It's a challenging time whenever you have a young child dealing with a health issue. If your child is frequently constipated, you may turn to a pediatrician for help. However, another avenue to explore is to schedule your child for a chiropractic assessment. A misalignment of the child's spine can be a little-known reason behind his or her constipation, which means that if your child has this issue — perhaps due to a fall — it could be playing a role in his or her struggle to have a bowel movement. Here are some things to know about using chiropractic care to help alleviate your child's constipation:

Chiropractic Adjustments Help The Nervous System

The close positioning of your child's spine and his or her nervous system means that if the spine gets knocked into a misaligned position, it can exert pressure on the nervous system and disrupt various functions of the body. The child's digestive system is one of the functions that can be disrupted. As the chiropractor adjusts your child's spine, he or she will restore its proper position. In the proper position, pressure on the nervous system will be alleviated, which can often help a sluggish system work normally again.

Visit The Chiropractor Even If Your Child Hasn't Had An Injury

It may be easy to dismiss chiropractic care as a measure for your child's constipation if you don't believe that your child's back is out of alignment. For example, perhaps you aren't aware that your child has fallen and thus sustained a back injury. You should still pursue this form of treatment, however. It's possible that your child has indeed fallen and hurt his or her back without your knowledge. Similarly, the child may simply have a misaligned back as a result of something else, such as an awkward sleeping posture.

There Are Things That You Can Do

You can get involved in your child's care beyond arranging chiropractic adjustments. It's possible for you to help alleviate constipation through a variety of means. Dietary changes are vitally important. Assess your child's diet and try to add more sources of fiber, as fiber is useful for pushing food through your system. Additionally, try to keep your child active, as being active can promote better bowel health. If you believe that your child is stressed, look for ways to help this situation, too, as stress can slow down the bowels. Together with your local chiropractor, you should be able to help your child through this situation.