Q. Is the education of a Doctor of Chiropractic on a par with a medical physician?
A. Yes. Doctors of Chiropractic undergo rigorous and demanding professional education equivalent to any primary care provider. To obtain a Doctor Of Chiropractic degree, they must complete several years of prerequisite undergraduate education and spend nearly the same number of classroom hours at a fully-accredited chiropractic college as physicians do in medical schools. Student doctors are also thoroughly trained in the appropriate use of sophisticated diagnostic equipment including x-rays, laboratory procedures and state of the art investigative technology. Before they can practice, Doctors of Chiropractic must pass the national board exam of medical doctors, as well as licensing exam for the state in which they chose to practice. Most states require the doctors to attend clinical continuing education programs for annual relicensure.

Q. When should I take my child to a Doctor Chiropractic?
A. WHEN you want your child to have all the benefits of a conservative, drugless approach to health care. Your child's first visit to the Doctor of Chiropractic can be a pleasant experience, one without painful injections and procedures, but with plenty of nurturing. A Doctor of Chiropractic should examine your child during that all-important first year of life when spinal trauma can occur during birth as well as from tumbles while learning to sit up or walk. Improper lifting or caring of your child can also contribute to spinal stress. Your child's spine grows almost 50% in length during the first year (the equivalent of a six-footer growing to none feet in just twelve months!) It's this kind of tremendous growth and developmental changes which make a complete chiropractic examination so important in the early stages of your child's life. WHEN you want to give your child a head start in good health. Doctors of Chiropractic believe it's much more important to prevent disease than wait until some illness occurs. Through regular adjustments , counseling on proper diet, exercise and posture, the Doctor of Chiropractic can help you raise a child whose body is structurally and functionally sound. Your child will also learn good health habits at an early age which can be very beneficial to him or her as an adult. WHEN your child takes a fall. Youngsters take numerous tumbles while learning to walk, riding a bike, or even while jumping or running around. But after their tears have dried, underlying injuries could go undetected-such as a misaligned vertebrae during the spines most formative period. Regular exams and treatment by the Doctor of Chiropractic can provide corrective and preventive care for your son or daughter and a peace of mind for you. When your child takes part in athletic activities, Doctors of Chiropractic can often do much to correct problems arising from the stress and strains which are a part of these activities. They can also improve performance on and off the field by helping the body function to it's optimum level, naturally with out undue stress and without drugs.

Q. How safe is Chiropractic for my child?
A. Chiropractic is one of the safest forms of health care. A baby's spine us very supple during the first few months of life an the doctor of Chiropractic applies only a slight pressure to make spinal adjustments, chiropractic adjustments are painless and will not hurt your child. Chiropractors do not use drugs which sometimes cause more harmful side effects than the progression of the disease itself. Drugs can also create the potential for addiction, even in young children. The Doctor of Chiropractic does nor perform any invasive procedures (such as surgery) which sometimes can be irreversible side effects. These are some of the reasons why malpractice insurance rates for chiropractors are only a fraction of what physicians pay and why more than 30 million Americans choose chiropractic care for their children and themselves.

Q. How effective is chiropractic care for children?
A. Doctors of Chiropractic have been providing safe and effective care for children for nearly 100 years. There are several published studies conducted by researches in Germany, Australia, Denmark, and the United States which confirm the effectiveness of chiropractic for a variety of childhood illnesses. This body of scientific evidence is growing every day.

Q. What if my child has a health problem that doesn't respond to chiropractic care?
A. Doctors of Chiropractic are trained to recognize complex health problems. Their primary obligation is the welfare of the child. When they reach their limit of skill and authority, the International Chiropractors Association's position is that "doctors in all fields of practice are ethically and morally bound to make patient referrals and practitioners in other fields of healing when such referrals are necessary to provide the highest quality of patient care." Doctor Mulder is certified in Pediatric and Pregnancy care through the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association.

Q. There are so many different health care specialists today.
            Who is really responsible for the health of my children?
A. You are. As a parent, you must take the responsibility for your child's health and use your best judgement as to what is most appropriate for your child. Fortunately, there are some outstanding primary health care providers to help you to make your decisions, including your Doctor of Chiropractic, pediatrician, and dentist. These professionals can make up your child's health care team.

Q. Do all Doctors of Chiropractic care for your children? How do I choose?
A. Doctors of Chiropractic are licensed in all 50 states of the U.S. to provide chiropractic care for children and adults. A doctor who is interested in providing the best care possible will belong to a chiropractic pediatric council and take regular continuing post graduate courses in pediatrics. Chose a doctor with a family practice or who is referred to you by another parent. The International Chiropractors Association has a pediatrics council to which many doctors belong. This council regularly updates doctors with the latest in chiropractic pediatric care and encourages it's members to take advanced education in chiropractic pediatrics to improve their diagnosis and clinical skills.

Q. What if my child has a high fever, severe pain or other serious medical problems.
A. Take your child immediately to the nearest emergency medical facility. When your child's condition has stabilized, than call on any of your child's health care team for help and advice. It's essential that when an emergency arises, you or anyone else responsible for your children know where to go and whom to call. For your convenience we have included a health care Hotlines Card. Complete this card and keep in on your fridge or other prominent place so it is easily available in an emergency.

Childhood Ear Infections
If it seems to you that more children are suffering from ear infections than ever before, you're not mistaken. Statements such as this are becoming the norm from patients who visit their Chiropractor.
"My pediatrician frequently prescribes antibiotics for ear infections, but my child still has recurrences." Commonly parents accept acute otitis media as a normal part of a young child's life. Yet the truth is that although common, there is nothing normal about it.
Clinical data shows that children may get an ear infection as a result of improper drainage of the deep neck lymphatics. This causes fluid to build up , the ear drum to appear inflamed and bulging, and a welcome habitat for bacteria.
The preferred medical treatment for today id prescription for oral antibiotics, most commonly amoxicillin. Most Chiropractors agree that nearly 100% of the pediatric patients entering their offices have taken one or more prescriptions of antibiotics.

An important study which may be of interes to those parents whose children are taking antibiotics for ear infections is a study published by the Journal of The American Medical Association. It concluded that children who take amoxicillin for chronic ear infections were two-six times more likely to have a recurrence of their ear problem than those who received a sugar pill. Lead author Erdem Cantekin Ph.D. (professor of otolaryngology) said, "children are being abused by the antibiotic treatment in this country."
Drug-resistant strains of childhood ear infections are increasing rapidly. Health officials say the trend is closely tied to doctor's misuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics and patients mistaken belief that antibiotics are a "magic bullet" for all that ails them.

Up to half of the 110 million antibiotic prescriptions written annually by private practitioners may be "inappropriate" for the illness being treated, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported. According to Alexander Tomasz, a Rockefeller University microbiology professor, "there's vast overuse of antibiotics" he states, "it's completely crazy." (4/94, New England Journal of Medicine).

New federal Government guidelines recommended giving nature a chance with ear infections. Dr. Alfred berg, co-chair to the federal panel of experts, said that in most cases the condition disappears within three to six months with out medical treatment. Dr. Berg said antibiotics frequently used in the past, are of very limited value in treating the condition.
Berg also said that antibiotics can cause side effects and lead to the development of drug resistant bacteria that can cause a more serious disease. Antibiotics are not the preferred option on the early stages of the condition.

Dr. Michael Poole, a professor of otolaryngology and pediatrics at the University of Texas Medical branch in Houston, emphasizes that most infants and young children with otisis media don't need antibiotics at all.
"Ongoing studies at the University of Pittsburgh suggest that only about one of the seven children with otisis media should receive a prescription for an antibiotic" he stated. "the disease usually get well on it's own."

Parents should understand that their pediatrician may not be up-to-date on the current health trends and research. This means that just because he or she writes out a prescription for an antibiotic doesn't mean the parent must get it filled out. Many progressive parents who know there children's health needs come first, are turning to their chiropractor for solutions. All parents should be aware that there are numerous other causes of red ears besides bacteria manifestations. These include: teething, fever, viral infection, (for which antibiotics serve no purpose), allergy, etc. Instead of a treatment whose objective is to kill the bacteria or virus, a more natural approach would be to restore nervous system function resulting in normal drainage of the ears and lymphatics. As a doctor of chiropractic, I am able to adjust children, reduce Vertebral Subluxation Complex and restore normal function to the spine and nervous system which may reduce or eliminate the tense neck musculature responsible for preventing the normal fluid drainage. Once this interference in removed, the excess fluid in the ear drains the appealing environment for bacteria and viruses to grow is removed, and the infection can heal. After normal drainage has been properly restored, the recurrence of ear infection is greatly reduced- or nonexistent. Share these statistics and studies with your friends. Advise them their pediatrician's approach may not be the best for their child. When they understand this they will be more open to the chiropractic message. The chiropractic approach to health care is safer, natural and can be more effective. Step out in your community and share this information. It will surely be received and very rewarding when you do.