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Explore our blog that focuses on holistic care for any and all ages - pediatric well-being, pre/post-natal health, and adult vitality.
THE BLOG
You’re Not Broken—Your Nervous System Is Just Stuck
If you’ve tried every sleep hack, energy drink, supplement, and fitness trend out there—and still feel worn out, foggy, and running on fumes—you’re not lazy, and you’re not broken. You’re likely stuck in survival mode because your nervous system is stuck there, too.
No amount of coffee, B12, or 5 AM workouts can override a chronically stressed and subluxated nervous system. If your “gas pedal” is always on and your “brake pedal” isn’t working, burnout isn’t just likely—it’s inevitable.
This message is for exhausted parents who’ve tried everything from diet changes to supplements, better sleep routines to meditation, yet still struggle with chronic fatigue, brain fog, and that feeling of running on empty despite their best efforts to “fix” their energy crisis.
We’re diving deeper than any diet change, detox protocol, or essential oil can… and we’re going to learn how to reboot, recharge, and regulate our OWN nervous systems!
Parents are notorious for putting themselves LAST and just existing and dragging themselves through each day on a self-directed cocktail of Starbucks, sugar, and all sorts of other stuff that only masks the problem and drives it deeper. Let’s finally put our own health up front and get our energy and quality of life back! It’s MORE than possible!
The Reality Check: You’re Not Alone in This Battle
Studies show that parental burnout may affect up to 14% of parents, with mothers experiencing higher rates than fathers. Research shows that up to 20.4% of adults report experiencing general fatigue, with parents experiencing significantly higher rates.
Burnout doesn’t just affect mental health—it can cause chronic inflammation and disrupted cortisol patterns that impact energy regulation. What we see in practice mirrors these findings: parents come in thinking they’re just “normal tired,” but their INSiGHT scans often reveal significant dysregulation. Many show patterns of sympathetic dominance—essentially stuck in an energy-draining “fight or flight” mode that no amount of rest or supplements can fix.
The Real Root Cause of Parental Exhaustion
Here’s what most healthcare providers won’t tell you: your energy levels are intricately connected to your nervous system regulation. Particularly the balance between your sympathetic (“fight or flight”) and parasympathetic (“rest and digest”) branches of your autonomic nervous system.
When this system becomes imbalanced—a condition known as dysautonomia—your energy production and regulation suffer significantly. Regardless of how well you’re sleeping or what supplements you’re taking.
Most parents don’t realize that their chronic exhaustion may be a sign of neurological dysfunction, specifically related to subluxation—interference in the communication pathways between your brain and body.
This neurological dysfunction impacts your vagus nerve function, which directly affects your body’s ability to recover from stress and properly regulate all the systems involved in energy production.
Understanding the “3T’s” That Lead to Chronic Parental Exhaustion
The physical, chemical, and emotional stressors of parenting create what we call “The 3T’s” of nervous system stress that accumulates over time and manifests as chronic fatigue and brain fog.
Physical Stressors: Poor posture from carrying children, old injuries, or birth stress creates tension patterns that interfere with optimal nervous system function and energy regulation.
Chemical Stressors: Processed foods, environmental toxins, and even the constant cortisol from stress overload your body’s detox systems.
Emotional Stressors: Research indicates that two-thirds of parents experience a drop in relationship quality within three years of bringing their baby home, often linked to parental burnout.
Technology: Now adds a fourth dimension of stress, hijacking your brain’s focus and further dysregulating your nervous system.
The Brain-Gut Connection’s Critical Role in Your Energy Crisis
Your vagus nerve serves as the primary communication highway between your brain and digestive system, regulating digestive enzyme production, nutrient absorption, and gut microbiome health.
When subluxation and nervous system dysregulation are present, this delicate system becomes disrupted. Meaning you could be eating the perfect diet and taking all the right supplements, but your body can’t effectively convert that into usable energy.
This is why many parents with chronic fatigue also experience digestive issues like bloating, constipation, or food sensitivities. They’re different manifestations of the same underlying neurological dysfunction.
Addressing the neurological component is the missing piece that allows all your other healthy habits to finally work and deliver the energy you’ve been seeking.
Why Conventional Approaches to Energy Often Fall Short for Parents
The Band-Aid Solutions: Conventional approaches typically involve increased caffeine consumption and energy drinks that further stress your already overtaxed nervous system. Creating a dependency cycle without addressing the root cause.
Sleep Medications and Supplements: These may provide temporary relief but don’t address why your sleep isn’t restorative in the first place—your dysregulated nervous system.
The Dismissive Attitude: Most healthcare providers dismiss parental fatigue as “just part of being a parent,” missing the neurological dysfunction that keeps your body stuck in energy-depleting stress mode.
The Missing Link: Neurologically-Focused Approach
In contrast, neurologically-focused chiropractic care addresses the root causes of energy dysregulation in your nervous system. Restoring your body’s natural energy rhythms and reducing dependency on external stimulants.
This approach recognizes that your nervous system is the master regulator of your energy, focus, hormones, sleep, digestion—literally everything! And when it’s in constant “fight or flight” mode (hello, parenting!), no amount of rest, vitamins, or meditation can override it.
Chronic stress, birth trauma, screen time overload, relationship shifts, carrying toddlers around like kettlebells… it all adds up. These are the “3 T’s” we talk about: Trauma, Toxins, and Thoughts! And they silently push your nervous system into overdrive and burnout.
What Most Healthcare Providers Miss
What most healthcare providers miss is that this is neurological. Not just nutritional. Not just emotional. And definitely not just “being a tired parent.”
When subluxation, stress, and dysregulation build up in your nervous system, it throws off your vagus nerve, digestion, sleep cycles, hormone balance, metabolism… everything that fuels real energy. That’s why all the healthy habits in the world aren’t working.
Your Path Forward: From Surviving to Thriving
If you’re burnt out and spinning your wheels, it’s time to go deeper—to the nervous system. That’s where Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care comes in, and at RCW, this is our expertise!. It’s the missing link to finally getting your energy—and life—back.
If you’re ready to stop chasing surface-level solutions and get to the real root cause of your exhaustion, reach out to us today!
Parents, it’s time to stop surviving and start thriving. You deserve more than burnout. You deserve brain clarity, emotional balance, and energy that lasts.
Are you feeling frustrated or even disheartened because your child seemed to be making incredible progress with their neurological challenges, and then suddenly… everything stalled? Maybe you’ve even noticed some regression even. Behaviors returning that you thought were gone forever, sleep disruptions creeping back in, or emotional regulation challenges resurfacing.
If you’re wondering if the care plan is failing or if something’s wrong, we want you to take a deep breath and hear this: plateaus and even regressions are often a normal and necessary part of the healing process.
The neurological healing journey is rarely a straight line. In fact, it’s more like a rollercoaster with its fair share of ups, downs, and unexpected twists. But here’s the thing parents often miss – those plateaus aren’t signs of failure. They’re actually evidence that your child’s nervous system is working through deeper layers of dysfunction and adapting to a new level of organization.
You’re Not Alone in This Journey
As neurologically-focused chiropractors, we see this pattern daily in our practice. Nearly every parent who brings their child for care will experience what research refers to as “non-linear healing progress.” Research on neuroplasticity shows that the brain has the ability to reorganize itself, forming new connections and, in some instances, even generating new neurons.
Children typically experience periods of rapid advancement followed by consolidation phases where skills are integrated. The same pattern applies to neurological healing, where the “two steps forward, one step back” progression isn’t a failure. It’s actually the brain’s natural way of reorganizing and creating lasting change.
Understanding the Five Main Causes of Healing Plateaus
Let’s walk you through the most common reasons why your child might be experiencing a plateau, so you can understand what’s happening and feel confident moving forward.
1. Growth Spurts and Developmental Milestones
When your child is growing rapidly or mastering new developmental skills, their body’s energy and resources may be directed toward physical growth and neural integration. During growth spurts, your child’s body is working intensely to lay down new bone, muscle, and neural tissue. Requiring tremendous energy that may temporarily be diverted from other healing processes.
This can show up as:
- Increased moodiness
- Disrupted sleep patterns
- Temporary regression in other areas as their nervous system focuses on integrating these physical changes
Remember that these growth-related pauses are ultimately signs of progress, not setbacks. Each time your child’s nervous system successfully integrates a new skill, it becomes more resilient overall.
2. Immune Challenges and Their Healing Effects
Here’s something that might surprise you: fevers and illnesses aren’t simply obstacles to progress – they’re sophisticated neurological responses that can actually accelerate healing in the long run.
When a child has a fever, their immune system triggers the hypothalamus’s thermoregulatory center, leading to an increase in body temperature. This activates immune cells and creates an environment that’s inhospitable to pathogens. During this process, the nervous system diverts resources to orchestrate the immune response, which can temporarily manifest as lethargy, irritability, or a seeming disconnection.
But here’s the fascinating part: the fever process stimulates the release of neurotrophic factors. Special proteins that support neuronal growth and plasticity – potentially accelerating neurological development after recovery. This is why we often see major breakthroughs following an illness, though there may be a brief regression immediately after.
3. Environmental Factors: The Hidden Disruptors
Children with pre-existing neurological challenges often have nervous systems that are already dysregulated, making them more sensitive to environmental toxins. From pesticides and heavy metals in food to flame retardants in furniture and VOCs in cleaning products, these accumulated toxins can disrupt normal neurological function.
Mold exposure, whether from hidden leaks or poor ventilation, releases mycotoxins that can lead to cognitive impairments and neurological symptoms. These environmental stressors can contribute to temporary plateaus in progress as the body works to process and eliminate these substances.
4. Emotional Stress and Life Changes
Major transitions like starting a new school year or subtle shifts in family dynamics can trigger the sympathetic “fight or flight” response in children with neurological challenges. This stress response releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which can quickly become overwhelming for children with pre-existing nervous system dysregulation.
Over time, this chronic state of stress can contribute to developing subluxation – areas of dysfunction within the nervous system that further perpetuate the cycle of dysregulation. This is why we often see regressions during periods of change or high emotion. The nervous system is allocating resources to manage the perceived stress rather than continuing to make developmental progress.
5. Medication and Therapy Overload
Many medications are designed to suppress or override the symptoms rather than resolve the root cause of neurological dysfunction. They act like a “mute button” for symptoms the body is still struggling with underneath. When we begin true healing by restoring brain-body communication and balancing the nervous system, it’s like the body begins to “wake up” again, sometimes temporarily resurfacing underlying patterns.
The nervous system has a limited capacity, which is why we recommend prioritizing nervous system regulation first and then gradually layering in additional therapies.
What This Means for Your Family
At RCW, we understand that, most of the time, plateaus are simply one or more of these outside stressors putting a bit of a headwind in play. Once that stressor passes and your child builds up additional resilience and adaptability, they’ll blow right past it and be right back on the path to progress and breakthrough once again.
The key is understanding that healing is non-linear. It’s a lot of “two steps forward, one step back” at first! Growth spurts, immune stress, environmental toxins, emotional changes… all of these can cause temporary plateaus or even regression as your child’s nervous system works hard behind the scenes to integrate and level up.
Moving Forward with Confidence
That 3-week sleep regression, the return of meltdowns, the clinginess that came out of nowhere – it’s not a sign that care isn’t working. It’s actually one of the clearest signs that your child’s nervous system is unwinding and releasing! Just like cleaning out your closet or pantry, it gets a little messier before we can reorganize it all into pretty containers.
You’re doing better than you think, and their nervous system is too. Trust the process, stay consistent with your care plan, and remember that these apparent setbacks are often evidence of your child’s nervous system working through deeper layers and preparing for the next breakthrough.
If you are ready to take the next step in your child’s neurological healing journey, or if you’re experiencing these plateaus and want some guidance, please reach out to RCW today!
As a parent, watching your once full-of-life teenager transform into someone withdrawn, constantly overwhelmed, and struggling with anxiety or depression can be heart-wrenching. You’ve likely consulted various healthcare providers, tried different approaches, and perhaps even considered medication—yet your teen’s struggles continue.
What if we told you that the root cause might not be the “chemical imbalance” that most conventional doctors continue to blame these rapidly increasing teen challenges on?
The Crisis Our Teens Are Facing
The United States is facing an unprecedented mental health crisis among adolescents. According to recent CDC data, 44% of American high school students report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. Even more alarming, nearly one in three teenage girls report having seriously contemplated suicide—twice the rate of boys.
What’s particularly interesting is that during this same period of rising mental health challenges, we’ve seen some positive trends for young people. Including reduced alcohol consumption and fewer teen pregnancies. Yet anxiety and depression have continued to surge across all demographics.
Beyond the Chemical Imbalance Theory
While traditional medicine typically addresses these challenges with medications aimed at correcting presumed chemical imbalances, many parents find these approaches merely mask the symptoms rather than address underlying causes.
The truth is, the ‘chemical imbalance’ theory behind anxiety and depression isn’t as scientific or proven as most people believe.
What’s really happening? Our teens’ nervous systems are stuck in ‘fight or flight’ — constantly dysregulated, exhausted, and overwhelmed. They’re trapped in stress mode 24/7, often chasing constant stimulation just to cope.
Understanding the Neurological Foundation
From a neurological perspective, anxiety and depression are often connected to imbalances in the autonomic nervous system. Specifically between the sympathetic “fight or flight” response and the parasympathetic “rest and digest” functions.
This neurological imbalance, called dysautonomia, represents a crucial but often overlooked root cause that can leave teens stuck in a persistent state of stress and emotional dysregulation.
The Critical Role of the Vagus Nerve
The vagus nerve is the primary component of the parasympathetic nervous system and plays a crucial role in emotional regulation, stress recovery, and social connection.
This “wandering nerve” connects the brain to vital organs and helps regulate heart rate, breathing, digestion, inflammation, and emotional states.
Research shows that lower vagal tone is significantly linked to challenges in managing emotions and a heightened sensitivity to stress. Exactly what we see in teens with anxiety and depression.
When vagus nerve function is compromised due to subluxation and nervous system stress, it affects your teen’s ability to calm themselves, process emotions, and maintain balanced mood states.
The “Perfect Storm” Leading to Teen Mental Health Issues
This neurological dysfunction often begins early in life, what we call “The Perfect Storm”:
- Maternal stress during pregnancy can affect the developing fetal nervous system through stress hormones that cross the placental barrier.
- Birth interventions like forceps deliveries or C-sections can cause subtle injuries to the upper neck and brainstem regions. Potentially affecting the vagus nerve and leading to subluxation.
- Early childhood factors continue building the foundation for later challenges, including repeated infections, frequent antibiotic use, disrupting the gut-brain axis, environmental toxins, and physical injuries.
- Modern lifestyle factors significantly amplify these neurological imbalances. Including digital technology, sleep disruption, decreased physical activity, and poor nutrition affecting the gut microbiome and vagal function.
Many researchers have noted that the sharp rise in teen mental health issues coincided with the widespread adoption of smartphones around 2012, pointing to digital technology as a significant factor—but the full picture is much more complex and begins much earlier in life.
Recognizing Signs of Nervous System Dysfunction in Your Teen
If your teen is struggling, look for these signs that may indicate neurological imbalance:
- Physical signs like sleep disturbances, appetite changes, digestive issues, continually getting sick, fatigue + exhaustion, and restlessness often reflect an underlying neurological imbalance.
- Emotional indicators such as persistent sadness, excessive worry, irritability, and loss of interest stem from an autonomic nervous system stuck in sympathetic dominance.
- Behavioral changes including social withdrawal, declining academic performance, and increased sensitivity to criticism frequently signal nervous system dysregulation rather than just “typical teen behavior.”
There Is Hope: Finding the Root Cause
Simply put – it’s NOT easy being a teen in today’s crazy world.
Thankfully, teens have a remarkable ability to bounce back and become resilient, adaptable, and joyful once again! The teen brain and nervous system are going through so many changes all at once, and once we get the stuck sympathetic stress, tension, subluxation, and exhaustion out of the way for them – it’s programmed for healing + recovery!
At RCW, we use advanced technology, called INSiGHT Scans, which can help us identify specific areas of dysregulation and dysautonomia and provide critical insights into your teen’s autonomic function.
Based on these assessments, we can then create personalized care plans, including specialized approaches designed to release excessive sympathetic “fight or flight” activity while stimulating the vagus nerve and parasympathetic function.
By addressing these neurological imbalances, we help restore proper communication pathways between the brain and body, creating the physiological foundation for improved emotional health and mood regulation.
Renewed Hope for Parents
Parents often tell us they feel renewed hope after learning about this nervous system-focused approach to healing! They’re relieved to discover there’s a different path they can take. One that doesn’t rely on potentially dangerous medications with long-term side effects, but instead focuses on restoring proper function to the systems that naturally regulate mood, stress, and emotional well-being.
If your teen is struggling with anxiety or depression, it’s likely their nervous system is imbalanced and dysregulated – and there is hope for healing. The teen brain is remarkably resilient when given the right support. So please don’t wait to reach out to RCW to schedule a consultation today!
Your teen’s story isn’t over. There’s so much healing ahead. Let’s take the first step together.
Have you ever noticed how your baby seems perfectly content in your arms, but the moment someone else holds them, the waterworks begin? Or how does your little one somehow sense when you’re stressed and respond in kind? Or why healthcare providers prioritize skin-to-skin contact right after birth?
It’s not a coincidence—it’s co-regulation. And it might just be the most powerful tool in your parenting toolkit.
We want to share with you the absolute best hack when it comes to soothing a colicky baby, bringing down a fever naturally, and even boosting your milk supply. Would you believe it’s all the same approach?
What Is Co-Regulation (And Why It’s Your Parenting Superpower)
Let us let you in on a little secret: your nervous system controls everything, and your baby’s nervous system is deliberately underdeveloped at birth. This isn’t a design flaw—it’s by design! Babies need their parents to help regulate, calm, and nurture them.
Your calm presence isn’t just emotionally comforting—it actually provides the neurological pattern your baby’s developing brain needs to learn regulation. When you hold your baby close, their heart rate, breathing patterns, and stress hormone levels literally synchronize with yours. It’s a beautiful biological dance that sets the foundation for lifelong health and emotional well-being.
The first three years of life represent a critical period for brain development, with more than 1 million new neural connections formed every second. Studies clearly show that babies receiving regular skin-to-skin contact have better temperature regulation, improved breastfeeding success, and significantly less crying.
This is all called co-regulation, and it truly is the best “hack” when it comes to anything baby-related!
Understanding the Nervous System Connection
Think of your nervous system like a car:
- Your sympathetic system is the gas pedal—revving up your heart rate and stress hormones when you perceive danger or stress.
- Your parasympathetic system (primarily activated by the vagus nerve) is the brake pedal—slowing things down and promoting relaxation.
Your baby is remarkably aware of your nervous system state. They’re not reading your words or even your intentions—they’re picking up on subtle cues through your facial expressions, voice tone, heart rate, breathing pattern, and the quality of your touch.
When you’re stressed, your baby often becomes stressed too. When you’re calm, your baby can borrow your calmness until they develop their own regulation skills.
Why Co-Regulation Doesn’t Always Come Naturally
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, co-regulation doesn’t seem to work. Your baby remains fussy despite your cuddles, or you find yourself struggling to maintain the calm your baby needs.
This isn’t your fault! Several factors can create a “perfect storm” that affects co-regulation:
- Fertility struggles and the stress they bring
- High maternal stress during pregnancy (which floods the developing baby with stress hormones through the umbilical cord)
- Birth interventions like C-sections, forceps, and vacuum extraction that can create physical tension in the delicate neurospinal structures of both mother and baby
This physical tension can cause subluxation—areas of neurological dysfunction that interfere with proper nerve communication. Particularly affecting the vagus nerve and autonomic balance.
Without addressing these root neurological issues, babies don’t simply “grow out” of regulation challenges. They often “grow into” other health challenges like sensory issues, digestive problems, and emotional regulation difficulties.
How Neurologically-Focused Care Can Help
When co-regulation isn’t happening naturally, Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care can help restore balance to both your nervous systems:
- Comprehensive neurological scans (INSiGHT Scans) can objectively measure nervous system function in both mother and baby
- Gentle adjustments address areas of subluxation and restore proper neurological function
- As neurological function improves and vagus nerve function is restored, dramatic improvements often follow in sleep patterns, feeding behaviors, emotional regulation, and overall contentment
The Journey Forward
The journey of motherhood is absolutely amazing and such a blessing… but that doesn’t mean it isn’t hard sometimes! You’re not meant to do this alone, and seeking support isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a sign of wisdom.
Co-regulation isn’t just a parenting technique; it’s a biological necessity for your baby’s developing nervous system. By understanding and nurturing this connection, you’re giving your child the neurological foundation for lifelong health and emotional well-being.
At RCW, we understand that your ability to co-regulate improves when your whole family’s nervous systems are functioning optimally. When everyone is regulated, the ripple effect creates a harmonious environment where your baby can thrive.
If you’re ready to take the first step and schedule a consultation, please don’t wait and reach out to us today!
You already have everything you need to be the calming force in your baby’s life. Trust your instincts, honor the power of your connection, and remember that in those moments when your baby finds peace in your arms, you’re not just soothing them—you’re literally shaping their developing brain in the most beautiful way possible.
Now that’s a superpower worth celebrating!
As a brand new parent, you want to give your newborn the absolute best start in life. You’re carefully selecting the safest car seat, researching the most nutritious feeding options, and creating the perfect sleep environment. But what many parents don’t realize is that even the most “normal” birth process puts tremendous physical stress on your baby’s delicate body. Particularly their brainstem, neck, and nervous system.
Birth Is More Physically Demanding Than We Realize
In the United States, nearly 1 in 3 deliveries now end in C-sections. Beyond that, many births involve other interventions like induction, forceps or vacuum delivery, and various forms of manual assistance. The numbers are quite staggering once you look closely at what’s happening in labor and delivery rooms across developed countries.
But it’s not just birth interventions that can cause concern. Even in natural, intervention-free births, the physical stress of labor and delivery places significant pressure on an infant’s spine and delicate nervous system. This pressure can lead to subtle birth trauma and neurological interference caused by misalignments, also known as subluxation, which may impact your child’s development, nervous system regulation, and overall health from the very beginning.
Understanding Those Challenging First Weeks
Those first few weeks with your newborn can be challenging if you are dealing with constant crying, difficulty nursing, sleep struggles, reflux, or colic. While conventional medicine often dismisses these as “normal baby problems” that they’ll eventually outgrow, these signs may actually be indicating underlying neurological dysfunction that can be addressed.
In a study from the American Osteopathic Association, subluxation or “somatic dysfunction” was found in 99% of healthy newborns. The severity and incidence of these biomechanical challenges within the spine and cranial system increase with longer labor times and the use of birth interventions.
This statistic may seem staggering, especially considering that conventional pediatricians typically have no training in identifying or addressing these issues. Even children born naturally without intervention can benefit massively from an early life chiropractic check-up that looks for subluxation and nervous system dysfunction.
Why Early Detection Matters
The reason it can be beneficial to find subluxation early is that it not only can cause immediate issues with latching, nursing, digestion, sleeping, and soothing—but they are NOT something your child will simply “grow out of.” Due to their location within the nervous system and brainstem regions, they commonly begin to affect various aspects of growth and development as time goes on—most notably interfering with gross motor development, fine motor skills, speech, and other developmental milestones.
The Science Behind Birth-Related Subluxation
Infants Cannot Protect Their Delicate Spine
What makes birth trauma particularly concerning is that newborns have no motor or muscular control developed yet, so they can’t protect themselves during the birth process. This significantly increases the likelihood and severity of neck and brainstem injuries from birth intervention.
Understanding Subluxation in Newborns
Subluxation in your baby’s neurospinal system has three key components:
- Misalignment within the neurospinal system, which can lead to issues like difficulty latching, torticollis (neck tightness), and plagiocephaly (flat spots on the head).
- Fixation and restricted motion. Movement is essential for a developing infant as it provides the brain with proprioception—when subluxation creates fixation, it reduces this vital input to the brain.
- Neurological interference and imbalance, which disrupts proper communication between the brain and body.
The Critical Role of the Brainstem and Upper Neck
All motor tone and development for the entire body is controlled and coordinated by the cerebellum, brainstem, and upper cervical region of the spinal cord. It functions like an “air traffic control” center. When the nerves and muscles of the upper neck and spine are compromised in the first moments of life, all motor development downstream is negatively affected.
And remember—motor development equals brain development in infants.
The Vagus Nerve Connection
The upper neck and brainstem region, the area most affected by birth trauma, houses the vagus nerve—the primary controller of your baby’s parasympathetic “rest, digest, and regulate” nervous system.
When birth trauma creates subluxation in this area, it can significantly disrupt vagus nerve function, leading to dysautonomia (imbalance in the autonomic nervous system). This disruption can affect virtually every major system in your baby’s body: digestive function (colic, reflux, constipation), sleep regulation, immune response, emotional regulation, and developmental milestones.
Common “Normal Baby Problems” That Signal Neurological Dysfunction
What if those common challenges aren’t just phases to endure but actual signs of a nervous system under stress?
- Colic and excessive crying aren’t just “phases” but often manifestations of a stressed nervous system struggling to regulate itself.
- Breastfeeding difficulties frequently stem from upper cervical subluxation affecting the cranial nerves that control sucking, swallowing, and other precise movements.
- Reflux and digestive issues often occur when vagus nerve dysfunction disrupts normal digestive motility.
- Sleep disturbances happen when a subluxated nervous system stuck in sympathetic dominance makes it difficult for babies to relax into deep, restorative sleep.
- Early developmental delays can occur when subluxation restricts normal movement patterns that stimulate proper neurological development.
The Gentle Approach of Pediatric Chiropractic Care
Unlike the adjustments you might picture for adults, newborn adjustments are incredibly gentle—using no more pressure than you would to test the ripeness of a tomato or press on your closed eyelid.
These precise, gentle techniques are specifically designed to release tension patterns and restore proper nervous system communication, allowing your baby’s body to function optimally.
We use advanced technology like INSiGHT Scans to identify precise areas of nervous system stress, allowing for highly specific and individualized care plans tailored to your baby’s unique needs.
Setting the Foundation for Lifelong Health
The first year of your baby’s life represents an extraordinary period of development. During this time, their brain will more than double in size and form more than a million new neural connections every second. These early patterns establish the foundation that will influence their health and development for years to come.
By ensuring that your baby’s nervous system is functioning optimally from the very beginning, you’re not just addressing immediate challenges like colic, reflux, or sleep issues—you’re setting them up for a lifetime of improved health, stronger immunity, better regulation, and optimal development.
Taking Proactive Action
Don’t wait until those “normal baby problems” become chronic issues. You can take a proactive approach to your child’s health by scheduling consultation at RCW with one of our neurologically-focused pediatric chiropractors as soon as possible after birth.
A comprehensive assessment will include a detailed health history, gentle physical examination, and advanced neurological scans to identify areas of nervous system stress.
We know that taking care of your newborn baby can be the most exciting AND nerve-racking time of your life! By considering neurologically-focused chiropractic care, you’re taking an important step toward giving your baby the best possible start—one where their nervous system can function optimally from day one, allowing them to grow, develop, and thrive as nature intended.
Let us guess… your child doesn’t just have one speed.
One moment, they’re bouncing off the walls — shouting, spinning, climbing on furniture, and melting down when something doesn’t go their way.
The next moment? They’re completely zoned out and disconnected. Blank stare. Can’t follow instructions. It’s like they’re in the room… but not really there.
You’ve tried the parenting books, the behavior and reward charts, maybe even medications — and still, you’re left asking – Why is my child like this?
And more importantly… How do I actually help them?
Looking Beyond the Labels to Find Real Answers
Here’s the truth that most traditional approaches miss: what we label as ADHD or ADD is often just the tip of the iceberg. Underneath those labels are two very different nervous system patterns – what we call “stuck on the gas pedal” and “stuck on the brake pedal.”
Understanding these patterns helps us make sense of not just the symptoms and everyday challenges, but most importantly, the nervous system dysregulation that’s actually causing them.
Two Sides of the Same Coin
The “Gas Pedal” ADHD Type
This child is stuck in “on” mode – flooded with energy, impulsivity, and big emotions that can’t be controlled. They’re constantly moving, talking, fidgeting, and struggling to slow down. Traditional approaches often focus solely on “managing” these behaviors rather than understanding why they’re happening.
The “Brake Pedal” ADD Type
This child is often shut down, exhausted, foggy, slow to process, and overwhelmed by everything around them. They may appear “lazy” or unmotivated when in reality, their nervous system is struggling to engage properly. This type was formerly known as ADD but is now classified as predominantly inattentive ADHD in modern diagnostic terms.
What’s fascinating – and what many parents don’t realize – is how often these patterns evolve into each other over time. The hyperactive child can develop attention issues as they become frustrated with academic challenges, while the inattentive child can become hyperactive from the built-up stress and anxiety of constantly struggling.
The Concerning Reality of Current Approaches
According to the CDC, an estimated 7 million children in the United States have been diagnosed with ADHD. Approximately 3.5 million of these children (about 69%) are currently prescribed medication for the condition.
While medications work for some children, they often come with concerning side effects:
- Sleep problems and insomnia
- Appetite suppression
- Emotional dysregulation and irritability
- Anxiety and nervousness
- Tics or involuntary movements
- Persistent headaches
- Stomach pain and nausea
- Increased blood pressure and heart rate
- Social withdrawal or “zombie-like” behavior
Most importantly, these medications do not address the root cause — which is often a stressed, dysregulated nervous system. This can lead to a cycle of chasing symptoms, adjusting dosages, or adding more medications to address side effects.
Understanding the True Neurological Roots
At the core of both ADHD presentations lies a complex interplay of neurological factors that impact a child’s ability to regulate attention, behavior, and emotions.
The three key elements we find most often are:
- Subluxation & Sympathetic Dominance: Misalignments, tension, and restricted mobility within the neurospinal system that interfere with how the brain and body communicate. These physical disruptions, often stemming from birth trauma or early injuries, create “noise” in the nervous system.
- Nervous System Dysregulation & Dysautonomia: When subluxation persists, it throws the autonomic nervous system out of balance, often leaving children stuck in a heightened “fight or flight” response that makes calm focus nearly impossible.
- Vagus Nerve Dysfunction: The vagus nerve is essential for activating the “rest and regulate” parasympathetic response. When it’s not functioning properly, children struggle to regulate emotions, attention, and behavior.
Hope, Healing, and Transformation Are Possible
Your child isn’t broken. They don’t need more labels. They need answers. They need understanding. And they need a care plan that finally gets it right.
The best part? We can actually measure what’s happening in your child’s nervous system using specialized scans. These Neurological INSiGHT Scans don’t just label — they measure and map out what’s causing the chaos, so a customized, drug-free care plan can be created to help your child calm their brain, regain focus, and thrive.
From Struggle to Superpower
Here’s what every parent needs to know:
Millions of kids today are either struggling with undiagnosed ADHD — or have a diagnosis but are still stuck in the same cycle of symptoms, side effects, and little to no progress.
That’s because most ADHD tests and treatment plans stop at surface-level symptoms. They label the child… but don’t look deeper into the real root cause.
True ADHD struggles begin in the brain and nervous system. And unless we measure what’s happening under the surface, we miss the most important part.
When your child is locked in stress mode neurologically, no amount of behavior charts, medications, or consequences can bring lasting change. But when we help restore balance to the nervous system? Focus can improve. Meltdowns can decrease. Sleep stabilizes. And what was once seen as a disorder can become a superpower.
Taking the Next Step
If you’re tired of guessing… tired of medications that don’t work… or tired of watching your child struggle without answers — it’s time to look deeper. It’s time to turn your child’s struggle into their greatest strength.
At RCW, we take the time to find the root cause that can help your child heal safely and naturally.
Remember: Understanding which kind of pedal your child’s brain is stuck on is the first step in finding the right solution. With the right approach, your child’s unique brain can become their greatest asset rather than their biggest challenge.
