The safety question, answered directly
The mental image most parents have when they hear "chiropractic adjustment for a baby" comes from what they've seen happen to adults — a forceful push, a loud pop, an audible crack. That is not what happens with babies and children.
A pediatric adjustment uses:
- Fingertip-level pressure. For newborns, the force used is roughly the pressure you'd apply to test a ripe tomato — and that's not a marketing line, it's the standard pediatric chiropractic teaching benchmark.
- Held, sustained contacts rather than quick thrusts.
- Specific anatomy — usually the upper neck, the sacrum, or a specific area where the chiropractor has identified restricted movement after a careful exam.
- A duration of seconds, not minutes. A baby adjustment is often over before the baby notices.
There is no cracking. There is no twisting. There is no manipulation of the kind adults receive. A well-performed infant adjustment looks, to an outside observer, like a chiropractor briefly resting their fingertip against a specific point.
What about the safety data? The published research on pediatric chiropractic care reports a very low rate of adverse events when care is provided by a chiropractor with pediatric training. The most commonly reported reactions are mild and short-lived — like fussiness or sleepiness for a few hours after a visit, similar to what you might see after a long pediatrician appointment. Serious adverse events are rare. That said, no responsible chiropractor will tell you the risk is literally zero, because no medical or manual therapy intervention ever is. The honest standard is: low risk, especially in trained hands, with clear benefits for the right concerns.
What pediatric chiropractic actually addresses
This is where it's worth being precise. Pediatric chiropractic doesn't "treat" diseases the way medications do. What it addresses is the mechanical function of the spine, pelvis, and surrounding muscles — and there are situations in children where mechanical issues are part of the picture.
Parents commonly bring children to Forward Spine Center for:
Birth trauma and post-birth stiffness. Birth is physically demanding on a baby — even an uncomplicated vaginal delivery involves significant compression of the head and neck. Babies who had a particularly long labor, who needed forceps or vacuum assistance, or who were delivered by C-section after a long pushing phase often show stiffness on one side of the neck or asymmetry in how they hold their head. Gentle work in the first weeks of life addresses this directly.
Torticollis (head tilting and turning preference). When a baby strongly prefers to look one direction or holds their head consistently tilted, the muscles and joints of the neck are usually involved. Pediatric chiropractic care, often coordinated with pediatric physical therapy, helps restore even neck movement.
Latching and feeding difficulties. When a baby can only turn their head comfortably in one direction, breastfeeding on one side becomes harder. Gentle release of neck and upper back restrictions often improves latching, particularly when combined with care from a lactation consultant.
Colicky and fussy babies. This is a category where parents want help and where the research is genuinely mixed. What we can say honestly: some colicky babies have musculoskeletal tension from birth that, when released, leaves them noticeably calmer and easier to settle. Chiropractic care isn't a cure for colic, but for some babies it addresses one piece of what's contributing to the fussiness.
Recurrent ear concerns and congestion. Same caveat — chiropractic care does not treat ear infections, which are bacterial or viral. What it can do is help the upper neck and jaw move more evenly, which is one factor in how the eustachian tubes drain. For families dealing with chronic congestion patterns, it's worth a conversation with both your pediatrician and a pediatric chiropractor.
Toddler falls, bumps, and tumbles. Kids fall constantly. Most of the time they bounce. Occasionally they don't, and a child starts walking differently, favoring one side, or complaining about a sore back. A pediatric chiropractic exam can identify what's actually going on mechanically.
Sports injuries in older kids and teens. Hockey, soccer, gymnastics, dance — youth sports load young joints in repetitive ways. Strains, postural changes, and overuse injuries respond well to chiropractic care combined with sport-specific exercise.
Posture, "tech neck," and headaches in older kids. Heavy backpacks, screens, and the seated school day all show up in kids' upper backs and necks. Adjustments combined with posture and movement coaching make a real difference.
Bedwetting and constipation. Less commonly discussed, but worth mentioning — the lower spine, sacrum, and pelvic floor coordinate the nerves that control these functions. Some families see improvement with chiropractic care; it's not a guaranteed fix, but it's a piece worth assessing.
A note on what we don't do: pediatric chiropractic is not a replacement for your pediatrician. Anything that needs medical evaluation — a fever, an active infection, an injury that needs imaging — needs your pediatrician first. We coordinate; we don't substitute.
What training should you look for?
Not every chiropractor sees pediatric patients, and the training level matters. Here's what to ask about:
Postgraduate pediatric and prenatal training. The main credentialing body for pediatric and prenatal chiropractic in the U.S. is the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA). Their training pathway starts with Webster Certification (focused on prenatal care, with foundational pediatric coursework) and continues through Perinatal Certification and full Pediatric Certification (CACCP — Certified by the Academy Council of Chiropractic Pediatrics), which is a 200-hour postgraduate program.
Dr. Madeline Klesk is ICPA Webster Certified, which involved completing a hands-on in-person seminar and passing a three-part proficiency exam (practical, written, and a principles-and-practice agreement), plus ongoing continuing education in prenatal and pediatric chiropractic. She also has direct clinical experience working with infants and children at Forward Spine Center.
Experience seeing kids. Beyond credentials, ask how often a chiropractor sees pediatric patients. A chiropractor who adjusts kids weekly has a different hands-on intuition than one who sees a child every few months.
A willingness to coordinate with your pediatrician. Good pediatric chiropractic care fits into your child's broader healthcare, not around it.
What a pediatric visit actually looks like
The first visit (about 45 minutes). A full history, including pregnancy and birth, feeding patterns, milestones, and any specific concerns. A gentle physical assessment — watching how your child moves, checking range of motion, and palpating the spine. For older kids, the exam is similar to an adult exam but adapted for their size and developmental stage. Dr. Madeline explains everything she's seeing and what she'd like to do before any adjustment.
The adjustment itself. For an infant, this might be less than a minute of actual contact. For a toddler, it depends on the child — adjustments often happen while they're playing on the floor, sitting on a parent's lap, or distracted by a book. For older kids, the visit is more structured and familiar but still uses lighter contacts than an adult adjustment.
Follow-up visits (15–20 minutes). Brief, focused care. Most kids look forward to coming in. Many parents tell us their child asks to be the one being adjusted while a sibling waits.
Frequency. It depends entirely on what you're working on. A newborn with torticollis might come weekly for a few weeks. A teen athlete might come during the season and taper off. Care should have a defined start and a defined goal, not run forever.
Age-by-age: what care looks like
Newborns (0–3 months). Birth recovery work, torticollis, latching and feeding asymmetries, and early sleep position concerns. Adjustments are extraordinarily gentle and brief.
Infants (3–12 months). Developmental milestone support — rolling, sitting, crawling — and follow-up on any birth trauma that's still showing up. We're paying attention to symmetry: does the baby crawl evenly, sit balanced, reach with both hands.
Toddlers (1–3 years). Falls, walking patterns, posture as they start spending more time upright, and the occasional weird new symptom that turns out to be a stuck SI joint from a tumble.
School-age (4–12 years). Backpack and posture concerns, sports injuries, growing-pain conversations, and occasional headache or stomach concerns where a musculoskeletal component is suspected.
Teens (13–18 years). Sports injuries (especially contact sports and overuse injuries), posture and tech-neck patterns, scoliosis monitoring in coordination with their pediatrician, and headaches.
Common questions Minnesota parents ask us
At what age can a baby first see a chiropractor? Babies can be seen in the first days of life. Many of our families bring babies in within the first week or two after birth, particularly if labor was long, assisted, or ended in a C-section.
Will my child cry during the adjustment? Some babies do, some don't — and crying isn't a sign that anything is wrong, just that being held still by someone unfamiliar isn't their favorite. The actual contact is so light that the crying isn't from the adjustment itself.
Do I need a referral from my pediatrician? No, but we welcome conversation and coordination with your pediatrician. Many pediatricians in the Twin Cities are familiar with chiropractic care and refer to us directly.
Will insurance cover my child's visits? Often yes, depending on your plan and the reason for care. Call our front desk at (763) 332-2680 or email frontdesk@forwardspinecenter.com before your first visit and we'll verify your benefits.
How quickly will I see results? For some concerns — like a baby with one-sided neck stiffness — parents notice changes within a visit or two. For others, like an older child working on posture habits, it's a slower process measured in weeks. Dr. Madeline will give you a realistic timeline at your first visit.
Booking a pediatric chiropractic appointment in the Twin Cities
If you're looking for a pediatric chiropractor in Golden Valley, a baby chiropractor in the Twin Cities, or chiropractic care for kids in the Minneapolis area, Forward Spine Center is located at 701 Decatur Ave N Ste 102, Golden Valley, MN 55427 — easy to reach from Plymouth, St. Louis Park, Minneapolis, Maple Grove, and the surrounding communities.
Book online at forwardspinecenter.janeapp.com or call (763) 332-2680. Dr. Madeline reserves time each week for pediatric and prenatal patients.
