Papers by !Sharon Vallone
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
Objective: To build upon existing recommendations on best practices for chiropractic management o... more Objective: To build upon existing recommendations on best practices for chiropractic management of children by conducting a formal consensus process and best evidence synthesis. Design: Best practice guide based on recommendations from current best available evidence and formal consensus of a panel of experienced practitioners, consumers, and experts for chiropractic management of pediatric patients. Methods: Synthesis of results of a literature search to inform the development of recommendations from a multidisciplinary steering committee, including experts in pediatrics, followed by a formal Delphi panel consensus process. Results: The consensus process was conducted June to August 2022. All 60 panelists completed the process and reached at least 80% consensus on all recommendations after three Delphi rounds. Recommendations for best practices for chiropractic care for children addressed these aspects of the clinical encounter: patient communication, including informed consent; appropriate clinical history, including health habits; appropriate physical examination procedures; red flags/contraindications to chiropractic care and/or spinal manipulation; aspects of chiropractic management of pediatric patients, including infants; modifications of spinal manipulation and other manual procedures for pediatric patients; appropriate referral and comanagement; and appropriate health promotion and disease prevention practices. Conclusion: This set of recommendations represents a general framework for an evidence-informed and reasonable approach to the management of pediatric patients by chiropractors.
Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics, Jan 31, 2016
Chiropractic care is the most common complementary and integrative medicine practice used by chil... more Chiropractic care is the most common complementary and integrative medicine practice used by children in the United States, and it is used frequently by children internationally as well. The purpose of this project was to update the 2009 recommendations on best practices for chiropractic care of children. A formal consensus process was completed based on the existing recommendations and informed by the results of a systematic review of relevant literature from January 2009 through March 2015. The primary search question for the systematic review was, "What is the effectiveness of chiropractic care, including spinal manipulation, for conditions experienced by children (<18 years of age)?" A secondary search question was, "What are the adverse events associated with chiropractic care including spinal manipulation among children (<18 years of age)?" The consensus process was conducted electronically, by e-mail, using a multidisciplinary Delphi panel of 29 expe...
Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, 2009
The purpose of this paper is to present a case of a child with Prader-Willi syndrome and the obse... more The purpose of this paper is to present a case of a child with Prader-Willi syndrome and the observed improvement in the degree of scoliosis, immune function, and behavior documented during the course of her treatment. Clinical Features: A 7-year-old girl presented to Kentuckiana Children's Center with a 15°l umbar levoscoliosis and diagnosis of Prader-Willi syndrome. Intervention and Outcome: The treatment plan consisted of chiropractic adjustments, craniosacral therapy, movement therapy, and nutritional therapy. Over the course of treatment, her muscle strength, tone, and motor activity increased. She improved in coordination of gait and balance. Over the course of 3 years, her scoliosis decreased to 4°to 5°. Improvements in immune function and a reduction in anxiety type behaviors were documented by the parents and doctor of chiropractic over the course of 5 years. Conclusions: This case report describes the improvements and progression of one female child with Prader-Willi syndrome under chiropractic and multidisciplinary care.
Chiropractic & Osteopathy, 2010
Background: Chiropractic (Greek: done by hand) is a health care profession concerned with the dia... more Background: Chiropractic (Greek: done by hand) is a health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health. There is an emphasis on manual techniques, including joint adjustment and/or manipulation, with a particular focus on joint subluxation (World Health Organization 2005) or mechanical lesion and restoring function. The chiropractor's role in wellness care, prevention and treatment of injury or illness is based on education in anatomy and physiology, nutrition, exercise and healthy lifestyle counseling as well as referral to other health practitioners. Depending on education, geographic location, scope of practice, as well as consumer preference, chiropractors may assume the role of primary care for families who are pursuing a more natural and holistic approach to health care for their families. Objective: To present a perspective on current management of the paediatric patient by members of the chiropractic profession and to make recommendations as to how the profession can safely and effectively manage the paediatric patient. The chiropractic profession holds the responsibility of ethical and safe practice and requires the cultivation and mastery of both an academic foundation and clinical expertise that distinguishes chiropractic from other disciplines. Research into the effectiveness of chiropractic care for paediatric patients has lagged behind that of adult care, but this is being addressed through educational programs where research is now being incorporated into academic tracks to attain advanced chiropractic degrees. Studies in the United States show that over the last several decades, chiropractors are the most common complementary and alternative medicine providers visited by children and adolescents. Chiropractors continue to seek integration with other healthcare providers to provide the most appropriate care for their paediatric patients. In the interest of what is best for the paediatric population in the future, collaborative efforts for research into the effectiveness and safety of chiropractic care as an alternative healthcare approach for children should be negotiated and are welcomed.
COMMENTARY Commentary
Background: Chiropractic (Greek: done by hand) is a health care profession concerned with the dia... more Background: Chiropractic (Greek: done by hand) is a health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health. There is an emphasis on manual techniques, including joint adjustment and/or manipulation, with a particular focus on joint subluxation (World Health Organization 2005) or mechanical lesion and restoring function. The chiropractor's role in wellness care, prevention and treatment of injury or illness is based on education in anatomy and physiology, nutrition, exercise and healthy lifestyle counseling as well as referral to other health practitioners. Depending on education, geographic location, scope of practice, as well as consumer preference, chiropractors may assume the role of primary care for families who are pursuing a more natural and holistic approach to health care for their families. Objective: To present a perspective on current management...
Objective: To present a series of case studies where patients experienced hypolactation after giv... more Objective: To present a series of case studies where patients experienced hypolactation after giving birth and to discuss how subluxation of the cranium and vertebrae may interfere with the normal neuro-hormonal regulation of lactation and the role of the chiropractor in the reduction of subluxation and re-establishment of structural integrity.
Purpose Parents often present their infant for chiropractic care. In the therapeutic encounter th... more Purpose Parents often present their infant for chiropractic care. In the therapeutic encounter there are often questions about the use of probiotics for their baby. There has been considerable research in the area of probiotics for infant colic. The goal of this opinion piece is to explore and interpret the research literature and help to clarify when probiotics may best serve the baby and mother.
There is a growing consensus among psychologists, midwives, lactation consultants, physicians and... more There is a growing consensus among psychologists, midwives, lactation consultants, physicians and others who are concerned with the early perinatal period that there is a “sensitive period” (Odent, Klauss) immediately following a physiologically normal birth. During this brief period a very unique hormonal milieu, orchestrated by the birth itself, drives maternal-infant interactions. These interactions are designed to wire the mother and infant for attachment, directing them toward behaviors that optimize the infant’s potential, first for survival and ultimately for well-being.
Background: Chiropractic (Greek: done by hand) is a health care profession concerned with the dia... more Background: Chiropractic (Greek: done by hand) is a health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health. There is an emphasis on manual techniques, including joint adjustment and/or manipulation, with a particular focus on joint subluxation (World Health Organization 2005) or mechanical lesion and restoring function. The chiropractor's role in wellness care, prevention and treatment of injury or illness is based on education in anatomy and physiology, nutrition, exercise and healthy lifestyle counseling as well as referral to other health practitioners. Depending on education, geographic location, scope of practice, as well as consumer preference, chiropractors may assume the role of primary care for families who are pursuing a more natural and holistic approach to health care for their families. Objective: To present a perspective on current management ...
Journal of Chiropractic Education, 2013
Objective A chiropractic pediatric specialist often encounters novel clinical findings not report... more Objective A chiropractic pediatric specialist often encounters novel clinical findings not reported currently in the literature. This project matched board certified chiropractic pediatric specialists with a mentor experienced in scientific writing to co-author a research paper to add to the literature base available on chiropractic pediatric practice. Methods Clinicians who had received their Diplomate in Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics and mentors in scientific writing were teamed up. Two surveys were conducted to collect quantitative data, and focus groups were held to gather qualitative data about the overall experience of the mentor and mentee (clinicians) participating in the study. The first survey was sent to the clinicians to gather information about their research idea and their experience in research. The second survey was conducted upon project completion by clinicians and mentors. A project wiki was used as a communication strategy. Results Ten reports were submitted b...
Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine
Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months, and continuing for at least the first year of lif... more Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months, and continuing for at least the first year of life, is strongly recommended. Suboptimal breastfeeding, which is breastfeeding that does not meet these recommendations, is a multifactorial issue. Some authorities, particularly in the nursing and lactation counseling professions, have identified musculoskeletal issues that may interfere with successful breastfeeding. The purpose of this project was to survey the literature on manual treatments to correct musculoskeletal dysfunctions in infants with suboptimal breastfeeding. Our research question was, “Have manual interventions been used to correct infants’ musculoskeletal dysfunctions thought to be linked to suboptimal breastfeeding?” We searched PubMed and Index to Chiropractic Literature, from inception through July 2018, as well as relevant gray literature. We assessed quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies using modified SIGN checklists, and the overall str...
As physiologically normal birth has yielded to medicalization, the hormonal milieu that directs e... more As physiologically normal birth has yielded to medicalization, the hormonal milieu that directs establishment of breastfeeding is compromised and lactation consultants are confronted with increasing numbers of infants whose innate competency is threatened. The compromised infant reorganizes, rapidly adapting his behaviors to ensure his survival. Compensatory behaviors may or may not facilitate feeding, and may force the infant to rely upon others to accomplish feeding. Interventions that support the infant threaten his competency at breast and risk his ability to direct his relational world, which is the foundation of his developmental success. Often compensatory behaviors lead to premature weaning, as they can be inefficient and physically and emotionally injurious to the mother, thus hope of reclamation becomes less certain. Chiropractic intervention, when applied skillfully and in collaboration with the lactation consultant can support full competency in feeding and offer the infant the opportunity to reclaim his full human potential.
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Papers by !Sharon Vallone