While this shouldn’t come as a shock, it would appear that spinal manipulation in children may not be such a good idea. A study appearing in this month’s journal Pediatrics reports the results of a comprehensive search of adverse events occurring during pediatric spinal manipulation. A search of 8 major electronic databases identified several serious events such as brain bleed and paraplegia associated with spinal manipulation. There were other cases not involving direct injury but rather delayed diagnosis of conditions such as diabetes, neuroblastoma and meningitis.
While the cottage industry of pediatric chiropractic is interested in treating everything from backtalk to eczema, the benefits of spinal manipulation have been questioned. This study represents the first report of adverse events associated with spinal manipulation in kids. More research is needed, however, so that parents can truly understand its risks and benefits.