Motor milestones
Reviewing how your baby is progressing with age-typical movement milestones and suggesting simple home activities, such as tummy time. Any developmental concerns are referred to your family doctor or paediatrician.
NEWBORNS TO TEENS · CRANBROOK
Paediatric Chiropractic Care (Infants, Children and Teens)
Written by Megan Olver, DC
Book with Megan
A child’s muscles, joints, and spine change quickly from infancy through the teen years. Our paediatric chiropractic care focuses on assessing how your child moves, identifying musculoskeletal concerns, and providing gentle, age-appropriate care. When something falls outside chiropractic care, we refer you to the right provider.
Paediatric Assessments (Newborn to Toddler)
For our youngest patients, a thorough assessment comes first. It helps us understand how your baby moves and whether chiropractic care is appropriate.
Reflexes and coordination
Checking early reflexes and the coordination involved in movements like rolling, sitting, crawling, and walking.
Movement symmetry
Observing how smoothly and evenly your baby moves their head, neck, arms, and legs on both sides of the body.
Joint and muscle function
Checking the neck and spine for joint stiffness, restricted movement, or muscle tightness.
Common Concerns in Infancy
Parents often bring their babies in because they have noticed stiffness or a strong preference for one position. We assess the neck and spine, explain what we find, and discuss whether gentle chiropractic care, home strategies, or a referral is the best next step.
Head-turning preference
Assessing babies who strongly prefer turning their head to one side, or who show other differences in posture from side to side. When a medical or physiotherapy assessment is needed, we coordinate with your family doctor or our paediatric physiotherapist.
Positional discomfort
Assessing neck and back stiffness in babies who seem uncomfortable in everyday positions, such as tummy time, lying on their back, or sitting in a car seat.
Comfort in feeding positions
If your baby seems uncomfortable turning their head or settling into certain feeding positions, we assess neck and jaw movement and work alongside your midwife, lactation consultant, or family doctor.
Knowing when to refer
Some concerns need care from another provider. If your baby’s assessment shows anything outside chiropractic care, we will tell you and help connect you with the right practitioner.
Musculoskeletal Care for Children and Teens
As children grow, school, screens, sports, and growth spurts bring new physical demands.
Posture-related strain
Assessing and managing neck and back discomfort related to long periods of screen time, classroom sitting, and heavy backpacks.
Walking and running assessment
Looking at how your child walks and runs, and checking for muscle imbalances, differences in leg length, or strain from repetitive activities.
Scoliosis screening
Checking spinal symmetry during growth spurts to help with early detection. If we find signs of scoliosis, we refer you to your family doctor or a specialist for further assessment, monitoring, or bracing.
Sports and play injuries
Conservative care for common sprains and strains, minor falls, and growth-related aches in muscles and joints.
Our Approach: Gentle, Low-Force Techniques
Chiropractic care for children is different from care for adults. We adapt every technique to your child’s age, size, and comfort. Before starting, we explain what we recommend, what to expect, any risks, and other options, so you can make an informed decision for your child.
Light fingertip pressure
For newborns and infants, we use light, sustained fingertip pressure, about as much as you would use to check whether a tomato is ripe.
Instrument-assisted adjustments
A handheld, low-force instrument such as the Activator delivers a small, controlled adjustment to a specific joint, with no twisting or pulling.
Modified manual adjustments
For toddlers and older children, we use light, modified hands-on techniques suited to their smaller size and developing bones.
Home activities and exercises
Simple home activities for infants, strengthening exercises for older children and teens, and referral to paediatric physiotherapy when more specialized rehabilitation would help.
Collaborative Care: Our Team Approach for Children
Children’s care works best when their health care providers talk to each other. As a multidisciplinary clinic, our practitioners work together under one roof, so your child can be seen from more than one clinical perspective when that is helpful.
Paediatric physiotherapy
Chiropractic care focuses on joint movement in the spine and limbs. Our paediatric physiotherapist focuses on motor milestones, strength, balance, injury rehabilitation, and movement retraining. When both are helpful, we coordinate so that each part of your child’s care supports the other.
Naturopathic medicine
Our naturopathic doctors can look at broader aspects of your child’s health, such as nutrition and sleep, alongside their hands-on care.
One coordinated plan
Our practitioners communicate directly with one another and, with your consent, with your family doctor or paediatrician, so your child’s care stays coordinated as they grow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is chiropractic care safe for babies and children?
Paediatric chiropractic care is very different from adult care. We use low-force techniques adapted to your child’s age and size. For newborns and infants, that means light, sustained fingertip pressure. As with any health care, there can be risks. Before treatment, we explain what we recommend, the possible benefits and risks, and other options, and we only proceed with your informed consent. If anything in the assessment suggests a concern outside chiropractic care, we refer you to your family doctor or paediatrician.
Why do parents bring their infants to a chiropractor?
Parents often come in with questions about how their baby is moving. For example, their baby may strongly prefer turning their head to one side, seem stiff, or be uncomfortable in certain positions. We assess your baby’s neck, spine, and movement, explain what we find, and recommend gentle care, home strategies, or a referral, depending on what is most appropriate.
What does a paediatric chiropractic assessment look like?
Our assessments are gentle and unhurried, and we follow your child’s cues. We start with a thorough health history, then do a relaxed, hands-on assessment of spinal movement, early reflexes, and muscle tone. Infants can be assessed while resting in your arms, feeding, or playing. Toddlers and older children are assessed through standing posture and movement, along with a hands-on assessment on the treatment table.
How old does a child need to be to see a chiropractor?
We see children of all ages, from newborns to teens. Care is always based on an assessment and adapted to your child’s age and stage of development.
Do I need a referral for my child to see a chiropractor?
No. In British Columbia, chiropractors are primary contact practitioners, so you can book an appointment directly. With your consent, we are happy to coordinate with your family doctor, paediatrician, or midwife.
How often will my child need to come in?
It depends on your child’s assessment, symptoms, and goals. Many concerns need only a few visits. We reassess your child’s progress regularly, adjust or end care once goals are met, and refer to another provider if your child is not improving as expected.
Why do parents bring older children or teenagers to a chiropractor?
Older children and teens most often come in for musculoskeletal concerns related to growth, daily activities, and sports. Our care focuses on:
- Pain relief: managing common concerns such as neck pain, low back pain, some types of headache, and arm, leg, or joint pain.
- Posture-related strain: neck and back discomfort related to screen time, classroom sitting, and heavy backpacks.
- Movement and biomechanics: checking for muscle imbalances and helping your child move well during sports and play.
- Sports injury care: conservative care for common sprains, strains, minor falls, and growth-related aches.
Meet Megan Olver
Chiropractor
Megan Olver
DC
- Chiropractic
- Custom orthotics
- Cold laser therapy
- Perinatal chiropractic care
- Paediatric chiropractic care
Dr. Megan Olver graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Science in 2002. Before turning to healthcare, she stayed active through competitive sports and danced professionally. While working in Vancouver for The Jim Pattison Group for four years, she was injured, and her own chiropractor helped her recover quickly and naturally. That experience inspired her to pursue chiropractic. She moved to Portland, Oregon, to attend the University of Western States, graduating summa cum laude with her Doctor of Chiropractic degree in 2010.
Dr. Olver began her career in Vancouver, practising there from 2011 to 2012. She then moved to Vanderhoof, BC, where she owned and operated a busy multidisciplinary practice from 2012 to 2020. After practising in Chilliwack from 2020 to 2022, she and her family relocated to the East Kootenay, a place they are grateful to call home.
Dr. Olver is committed to providing exceptional chiropractic care in a friendly, positive, and professional environment. Her evidence-based, multimodal approach combines manual, instrument, and drop-table adjusting with soft tissue therapy and functional rehabilitation. She has advanced training in Active Release Techniques (ART), instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM), and kinesiotaping, and draws on concepts from Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) in her rehab work.
Her years in competitive sport and dance give her a deep understanding of movement and mechanics, which she brings to her care of patients of all ages and abilities.
Dr. Olver has a special interest in paediatric and perinatal care. She is Webster Certified for prenatal care and has completed more than 200 hours of postgraduate coursework in paediatric chiropractic. Her treatments are designed to support the body through the mechanical changes of pregnancy, and to support children's growth and development from infancy through school age.
Outside the clinic, Dr. Olver loves spending time with her family and enjoying year-round outdoor recreation across the Kootenays. At home, she enjoys gardening, cooking, and yoga.
Appointments with Dr. Megan can be made by calling Treena or Randee at 250-426-5228 or by clicking the button below and scheduling yourself on our Jane account.