A message from the International Chiropractors Association Council on Chiropractic Pediatrics

By Meghan Van Loon, DC, DICCP, ICA Pediatrics Council Vice President

So much has been happening and challenging us, personally and professionally, since the last issue of JCCP became available online. With the global pandemic, we are all dealing with our patients’ stress (if you have been able to see patients) and the effect that it is having on them emotionally and physically. Depending on the patient’s age level, that stress will be evident in different ways: emotional lability, withdrawal, pain, and many other various symptoms.

It is times like these that we need to remember what we know about chiropractic and having a peer-reviewed journal like the JCCP can be that reminder. The articles may not directly deal with COVID-19, but they are about cases and concerns that you are seeing or will see in your office. The journal is also an educational resource, which is so important in this present day of conflicting or questionable information. The JCCP can help provide the clinical experience of the field chiropractor’s case report or the latest work being submitted from our chiropractic colleges to the chiropractors who practice with a pediatric specialty or those chiropractors who see children in their family practice.

As each and every one of us can benefit from more continuing education, the Council on Chiropractic Pediatrics is working on the Annual Chiropractic Pediatric Conference to be held November 6-8, 2020 in Orlando, Florida. We are in the process of setting up the conference and taking into account COVID-19 recommendations. There are quite a few new speakers this year with new topics, including an epidemiological study of pediatric chiropractic care, SOT for the pregnant woman, pediatric cervical postural patterns and various case studies to list a few. There will be technique-oriented workshops specifically for chiropractors that are new to pediatric and pregnancy adjusting, as well as other workshops that will provide you with skills to utilize on Monday morning in the office. This is a great opportunity to get 15+ hours of CEU credits. We are also working on having some of the vendors from previous years as well as new ones. Please watch for the announcement from the ICA and the Council on Chiropractic Pediatrics about registration. This is always an educational weekend and a fun way to reconnect with friends.

As we go through our day, seeing our pregnant patients and children, try to remember what chiropractic offers to all patients: a way to assist the body to achieve wholeness and health. This has always been a key factor in chiropractic and will continue to be important as we see the children who are experiencing COVID-19 and the related health challenges that may follow. The families of this younger generation are going to need our knowledge, expertise, understanding and compassion to deal with any potential changes from this experience. And you now have two different avenues in the JCCP and the Conference to increase your knowledge base – take advantage of them for yourself and your patients.

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