Pathways Article Summaries and References

Issue 03 - Fall 2004

Letter from the Editor
Jeanne Ohm, DC

Doctors of Chiropractic have become the second largest primary health care providers in the western world today. Although growing in popularity every day, many people still do not know the true essence of chiropractic care or the vital role it plays in Family Wellness.

Administered in Davenport, Iowa by D.D. Palmer, the first chiropractic adjustment demonstrated the relationship between reduced nerve function in the spine and hearing. As the understanding of the adjustment evolved, it became clear that abnormal pressure on nerves could adversely affect numerous functions of the body. D.D. Palmer defined the causes of abnormal pressure and resulting stress on nerves to be the result of: trauma, toxins and thought. Today we have become more familiar with the terms: physical, chemical and mental stress.

The job of your Doctor of Chiropractic is to locate, analyze and adjust these areas of your spine that are experiencing nerve system stress. The specific chiropractic adjustment allows your body to function with a greater expression of health and well-being. It is this understanding of the scientific principle of chiropractic which substantiates the importance of regular chiropractic adjustments throughout life.

D.D.'s vision of chiropractic included Family Wellness Care right from the start. In his 1910 textbook titled, The Chiropractor's Adjustor, D.D. Palmer has this to say, "The principles of Chiropractic should be known and utilized in the growth of the infant and continue as a safeguard throughout life". In essence, we experience numerous stresses affecting normal nerve system function. Regular chiropractic care is our on-going "safe guard" for life long health and well-being. We can all relate to the many physical, chemical and mental stresses our families are subject to on a regular basis. This issue addresses some seasonally stressful activities and routines that affect our families' lives on a daily basis. As parents we can offer our children the optimal ability to reduce nerve system stress with regular chiropractic care. Furthermore, our awareness of the importance of the chiropractic adjustment empowers us to make supportive lifestyle choices as well. I hope this edition of Pathways becomes a means for more parents to understand and choose the Chiropractic Wellness Lifestyle for their loved ones.

Feature Article:

Stress in Infancy
Linda Folden Palmer, D.C.

From the Article:

What causes stress during infancy? Laboratory and psychology research on animal and human infants gives us many clues. Certainly, pain from unfortunate medical conditions can create stress. So would pain from sensitivity reactions to formula or to foods passed along in breastmilk. Physical abuse and extreme neglect provide a very high degree of stress, but the effects of these severe cases are not the point of this text. Even short-term separation from mother leads to elevated cortisol in infants, indicating stress.1,2 In fact, after one full day of separation, infant rats already show altered brain organization of chemical receptors.3 A similar rat study revealed that one day without mother actually doubled the number of normal brain cell deaths.4...

References:

M.L. Laudenslager et al., "Total cortisol, free cortisol, and growth hormone associated with brief social separation experiences in young macaques,” Dev Psychobiol 28, no. 4 (May 1995): 199–211.
P. Rosenfeld et al., "Maternal regulation of the adrenocortical response in preweanling rats,” Physiol Behav 50, no. 4 (Oct 1991): 661–71.
H.J. van Oers et al., "Maternal deprivation effect on the infant’s neural stress markers is reversed by tactile stimulation and feeding but not by suppressing corticosterone,” J Neurosci 18, no. 23 (Dec 1, 1998): 10171–9.
M.A. Smith of Dupont Merck Research Labs as reported by John Travis of Science News 152 (Nov 8, 1997): 298.
E.R. de Kloet et al., "Brain–corticosteroid hormone dialogue: slow and persistent,” Cell Mol Neurobiol (Netherlands) 16, no. 3 (Jun 1996): 345–56.
H. Anisman et al., "Do early-life events permanently alter behavioral and hormonal responses to stressors?” Int J Dev Neurosci 16, no. 3–4 (Jun–Jul 1998): 149–64.
M. Nachmias et al., "Behavioral inhibition continued on page 27 When parents heed instinctive desires to enjoy a great deal of closeness with their infants, by feeding them naturally and responding quickly to their needs and desires… nature is designed to develop sensitive responsible adults. pathways 27 Stress in Infancy continued from page 5 and stress reactivity: the moderating role of attachment security,” Child Dev 67, no. 2 (Apr 1996): 508–22.
M.R. Gunnar et al., "Stress reactivity and attachment security,” Dev Psychobiol 29, no. 3 (Apr 1996): 191–204.
G. Spangler and K.E. Grossmann, "Biobehavioral organization in securely and insecurely attached infants,” Child Dev 64, no. 5 (Oct 1993): 1439–50.
M.R. Gunnar, "Quality of care and buffering of neuroendocrine stress reactions: potential effects on the developing human brain,” Prev Med 27, no. 2 (Mar–Apr 1998): 208–11.
M.S. Oitzl et al., "Continuous blockade of brain glucocorticoid receptors facilitates spatial learning and memory in rats,” Eur J Neurosci (Netherlands) 10, no. 12 (Dec 1998): 3759–66.
E.E. Gilles et al., "Abnormal corticosterone regulation in an immature rat model of continuous chronic stress,” Pediatr Neurol 15, no. 2 (Sep 1996): 114–9.
D. Liu et al., "Maternal care, hippocampal glucocorticoid receptors, and hypothalamic– pituitary–adrenal responses to stress,” Science (Canada) 277, no. 5332 (Sep 1997): 1659–62.
K. Lyons-Ruth, "Attachment relationships among children with aggressive behavior problems: the role of disorganized early attachment patterns,” J Consult Clin Psychol 64, no. 1 (Feb 1996): 64–73.
L. Hertsgaard et al., "Adrenocortical responses to the strange situation in infants with disorganized/disoriented attachment relationships,” Child Dev 66, no. 4 (Aug 1995): 1100–6.
M. Altemus et al., "Suppression of hypothalamic– pituitary–adrenal axis responses to stress in lactating women,” J Clin Endocrinol Metab 80, no. 10 (Oct 1995): 2965–9.
C. Caldji et al., "Maternal care during infancy regulates the development of neural systems mediating the expression of fearfulness in the rat,” Proc Natl Acad Sci (Canada) 95, no. 9 (Apr 1998): 5335–40.
L.J. Luecken, "Childhood attachment and loss experiences affect adult cardiovascular and cortisol function,” Psychosom Med 60, no. 6 (Nov–Dec 1998): 765–72.
D.M. Vazquez et al., "Regulation of glucocorticoid and mineralcorticoid receptor mRNAs in the hippocampus of the maternal deprived infant rat,” Brain Res 731, no. 1–2 (Aug 1996): 79–90.
J. Raber, "Detrimental effects of chronic hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis activation. From obesity to memory deficits,” Mol Neurobiol 18, no. 1 (Aug 1998): 1–22.
H.J. Krugers et al., "Exposure to chronic psychosocial stress and corticosterone in the rat: effects on spatial discrimination learning and hippocampal protein kinase Cgamma immunoreactivity,” Hippocampus (Netherlands) 7, no. 4 (1997): 427–36.
M. Carlson and F. Earls, "Psychological and neuroendocrinological sequelae of early social deprivation in institutionalized children in Romania,” Ann N Y Acad Sci 807 (Jan 15, 1997): 419–28.
L.D. Dorn et al., "Biopsychological and cognitive differences in children with premature vs. on-time adrenarche,” Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 153, no. 2 (Feb 1999): 137–46.
E. Redei et al., "Corticotropin releaseinhibiting factor is preprothyrotropin-releasing hormone-(178-199),” Endocrinology 136, no. 8 (Aug 1995): 3557–63.
J. Raber, "Detrimental effects of chronic hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis activation. From obesity to memory deficits,” Mol Neurobiol 18, no. 1 (Aug 1998): 1–22.
M. Deuschle et al., "Effects of major depression, aging and gender upon calculated diurnal free plasma cortisol concentrations: a reevaluation study,” (Germany) Stress 2, no. 4 (Jan 1999): 281–87.
C.L. Coe and C.M. Erickson, "Stress decreases lymphocyte cytolytic activity in the young monkey even after blockade of steroid and opiate hormone receptors,” Dev Psychobiol 30, no. 1 (Jan 1997): 1–10.
G.R. Lubach et al., "Effects of early rearing environment on immune responses of infant rhesus monkeys,” Brain Behav Immun 9, no. 1 (Mar 1995): 31–46.

Excerpted with permission of the author from Baby Matters, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Caring for Your Baby by Dr. Linda Palmer.

About the Author:

Dr. Palmer provides telephone consultations for colic, lactation difficulties, child nutrition, food allergy issues, and infant sleep challenges, from an attachment parenting perspective. Visit her website at: www.babyreference.com.

Pregnancy & Birth:

The Miracle of Chiropractic in Pregnancy and Postpartum
Barbara E. Herrera

From the Article:

When Donna came in pregnant with her eighth child to our center, Ama Mama Holistic Healthcare, her chief complaint was fatigue! Having kids from ages ranging from 18 down to 2 years old, she was tired, and nursing almost continuously that entire time, posture and alignment were definitely an issue. Dr. Lara was up for the challenge.

Receiving chiropractic adjustments throughout her pregnancy, Donna would comment, and then exclaim, that this was the most comfortable pregnancy of all...

About the Author:

Barbara E. Herrera is the Owner/Midwife of Ama Mama Holistic Healthcare in San Diego, California where the combination of various modalities are presented to a wide range of clientele who find empowerment in choices and joy in the discovery of new ideas. Their website can be found here: www.AmaMama.us

Family Life:

The Family Bed Defended
Karen Squires

From the Article:

"The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) is launching a mass-media national campaign aimed at reducing deaths associated with placing babies in adult beds." -The Compleat Mother magazine

I received this information in an email from The Compleat Mother Magazine. I have a burning question about their campaign. The CPSC is there to warn us about product safety, not family practices. I wonder why they are concerned with my families sleeping arrangements...

This article was reprinted with permission. The article first appeared in The Wise Mother magazine, published in Salt Lake City, Utah, www.thewisemother.com, email: thewisemother@yahoo.com and then on Compleat Mother: www.compleatmother.com/articles3/familybed.shtml

Wellness Lifestyle:

Good Example
Susan M. Brown, D.C.

From the Article:

I happened to be watching television the other day and, instead of my usual flipping channels during commercials, I left it on the channel and saw a few interesting commercials. The first commercial showed a parent heading off a potential drug problem with their child. It had a slogan: "Parents - the anti-drug". It was a nice public service kind of commercial and hopefully one that people will take to heart. Interestingly, the next commercial showed a parent with their child too but in this commercial instead of the parent trying to keep their child off drugs, they were giving them a drug. The child had a cold with a sore throat and couldn't sleep. So this angelic figure of a mom was saving them from misery by giving them an over counter medicine, which if you look at the ingredients, amounts to sugar and alcohol with a little dye and artificial flavoring in it (none of which help the child to heal whatever is going on). Within the next hour I saw about a dozen more commercials for one drug after another...

Chiropractic for Life:

The Backpack Dilemma
Claudia Anrig, D.C.

From the Article:

Chiropractors, pediatricians and orthopedic surgeons alike agree that backpacks are a problem for your child's spine. While they may not cause major problems, overloading and improper carrying of a backpack can lead to neck and shoulder pain.1...

References:

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Bulletin Volume 47, No 6. December 1999
Arnsdorff, M. Mounting Research on Backpack Use. Originally published in INPA Newsletter May/June 2002
Widome, M. Weighing in on Backpack Safety: Tips for toting school gear without physical injuries. 2000
Pistolese, R. Book Bags: What Every Parent Should Know. Originally printed in ICPA Newsletter November/December 2000

Mind-Body:

A Winning Team
Jeanne Ohm, D.C.

From the Article:

Athletic performance and chiropractic go hand and hand. Many professional athletes rely on chiropractic care to assist in the body's natural healing processes and to optimize overall function. The nervous system is the master control system of the entire body. Spinal imbalances, caused by athletic demands and injury have, negative affects on normal muscle and organ function...

Pregnancy & Birth:

Women's Health Risks Associated with Orthodox Medicine - Part III
Gary Null, Ph.D., Debora Rasio, M.D., and Martin Feldman, M.D.

From the Article:

Cesarean Section - A troubling trend in women's health issues is the inappropriate use of cesarean sections. This method of delivery grew significantly in recent decades, and a 1993 report in Soc Sci Med states that half of the C-sections performed in the United States are unnecessary. According to this study, the main reasons for performing a cesarean-including a previous C-section and slow or difficult labor, among others-have been least clearly connected to benefits.7 The studies below point to a host of potential complications associated with cesarean deliveries-starting with higher rates of maternal mortality than with vaginal deliveries.8-9 Other problems include ruptured uterus and hemorrhage, fever, urinary tract infections, and wound infection.10-12...

This article was reprinted with permission by Dr. Gary Null. Visit his informative site: www.garynull.com. Also, an ICPA Family Wellness First Patient Newsletter had an issue on Elective C-sections. If you missed this newsletter, you can view it in our archives: www.icpa4kids.org/wellness/0003.htm

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