Logan University adds pediatrics to chiropractic services

Nov. 9, 2017 – St. Louis area families seeking conservative health care for their children now have access to pediatric chiropractic care through Logan University, one of the nation’s leading chiropractic and health sciences schools, located in Chesterfield, Mo.

The University’s Health Centers have added pediatric chiropractic as a specialty referral service to address the health needs of infants and youth. Muriel Périllat, DC, MS, leads the service at Logan’s Montgomery Health Center in Chesterfield, while doctors Allison Harvey, DC and Ashley Lewandoski, DC, provide pediatric care at Logan’s Southfield Health Center in St. Louis and MidRivers/94 Health Center in St. Peters, respectively.

Chiropractic physicians advise parents on a variety of developmental topics and their care assists children through normal growth transitions as well as specific musculoskeletal disorders. For example: newborns may struggle with post-birth musculoskeletal issues and latching-on challenges; young children often require care for posture, spine development and appropriate muscle strength; and youth can suffer pain from falls, repetitive use or sport injuries. Chiropractic care also plays an important role in the care of children with special needs.

“There is growing demand for chiropractic as a conservative health care option for quality of life issues that affect children,” said Clay McDonald, DC, MBA, JD, president of Logan University. “The new service incorporates patient care, family engagement and chiropractic student education in the unique academic teaching environment of the Logan Health Centers.”

In 2000, a survey reported in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics) Pediatrics states that there were about 30 million pediatric visits to chiropractors. By 2009, pediatric chiropractic visits more than doubled to 68 million. The National Board of Chiropractic Examiners’ most recent practice analysis, issued in 2010, found that about 17 percent of chiropractic patients were under age 18 — approximately 7.7 percent aged five years or younger and some 9.4 percent between ages six and 17.

“Working with parents and children to overcome common childhood growing ailments is tremendously rewarding,” said Périllat. “Applying simple, natural care to support health body and brain development is essential and in high demand for more families every day.” She notes that pediatric chiropractic differs from adult care in that it uses a light touch with low or no pressure.

As with all chiropractic services at Logan, physicians advocate a team approach to patient-centered care, maintaining collaborative relationships with other health care professionals in treating, co-treating and referring patients.

The American Academy of Pediatrics states, ‘Pediatric integrative medicine involves the integration of complementary and conventional therapies on the basis of the best available data, with the goal of maximizing therapeutic benefit to the patient.’ “No one caregiver or profession has all of the answers, however health care providers can learn from one another, and all health care providers should collaborate in order to best serve the needs of patient,” said Périllat.

Source: Logan University