SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. — Chiropractics can be used for more than just recovering from pain or injuries, and one local family chiropractor is proving that point with the work he does on babies and children.
Laura Denton has been taking her sons to Chiropractic Works Wellness Center in Spokane Valley since they were one day old.
After Denton's second birth, her infant son was having trouble breathing while he slept. Tom Zolezzi, a doctor at the center, adjusted him the day after his birth.
"Following that adjustment, he slept peacefully. No more squealing, no more whimpering with every breath. It was actually quite miraculous," Denton said.
Now, both of her boys go to the office regularly, playing in the kid-friendly waiting room and getting adjusted.
Zolezzi is the family's main doctor.
"We come here for pretty much anything – if the kids start to get the sniffles, whatever it is," Denton said.
"The spine has direct impact on the immune system, so if your spine is not working right or if your spine is interfered with, your immune system is going to be squashed," Zolezzi added.
While chiropractics can be beneficial, there is a controversy about using a chiropractor in replacement of a primary care physician. Local health professionals said, despite the benefits, a chiropractor's scope of practice doesn't include child well visits or immunizations.
"I'm not really treating the illness. I'm working on how their spine is adapting to the situation," Zolezzi said in response.