Confident Chiropractic Communication
PEDIATRICS
Kim Thor
DC
IT’S TRUE. BABIES DO NEED CHIROPRACTIC. They’re tiny little beings who have just entered the world, and how they enter varies, with some births being more traumatic than others. Regardless of the amount of trauma, I believe every newborn should be assessed by a chiropractor as soon as possible.
Having a newborn, especially for the first time, is a unique and unexpected voyage with many twists and turns. Expectations of behavior and peacefulness for a newborn are different for each individual, but sometimes, you may not know how great things could be until that newborn is under chiropractic care.
The brain and nervous system are in charge of that little being. The communication in that tiny system, when functioning at optimal potential, is assumingly without interference and at its best. When communication is not at full potential, it is less than 100%, which is not optimal.
When a newborn is taken to the chiropractor, assessed, and adjusted, their system can better communicate. This improvement in nervous system communication leads to better function and better healing!
As a chiropractor, I provide a gentle and specific adjustment to correct a subluxation, and I then allow the body the opportunity to heal. I do what I know how to do, and I leave it alone. What do I treat as a chiropractor? I treat subluxations with an adjustment. What babies enter my office with is another thing.
During my fifteen years of practice, I’ve found that terminology and clear communication make a huge difference. Stating that, as a chiropractor, I treat a symptom is not true. Again, I assess the spine for subluxation and, when deemed necessaiy, deliver a chiropractic adjustment. I’m battling the subluxation, not a symptom.
Babies often do enter the office with a symptom. When using examples of symptoms in marketing, it is important to distinguish between treating that
symptom and merely entering your office. For example, “Many babies have come in with sinus issues lately,” is different from, “Bring your baby to the chiropractor if they have sinus issues.”
Sometimes, even a list of symptoms is good for catching the attention of mothers. For example, “Babies enter the office with all sorts of things, including colic, acid reflux, constipation, sinus issues, torticollis, digestive issues, and more.” Being clear about what you can help them with will attract more pediatric patients.
When I was in chiropractic school, I was fortunate to have some pediatric patients, although not nearly enough to feel comfortable adjusting newborns as a fresh graduate. It took years for me to feel completely comfortable with my assessment and confidence in delivering a specific adjustment.
“Knowing howto confidently articulate what you know to be true about pediatric chiropractic takes time”
Knowing how to confidently articulate what you know to be true about pediatric chiropractic takes time. To be able to use clear, precise, simple sentences with parents about their tiny newborn helps it make sense to them.
When a baby patient is in my office whom I’ve previously assessed, the consultation with the family becomes easy because you can’t ask the baby anything. My consultation sounds like, “How well is your baby eating, pooping, and sleeping? Are they happy and calm?” When the babies get older, asking about crawling, walking, talking, focus, attention, and other things are important, but simple is best for a newborn.
Although organic confidence takes time, you can do some things on a daily basis to enhance your abilities. The way you touch matters, whether shaking the hands of parents confidently or holding their baby like you do it all day long.
The ways in which you move around also matter. When you walk holding their baby with confidence, when you set their baby down on your table, when you move from area to area of their spine with transparent certainty that you are doing the right thing for their baby, it shows the parents how sure you are about what you are doing.
The way you speak and communicate what you are doing is also important. I prefer to communicate with parents before and after the adjustment — not during. When delivering the adjustment, you should be so focused on slaying the subluxation that you are unable to communicate in that moment.
Since motherhood, I’ve found it is beneficial to speak to parents as a parent. To say that if it were my child, I would do this or that, instills the belief that you are doing exactly what is best for the baby, and by bringing them to your office, they are too. Never be afraid to tell them the truth and that chiropractic is exactly what their newborn needs.
Dr. Kim Thor was born and raised in Nebraska, receiving her education from Creighton University and Palmer College of Chiropractic. She is a second-generation chiropractor who has practiced in Norfolk, Nebraska, for 15 years. To learn more, visit drkimthor.com.
