Chiropractors have treated children in the course of their general practice since the inception of the chiropractic profession. It is only after a century of chiropractic care of children that pediatrics is beginning to emerge as a discreet discipline within the wider scope of chiropractic practice.

 

Our mission at the MLI College of Chiropráctic Pediatrics is to provide clinical excellence in Pediatric Chiropráctic. We want to ensure the health and well-being of all children. This is why we want to produce and graduate a chiropractic clinician capable of delivering chiropractic excellence to the pediatric population in a safe and secure manner. This will enable the chiropractic profession to work for every child's future. Our global mission is to attain optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all children around the world. We do that by detecting and correcting vertebral subluxations in the pediatric population. 

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Upon Google search of the word Pediatrics or Medical Pediatrics, we come up with this definition by Wikipedia:

 

“Pediatrics is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents”

 

Chiropractic is not a branch of medicine. Upon Google search of the word Chiropractic Pediatrics, we do not come up with any definitions by any source. So, the MLI College of Chiropráctic Pediatrics will define it as: 

 

“Chiropractic Pediatrics is the branch of chiropractic that involves the chiropractic care of infants, children, and adolescents”

 

The field of Pediatrics in the allopathic field began in 1887. Eight years before the field of Chiropractic Pediatrics. The American Pediatric Society began in 1888. The American Medical Academy of Pediatrics began in 1930.  

 

spe·cial·i·za·tion (spe'shăl-i-zā'shŭn), 

 

Professional attention limited to a particular 

specialty or subject area for study, research, or treatment.

“A medical specialty is a branch of medical practice that is focused on a defined group of patients, diseases, skills, or philosophy. A group of medical practitioners who have advanced training and qualifications are the specialists in that specialty of medicine.”

 

A chiropractic specialty is a branch of chiropractic practice that is focused on a defined group of patients who have spinal dysfunction, vertebral subluxations, cranial and sacral subluxations or joint dysfunction of the extremities. It can also indicate special skills or philosophy of the chiropractor. A group of chiropractic practitioners who have advanced training and qualifications are the specialists in that specialty of chiropractic. Those looking to specialize in an area of chiropractic must already be a chiropractor. Next, they must demonstrate clinical experience and expertise in the specialization they wish to get certified in. To earn a specialization, chiropractors enroll in postgraduate programs to earn diplomate credentials.

 

Diplomates in Radiology and Orthopedics have a long history. The first Diplomate program in Radiology was the Universal Spinographic Association which began in 1923. The first Orthopedic diplomate program began in 1964 and was provided by the ACA. The first Nutrition diplomate program began in 1985 and four years later in 1989 we had the creation of the diplomate for Chiropractic Sports Physicians. The American Chiropractic Neurology board awarded its first Diplomates in Neurology in 1995. The first Diplomates in Chiropractic Philosophy received their diplomates in 2002. The American Board of Forensic Professionals Diplomate program began in 2015 and is sponsored by the University of Bridgeport College of Chiropractic.

 

There are a number of diplomate programs in the field of chiropractic pediatrics.

 

The purpose of the Diplomate Program in Chiropractic Pediatrics is to offer chiropractors the educational and clinical experience to confidently and proficiently care for pregnant women and children. Chiropractic care for children began in 1906 by DD Palmer. DD stated in his 1910 book “The Chiropractors Adjustor” that he adjusted his grandson when he was 4 days old. BJ Palmers son Daniel David Palmer was born in 1906. This was the first recorded adjustment of an infant.

 

The West Coast Chiropractic College in Oakland, California had the first class in chiropractic pediatrics in 1915.  In 1918, at the Eastern College of Chiropractic’s clinic in Newark, New Jersey, the faculty were promoting chiropractic pediatric checkups for all children starting at six months of age. In 1919 at Los Angeles College of chiropractic it was mandatory to take 50 hours of course material in chiropractic pediatrics. Minnesota Chiropractic College added chiropractic Pediatrics to its curriculum in 1912 and National Chiropractic College in 1914.

 

In 1924 John H. Craven, D.C., Ph.C. department of hygiene and public health; professor of philosophy, department of orthopedy, the palmer school of chiropractic, wrote a green book entitled Chiropractic Hygiene and Pediatrics. This book paved the way to introducing Chiropractic Pediatrics to the curriculum of many schools. Palmer Chiropractic College in 1927, Texas Chiropractic College in 1930 and The Standard School of Chiropractic (New York) in 1932. Dr Craven also designed the first infant adjusting table in 1923. In 1984 J.P. Mogliore designed and patented the Ponee Table. This was a drop pediatric table in the shape of a horse and several other animals.

 

Dr. Leo Spears opened the Spears Free Clinic and Hospital for Poor Children in 1933. In 1954 Lorraine Goden, DC opened The Kentuckiana Center for Education, Health and Research. The center serves learning disabled and mentally handicapped children. The Kentuckiana Center is still open today. In 1963 a group of chiropractors volunteered their services in Oklahoma City and created the Oklahaven Children’s Center. In 1976 Dennis Stierwalt wrote the Pediatric Text and at the same time Clarence Gonstead, DC taught infant adjusting seminars. In 1979 the American Chiropractic Pediatric Association was formed but only lasted until 1984.

 

In 1986 the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) was established by Larry Webster, DC. The ICPA began leading the chiropractic profession in Chiropractic Pediatrics. They were the first organization to provide newsletters to members and hold an annual conference on Chiropractic Pediatrics.

 

In 1991 the International Chiropractic Association held a national conference on Chiropractic pediatrics in San Diego,California. There were over 400 attendees. They had 22 sessions with 18 expert chiropractic instructors. At this time there was no credentialing for the 18 expert instructors. In 1992 the ICA created the Council of Chiropractic Pediatrics with a focal point on creating post graduate education so that credentialing could begin.

In 1993 the ICA in conjunction with Palmer School of Chiropractic created the Diplomate in Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics (DICCP). This is a board-certified specialty in chiropractic established by the Council on Chiropractic Pediatrics of the International Chiropractors Association and Palmer School of Chiropractic. The Diplomate program is broad-based but comprehensive. It consists of 30 modules, or 360+ hours taught over the course of three years.

The curriculum is structured and balances academic knowledge with clinical applications. Practical workshops, research writing and oral presentation of a professional paper are part of the curriculum and mandatory. The goal of the DICCP program is to ensure you have knowledge, competency and skills expected of a health care provider with post-graduate education in chiropractic pediatrics. This post graduate education consists of 360 classroom hours with written examinations after every 100 hours. A research paper is also required and finally an oral examination is administered.  Upon passing all examinations and successful completion of the research paper the candidate was awarded the Diplomate in Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics. Unfortunately, these experts were not required to work with live children. Their expert proficiency was from classroom instruction.

 

The Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics (JCCP) is the official peer-reviewed journal of the ICA Council on Chiropractic Pediatrics. It is committed to publishing research, scientific and professional papers, literature reviews, case reports and clinical commentaries for chiropractors and other health care professionals interested in the treatment of the pregnant, postpartum and pediatric patient. Through the publication of these papers and the dissemination of this information, the JCCP seeks to encourage professional dialogue and awareness about chiropractic pediatric care to help enhance patient care and improve patient outcomes.

 

In 2002 the ICPA moved to Pennsylvania and Jeanne OHM became the executive director. During that year the ICPA created a 360-hour Diplomate program in Chiropractic Pediatrics. The requirements for the Diplomate status are the completion of 15 in-person and 4 online seminars. The program requires additional classroom hours and participation in ongoing research efforts. Graduates are awarded a diplomate from the Academy Council of Chiropractic Pediatrics. Unfortunately, clinical proficiency does not require interaction with live children. The work is in a classroom setting with the use of plastic dolls. In 2009 Matt McCoy, DC created the online journal called the Journal of Pediatric and Maternal Family Health. Its mission is to provide chiropractors with peer reviewed research on Chiropractic Pediatrics.

 

For the first time in Chiropractic history, (2021) we now have a clinical chiropractic pediatric program that works with live newborns, infants, toddlers, adolescents and teenagers. The Chiropráctic pediatric profession no longer works with just dolls in its post graduate clinical training. 

 

In 2002, Peter Morgan, DC began leading chiropractic mission trips to developing nations. He has led 108 chiropractic mission trips to date. During January of 2010 Dr. Morgan was leading a mission trip in Port Au Prince, Haiti. He returned to the USA less than 24 hours before one of the most devastating earthquakes of all time. Along with the non-profit organization Dr. Morgan founded, (Mission Life International) they returned in three days with 20 chiropractors and seven christian missionaries. Within days Mission Life International was designated as a licensed orphanage in Haiti. The orphanage already had a facility in Port Au Prince, Haiti that could house many children. The chiropractors saved and took in over 1000 children who suddenly became orphans after the earthquake. The organization provided food, shelter and chiropractic to all of these children. Within two years these children were placed with Haitian people who lost their own children.  In 2012 the orphanage was moved to Ouanaminthe, Haiti ( 2 KM from the Dominican Republic). 

During the chiropractic mission trips, chiropractors began to see thousands of children of all ages. In 2019 Henri Rosenblum, DC became Vice President of Mission Life International. Together with Peter Morgan, DC President of Mission Life International, they started working with Mama Baby Haiti which is a birthing center in Cape Haitian, Haiti. They started to work with hundreds of pregnant women and newborns. With Non-Profit status in Haiti, in the Dominican Republic and the USA, Mission Life International is licensed and has access to evaluate every student in the public schools of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. In 2021 the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards approved Mission Life International’s Chiropractic Masters and Diplomate Program for Continuing Education. In 2021 Mission Life International opened its own birthing center on the same grounds as the only chiropractic orphanage in Ouanaminthe, Haiti. 

 

The MLI College of Chiropractic Pediatrics now offers a postgraduate education which is specifically designed to increase a chiropractor's confidence and competence in the management of the pediatric patient. From the moment the child first enters a Chiropráctic practice, through the history taking and physical examination, the spinal and cranial adjusting procedures, to the specific management strategies most appropriate for the child.

 

The MLI College of Chiropractic Pediatrics Offers Two Programs. A Masters Certification Program (185 hours) and a Pediatric Diplomate Program (375 hours) 

 

The Masters Certification Program is a comprehensive post graduate185-hour pediatric program designed to broaden expertise in the assessment, adjustment and management of infants, toddlers and other children. All masters programs are 100% online. Chiropractors are provided with a username and password, which then gives access 24/7 from any device where one can access the internet. This includes I-Pads, laptops, PC’s and Macs. It is possible to successfully complete the modules inside each program within a few months however our experience is that chiropractors continue to refer back to the programs again and again, over many months and even years. The cutting-edge educational technology providing over 300 videos and numerous interactive e-books are a wealth of ongoing resources for the family pediatric chiropractor.

 

Our MLI College of Chiropráctic Pediatric Diplomate Program delivers more than 50 hours of hands-on adjusting of newborns, infants, toddlers, adolescents and teenagers. A Diplomate is an advanced pediatric chiropractor whose credentials have been verified, who has successfully passed all examinations, and who demonstrates specialized knowledge and skill. A Diplomate is dedicated to providing exceptional patient care through a voluntary commitment to lifelong learning. Upon successful completion of the College of Chiropráctic Pediatrics Diplomate Program, chiropractors receive the Diplomate in Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics (DICCP). To get the DICCP credential DC’s must have completed the certification program, the diplomat program (375 hours) and pass the DICCP examination, both oral and written, conducted by MLIU College of Chiropractic Pediatrics. 

 

For the first time in Chiropractic history, we now have a clinical chiropractic pediatric program that works with live newborns, infants, toddlers, adolescents and teenagers. We no longer just work with dolls in the postgraduate clinical training.