'There's been cases of babies dying': Surgeon slams chiropractor who held infant upside down in distressing video - but a fellow back therapist says he's treating more young kids than ever
- An orthopedic surgeon criticised a chiropractor for his treatment of a newborn
- Dr Andrew Arnold seen dangling a two-week-old baby upside down by its legs
- He went on to tap the baby on the head and press down on skull with both hands
- Surgeon Dr John Cunningham says newborns should 'never' need that treatment
A surgeon has criticised the chiropractor who came under fire for his treatment of a two-week-old baby, while a peer has defended him.
Melbourne-based Dr Andrew Arnold was performing a 'spinal manipulation' on the baby, seen dangling it upside down and tapping on its back in a video posted to the centre's social media page.
The footage divided parents online, with many declaring the treatment as 'cruel and unnecessary' while others trusted the practitioner's judgement.
Now, a pair of specialists have chimed in on the debate, one in favour and one against the treatment.
Scroll down for video
A chiropractor has come under fire from his peers over his treatment of a two-week-old baby after he dangled the newborn child upside down during a consultation
Sydney-based surgeon Dr John Cunningham told A Current Affair a newborn should never need spinal manipulation, saying the risks far outweigh the benefits
'There's been cases of babies dying, there's cases of babies having their necks fractured,' he said.
Share this article
Another chiropractor defended his peer, saying his family-based orthopedics business had seen a continual trend in parents bringing their children in at the request of hospitals.
'I've been doing this 20 years, and the proportion of paediatric patients has gone from one in 10 to three or four in 10,' Simon Floreani said.
But Dr Cunningham says just because more people are opting for spinal re-alignment doesn't mean it's safe.
'The vast majority of these treatments will go without a hiccup, but there is still a risk.'
At length, he pulls out a device called the activator, a spring loaded chiropractic device
The footage shows the chiropractor perform a series of controversial tests on the baby.
Dr Arnold begins by folding the baby's legs into his hips until he feels a click while the newborn's parents stand off-camera.
At length he pulls out a device called the activator, a spring loaded chiropractic device.
He tests the device on an adult's hand to give them an idea of the force of the tool.
'We're going to use the activator on the lower setting and I'll just show you on your hand here,' Dr Arnold says to the person off-camera.
He then proceeds to place the activator on the newborn.
Within moments of activating it, the baby bursts into tears. But Dr Arnold doesn't stop there.
He rolls the baby on its back to test its collarbone. With two fingers on the crying baby's collarbone, he uses his free hand to tap on the upset baby's head.
Orthopedic surgeon Dr John Cunningham (pictured) says newborns should never need to visit a chiropractor
A series of tests later, Dr Arnold goes on to check the bones in the baby's head
A series of tests later, Dr Arnold goes on to check the bones in the baby's head.
This time he presses down on the child's head with both hands, the child visibly distressed.
The video has gone on to fan debate into the legitimacy of the infant chiropractic treatment.
While the techniques in the video are not illegal, their effectiveness remains a divisive issue.
Daily Mail Australia reached out to Cranbourne Family Chiropractic for comment.
This time he presses down on the child's head with both hands, the child visibly distressed
The Herald Sun reported that it believed the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and the Chiropractic Board have kickstarted a confidential investigation into the matter
