Gentle Chiropractic Care Built for Babies, Kids, and the Parents Who Want Answers
Your child doesn't have to fit the traditional chiropractic mold to benefit from care. At What's Next Chiropractic, Dr. Kailey Kennedy uses instrument-based adjusting and objective nervous system scanning to assess and support kids at every stage — from newborns navigating their first weeks outside the womb to school-age children dealing with tension, sleep disruption, or developmental stress. If you've been told chiropractic isn't for kids, or your child hasn't responded well to traditional adjusting, this is a different kind of care.
Why Families in Waterloo and the Cedar Valley Choose Pediatric Chiropractic
Parents come to us for a lot of different reasons. Some are looking for support after a difficult birth. Others have a toddler with recurring ear infections or a child whose nervous system seems perpetually switched on. Some have tried traditional chiropractic and found their child was uncomfortable or resistant. What connects them is the same thing: they want answers, not assumptions, and care that actually fits their child.
Dr. Kailey is one of only two providers in the Cedar Valley offering objective nervous system scanning — a combination of surface EMG, thermal imaging, and muscle tension assessment that gives parents something most clinics can't: a measurable, visual picture of how their child's nervous system is functioning. There's no guesswork. There's no pressure. Just data that helps guide a care plan designed specifically for your child.
Families travel to us from Cedar Falls, Evansdale, Hudson, Waverly, and surrounding communities because this level of specificity is genuinely rare in this region.
Start with a $45 Nervous System Scan — No Commitment Required
You don't have to commit to a care plan to find out how your child's nervous system is functioning. The $45 Nervous System Scan includes the full three-part assessment — surface EMG, thermal imaging, and muscle tension — along with Dr. Kailey's review of the findings with you. It's a low-stakes way to get real information, ask every question you have, and decide from there whether care makes sense for your family.
Is Chiropractic Safe for Children?
This is the question almost every parent asks before a first visit, and it deserves a direct answer. Pediatric chiropractic care, when performed by a trained provider using age-appropriate techniques, has a strong safety profile. The instrument-based adjusting Dr. Kailey uses involves no spinal manipulation in the traditional sense — the force is gentle, controlled, and calibrated for small bodies. The nervous system scanning is entirely non-invasive and requires nothing more than gentle sensor contact along the spine. Dr. Kailey completed her doctorate in December 2024 from Northwestern Health Sciences University, one of the most respected chiropractic institutions in the country, with focused training in pediatric and neurologically-informed care.
What Pediatric Care at What's Next Actually Looks Like
Instrument-Based Adjusting — Comfortable for Even the Most Hesitant Kids
Pediatric adjusting at What's Next uses an instrument-based technique rather than manual manipulation. The tool delivers a precise, low-force impulse to the targeted area — no twisting, no cracking, no sudden movement. For infants, the pressure is comparable to the touch of a fingertip. For older children who've had a negative experience with traditional chiropractic, it's often the first approach that doesn't feel threatening. Dr. Kailey adapts the technique and the interaction to your child's age and comfort level at every visit.
The Nervous System Scan — Objective Data for Parents Who Want to Understand, Not Just Trust
Before any care begins, Dr. Kailey conducts a comprehensive nervous system scan using three complementary tools: surface EMG to measure electrical activity in the muscles along the spine, thermal imaging to detect temperature asymmetries that signal stress in the autonomic nervous system, and muscle tension assessment to identify areas of compensatory holding. Together, these three scans create a baseline picture of how your child's nervous system is functioning — and give you something concrete to look at, ask questions about, and track over time. It's one of the most meaningful things we offer, and it's available as a standalone $45 scan with no commitment required.
What Conditions Bring Families to Pediatric Chiropractic
Pediatric chiropractic care addresses the nervous system and spinal function — and because those systems influence so much of how a child develops and regulates, the range of concerns parents bring to us is broad. Common reasons families seek care include:
- Birth trauma or difficult delivery (forceps, vacuum, C-section)
- Colic, reflux, or difficulty latching in infants
- Torticollis or head-turning preference
- Recurring ear infections
- Sleep disruption or difficulty settling
- Sensory sensitivity or nervous system dysregulation
- General wellness and developmental support
Children Who Haven't Responded to Traditional Chiropractic
If your child has seen a chiropractor before and it didn't go well — whether because of discomfort, resistance, or simply no noticeable change — instrument-based care is worth reconsidering. Traditional manual adjusting can feel overwhelming for small bodies and sensitive nervous systems. The instrument technique Dr. Kailey uses is precise, gentle, and far less stimulating than a manual adjustment, which makes it a genuinely different experience. Many of the families we see in this category notice a shift within just a few visits.
Pediatric Chiropractic — Questions Parents Ask
At what age can a child start chiropractic care?
Chiropractic care can begin as early as the first days of life. Newborns who experienced a difficult delivery — including C-sections, forceps, or vacuum extraction — are among the most common early patients. Dr. Kailey uses an instrument technique calibrated specifically for infants, with pressure that is extremely gentle and well-tolerated.What does the nervous system scan involve for a child?
The scan is completely non-invasive. Dr. Kailey places small sensors along your child's spine to measure muscle activity, temperature patterns, and tension — no needles, no pressure, no discomfort. Most children tolerate it easily, and the whole process takes only a few minutes. You'll receive a visual report of the findings and Dr. Kailey will walk you through what they mean.Is chiropractic safe for infants and toddlers?
Yes, when performed by a trained provider using pediatric-appropriate techniques. The instrument-based adjusting used at What's Next involves no manual manipulation — the force is gentle, precise, and designed for small bodies. It is a fundamentally different experience from traditional adult chiropractic care.My child tried chiropractic before and hated it. Is this different?
Very likely, yes. Many children who've had a difficult experience with chiropractic were seen by providers using manual adjusting, which can feel startling or uncomfortable. Dr. Kailey uses an instrument technique that eliminates the cracking, twisting, and sudden movement entirely. For children who are sensitive, anxious, or resistant, this approach is often the first that genuinely works.Do I need a referral from our pediatrician to bring my child in?
No referral is needed. You can book directly through our online scheduling system or call us at (319) 380-4800. If you'd like to start with just the nervous system scan before committing to any care, that's a completely valid first step — and many families choose to do exactly that.Do you see children from Cedar Falls, Evansdale, Hudson, and Waverly?
Yes. Families from across the Cedar Valley come to What's Next for pediatric care, including from Cedar Falls, Evansdale, Hudson, and Waverly. If you're searching for a pediatric chiropractor near you and haven't found this level of specialized care locally, we're worth the drive.
