This is a good question and one I have not been asked before. I wouldn't be concerned. The child's spine is continuing to grow and won't mature until he is in his late teens. During this process the spine will move on its own and yes, pops typically are heard and its harmless. Even picking them up can cause the spine to release and my kids were like that too. The sound you hear (the pop) is actually nitrogen gas exiting the spinal joints as the vertebra move. Popping all the time can be a sign of hypermobility but at his age thats normal. Think about how flexible infants and kids are. In an adult this may be cause for concern but typically its not. You could bring it up to your Pediatrician on his next visit to see what he/she thinks. I'm pretty confident they will tell you not to worry about it.
Posted By doc4bax on January 25, 2008 at 10:35:22:
In Reply to: Back Cracking in Young Children
posted by Alyson Bergandine on January 25, 2008 at 09:01:33: