Parent: will do/try anything!

A friend of mine has a little boy with a sleeping problem. He's now 20 months and is up most nights screaming between the hours of 2 and 5am. My poor friend tried everything: controlled crying, establishing a bedtime routine with bath etc, soothing massages, warm milk. You name it she tried it. Eventually she saw a chiropractor who said he could cure her son of his sleeping problem. There was some explanation of pressure on the base of the skull during labour and that because her waters had broken late this increased the pressure and every time he lies down he feels the pressure etc etc. My friend saw this gentleman a few times and she felt he did make a difference. Then they stopped going because he was sleeping better. Recently I heard they are back to sqaure one.

I'm reminded of my friend this week because the British Chiropractor Association have dropped their libel case against Dr Simon Singh. If you're not familiar with the case, Dr Singh wrote a comment piece in the Guardian, saying that he did not believe that there was evidence for the claims that some chiropractors made for being able to treat childhood and infant disorders such as asthma, colic and sleep problems. They felt that he had made defamatory comments and took him to court.

I have my own opinions about the claims that some chiropractors make but that is not why I mention the case. I mention it because as loving parents, like my friend, we will do anything to help our children with any problems they have. I like to think of myself as a rational person but if I had exhausted all possible solutions and then someone told me to help my child I should hop on one leg while tapping my head and drinking a glass of water I might be inclined to give it a go. I suppose some practitioners treating children may not make parents aware of the evidence base (or lack of) behind the treatment but thats not all that matters. Any treatment is a leap of faith and if you feel as a parent its something you feel could help your child, and its safe, then I ask why not?