ASK THE EXPERTS
However vital the use of electronic devices is inchildrenʼs lives, prolonged hours of use can have anegative impact on their health and behavior. You
can reduce the risk with help from the experts.

Children spending a lot of hours on theiriPad, computers and smartphones risk neckand back pains. How safe is spinal
manipulation for children?
Children are different from adults as they arestill in the middle of the growing process. Eachchiropractor uses different techniques (spinalmanipulation) where minimal stimulation isapplied in the case of children.
The application of modern chiropractic
pediatric care within the outlined framework issafe. A reasonable caution to the parent/
guardian is that one child per 100 to 200
attending, or in terms of patient visits,
between one mild adverse events per 1,310
visits to one per 1,812 visits may have a mild
adverse event, with irritability or sorenesslasting less than 24 hours, resolving without
the need for additional care beyond initialchiropractic recommendations.
However in Japan chiropractic practice is not
regulated therefore it's very important tofind qualified chiropractors (JCR: Japan
Chiropractic - registered chiropractors). Most
chiropractors see children from elementary
school age ( 5 years old and older) but I
personally think that only pediatricchiropractors with specialized training should
see children under four years old.
What conditions can chiropractic care treat
in children?
The objective of chiropractic care is to improvethe brain and nerve function for optimum
results. If necessary, chiropractors refer injured
children to pediatricians and medical
specialists as a part of their responsibility.
There is no clear definition of indications but
here are some of the common symptoms inchildren that chiropractors may help from theirclinical experience.
- musculoskeletal disorder- infantile colic- bedwetting- behavior problems- poor posture
From what age can children go forchiropractic?
A newborn baby is very sensitive to external
stimulation so that a baby can usually receive
chiropractic care from one month old. Not all
chiropractors hace a speciality inchildren. Before the consulation, you should

How do you draw the line between a healthy use of electronic devices andaddiction? When persons are using a device to an extent that it impairs their ability tospend time with people important to them or to do important activities. For example to study
important things or to do work-related things, or to relate to people without frequently being
on the device. When grades or work performance falter or persons around them frequently
get aggravated with them for being on a device then it is clearly “unhealthy”. If the person is
on a device “a lot” but there is no obvious impairment it may not be “unhealthy”, but may stillbe “wasting time” in some sense.

Most parents create house rules regarding the use of electronic devices athome which eventually creates anxiety in children that later leads to badbehavior. What type of behavior should parents be worried about? First there is

the spending too much time on a device leading to impairment in scholastic or social
function as noted above. Next is if the child is getting involved with a social network on linethat may include receiving or giving cyber-bulling, bad-mouthing, meeting inappropriate
people, or lewd activities etc. These problems require individualized investigation, discussion,and intervention.

What specific situations should children be seen by a psychiatrist? Impairment in
scholastic or social function, on-line social problems (that may spill-over into the real world),“zoning-in” to being on a device, depression, truancy, and any other concerning mental or
behavioral issue.

Dr. Douglas Berger and his staff at the Meguro Counseling Center in the Shibuya-Ebisu area provide mental
health care for individuals, couples, and families, in both English and Japanese. www.megurocounseling.com

call up and ask if a chiropractor is treating children in
his/her clinic.

What physical conditions in children ischiropractic not able to treat?
- acute trauma with accident not diagnosed by a
medical doctor- shock symptom- hemorrhagic disease- cancer- infectious disease such as influenza
You may not be able to receive chiropractic care withother than listed above.
What advice can you give parents/guardians on
how to avoid neck and body pains when using
computer and electronic devices?
Using those tools bring not only physical discomfort
due to a bad posture but also dysfunction in nervous
system from overuse of eyes.
Occasional chiropractic treatments help to prevent
physical discomfort and maintain function in nervous
system. A chiropractor advices regular stretches andexercises which are appropriate to each individual.
Some other techniques that you can try are:- Adjusting chair and desk to a suitable height
when using computer.
- Setting up the screen in front of your face andyour head should not have a forward carriage.
- Using cushions and pillows on a chair and sofa
to keep a good posture.
- Setting a time limit when using those tools.
- Doing regular exercises and stretches.

Dr. Junko Usuda is a leading specialist ofchiropractic pediatrics in Japan. She
graduated from RMIT University Chiropractic
Unit-Japan and Mctimoney College of
Chiropractic (Oxfordshire, UK) withMSc Chiropractic Paediatrics. She is a memberof the Japanese Association of Chiropractors(JAC). Dr. Usuda currently practices inShinjuku, Yokohama and Shizuoka. Contact:
info@hlc-kiro.com

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