If your baby will not move an arm, a newborn chiropractor in Royal Oak can look at how your baby moves. At Van Every Family Chiropractic Center, Dr. Anna Saylor shared the story of a one-month-old who would not move her right arm, even after an X-ray came back fine.
What happened when a one-month-old came to our Royal Oak office?
A mom brought in her one-month-old daughter, and the baby would not move her right arm. Dr. Saylor described it this way: "Her left arm went up and down, no problem." Then she added that "Her right arm stayed folded in." Dr. Saylor could not get the right arm to unbend. It was tight, and there was no movement at all.
Dr. Saylor asked the mom, "Did anything happen to this arm?" At first the mom could not remember anything. Then it clicked.
Why does a normal X-ray not settle the question?
In this story the X-ray was fine, and that settled the question of a break. It did not change what Dr. Saylor saw: a baby holding one arm folded in.
The mom remembered that "at birth they pulled on that arm so hard they thought it broke". The X-ray was fine, so everyone moved on. Dr. Saylor's point was simple: "just because something isn't broken doesn't mean it's fine".
Why is a gentle newborn check one of the kindest things a parent can do?
Because birth is hard on babies, we think a gentle newborn check is worth a parent's time. Dr. Saylor said it plainly: "A gentle newborn check is one of the kindest things you can do".
She also tells parents to trust their gut. In this story the answer came from asking the mom one question about the arm and listening to what she remembered.
Where can I find a newborn chiropractor in Royal Oak?
You can find us at Van Every Family Chiropractic Center, 4203 Rochester Rd in Royal Oak. All three of our doctors, Dr. Anna Saylor, Dr. John Johr and Dr. Zach Conner, do all of our techniques and see babies, children and pregnant patients. You can read more on our meet the doctors page.
We see newborns and infants every week, and you can learn more about our newborn and infant care, our pediatric chiropractic care and our page on birth trauma. Families come to us from Ferndale, Berkley, Clawson and Troy, as well as from right here in Royal Oak.
If you have noticed something about how your newborn moves, call or text (248) 616-0900 or book online.
Frequently asked questions
Can a newborn see a chiropractor in Royal Oak?
Yes. All three of our doctors see newborns at our Royal Oak office, along with older babies, children and pregnant patients. Dr. Anna Saylor, Dr. John Johr and Dr. Zach Conner each do all of our techniques. Call or text (248) 616-0900 and we will find a time for you and your baby.
What if the X-ray was normal but my baby still will not move an arm?
In the story we shared, the X-ray was fine, yet the one-month-old still would not move her right arm. Dr. Saylor's point was that just because something is not broken does not mean it is fine. We are glad to look at how your baby moves. Call or text (248) 616-0900.
Why does Dr. Saylor recommend a newborn check?
She calls a gentle newborn check one of the kindest things you can do, because birth is hard on babies. In the story she shared, the pull on the arm at birth came up when she asked the mom whether anything had happened to that arm. Asking the question mattered.
