Chiropractor for Kids in Surprise, AZ
Children are not small adults, and they are never adjusted like one. Dr. Derek M. Legg, D.C., M.P.H. provides gentle, age-appropriate chiropractic care for kids and teens in Surprise, AZ, for the aches that come with sports, heavy backpacks, screens, and a growing spine. The pressure is light, the visit is unhurried, and everything is explained to you and to your child. When something belongs with a pediatrician or a specialist, we say so and help you find the right care. Results vary from child to child.
Gentle chiropractic care for kids and teens
A growing body changes fast, and so do the loads on it. A backpack worn on one shoulder, hours bent over a phone, a hard fall at practice, or a growth spurt can leave a child sore and moving poorly. Dr. Legg examines how your child moves, uses digital X-rays only when they are clinically necessary, and explains in plain English what he finds before anything is treated. Care is never in place of your pediatrician.
Is chiropractic safe for kids?
When it is performed by a trained chiropractor who adapts to a child, chiropractic care for children is generally gentle and low force. We use far less pressure than we would with an adult and match the approach to your child's age and size. We are also honest about the limits of the research in children, so we keep care conservative, watch how your child responds, and coordinate with your pediatrician when that is the right thing to do.
What we treat
Most visits are about the wear of a growing, active life, including back pain from backpacks and sports, neck pain from sleep and screens, headaches that trace back to the neck and shoulders, and the strains and tweaks of youth sport. Student athletes can read our athletes page, and a fresh strain from this week is covered on our acute injuries page. The full list is on our conditions we treat page.
Phones, tablets, and laptops pull the head forward for hours at a time, and a child's neck and upper back carry that load. A posture evaluation shows what the screen years are doing to your child's spine. Small changes help too: breaking up long screen time, setting up a desk that fits, wearing a backpack on both shoulders, and a few minutes of the right therapeutic exercise each day.
What about scoliosis?
Scoliosis is a sideways curve of the spine that often shows up during the growing years. We screen for it, and if we see a curve we tell you plainly and refer you for the right imaging and, when needed, an orthopedic or scoliosis specialist. Chiropractic care does not cure scoliosis and does not straighten the curve. What we can do is help with comfort and mobility alongside the specialist who manages it. Being honest about this is part of caring for your child.
How we adjust children and teens
Everything is scaled to the child. For younger children the adjustment is often just gentle pressure from a fingertip or a soft handheld instrument, and for teens it is a lighter version of the adjustment an adult receives. Nothing is forced, your child is never made to do anything that feels wrong, and you are in the room the whole time. Dr. Legg explains each step so your child knows what is coming. Find it, fix it, keep it.
What to expect on your first visit
The first visit is a conversation and a gentle, age-appropriate examination, with care only when it is appropriate. Dr. Legg asks about your child's history, sports, sleep, and what brought you in, and he is honest if chiropractic is not the right fit. He walks both of you through what he finds and what the treatment plan is. New self pay patients can start with the $49 first visit, and more detail is on our first visit page.
Do you take insurance for kids?
Yes. Most children are covered under a parent's commercial plan, and we verify your benefits and quote any cost in writing before the visit. Medicare rarely applies to a child. Where it applies to anyone, Medicare covers only the medically necessary spinal adjustment; it does not cover acupuncture or dry needling by a chiropractor, or the examination, X-rays, or other services ordered by a chiropractor. More detail is on our insurance page. The $49 first visit does not apply to Medicare, auto accident or personal injury cases, or workers' compensation.
How old does a child have to be?
We care for children and teens of many ages. For infants and very young children, please see our pediatric and infant care page, where the approach is even gentler and coordinated closely with your pediatrician.
Does the adjustment hurt?
It should not. Care for children is gentle and low force, and Dr. Legg stops and changes the approach if your child is uncomfortable.
Can chiropractic fix my child's scoliosis?
No. We screen for scoliosis and refer for proper imaging and specialist care. Chiropractic does not cure or straighten the curve, though it may help with comfort and mobility alongside the specialist.
Do I need a referral?
No. Arizona allows you to see a chiropractor directly, and walk ins are welcome Monday through Thursday. We are glad to coordinate with your child's pediatrician. More answers are on our frequently asked questions page.
Who you will see
Dr. Derek M. Legg, D.C., M.P.H. earned his Doctor of Chiropractic at Logan University and a Master of Public Health, and he leads every visit himself. Your child sees the same doctor at every visit, which is why the treatment plan stays consistent. Every option we offer is on our services page, and care for the rest of the family is on our adults and pregnant moms pages.
Serving Surprise and the West Valley
We are on West Bell Road in Surprise, inside Sheitelman Physical Medicine, minutes from Sun City West, Sun City, El Mirage, Peoria, and Litchfield Park. Read more about our chiropractor in Surprise, AZ. We see patients Monday through Thursday.
Legg Chiropractic and Acupuncture, 13757 W Bell Rd #101, Surprise, AZ 85374. Call (623) 214-7600.