Pediatric Chiropractic Care in Santa Rosa

Pediatric chiropractic care is chiropractic care specifically adapted for a child's body, from the first days of life through the teenage years. For infants, that often means gentle support around colic, ear infections, or trouble latching or breastfeeding. For older kids, it's more often posture strain from backpacks and screens, aches from sports, or general support as their nervous system and body develop. Adjustments are adapted for age and size at every stage — a newborn's first adjustment looks nothing like an adult's, using only the lightest fingertip pressure. It's not a substitute for pediatric medical care, and it works best alongside your pediatrician, not instead of them.

Pediatric adjustments look very different from adult ones. Techniques are adapted for a child's size, age, and stage of development, using significantly less force — for infants, that means only the lightest fingertip pressure, nothing resembling a typical adult adjustment. There's no minimum age to start: Dr. Adrian has adjusted his own children within the first minutes of their lives.

Dr. Adrian holds advanced training through the ICPA, in pediatric chiropractic care, and sees this as a specialty within chiropractic rather than a smaller version of adult care.

What Pediatric Chiropractic Care Looks Like

Common Reasons Families Bring Kids In

For infants:

  • Colic or general fussiness that's hard to soothe

  • Ear infections that seem to recur

  • Trouble latching or breastfeeding

  • General nervous system support in the early weeks and months

Chiropractic care doesn't cure colic, ear infections, or breastfeeding difficulties, but what it can do is help support a more comfortable, better-regulated nervous system — and many families are pleasantly surprised by the difference that makes for a fussy, uncomfortable baby. We love being part of that early season alongside the rest of your health and wellness team, not in place of them.

For older kids and teens:

  • Posture strain from backpacks, desks, and long stretches of screen time

  • Sports-related aches and stiffness, especially in kids playing club or school sports

  • General growth-related discomfort as kids go through growth spurts

  • Support with regulation — some families come in for kids who have a harder time settling, focusing, or managing big emotions, looking for a gentle, complementary option alongside whatever other support their child has in place

  • General wellness check-ins, alongside regular pediatric care, for families who want a second set of eyes on how their child is moving and developing

Chiropractic care doesn't cure ADHD or any diagnosed condition, but what it can do is help kids settle more easily and move through their day a little better once their nervous system has more room to regulate itself — and for a lot of families, that's a genuinely welcome part of the bigger picture, alongside the rest of your health and wellness team.

When Should Someone Seek Care?

Chiropractic care is a good fit for the musculoskeletal, posture, and movement concerns above. It is not a substitute for pediatric or emergency medical care. Contact your pediatrician or seek immediate medical care for:

  • High or rapid-onset fever, especially in infants

  • Any injury with suspected fracture, or inability to use a limb

  • Difficulty breathing, persistent vomiting, or unusual lethargy

  • Signs of a head injury or loss of consciousness

  • A rash accompanied by fever

  • Any new neurological symptom — weakness, numbness, changes in gait or coordination

  • Anything that feels urgent to you as a parent — trust that instinct first

If none of these apply, movement, posture, and general comfort concerns are a reasonable, common thing to bring to us.

A Note On Imaging

We avoid taking X-rays on minors. The one exception is if we suspect a fracture — in that case, imaging would be considered as part of getting your child the right care. Outside of that, pediatric assessments are based on history, observation, and a hands-on, age-appropriate exam.

What Should Someone Expect?

A first visit typically includes a conversation with you about your child's history and what brought you in, along with an age-appropriate movement assessment. Adjustments, when appropriate, use a fraction of the force used with adults, and we'll always explain what we're doing and why in a way that makes sense for your child's age.

Is chiropractic care safe for kids?

What age can kids start chiropractic care?

Will it hurt my child?

Do you take X-rays for kids?

Can chiropractic help with colic, ear infections, or breastfeeding difficulty?

Can chiropractic help with focus or emotional regulation?

Can chiropractic help with focus or emotional regulation?

Yes, when techniques are appropriately adapted for a child's age and size, which is standard for pediatric chiropractic care. It uses significantly less force than an adult adjustment.

There's no minimum age. Newborns can be adjusted within their first days of life, using an extremely gentle, fingertip-level technique — Dr. Adrian has adjusted his own children within minutes of their birth.

No. Pediatric adjustments use light, precise pressure — nothing like what you'd picture from an adult adjustment. Most kids find it comfortable, and infant adjustments use only the lightest fingertip touch.

Generally no — we avoid X-rays on minors. The one exception is if we suspect a fracture, in which case imaging would be considered to make sure your child gets the right care.

Yes, however, chiropractic care doesn't cure colic, ear infections, or latching issues, but what it can do is help support a more comfortable, better-regulated nervous system — and many families are pleasantly surprised by the difference that makes for a fussy, uncomfortable baby. We love being part of that early season alongside the rest of your health and wellness team, not in place of them.

Yes, but we don't present chiropractic as a treatment for ADHD or any diagnosed condition. Families do bring in kids who have a harder time settling or focusing, looking for gentle, complementary support — we're upfront that this works best as one piece of a bigger picture, alongside whatever other support your child already has in place.

It ranges widely — colic, ear infections, and latching concerns in infants; posture strain, sports aches, and growth-related discomfort in older kids; and general wellness check-ins at every age for families who want extra support as their kids grow.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Topics

Wondering if chiropractic care could help your child move and feel better?

Schedule an assessment with Russian River Chiropractic in Santa Rosa. We'll help you understand what we see and build a plan that fits your child and your family.

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