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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
“It’s just allergies.” How many times have you heard these words that seem to minimize what your child goes through every day? If you’re a parent watching your child battle constant coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes – along with the crushing fatigue and irritability that comes with both the allergies and their medications – you know it’s never “just” anything.
The Reality of Seasonal Allergies in Children
Nearly one in five children suffer from seasonal allergies. Though if you look around during peak allergy seasons, that number seems conservative. These aren’t just minor inconveniences – they’re life-altering conditions that can keep kids from fully enjoying their childhood. No child should have to live in fear of pollen counts, nature hikes, or playing at a friend’s house because of their allergies.
Let’s share a story about Stella, a young patient whose journey might sound familiar. She came to our office struggling not just with seasonal allergies, but also with sensory issues and focus problems. Her parents had tried numerous therapies, but something was still missing. After addressing the underlying neurological component of her allergies, everything changed. As her mother shared, “No more green boogers during allergy season is a huge plus”! But what’s even more remarkable is how neurologically-focused chiropractic care improved multiple aspects of Stella’s health. From better focus to improved body awareness and even trying new foods.
Moving Beyond Traditional Approaches
If you’ve been told that allergies are purely genetic and there’s nothing you can do about them, or if you’ve been focusing solely on special diets and gut healing, there’s something crucial you need to know: while these approaches have merit, there is a good chance they are missing a fundamental piece of the puzzle.
The Hidden Connection: Your Child’s Nervous System
What many healthcare providers – both conventional and natural – often miss is the crucial connection between your child’s nervous system and their allergic responses. When the nervous system is dysregulated and stuck in “sympathetic overdrive,” it keeps the immune system hypersensitive and in a constant pro-inflammatory state. This explains why some children develop severe allergic responses while others remain completely unbothered by the same environmental triggers.
Understanding the Root Cause
The conventional medical approach often views seasonal allergies as simply an overreaction to pollen and other allergens. However, the truth goes much deeper – it’s about how your child’s nervous system regulates their immune response. This understanding opens up new possibilities for healing.
The Impact of Early Medical Interventions
One factor that’s often overlooked is how early medical interventions can contribute to allergy development. The overuse of antibiotics in infants, especially within the first two years of life, has been linked to increased risk of allergies and autoimmune conditions. Here’s why:
- Disruption of the Gut Microbiome: About 70-80% of your child’s immune cells reside in the gut. Antibiotics don’t discriminate between helpful and harmful bacteria, potentially disrupting this delicate ecosystem.
- Impact on Immune Development: Early antibiotic exposure can alter the balance between different types of immune responses (Th1/Th2), potentially predisposing children to allergic reactions.
Research supports these concerns:
- A 2020 study in JAMA Pediatrics found that children exposed to antibiotics in their first year had an increased risk of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and eczema
- The Lancet Respiratory Medicine reported that early-life antibiotic exposure significantly increases the risk of childhood asthma
The Inside-Out Approach to Healing
The key to understanding your child’s allergies lies in recognizing that the real issue isn’t the external environment – it’s how their body responds to it. When the nervous system is dysregulated, it can lead to:
- Increased tension affecting drainage of the ears, nose, throat, and lymph nodes
- A hypersensitive immune response
- Constant pro-inflammatory states
Taking Action: A Natural, Drug-Free Approach
The good news is that you have options beyond just managing symptoms. By addressing the underlying nervous system dysregulation with neurologically-focused chiropractic care, many families are finding lasting relief for their children.
Steps You Can Take:
- Address Nervous System Function: Consider having your child evaluated for nervous system dysregulation, which could be the major missing piece in their healing journey.
- Support Gut Health: While not the complete answer, maintaining a healthy gut microbiome through proper nutrition and probiotic support is important.
- Reduce Inflammatory Triggers: Work with a healthcare provider who understands the connection between nervous system function and immune response.
- Look Beyond Symptom Management: Instead of simply treating symptoms, focus on addressing the root cause of your child’s allergies.
At RCW we use advanced scanning technology called INSiGHT Scans that help us access your child’s nervous system, and locate any subluxation and dysregulation. From there we put together a personalized care plan and use gentle adjustments that will help regulate their nervous system function.
A New Path Forward
Don’t let another allergy season keep your child from experiencing life to the fullest!
Understanding the role of nervous system regulation in allergic responses opens up new possibilities for natural, lasting relief. Whether spring is just around the corner or you’re already in the midst of allergy season, know that there’s hope beyond just managing symptoms. Your child deserves to experience life without the burden of seasonal allergies, and with the right approach, that is absolutely possible.
As a parent, there’s nothing more heartbreaking than watching your child struggle and feeling powerless to help. Perhaps you’ve already explored various treatment or therapy options – from traditional chiropractic care to occupational therapy – but something still feels missing. You’re not alone in this journey, and there’s hope for a different approach.
Beyond Traditional Solutions: A Technology-Driven Path to Healing
What if we told you there was a way to understand exactly what’s happening in your child’s nervous system? A method that doesn’t rely on guesswork but instead uses cutting-edge technology to create precise, personalized care plans? This is exactly what our neurologically-focused approach offers.
Let us share a story that might resonate with you. Meet Henry, a young patient whose journey mirrors many of the families we see. Before finding us, Henry struggled with intense sensory challenges. He would run full speed into walls, seeking sensory input, react strongly to being wet or dirty, and even chew through clothing and toys. His parents had tried traditional chiropractic care and spent four months in occupational therapy. While these approaches helped with some behavioral issues, they didn’t address the root cause of his dysregulation.
The Power of a Neurological Approach
Within just one month of beginning neurologically-focused care, Henry’s family noticed remarkable changes. His sensory-seeking behaviors became less intense and less frequent. Instead of living in a constant state of dysregulation, Henry could finally benefit from positive sensory inputs like swinging and using weighted blankets. This transformation didn’t just change Henry’s life – it transformed his entire family’s daily experience.
Our Unique 5-Step Process to Better Health
Our approach is systematic and thorough, designed to uncover and address the root causes of your child’s challenges. Here’s how we do it:
- In-Depth Consultation: Unlike rushed medical visits, we take the time to truly understand your child’s complete health journey, from pregnancy and birth to early development. This comprehensive history helps us identify potential root causes that other providers might miss.
- Advanced INSiGHT Scans: We utilize state-of-the-art technology to measure your child’s nervous system function. These scans detect three crucial factors: subluxation, dysautonomia, and vagus nerve dysfunction. This gives us objective data about your child’s neurological health, taking the guesswork out of care.
- Customized Care Plan Development: We blend your child’s unique history with their scan results to create a precisely tailored care plan. There are no “cookie-cutter” approaches here – every aspect of care, including frequency and duration, is specifically calculated for optimal results.
- Comprehensive Report of Findings: We take time to explain everything we’ve discovered, showing you your child’s scan results and ensuring you understand what they mean. We answer all your questions and outline clear next steps.
- Gentle, Effective Care: Our adjustments are safe, gentle, and specifically designed for children. Each adjustment helps release tension and stress from the nervous system, often leading to improved sleep, behavior, and overall well-being.
Taking the First Step
Just like Henry’s family, you deserve answers and real solutions for your child’s health challenges. Our neurologically-focused approach has helped countless children overcome challenges that seemed insurmountable. The transformation starts with understanding exactly what’s happening in your child’s nervous system.
Ready to discover what your child’s nervous system is trying to tell you? Take the first step toward understanding and addressing your child’s challenges. Reach out to RCW today to schedule a consultation and INSiGHT scan session. Let’s work together to help your child thrive!
- Rest
Usually the reason we get sick is because we’ve been doing a poor job of this one essential health + resilience building action (or lack of action) – rest.
When we’re in a busy, stressful, chaotic season as an individual or as a family it very much depletes our body’s natural defenses and weakens our immune systems. This lowered resistance and resilience is what actually causes an illness to take hold, not merely the exposure to it (germ theory).
Therefore the most important thing our body craves and needs to get over the illness as quickly and effectively as possible is to rest.
This looks like not only extra sleep, but also just taking it easy when you’re awake. Do all you can to avoid checking emails or work messages as an adult. Do all you can to keep your child or teen away from phones, texts, YouTube, and TV when they are resting. While this can be quite boring and therefore difficult to do, it will help speed recovery in a major way.
- Replenish
Once again the lack of proper nutrients and nourishment is likely what led to the illness in the first place. Once again it makes sense to really prioritize this step and get lots of clean water stacked with electrolytes and minerals. Lots of clean protein and macronutrients, and lots of superfood smoothies, fruits, and vegetables into your diet as possible.
While you or your child may not feel much like eating or drinking at all during the initial stages of the illness. Once hunger and drive starts to kick in again that’s a sign the body is really ready to replenish! It’s important to load it up with all the right nutrients in doing so!
- Recharge
The two systems that take the biggest hit during an illness are of course the immune system, but also the nervous system, which controls and coordinates immune function.
You’ll want to recharge the nervous system by getting at least one (if not two) neurologically-focused chiropractic adjustments each day during the illness. Then absolutely load up on all immune system boosting and recharging supplements such as Vitamin D, Vitamin C, zinc, and so forth. Also things like bone broth, elderberry syrup, raw local honey, and various essential oils and homeopathic remedies can really help recharge and strengthen your immune system.
Putting It All Together
Point blank getting sick is a regular part of life. We’re all going to have times where we get busy, don’t quite keep our guard up, and a virus or illness gets a hold of us for a short season. Having this 3R’s and “Kick the Sick” plan ready to roll out when we need it to get back to full health is a very normal and regular part of life!
Take a deep breath with me for a moment. If you’re reading this, you’re likely living with a daily reality that feels overwhelming: constant emotional outbursts, intense mood swings, heartbreaking meltdowns, struggles with anger, and a child who seems to have no impulse control. For many parents of children with emotional dysregulation, this isn’t just a bad day – it’s every day.
You’ve probably been up late at night, desperately searching for answers. You’ve likely consulted countless specialists – teachers, therapists, doctors – hoping someone would have the solution. You’ve tried everything you can think of: reward charts, punishment systems, essential oils, deep breathing techniques, supplements – the list goes on and on. Maybe you’ve even reached what felt like your last resort – turning to medications for anxiety, depression, or ADHD.
Even if medication has helped improve some symptoms, you might still find yourself awake at night, searching for safer, more natural alternatives. You’re looking for something that addresses the root cause of your child’s challenges, not just masks the symptoms. You worry about long-term medication dependency and seek a better way forward.
A Different Understanding of Your Child’s Struggles
Here’s something that might change everything about how you view your child’s struggles: the root cause of emotional dysregulation often lies within the brain and nervous system, but not in the way you might have been told. This isn’t just about a “chemical imbalance” – it’s about understanding your child’s nervous system from a functional standpoint.
When your child’s nervous system becomes overstressed, imbalanced, and dysregulated, their emotions and behavior naturally follow suit. And here’s the most important thing to remember: this isn’t simply a genetic condition or a reflection of your parenting. The root cause may be simpler and more straightforward than you think.
Understanding the Nervous System Connection
The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) controls emotional responses through two key branches:
- The sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight)
- The parasympathetic nervous system (rest, regulate, and digest)
So you can think of your child’s nervous system like a car with a sensitive gas pedal and brake system. When working properly, it can smoothly accelerate and brake as needed. But sometimes, due to various factors, it can get stuck in “high gear” – what we call a sympathetic dominant state or “fight-or-flight” mode. This imbalance and overactive state is known as dysautonomia and nervous system dysregulation.
The “Perfect Storm”: How Did We Get Here?
Several factors can contribute to nervous system dysregulation:
- Early life stress, including maternal stress during pregnancy
- Birth interventions like C-sections, forceps, or vacuum extraction
- The overuse of antibiotics and other medications, plus environmental toxins and poor diet, which disrupts the microbiome and gut-brain connection
Together, these factors create neurological imbalances, leading to emotional dysregulation.
Beyond Traditional Approaches
While behavioral strategies and medications have their place, they often only mask the symptoms rather than the underlying root cause. That’s why many parents find that even when medications help calm their child’s symptoms, they’re still searching for a more complete solution – a neurologically-focused one that addresses the root cause of their child’s challenges – which is needed for lasting change.
Finding Hope and Solutions
The good news is that understanding this nervous system connection opens up new possibilities for helping your child. Just as the nervous system can become dysregulated, it can also be guided back into balance through appropriate support and care.
Some key things to consider:
- Your child’s behavior isn’t a reflection of poor parenting or a lack of discipline
- These challenges aren’t simply something they’ll “grow out of”
- There are ways to measure and address nervous system imbalances
- A comprehensive approach that considers the whole nervous system can make a real difference
Moving Forward
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your child’s emotional dysregulation, remember that you’re not alone, and there is hope. At RCW, we understand that the nervous system’s role is often the first step toward finding an effective solution for your children, and we would love to help!
We use cutting-edge technology called INSiGHT Scans that allow us to pinpoint, measure, and find subluxation, sympathetic dominance, and nervous system dysregulation that may be causing your child’s emotional dysregulation. With the proper care, we can help your family find calmer, more balanced days.
Remember, your child’s emotional struggles aren’t your fault, and seeking help isn’t a sign of failure – it’s a sign of love and commitment to your child’s wellbeing.
Has a healthcare provider ever told you that your child’s health challenges are “just genetic” and there’s nothing you can do about it? Have you felt frustrated, being told to simply rely on medications and learn to live with it? If so, we have some empowering news for you: science now shows us that genes aren’t everything.
The Power of Epigenetics: Your Child’s Health Journey
While the conventional medical system may still want us to believe that our health is entirely predetermined by our genetic code and that good health or bad health is a “hard-wired” path, we don’t have much control over – the opposite is true!
The fascinating field of epigenetics reveals something remarkable: your child’s DNA isn’t their destiny. Instead, think of their genetic code as a dynamic playbook that can be influenced by the environment, lifestyle choices, and experiences. This means you have far more control over your family’s health than you might have been led to believe.
What Exactly is Epigenetics?
Imagine your child’s DNA as a deck of playing cards. While genetics might stack the deck in certain ways, it’s the environmental signals and lifestyle choices that determine which cards get played and in what order. These environmental factors can activate or suppress genes without changing the DNA sequence itself.
This explains why:
- Identical twins can develop different health conditions despite having the same genetic code
- Siblings with the same DNA can have completely different health experiences
- Some children thrive despite having “challenging” genes, while others struggle
The “Perfect Storm”: Understanding Early Life Influences
Your child’s health story begins even before birth. Several key factors can influence how their genes express themselves – we call this “The Perfect Storm”:
- Pregnancy and Early Development
- Stress levels during pregnancy
- Fertility treatments and related experiences
- Birth interventions (C-sections, forceps, etc.)
- Early exposure to antibiotics and environmental toxins
- Nutrition and food choices
- Your Child’s Nervous System
- Early life stresses can affect neurological development, creating subluxation
- This leads to dysautonomia – an imbalance in the nervous system
- The vagus nerve, which controls everything from digestion to emotional well-being, can become dysfunctional
- These neurological challenges then trigger a cascade of health issues that can actually spill over to future generations
How Epigenetics Affects Common Health Challenges
Understanding epigenetics helps explain why many modern health challenges develop:
Metabolic Health
Your child’s early nutrition and dietary patterns can influence how their body processes food and maintains energy balance. This can affect their long-term metabolic health and weight management.
Immune System Function
Environmental factors, including exposure to pollutants, stress, or certain foods, can impact how your child’s immune system develops and responds to challenges. This helps explain why some children develop allergies or asthma while others don’t.
Behavioral and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Your child’s early experiences, including stressful environments, maternal stress during pregnancy, environmental exposures, and early childhood trauma, can influence their neurological development. This understanding provides new insights into conditions like ADHD and various behavioral patterns.
Taking Control: What You Can Do
At RCW, through neurologically-focused chiropractic care, we can address the root causes of your child’s challenges by optimizing nervous system function and supporting healthy epigenetic expression. This isn’t about masking symptoms – it’s about creating real, lasting foundational health.
Here are some other key areas where you can make a difference:
- Environment
- Choose natural cleaning products
- Reduce exposure to environmental toxins
- Create a calm, nurturing home environment
- Nutrition
- Focus on whole, nutrient-rich foods
- Minimize processed foods and artificial additives
- Stay hydrated with clean water
- Lifestyle
- Establish consistent sleep routines
- Encourage regular physical activity
- Manage stress levels in the family
Hope for the Future
Understanding epigenetics gives us tremendous hope. It shows us that we’re not bound by our genetic code – we have the power to influence how our genes express themselves through the choices we make every day.
Remember, your child’s health story isn’t written in stone. Through understanding epigenetics and making informed choices, you can help write a healthier chapter for your family’s future. Every positive change you make today can influence your child’s health trajectory for years to come.
Does this sound familiar? Your child suddenly covers their ears in a noisy restaurant, has an unexpected meltdown at the grocery store, or becomes distressed by the tags in their clothing. As a parent, these moments can feel overwhelming and isolating. You might have been told that these are just behavioral issues or that your child will “grow out of it.” But what if we told you there’s something deeper happening in your child’s nervous system?
The Reality of Sensory Processing Challenges
If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve experienced the heartache of watching your child struggle with sensory overload. You’re not alone. Recent studies from the CDC indicate that up to 40% of school-aged children today experience at least one chronic health condition, with sensory processing issues becoming increasingly common.
Understanding Overstimulation: More Than Just Behavior
What’s actually happening when your child becomes overwhelmed? Think of it like a traffic jam in your child’s nervous system. Their brain is receiving more sensory input than it can effectively process at once. This isn’t just about behavior – it’s about how your child’s brain and nervous system are functioning.
The Autonomic Nervous System: Your Child’s Control Center
Your child’s nervous system has two key branches:
- The Sympathetic System (often called “fight or flight”)
- The Parasympathetic System (known as “rest and digest”)
When your child’s system becomes overwhelmed, they can get stuck in sympathetic dominance – their body’s alert system stays switched “on.” This creates a cascade of effects that you might recognize:
- Difficulty sleeping
- Digestive issues
- Emotional dysregulation
- Increased sensitivity to sensory input
The “Perfect Storm”: Understanding Your Child’s Sensory Challenges
Sensory processing challenges often develop from what we call a “Perfect Storm” of factors:
- Prenatal Influences: Stress during pregnancy can impact how a developing brain processes sensory information
- Birth Experiences: Interventions like C-sections, forceps, or vacuum extractions can create physical stress on the developing nervous system
- Early Childhood Factors: Environmental stressors and developmental challenges can further impact nervous system development
Recognizing When Your Child is Overstimulated
As a parent, you might notice these signs when your child is experiencing sensory overload:
Physical Signs
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Unusual fatigue
Emotional Signs
- Increased irritability
- Rising anxiety levels
- Sudden emotional outbursts
Behavioral Signs
- Difficulty focusing
- Frequent meltdowns
- Actively seeking quiet spaces
A Different Approach to Help
While traditional approaches often focus on avoiding triggers or managing symptoms, there’s another way to support your child. Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care looks at the root cause of these challenges, not just the symptoms.
At Rochester Chiropractic and Wellness, we use cutting-edge technology called INSiGHT Scans, which can help us identify exactly where your child’s nervous system needs support. These non-invasive scans can be done while your child sits comfortably – even in your lap – and provide valuable information about how their sensory system is adapting to the world around them. Then precise, gentle adjustments release stuck sympathetic stress and activate the parasympathetic system for better regulation, getting to the real root cause!
Moving Forward
Remember, your child isn’t choosing to be overwhelmed – their nervous system is genuinely struggling to process the world around them. The good news is that with proper support and understanding, there are ways to help your child’s nervous system find better balance and regulation.
Most importantly, know that you’re not alone in this journey. Many families are navigating similar challenges, and there is hope that your child can experience the world around them without being overwhelmed by it. We want to help!
Your child’s sensitivity isn’t a flaw – it’s part of who they are. With the right support and understanding, you can help them develop the tools they need to navigate their sensory experiences more comfortably and confidently.
