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Are you exhausted from the daily mealtime battles with your picky eater? If you’ve tried hiding vegetables in smoothies, created elaborate reward charts, or found yourself negotiating “just one more bite” at every meal, you’re not alone. As a parent, these struggles can leave you feeling frustrated, worried, and sometimes even like you’re failing.
But what if we told you that your child’s picky eating likely isn’t really about the food at all?
Beyond Behavior: Understanding What’s Really Happening
Studies show that up to 22% of children are classified as picky eaters, with 40% remaining picky for two years or longer. While most healthcare providers suggest waiting it out or trying various behavioral approaches, they’re often missing a crucial piece of the puzzle: the nervous system connection.
The truth is, picky eating frequently has less to do with stubbornness or behavior and more to do with an overwhelmed nervous system.
Let us share a story that might sound familiar. Leo’s family faced significant challenges with his eating habits — there were many days when he wouldn’t eat at all. His mom felt completely helpless, especially when their pediatrician kept saying he would “grow out of it.” They tried speech and eating therapy but saw little progress.
Everything changed when they discovered that Leo’s nervous system was overwhelmed. Once they addressed this root cause, Leo’s sensory skills improved dramatically, his meltdowns decreased, and he began eating regularly. He transformed from a struggling picky eater to a thriving, happy toddler.
The Nervous System Connection
To understand what leads to picky eating, we need to look deeper at what’s happening neurologically:
Sympathetic Dominance: When Your Child’s Body is in “Fight or Flight”
Your child’s picky eating likely stems from a neurological state called “sympathetic dominance” — where their nervous system is stuck in a constant “fight or flight” mode. This creates several challenges:
- Sensory overload makes normal food textures, smells, and tastes feel overwhelming or even threatening
- A stressed nervous system actually programs the brain to crave simple carbs and sugars that can be quickly converted to energy
- What seems like a normal mealtime to you feels like a battlefield to your child’s body and brain
The Three Root Causes of Picky Eating
1. Sensory Processing Challenges
When there’s stress or subluxation in the upper neck and brainstem regions, it creates nervous system imbalance. This leads to heightened sensitivity to food textures, temperatures, and tastes.
What might seem like a normal food texture to you can feel extremely uncomfortable or even painful to your child. That soggy cereal or slightly lumpy yogurt isn’t just unappealing — it might trigger a genuine sensory aversion.
2. Vagus Nerve Dysfunction
The vagus nerve is crucial as it controls digestion, appetite regulation, and the gut-brain connection. When this nerve isn’t functioning optimally, it disrupts natural eating patterns.
This can cause digestive discomfort, making children associate eating with unpleasant experiences. No wonder they become hesitant at mealtimes!
3. Oral-Motor Coordination Issues
Proper neural connections affecting the cranial and cervical areas impact chewing and swallowing abilities. When these aren’t working efficiently, children often prefer soft, simple-to-eat foods.
The struggle with certain textures isn’t stubbornness — it’s a physical challenge requiring proper neurological support. When your child says they “can’t” eat something, they might be telling the literal truth.
Why Traditional Approaches Often Fall Short
Now it becomes clear why hiding vegetables, using reward charts, or creating mealtime rules often don’t create lasting change. These approaches focus on behavior modification without addressing the underlying neurological causes.
It’s like trying to teach someone to swim while they’re actively drowning — they can’t learn new skills until they feel safe.
A Different Approach: Supporting Your Child’s Nervous System
Understanding these neurological connections is the first step toward real, lasting change!
Remember Leo’s story? His transformation didn’t happen overnight, but addressing the root cause — nervous system dysfunction — made all the difference. His mom went from feeling helpless to empowered, and mealtimes transformed from battlegrounds to bonding time.
At Rochester Chiropractic and Wellness we use advanced INSiGHT scanning technology to identify specific areas of nervous system subluxation that might be contributing to your child’s picky eating. Our gentle precise adjustments help restore nervous system function, allowing your child’s natural eating instincts to emerge.
Don’t let another meal end in tears and frustration. With the right support and understanding, your child can develop a healthier relationship with food, and your family can enjoy peaceful mealtimes together.
As an expecting parent, you’re likely surrounded by advice about baby registries, prenatal yoga classes, folate supplements, and which stroller to buy. While all these preparations are important and exciting, there’s something even more fundamental that deserves your attention first: your nervous system. In America, we’re often encouraged to focus on the material aspects of pregnancy preparation, but the health of your nervous system should be your #1 priority.
Why? Because your nervous system controls every cell, tissue, and organ in your body, it directly impacts your baby’s development, too.
Your Baby Feels Everything You Feel
Did you know that your baby’s nervous system begins developing just 3-4 weeks after conception? That’s often before many women even realize they’re pregnant! This early nervous system development sets the foundation for everything else—from organ development to immune system function.
But here’s what’s truly fascinating: the umbilical cord isn’t just delivering nutrients and oxygen to your baby. It’s essentially the power cord connecting your nervous systems. This means:
- When you experience stress, your body releases hormones that cross directly to your baby through the umbilical cord and placenta
- Your baby experiences everything you experience, from moments of calm to periods of stress
- Your emotional state directly influences your baby’s developing nervous system
Modern Life and Pregnancy Stress
Today’s pregnant mothers face more sustained, chronic stress than ever before. Between work demands, family responsibilities, financial pressures, and even the constant monitoring and testing of traditional prenatal care, it’s easy to become overwhelmed.
This sustained stress can shift both you and your baby into what we call “sympathetic dominance”—essentially a state of constant fight-or-flight. When your body stays in this stressed state, it can affect:
- Your sleep quality
- Your mood and emotional wellbeing
- Your physical comfort during pregnancy
- Your baby’s development
- Your birth experience
Gabriella’s Story: From Overwhelmed to Empowered
Let us share a story that might resonate with you. Gabriella came to our office around 30 weeks pregnant, initially because she had experienced some falls. Her scans showed what we often see—her nervous system was stuck in “fight or flight” mode, leaving her exhausted and overwhelmed.
“I instantly regretted not starting sooner,” Gabriella told us about beginning care. After getting her nervous system checked and starting a personalized care plan, she experienced dramatic improvements. Not only did her physical pain decrease, but her mood swings, anxiety, and energy levels changed significantly.
In her own words: “My anxiety, depression, brain fog, and back pain have improved so much… I wake up energized and ready to start my hectic days, when before I dragged my feet. Overall it has been such a blessing.”
Measuring and Understanding Your Nervous System
The good news is that we now have technology that can measure nervous system function. Heart Rate Variability (HRV) scans show us exactly how your nervous system is handling stress and where you might be stuck in fight-or-flight mode.
These non-invasive scans allow us to create personalized care plans specific to your needs and your baby’s development stage. Think of it as a window into how your body is handling the stress of pregnancy—and a roadmap for bringing things back into balance.
How Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care Helps
Specific adjustments can help activate your vagus nerve and parasympathetic nervous system—your body’s “rest and digest” mode. This helps shift your body out of stress mode and into a state of healing and optimal development.
Regular care helps maintain this balance throughout your pregnancy journey, providing benefits such as:
- Reduced physical discomfort
- Better sleep quality
- Decreased anxiety and mood swings
- More energy for daily activities
- Optimal conditions for your baby’s development
- Better preparation for labor and delivery
Your Pregnancy Doesn’t Have to Be Nine Months of Stress
Just like Gabriella discovered, pregnancy doesn’t have to be nine months of stress and anxiety. You have the power to transform your pregnancy experience and optimize your baby’s development through understanding and caring for your nervous system.
The first step is getting your nervous system checked with advanced HRV technology. This simple, non-invasive scan can tell us exactly what’s happening with your nervous system and help create a personalized care plan for you and your baby.
Don’t wait until you’re exhausted and overwhelmed like so many parents do. Imagine waking up with energy, feeling connected to your baby, and actually enjoying your pregnancy instead of just surviving it.
Remember what Gabriella said: “Never would have thought chiropractic care would make such a huge impact on me and my family’s lives.” Your transformation story can start today.
Taking the First Step
If you’re pregnant or planning to be in the future, don’t wait to reach out to RCW to schedule a consultation and Neurological INSiGHT Scan.
Your baby experiences everything you experience. By focusing on your nervous system health, you’re giving your baby the best possible start in life—beginning before they even take their first breath.
As a parent, watching your child struggle with chronic health issues can feel like being trapped in an endless maze. You’ve tried everything – special diets, medications, supplements, various therapies – yet the breakthrough you’re desperately seeking remains elusive. If this resonates with you, you’re not alone, and more importantly, there’s hope.
When “Trying Everything” Still Isn’t Enough
Let me share a story that might sound familiar. Hannah was just 11 years old when her family found themselves at their wit’s end. Diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, she battled daily with nausea, headaches, digestive issues, chronic fatigue, anxiety, and depression. Her family had explored countless options: special diets, supplements, medications – even chemotherapy. Nothing provided lasting relief, and Hannah had reached such a low point that she felt empty and didn’t want to live anymore.
This scenario plays out all too often for families dealing with various conditions, from Autism and ADHD to Epilepsy, PANS/PANDAS, allergies, and asthma. Parents exhaust both traditional medical routes and alternative therapies, yet their children continue to struggle.
The Missing Piece of the Puzzle
There’s a crucial piece of the healing puzzle that most healthcare practitioners – both traditional and alternative – often overlook entirely.
It’s not about finding the next treatment or therapy; it’s about understanding the proper sequence of healing.
The Foundation: Your Child’s Nervous System
Think of your child’s body like a house. The nervous system is the foundation, developed first in the womb and controlling every other bodily function:
- Gut health and immune function
- Sensory processing and speech
- Motor development
- Emotional and behavioral regulation
- Focus and cognition
When this foundation is compromised, it’s like building a beautiful house on unstable ground. You can invest in the finest furniture, most advanced security systems, and gorgeous decorations, but if the foundation is cracked, nothing will function as intended.
Understanding the “Perfect Storm”
Three key factors often contribute to nervous system dysfunction:
- Pregnancy Stress Impact: High levels of stress during pregnancy can affect the developing nervous system
- Birth Interventions: C-sections, forceps, vacuum extraction, and other interventions can create physical trauma to the brainstem and vagus nerve
- Early Environmental Factors: Early exposure to antibiotics and environmental toxins can trigger inflammation and compromise the system further
Why Traditional Approaches May Fall Short
When we try to address “brain-based” issues without first stabilizing the nervous system, it’s like trying to repair a roof while the foundation is still shifting. This explains why many children show minimal improvement despite trying numerous interventions – we’re working in the wrong order.
The body follows a specific developmental sequence:
- Nervous system
- Motor system
- Gut and immune health
- Brain function
A New Path Forward: Neurologically-Focused Care
This is where neurologically-focused chiropractic care comes in. Unlike traditional medical treatments that might only address symptoms, this approach:
- Identifies and addresses subluxation, or nervous system dysfunction, that standard medical tests might miss
- Uses specialized neurological scans to pinpoint areas of concern
- Provides gentle adjustments to help restore proper nervous system function
- Creates an environment where other therapies can work more effectively
Hannah’s Breakthrough
Remember Hannah? Everything changed when she discovered neurologically-focused chiropractic care. After her very first adjustment, she experienced immediate relief – sleeping through the night, feeling less nauseous, and regaining her appetite. Today, she’s not just surviving; she’s thriving.
Taking the First Step
If you’re feeling exhausted from trying everything without success, have faith that this might just be the missing foundational piece in your child’s healing journey.
At RCW, the journey starts with understanding your child’s unique needs through specialized neurological assessments. These INSiGHT Scans can reveal if nervous system dysregulation might be holding your child back from complete healing, and if so, we can create a personalized path forward.
Your Next Steps
- Get Assessed: Schedule a consultation and INSiGHT Scans to identify areas of subluxation and understand your child’s specific needs
- Start with the Foundation: Address any nervous system dysfunction with gentle adjustments before adding other interventions
- Build Systematically: Work with your healthcare provider to develop a sequential healing plan
- Stay Hopeful: Remember that healing is possible when we address the root cause
So often, the breakthrough you’re looking for starts with going back to the foundation and building from there. Your child’s healing journey might not be a straight line, but with the right approach and proper sequence, lasting improvement is absolutely possible.
As a parent of a child with autism, you’ve likely found yourself wondering about those repetitive movements – the hand flapping, rocking, or specific sounds your child makes. Perhaps you’ve received well-meaning but misguided advice to suppress these behaviors or been told “they’ll grow out of it.”
Today, let’s explore the real root cause and deeper neurological story behind stimming that most healthcare providers miss, and how understanding it could transform your approach to supporting your child. Realizing how stimming connects to nervous system dysfunction reveals a powerful truth: addressing your child’s underlying sensory tension can help them and your whole family find relief.
The Hidden Purpose of Stimming
Let me share a story about a young girl who came to our clinic with repetitive nodding movements. Her mom noticed these movements would intensify when she felt stressed or anxious. Described how they seemed to help with the “butterflies in her stomach.” After unsuccessful medical interventions and facing the prospect of medication, her mother’s intuition told her there had to be another explanation.
Through advanced neurological scanning, called INSiGHT Scans, we discovered what many had missed – her nervous system was stuck in a state of stress and dysfunction, creating these movements as a vital self-regulation tool.
This discovery reflects a broader truth: stimming isn’t just a quirky behavior to eliminate – it’s your child’s nervous system attempting to find balance. Research shows that 80% of adults with autism report that stimming helps reduce their anxiety and provides essential calming effects. These movements serve as a coping mechanism for an overwhelmed nervous system stuck in nonstop sympathetic “fight or flight” mode.
The Science Behind the Movement
To truly understand stimming, we need to look at three key neurological factors:
- Autonomic Nervous System Imbalance: At the core of stimming lies a condition called dysautonomia. Where the sympathetic “fight or flight” system becomes overactive, while the parasympathetic “rest and digest” system is underactive. This imbalance leaves children stuck in a state of constant stress and sensory overload.
- Subluxation and Proprioception: A crucial piece of the puzzle involves something called subluxation. A combination of joint dysfunction and decreased proprioception (your body’s awareness of movement and position in space). When this system isn’t working optimally, it reduces the calming, regulating input your child’s brain needs. Stimming becomes their way of compensating for this deficit.
- Sensory Processing Connection: Subluxation, particularly in the upper cervical spine, can interfere with how the brain processes sensory information. This leads to sensory overload, prompting stimming as a self-soothing response. It’s your child’s creative solution to an overwhelming sensory world.
The Role of the Vagus Nerve
The vagus nerve plays a crucial role in this story. This important nerve helps activate the body’s “rest, regulate, and digest” functions. When it’s not functioning well due to nervous system stress, children can get stuck in fight-or-flight mode, leading to increased anxiety and repetitive behaviors.
A Natural Path Forward
While traditional approaches often focus on suppressing stimming, modern neuroscience shows us a better way. Through neurologically-focused care, we can:
- Regulate the Sensory Processing System: By addressing nervous system interference and restoring balance, we can help your child’s brain process sensory input more efficiently, naturally reducing the need for constant stimming.
- Support Emotional Regulation: When the nervous system is overwhelmed, children may struggle to manage emotions. Leading to increased stimming during moments of anxiety, frustration, or excitement. By addressing root causes, we can improve your child’s ability to self-regulate emotionally.
- Activate Natural Calming Responses: By supporting proper vagus nerve function, we can help activate your child’s natural calming responses. Reducing the constant state of fight-or-flight that often drives stimming behaviors.
While neurologically-focused chiropractic care isn’t aimed at eliminating stimming altogether, addressing the underlying nervous system stress can help reduce its frequency and intensity. Families often report that as their child’s nervous system becomes more regulated, they see improvements in:
- Sensory processing
- Emotional balance
- Overall quality of life
- Ability to engage in daily activities
- Communication and interaction
Moving Forward
Understanding stimming as a window into your child’s nervous system function can transform your approach to supporting their development. Rather than viewing it as a problem to fix, see it as valuable information – your child’s way of telling you their nervous system needs support. And we want to help!
Remember, every child’s journey is unique, but understanding these underlying neurological factors helps you become better equipped to make informed choices about supporting your child’s development and well-being. Your child’s stimming isn’t random – it’s purposeful. By addressing the root causes, we can help your child find better balance and thrive in their own unique way.
In the world of neurologically-focused chiropractic care, healing is a process that happens in phases. As neurologically-focused pediatric + family Chiropractors, we emphasize the importance of observing Neurological Soft Signs of Healing early in care. These are the subtle yet critical indicators that show a child’s nervous system is beginning to recover, even before the more obvious changes in behavior or health occur.
While parents may understandably look for major breakthroughs—such as improved speech and communication, reduced seizures, or significant behavioral changes—it’s important to recognize that neurological healing starts with foundational shifts in the body.
Neurologically-focused chiropractic care addresses the root cause of nervous system dysfunction, often caused by subluxation, dysautonomia, or a “Perfect Storm” of early stressors. As the nervous system begins to rebalance, there are several early signs that indicate the body is on the right track.
Want to go deeper on this topic? Listen to this episode on The Experience Miracles Podcast, where Dr. Tony covers the subtle yet critical indicators that show a child’s nervous system is beginning to heal, even before major symptoms improve.
What Are Neurological Soft Signs of Healing?
These soft signs are the early and often subtle changes that reflect improved nervous system function. They serve as a key indication that chiropractic adjustments are helping to restore neurological balance and resilience.
Some of the most common Neurological Soft Signs include:
- Improved Sleep Patterns: One of the earliest indicators is better sleep. A child may fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and wake up more rested.
- Better Digestion and Bowel Movements: Many children who begin care show improvements in digestion and bowel regulation, which can manifest as more regular bowel movements or a reduction in digestive discomfort.
- Improved Respiratory and Immune Function: Children may experience fewer illnesses, recover more quickly from colds and congestion, and show less susceptibility to respiratory issues and infections.
- Better Posture and Muscle Tone: As subluxations are corrected, parents may notice that their child’s posture improves, with less head tilting, more relaxed shoulders, and better overall body coordination.
- Reduced Sensory Overload: Children with sensory processing challenges often start to experience less hypersensitivity to stimuli, such as noise, lights, or textures. Things like brushing their teeth, wearing different clothes, trying new foods, or getting a haircut become much easier.
- More Calm and Focused Behavior: Another soft sign of healing is when children begin to show more emotional regulation, less anxiety, and an ability to focus better in school or during therapy sessions.
Why Are Soft Signs Important?
These signs indicate that the central and autonomic nervous systems are starting to reset and reorganize, allowing the body to regulate better. By recognizing these small victories, parents can feel confident that their child is progressing, even if more significant behavioral or brain-based changes take time.
We emphasize that soft signs are part of the process of neurological restoration and a foundation for more noticeable transformations down the road. These initial improvements pave the way for more advanced healing, such as better communication, motor skills, and emotional regulation.
How Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care Supports Healing
Chiropractic adjustments work to remove the neurological interference caused by subluxation and neurological dysfunction, allowing the brain and body to communicate effectively. When the nervous system is restored and back in balance, the body can begin to heal itself naturally. The soft signs are the body’s way of signaling that it is adapting and regaining function, leading to long-term health improvements.
Foundational Basics Before Brain-Based Advanced Therapies
While most medical and even often holistic providers believe that common neurological conditions like Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, Anxiety, and Epilepsy especially are “brain-based” problems, and therefore all treatments and care options must aggressively and directly target the brain, the truth is most of these conditions have their roots in the body or more “basics” of functions that are thrown off track first.
The motor system, sensory system, digestive system, respiratory system, immune system, and other “bodily basic functions” are essential and foundational to having a healthy brian and overall nervous system function. So true root cause healing of even “brain-based” conditions must actually begin in the “body” and with the “basics” to be more effective, especially in the long term.
This is also why certain treatments or therapies that target brain function first, before the foundational issues of subluxation, nervous system dysregulation, and dysautonomia are addressed often “destabilize” the brain-body connection even further. Many parents report to us that when their children undergo intensive “brain-based” treatments like lasers and primitive reflex integration early on in the healing process, things like sleep, sensory issues, motor tics, and seizures often get worse not better.
This conversation of properly “sequencing” various care options and healing modalities is perhaps the most important conversation we can have with parents today. Where information and access to various options (awesomely) is at an all time high.
It’s very important that parents are informed about how essential starting with the basic foundations of nervous system function and restoration really is. This can often take weeks or even months to see breakthroughs in the Neurological Soft Signs and INSiGHT Scans for tough cases, and it’s important to wait on layering in other targeted therapies like detoxification, speech therapy, OTs, and so forth until these foundational changes are seen first.
Here is a real life example of one of our perfect storm intensive program patients seeing incredible changes with his neurological soft signs:
The Importance of INSiGHT Scans for Tracking Progress
While soft signs are encouraging indicators of progress, objective changes in nervous system function are best confirmed through INSiGHT Scans. These scans provide valuable data on how well the nervous system is functioning by measuring factors like muscle activity, thermal patterns, and heart rate variability.
Positive changes on these scans demonstrate that the nervous system is moving toward optimal balance, resilience, and restoration. Tracking functional improvements objectively helps ensure that progress is happening in the right direction and provides the scientific validation that parents and practitioners need to see.
Here is an example of HRV (Heart Rate Variability) scans improving as care progresses, indicating vastly improved adaptability, resiliency, and overall neurological function:
What to Expect as Healing Continues
As care progresses, parents may observe additional neurological milestones such as:
- Enhanced immune function
- Greater physical coordination
- Improved behavior and emotional stability
- Enhanced focus and cognitive function
The journey to recovery through neurologically-focused chiropractic care is unique to each child, but recognizing these early signs of improvement can give parents confidence and hope. With continued care, the body can reach its full healing potential, leading to long-lasting, transformative changes in a child’s health and well-being.
Trust the Process of Healing
While every parent naturally wants to see big breakthroughs as soon as possible, it’s crucial to understand the importance of these early neurological soft signs. They are a powerful indication that your child’s body is on the right path to healing and recovery. Through continued care, the nervous system will continue to regulate and strengthen, laying the groundwork for greater neurological restoration and optimal health.
Neurological healing is no easy task. Nor is it normally a linear, straightforward path. In fact, it’s most commonly quite the opposite, going through multiple stages and phases on its way to optimal healing and outcomes.
The first challenge parents and patients face when trying to determine whether or not things are moving in the right direction with neurological healing is that the process is the stark contrast opposite of traditional medical treatment. Every single component of the medical system is designed not with healing in mind, but with suppressing, stopping, and shutting things down as the ultimate goal.
Have an infection? Kill it off with an antibiotic (which literally means anti-life).
Have a fever? Shut it off with a fever suppressor.
Have inflammation? Shut it down with steroid-based medications.
Have hyperactivity and impulsivity? Suppress it with stimulant medications.
Have anxiety? Cover it up and suppress it with drugs.
The medical way is one that is supposed to “work” fast and, therefore, be readily apparent. Unfortunately, parents today especially know that what we discussed is very true – the vast majority of the time, drugs and medications are doing nothing to address the actual root cause, create any actual healing, and they also come with a whole host of unwanted side effects.
So, what other options do we have? Well, if you’re reading this, then it’s likely that you’ve already begun to take the root cause of yours or your child’s challenges head on with neurologically-focused chiropractic care, or you’re strongly considering it and wondering exactly how that process works.
To make this super simple to understand, we’ll be breaking things down into three parts. First, the healing phases we’ll discuss are:
- Release Phase
- Rebuild + Reorganize Phase
- Restoration Phase
Phase 1 – Release
The first phase of neurological healing + restoration is often the bumpiest. The longer you have been subluxated and stuck in sympathetic dominance (dysautonomia), the deeper those stress patterns and dysfunctions set in. The body is doing all it can to adapt, but in the toughest of cases (Perfect Storm + Neuro Intensive ones especially), we generally find that the nervous system is just flat out worn out and exhausted.
Therefore, when you release those deep subluxation patterns in the first two (2) weeks to two (2) months of care, oftentimes, patients will experience some form of “neuro detox” where certain signs and symptoms may get a bit worse.
This is really no different than what happens when you get a fever, diarrhea, or traditional immune response – the body is actually getting “sick” to get well again.
So, in the vast majority of these neurological detoxes that occur way early in care, it’s actually a “good” sign that healing is happening. We’re getting the nervous system unstuck from the long-standing stuck, stressed, and exhausted subluxation patterns it’s been in.
Phase 2 – Rebuild + Reorganize
This is an exciting phase of care, and it’s really rooted in the science of something called neuroplasticity. Which honestly is what all of neurologically-focused chiropractic care is based upon.
Neuroplasticity, also known as neural plasticity or brain plasticity, is the ability of neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganization. It is when the brain is rewired to function in some way that differs from how it previously functioned.
Subluxation, dysautonomia, and the “Perfect Storm” are all what stop neuroplasticity, growth, and optimal development dead in its tracks and throw things off course. Therefore, when we hit this stage of care, and we start to see growth and reorganization happening again and a child getting back on track with their milestones and development – oh man, is it exciting!
What does rebuilding + reorganization look like practically? Check out the following list to spot the signs of this stage in progress:
- INSiGHT Scans shifting, changing, calming, clearing, and reorganizing
- Oftentimes this can be tracked with our “neurometrics” and scores
- Improved Neuro-Postural Patterns
- No more head tilt + rotation, shoulders relaxed and level, etc.
- Improved Neuromuscular Tone + Coordination
- Observed through movement, gait analysis, etc.
- Improved Neurological “Soft Signs”
- Sleeping better, eating better, improved digestion, better immune health, improvements in posture and coordination, etc.
- Improved Focus + Endurance in School, Therapy, etc.
- Being able to do more during therapy appointments and school
- Less Severe Subluxation Patterns and Adjusting Restrictions
- When things shift, move, and get easier to adjust
By no means does a child or patient need to experience everything on that list to be in this phase of neurological healing, as healing is unique to each individual. However, even observing and having just a couple of them means things are progressing and on the right track to optimal healing and neurological restoration!
Phase 3 – Restoration
This phase of care is the ultimate goal of our initial care plans, but honestly, it’s just the beginning of the best part – the child or patient is now experiencing a high quality of LIFE once again!
We feel strongly that we are designed to be strong, healthy, resilient, and happy, and therefore live a high quality of life as a result! This stage of care is when kids and patients really have had transformative changes with their health and day-to-day experience a quality of life far greater than what they had prior to starting chiropractic care.
This stage then sets the stage for wellness, but the work is not all the way done. In this stage, we want to stay on the job of neurological healing and continue to deploy neuroplastic healing principles in order to put “slack” and “stability” in the system.
This third state of neurological healing is essential for one reason – life goes on. Meaning kids are still going to have growth spurts, falls and injuries, colds and sickness to get through, social and emotional challenges, school, sports, seasonal changes, and so much more they still need to stay ahead of and adapt to. Adults are right there with them with work stressors, seasonal allergies, social engagements, and other physical stressors.
By completing this final stage of the neurological restoration care plan, we can then transition into lifetime wellness care with a strong, resilient, and more stable nervous system. A more stable nervous system can better withstand various regular life stressors and stay healthy and strong through them!
That is the ultimate goal we have for our patients – to not just get healthy for a season, but stay there for good! To do that, this third phase and achieving restoration is essential.
Diving Deeper into Neurological “Soft Signs” of Healing
While every single one of us, from the parent team to the provider team, wants to see massive changes and achievement of the big goals happen right away… science and clinical experience let us know that, typically, that is not the case.
So often, and so rightfully so, some of the most common examples parents have for BIG goals for their children’s care include things like starting to walk or talk, eliminating seizures or autism spectrum related challenges, improving focus and behavior, lessening anxiety and depression, and so forth. For the purpose of this article, we’ll refer to these functions as “brain-based” or “higher level” functions.
In contrast, more primary and basic neurophysiological functions that are essential to health are things like eating, sleeping, digestion (pooping), motor planning, respiratory + immune health, and so forth. These core health functions could also be called more primal or foundational components of health, and what many parents and providers don’t know is it’s these things that get offline and off track first, which then leads to the bigger “brain based” problems down the road as neurological function and development is compromised.
Therefore, on the road to optimal neurological healing, we often need to see changes with these “soft signs” (and scans), and the more basic physiological functions first.
- When a teen intensive patient struggling with anxiety, epilepsy, and exhaustion starts to finally fall asleep easier and stay asleep longer, we know we’re on the right track!
- When a three (3) year old patient recently diagnosed with autism and apraxia (nonverbal) begins experiencing better digestion, immune health, and gross motor planning, we know we’re on the road to recovery + restoration!
- When a grade schooler struggling with ADHD and behavioral regulation challenges has more relaxed shoulders, less tension, and gets adjusted easier, we know we’re making the right changes happen to their nervous system!
So often for parents, not seeing the big changes happen instantly with chiropractic care can be frustrating and, if we’re being honest, even disheartening. But when we can point out these incredibly important changes on their INSiGHT Scans and with their neurological “soft signs,” we can rebuild that hope and let you know we’re heading in the right direction!
If you have any questions at all about what phase of care your child is in (or yourself), do not hesitate to ask and really dig in with your doctor at the next visit. We love talking through this stuff with our patients, and always do our best to stay ahead of it, making sure you know what to look for and what to track as care progresses through each and every phase of care!
