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Clinical profiles and referral patterns of infants attending Danish chiropractic clinics: a nationwide
Freja Gomez Overgaard1,2,3,4, Cathrine Hedegaard-Johansson5, Lise Hestbaek6,7
1Medical Spinal Research Unit, Spine Centre of Southern Denmark, University Hospital of Southern Denmark, Kolding, Denmark. freja.gomez.overgaard@rsyd.dk.
Insights
Chiropractic care for infants in Denmark frequently addresses abnormal range of motion (ROM), crying, and feeding issues. Healthcare visitors are the main referral source, highlighting the need for integrated infant care strategies.
Area of Science:
- Chiropractic care
- Pediatric health
- Musculoskeletal health
Background:
- Infant chiropractic care is increasingly utilized.
- Understanding common infant complaints and referral patterns is crucial for integrated healthcare.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe primary and secondary complaints in infants presenting to Danish chiropractic clinics.
- To explore referral sources from other healthcare professionals for these infants.
Main Methods:
- A national cross-sectional study of Danish chiropractic clinics.
- Retrospective data collection from infant (0-1 year) records (Nov 2018-Oct 2019).
- Electronic survey to 238 clinics capturing demographics, complaints, duration, and referral sources.
Main Results:
- 1,049 questionnaires received; abnormal range of motion (ROM) was the most common primary complaint (48%).
- Crying/colic (17%), feeding (5%), and sleep issues (5%) were also frequent.
- Secondary complaints were common (58%), often involving ROM, sleep, and feeding.
- Referrals originated from healthcare visitors (44%) for 51% of infants.
Conclusions:
- Abnormal ROM is the predominant infant complaint in Danish chiropractic settings.
- Healthcare visitors play a key role in referring infants to chiropractors.
- Findings underscore the need for evidence-based guidelines and interdisciplinary collaboration in infant care.
Objective:
To describe the primary complaints of infants presenting to Danish chiropractic clinics and explore the secondary complaints, and type of referrals from other healthcare professionals.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study based on routinely collected medical records from a national sample of chiropractic clinics in Denmark. Data were collected retrospectively in December 2019 and January 2020, covering infants (0-1 year) seen between November 2018 and October 2019. All 238 chiropractic clinics in the Danish Chiropractors' Association were invited to participate via an electronic survey. The questionnaire captured demographic characteristics, primary and secondary complaints, symptom duration, and referral sources.
Results:
A total of 1,049 completed questionnaires were received. The most common primary complaint was abnormal range of motion (ROM) (48%), followed by crying/infantile colic (17%), feeding problems (5%), and disturbed sleep (5%). The majority of complaints had lasted between 1 week and 3 months, prior to consultation. Secondary complaints were reported in 58% of cases, most commonly abnormal ROM (41%), disturbed sleep (22%), and feeding problems (21%). Referrals were reported for 51% of infants, with healthcare visitors being the primary source (44%).
Conclusion:
This study provides insights into the clinical presentations and referral patterns of infants attending chiropractic clinics in Denmark. The findings highlight abnormal ROM as the predominant complaint, the central role of healthcare visitors in referrals, and the multifaceted nature of parental concerns. These results emphasize the need for evidence-based guidelines and stronger interdisciplinary collaboration to optimize infant care.
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