Car Accident Chiropractor Orlando, Fl
Should I Take My Child to a Chiropractor After a Car Accident?
Car Accidents Are The Leading Cause of Childhood Deaths.
Car accidents happen every day and parents of small children need to be aware of their obligations as a parent when an accident occurs no matter how small. Research tells us that in America over 100,000 children under the age of 12 are injured from car accidents and nearly 1,000 are killed. If you’ve been in an accident while your child was in the car with you, it’s vital to know what to look for. Because you feel ok after a minor car accident, that doesn't mean that your child is ok too.
Position Matters
Recent research by the National Institute of Health indicates that it is not only the kinetic energy or the impact of the vehicle driven in a car accident that can cause you to have pain but the direction of the impact and where you are seated can also affect how you get injured or feel that pain. For example, the adult in the front can feel completely different than the child in the back after the accident. The seatbelt and how it was buckled can determine the type of injuries and pain as well.
Keep in mind that your child is most likely in a car seat facing a different position or with a harness belt around them. This can change how the accident impacted them. Also, their bodies are still shaping up as they grow and their muscles and bones have different strength and flexibility from ours.
Children's Bodies Are Different
One of the biggest worries with young children is that they often suffer from spine injuries that can take long periods of time to show up. This can happen unless a thorough check-up is done. Because children have greater flexibility in their necks, spinal cord damage is more likely than vertebrae fracture. These are sneaky injuries that won’t necessarily be obvious to the naked eye. In kids, this can be particularly sensitive due to their rapid growth. Children are in constant physical evolution. Their bodies grow and change every day. If an injury is not taken care of, this growth could worsen it. The child’s proper growth could also be affected by it.
Ignoring a minor car accident where your child was involved can have major repercussions including neurological consequences.
Child Injury Symptoms: What To Look For
Make sure that your child is examined even if he/she doesn’t immediately appear to be injured. Babies are particularly susceptible to injuries in car crashes and are unable to communicate how they feel.
It’s up to you as a parent to monitor your child’s behavior carefully after a car accident. Some injuries take time to manifest, and internal injuries may not appear until it’s too late. Babies in distress will display excessive crying and restlessness. If your baby loses interest in toys, doesn’t want to eat, or generally seems inconsolable, contact your doctor right away!
Some of the most severe injuries for a child are ones to the head. If there has been any sort of serious head trauma, it’s important to identify the warning signs as soon as possible. As mentioned on KidsHealth.org, here are some things to look out for:
- Unconsciousness
- Abnormal Breathing
- Bleeding from Nose or Mouth
- Abnormal Speech or Vision
- Lack of Strength
If you see the above symptoms from your child or loved one, be sure to seek medical attention for them immediately. If you need to go to the emergency room, make sure you follow up with your usual pediatrician after your emergency care.
Remember that sudden movement of the car can cause an injury even without impact.
Even if the child claims not to have pain, you should have them checked
If your child knows how to communicate but claims that they do not have pain, have them checked anyway. After a car accident, you should have your child checked by both, the primary doctor and a doctor who specializes in the human body and car accidents. Some injuries can appear over time and kids are not always good at expressing what they’re feeling. The fact that everything looks good on the outside and the child is not feeling pain at that moment doesn’t mean that there couldn’t be some severe trauma injuries.
Be safe and bring your child to get evaluated. Remember that the fact that you are ok and they seem fine doesn’t mean they truly are. Even things like whiplash (an abrupt flexion and extension of the cervical spine), may not seem as painful or serious at the beginning. However, they can lead to serious surgeries and other consequences.
Children involved in car accidents often times don’t complain and the damage can take months to surface.
If you have suffered a car accident, consider seeing one of our chiropractors. Our incredible team will make sure to get the right reports in place and run all tests necessary for your case. We will also help you with the healing process after your accident and will support you along the way.
If you have any additional questions about our services, you may contact us by clicking here. Our phone number is 407-802-4476 and our offices are in Lake Mary and Lee Vista. You may find directions on how to get there here.