It can be concerning but not unusual for children to experience neck pain. While playing rough, falling or sleeping in an awkward position may be to blame for his pain, sometimes there’s just no way to know for sure what’s causing the pain.
Here are some ideas to explore if the pain is long-lasting:
If your child carries a back pack to school make sure it’s not too heavy. The general rule of thumb is that a child’s backpack when being carried should be no more than 10% of his body weight. Regardless of how strong your child is or what they need for school each day, 10% is the recommended limit. Typically, a child will have unnecessary items in his back pack that weigh him down, so about once a week go through the backpack and remove unneeded items.
Make sure your child is carrying the backpack with both straps evenly on his shoulders. A backpack that hangs too low may be forcing your child to hunch forward, causing back strain which could then lead to neck pain and headaches. A properly fitting backpack should fit snugly on the shoulders, sit against the back and shoulder blades and span no further apart than the shoulders.
Make sure your child has an adequate mattress. Quite often, children move from a toddler bed to a twin or full size mattress and while it may seem big enough because it’s long, mattresses are all created differently. Your child may be sleeping on a mattress that was supportive enough when he weighed 40 pounds but is no longer supportive enough at 60 pounds or more.
A mattress that supports his spine and neck during sleep will feel differently than a sagging or overly soft mattress that lets the spine and neck curve and contort out of alignment. If you aren’t sure, try sleeping on it overnight to see how you feel the next day.
While children participate in different activities than adults do they still need adult caregiving and can benefit from the care of a chiropractor. Consider scheduling an appointment with a chiropractic professional to evaluate your child’s needs and explore natural treatments.
