The Millenium Project 
 

Crackdown coming on kids' chiro

'Internal adjustments' under review

More chiropractors are being investigated For gruesome and suspect treatments on children as an independent review into their profession is set to kick off

The HeraldSun Sun is aware of a complaint lodged with the state government and forwarded lo the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency detailing evidence of Victorian chiropractors undertaking highly concerning "internal adjustments" on children.

The revelation came as Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos announced the scope of an independent review of chiropractic spinal manipu­lation of children under 12 which is intended to weed out rogue operators and outlaw practices found lo be dangerous or medically unsound.

In new complaints now being examined, chiropractic clinics have advertised internal procedures to adjust children's coccyx as a treatment for a range of conditions.

A complaint seen by the HeraldSun and also forwarded to the health, police and child protection ministers, states: "This practice borders on sex­ual assault and should be immediately banned."

Ms Mikakos has forwarded the complaint to Australia's health regulator demanding action.

"These allegations are disturbing and shocking. We won't stand for anything that puts the wellbeing of children at risk." Ms Mikakos said

A spokeswoman for the Chiropractic Board of Australia and AHPRA yesterday confirmed it would be "urgently reviewing this matter" of internal coccyx treatments.

The chiropractic board also released a policy advising chiropractors not to undertake spinal manipulation on children under two while Safer Care Victoria undertook a review of the practice

Ms Mikakos will announce the full terms of reference for the review, which has gained the backing of other state and federal health ministers.

The review is expected to produce recommendations in six months for the COAG Health Council, which might call for changes to national laws governing the chiropractic industry.

To be chaired by SCV chief executive Euan Wallace, the review panel will call for all available evidence and take public submissions from healthcare practitioners, organisations and the wider community.

"We already know that newborn babies exposed lo spinal manipulation are being put at real risk," Ms Mikakos said.

"Now we're asking the ex­perts to tell us the extent of damage rogue chiropractors can inflict on children if they're not stopped in their tracks.

"The national regulators have failed to treat this issue with the urgency and seriousness that it deserves so we're going it alone.

"The health and wellbeing of children a far too important to be bogged down with delays and mired in national bureaucracy."