus nerve?)
Not sure yet? Start with the playbook
If you're curious but still on the fence, I get it. So I've put together our Family Playbook: a plain-English guide to how we look after kids in our practice, from the first visit to what the scans measure and the everyday things you can do at home.
Quick questions
At what age can a child see a chiropractor? From birth, Chiropractors see children of all ages, with care adapted to each stage. For children under two, chiropractors in Australia follow the Chiropractic Board's interim policy, which advises against spinal manipulation at that age.¹ Gentle, non-manipulative approaches may be used instead.
Can I stay with my child during the visit? Yes, always. Parents are in the room for every visit.
Do you work with my child's GP? Yes. We'll keep your child's GP in the loop whenever there's something they need to know.
References
Chiropractic Board of Australia. Chiropractic Board reinstates interim policy (17 June 2024), and the original Interim policy on spinal manipulation for infants and young children (March 2019).
Safer Care Victoria. Chiropractic spinal manipulation of children under 12: Independent review (October 2019).
