Gentle Chiropractic Care for Kids & Newborns

Low force NIP chiropractic hands-on neck technique, Brisbane

Most people assume chiropractic care starts with adults and gets adapted for children. With the Neuro Impulse Protocol, it was actually the other way around.

NIP was originally developed by Dr Neil Davies with newborns and infants in mind. The gentle, low-force assessment and correction process was designed from the outset for the most delicate nervous systems. It was only later that practitioners discovered the same principles applied to adults — finding that the adult body, with its years of accumulated patterns and compensations, was in many ways more complex to work with.

Dr Patrick McPhie has worked closely alongside Dr Neil Davies and is part of the NIP international teaching team. His experience with newborns and children is extensive — and it is an area he is genuinely passionate about.

What to Expect When You Bring Your Child

Bringing a child or newborn to a chiropractor for the first time can feel like a big step. The first thing to know is that NIP looks and feels very different from traditional chiropractic — there is no cracking, no manipulation, and no force applied beyond what you might use to test a ripe tomato.

The assessment process for children and newborns is also different to what we do with adults. Children are not simply small adults — their nervous systems are still developing, their histories are different, and what we look for in a physical examination is specific to their age and stage.

A Different Kind of Assessment for a Different Kind of Patient

Dr McPhie has trained closely under Dr Neil Davies — the founder of NIP and author of Chiropractic Pediatrics: A Clinical Handbook (Churchill Livingstone) and a postgraduate Paediatric Master’s Degree programme for chiropractors. That depth of mentorship from one of chiropractic’s most respected paediatric educators shapes every assessment Dr McPhie performs with young patients.

Experience You Can Trust

At one point in his Melbourne practice, around 40–50% of Dr McPhie’s patients were children under the age of five. That level of hands-on experience with young children and newborns is rare — and combined with NIP, a technique originally designed specifically for babies and children, you can have confidence your child is in experienced and gentle hands.

Who We Commonly See

We work with children and newborns of all ages, including:

  • Newborns following birth — including assisted deliveries
  • Infants with feeding difficulties, unsettled behaviour, or asymmetrical movement patterns
  • Toddlers and young children with postural concerns or movement issues
  • School-age children involved in sport or experiencing growing pains
  • Children whose parents want a proactive, gentle approach to their health

Already pregnant? Our gentle, low-force approach is well suited to pregnancy — talk to us to see if pregnancy chiropractic care could help.

A Note for Parents

You are an essential part of every consultation. The visit is a step-by-step process — we talk you through what we are finding as we go, encourage your questions, and aim to build your understanding of what is happening and why.

By the end of the visit you should have a clear picture — not just of what we found, but of what it means for your child.

Ready to Experience a Different Approach?

Gentle, low force chiropractic care for the whole family. No cracking. No twisting.

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