CHIROPRACTIC FOR CHILDREN
CHIROPRACTIC & CHILDREN
Parents ask us about this a lot, so here is a straight answer.
What we do not do​
We do not use spinal manipulation on children under two years of age.
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In June 2024 the Chiropractic Board of Australia reinstated an interim policy advising chiropractors not to use spinal manipulation to treat children under two. We follow it — and we practised this way before the policy existed.
What "spinal manipulation" actually means
This matters, because the word gets used loosely.
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Under the National Law, spinal manipulation has a specific meaning: a high velocity, low amplitude thrust beyond the usual physiological range of motion. That is the technique the interim policy restricts.
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Assessment, sustained light contact, soft tissue work and movement within the normal range are different things. The Board's own Statement on paediatric care lists mobilisation and soft tissue therapy alongside manipulation as separate approaches.
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So the straight answer to "can you look at my baby?" is yes — we can assess a child under two. We will not manipulate one.
What we actually do with a very young child
Mostly, we look.
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How the child moves, holds their head, turns and settles
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Primitive reflexes — the automatic movement patterns babies are born with
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Muscle tone and tissue texture
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If we do anything hands-on with a child under two, it stays within the normal range of movement — sustained light contact and soft tissue release. Not a thrust.
For older children​
Technique and force are modified to the child's age, size and stage of development. That is what the Board expects, and it is also how the Gonstead method works: find the specific problem and address that, rather than adjusting everything.
​What we will tell you before we do anything
The Board expects chiropractors to explain the quality of the evidence behind what they propose. We would rather do that plainly:
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What we found, and what we propose to do
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What the evidence does and does not support for a child of that age
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The risks of what we propose, and the risks of doing nothing
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When the answer is that your child should see somebody else
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Consent comes from you, and we write it down.
What we do not claim
We do not claim chiropractic treats non-musculoskeletal conditions in children. The evidence does not support those claims, so we do not make them.
If your child has a health concern outside what we should be managing, we will say so and refer you to your GP or paediatrician. We would rather do that than treat something that is not ours to treat.
Ask us first
​Call (03) 9568 0155 for a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation. Ask before you book anything.