I can tell you the exact day I decided that pediatrics was where my career was heading. I was sitting in a seminar by Carol Phillips, DC, and was overtaken by this innate need to learn everything I could about pediatrics. I was only 2 years out of chiropractic school, a little over a year into my brand new office, and just about to get married. I knew I was going to get my pediatric diplomate from the ICA Council of Pediatrics, but what I didn't know was how this decision was going to change my office and make success easier than I imagined.

I opened my office in Pink Hill, NC (population under 500) in August 1996. Small-town life was all I knew, and I was lucky enough to find a town that wanted me to become a part of it. The town board had a fund for bringing rural doctors into communities, and this board gave me the backing to buy a building and equipment when I had only $5,000 and a diploma. The practice was growing at a steady pace and we were never in fear of closing, but I was still pounding the pavement doing speaking engagements and putting considerable amounts of money into advertising. It made me feel more like a salesman than a chiropractor.

No Advertising Necessary

When I started the diplomate program, I remember Maxine McMullen, DC, FICCP, telling us the patients would come if we were confident in our abilities to treat children. Never a truer word was said. Suddenly, word spread that I cared for children, and miraculous things began happening in Pink Hill. Phone calls came in from prospective patients from 2 and 3 hours away wanting their children to come. Advertising was no longer necessary. New patients were coming from all angles; not just children, but their parents, grandparents, and neighbors.

Now, advertising is limited to the yellow pages (essential in our area), a local magazine for which I write articles, scholarships at the local high schools, and the occasional sponsorship for activities to benefit my community.

Products for Children

It also doesn't end with adjustments. Our office is full of items for sale to the pediatric patient. I'll highlight some of our best-sellers. We offers Airpack backpacks from Core Products. The major selling point of the Airpack is the inflatable lumbar cushion that redistributes the weight of the bag off the shoulders and transfers it down the spine. Some of the bags also provide shoulder straps with an inflatable bladder to control the amount of cushion designed.

Some bags no longer have this feature and just have typical foam padding. The ergonomic design has been clinically proven to keep your little patients upright in proper posture even with the overload of books required to cart back and forth to school. Available in an array of colors, Core has added a mesh backpack for schools that require the bags be open and visible. These well-constructed backpacks come in four styles: small (15 inches from shoulder to natural waist), medium (15 inches to 17 inches, and large (17 inches and up). If the bag is defective, Core Products will replace it quickly with almost no hassle. Core Products also provides a backpack safety kit for backpack safety presentations. The backpacks range from wholesale pricing of $32.49 to $35.99 while retailing at $49.99 to $59.99.

Providing cervical stability outside the office is very important. We offer two cervical travel pillows for our children. Wee Wonders provides a sweet butterfly pillow with pink and blue hand-decorative fabric. These pillows are designed for infants and toddlers over 15 pounds to hold the neck in a proper upright fashion, protecting the child from suffocation and accidents. Made from 100% cotton and 100% polyester fiberfill, these pillows fly off our shelves. I gave one or two as baby gifts at showers and after that they sold themselves. The gentle curvature of the connecting middle will also promote some cervical lordosis to mold.

Retailing at $19.95, these pillows decrease in wholesale price as you buy in quantity. Our clinic favorite is Critter Pillers by Wolf Manufacturing Co. These cervical travel pillows are in the shape of animals, and they fly off our shelves. (Even the adults love these.) Available in velour for children over 3 and in fleece for older children, these half- moon pillows wrap nicely around the neck and can be used for long car trips, on a plane, or as a sleeping pillow. Facial features are sewn on with no dangerous small pieces. Twenty different animals are available. When purchased in quantities over 24, the wholesale price is $5 and resale at $10.

Providing pediatric care, along with items to support care, has been a tremendous turning point in my office and has made the art of being a chiropractor a true joy.

Jennifer T. Murphy, DC, DICCP, practices in Pink Hill,NC. Contact her at .