The understanding and facts behind this topic are so clear and have been for so long. It’s hard to believe every parent isn’t told the full truth about this all-too-common ‘Perfect Storm’ story. 

What am I talking about? The clear, and all too commonly seen path from childhood ear infections to lifelong asthma and immune challenges.

It starts with the way we birth and deliver babies in today’s traditional medical system. 

For thousands of years, kids were brought into this world WITHOUT the need for “intervention and induction”. Was every birth perfect and non-complicated? Nope. But 30-40% or more of them didn’t end with anesthesia, surgical tools, and a baby being pulled out by their head and neck either.

We’re starting with the birth process because it’s where the most common injury to the upper neck, brainstem, and cranial areas occurs. It’s the first “kink” that occurs, and it sets the stage for the rest of the path to develop. As you’ll see, one problem leads to another, and it just keeps going.

When there is physical strain, tension, pulling, and stress placed on the child’s head and neck during the birth process, it very commonly leads to something called a subluxation. We like to explain subluxation as having three parts – misalignment, fixation (“stuck”), and neurological interference/irritation. All three of those components are at play in this situation.

The greater the amount of intervention during the birth process (induction, forceps, vacuum, C-section, etc.), the greater the likelihood of a significant subluxation to the upper neck and brain stem area. Is it an ‘absolute’ situation? No, few things are… but in our 11 years of clinical experience, it’s a very, very strong correlation.

How Childbirth Relates to Ear Infections

Those three components of subluxation lead to two main problems that cause and contribute to ear infections:

1. Poor “plumbing” or drainage
2. Lowered (weakened) neuro-immune function

Physical trauma to the neck in-utero, during birth, or from a fall early in life creates that “kink” in close proximity to the “drain pipes”. All coming from the ears, sinuses, and head. Specifically, the top two vertebrae share a lot of nerve supply, muscles, and structures with the inner ear and sinuses.

If you “kink” those vertebrae you start to “clog” the drainage of the surrounding structures. In this case, that includes not just the ear, nose, and throat region, but the lymphatics that drain the head and neck as well.

Pediatricians still today give the ‘explanation’ to parents that “early in life the Eustachian tubes are just more horizontal. And for some kids, that’s worse than others” and so on and so forth. Well, they are right… sort of. Those tubes are more horizontal early in life, but that’s because they were designed that way!

Gravity plays far less of a role in actually draining the fluid from our ears than does one other major factor – MOVEMENT.

You see, when those two ‘physical’ components of the subluxation occur – misalignment and fixation – not only does it “clog” up the actual physical space in the ears and sinuses and lymphatics… but it’s the FIXATION part that really messes things up. When those vertebrae get jammed and “stuck” from that early physical trauma, they don’t move around as easily. Therefore, they don’t do their job in helping move fluid out of the ear and sinuses.

Finally, the longer that fluid is allowed to sit in the inner ear, the greater the chance that “bad guys” like viruses (most of them) and bacteria set up shop, replicate, and cause an infection.

And on top of all that, because that region of the brainstem and spinal cord house and protect a very important “hard drive” and “operating system” for our immune system… when we have a subluxation there, we can have compromised neuro-immune function.

So if you have bad plumbing and poor immune function, you have ear infections.

The Role of Antibiotics

But, that’s why we have Walgreens and CVS on every corner filled with antibiotics of all shapes and sizes right!? All a parent needs to do is go to their local pediatrician, urgent or immediate care, ER, or minute clinic and talk for a few minutes, grab the prescription, and head out. And all is good then, right?

Not so much.

We’ve had plenty of research since the 1980s that antibiotics don’t work very well for ear, sinus, and respiratory infections. And, they don’t come without side effects. Not only are there short-term side effects such as stomach pain and diarrhea in a lot of kids. There are also long-term ones are even worse.

Many studies have shown that if a child is given antibiotics early in life, it increases their risk of other long-standing inflammatory and autoimmune type issues, like asthma, later in life. Especially within the first 12-24 months.

But the problem doesn’t stop there with over prescribing antibiotics. Read an excerpt from another study that spells it out plain as day: 

“Antibiotics are not recommended for either diagnosis, as most of these infections are viral, but antibiotics are frequently prescribed to children with these diagnoses. Reducing unnecasssary antibiotic use is important: antibiotics are the leading cause of emergency department (ED) visits for pediatric adverse drug events and contribute to antibiotic resistance.” 

Even the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) recommends a watch and wait approach. “Updated American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) clinical practice guidelines address the diagnosis and management of uncomplicated acute otitis media (AOM) in children aged 6 months to 12 years. The new recommendations, which offer more rigorous diagnostic criteria to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use, were published online on February 25 and in the March issue of Pediatrics.”

So if they’re known to not work well, known to have short and long-term side effects, and known to contribute to what is now a major public health crisis (antibiotic-resistant strains or “superbugs”)… then why do they still get prescribed left and right by pediatricians and doctors of all sorts? Good question.

Our guess is that most pediatricians still lack the level of education and understanding in natural health remedies and neurologically-focused options. Yet care deeply and want the child and parent to receive some relief. They then turn to the only thing they have in their ‘tool kit’ and still provide antibiotics.

Where birth trauma and poor plumbing come into play

Before we wrap up this blog post, let’s circle back to the birth trauma and poor plumbing discussion. Is that the only negative health effect our kids may face after significant birth intervention or trauma? Unfortunately, no. That is just where things get started. 

In case history after case history we see the following Perfect Storm pathway play out: 

• Tons of mental + emotional stress during the fertility period and pregnancy 
• Birth intervention leading to physical trauma to the brainstem and neurospinal system 
• Difficulty nursing, latching, soothing, and bonding 
• Colic, reflux, and constipation 
• Chronic and recurrent ear infections, cough, croup, RSV, and other respiratory illnesses
  • Antibiotics, steroids, and other medications frequently then frequently provided 
• Altered motor development and delayed developmental milestones such as sitting up, crawling, walking, talking, social engagement, speech, etc. 
• Diagnosis of things such as apraxia of speech, sensory processing disorder, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, etc. 

You can read more via all the links provided above, or by checking out our entire birth trauma article here. 

Does asthma come after tubes?

But before we finish up this blog post, let’s explore the neurophysiological connections to asthma and how the next level of medical treatment, ear tubes surgery, may be at play. 

Just like the guidelines for when to prescribe antibiotics are not necessarily set in stone, neither are the ones that help doctors know when to recommend ear tubes. Most of the time it looks something like this: 

• 3 or more ear infections within 6 months 
• 4-6 ear infections within 12 months 

We’ve certainly seen many case histories of patients who’ve well surpassed that mark. We’ve also taken plenty of case histories of kids who’ve received two or even three different ear tube surgeries. That likely comes from the reality that ear tubes and surgery “force” an improved drainage system. For a short time period. As the child grows, the root cause of the buildup and poor plumbing is still not addressed. The body pushes out the original tubes and goes back to the same Perfect Storm it has been stuck in. 

Just like ear infections and upper respiratory challenges are the #1 reason for a visit to the pediatrician, this is the most common surgery (myringotomy or tympanostomy) in kids. It is performed over 700,000 times in the United States each year, costing $1.8 billion dollars. 

So Where Does All That Stuck, Virus-Filled Fluid Go Next?

Many parents report immediate relief from the eustachian tubes surgery. Sadly a few weeks or months later, they start to notice that their child appears to be talking and breathing differently. Their voice changes a bit. They become a bit more hoarse, unclear, and labored in their breathing. Seemingly having to “work harder” at it than before. 

This time the pediatrician isn’t as concerned with the ears. Now they say that the tonsils and adenoids are “swollen” and the kiddo has a strep infection. But hey, don’t worry! This one is actually bacterial a lot of the time, so you guessed it! MORE ANTIBIOTICS!

Well, as time progresses the snoring gets worse. The sinuses and throat get more jammed up. The breathing more labored, and the strep infections more frequent. So finally the pediatrician says to go back to the ENT and see about having the tonsils and adenoids removed.

For most kids, this means the same doctor, same hospital, and same surgical routine. After previously drilling some holes in one body part, they just altogether take out a few more. 

Like building a coffee table you bought at IKEA, who needs all those extra body parts right? I’m sure they were just “extra” and not really needed for good, long term immune health. 

(Sorry for the satire. It’s heartbreaking when you know what’s really going on and know that parents are not told the whole story and not given ALL of their options.) 

So, back to the hospital. More surgery, more ice cream. And, more dispersal of the fluid into other places within the body. 

The fluid keeps moving “south” and starts to set up shop now in the lungs and upper airway. It’s simply the next stop on the anatomical map. Where the ear, nose, throat, and lymphatics were all supposed to be draining into naturally and easily this whole time before the birth trauma. Or other trauma set up that subluxation and “kink” in the plumbing system.

Asthma & Allergies Set in for the Long Haul

Essentially now this child becomes sick every single day of their life… Advair, Flovent, Singulair, etc.  They can’t run without challenges, they can’t go outside without challenges. Spring and fall are nightmares for them due to “allergies” as they’re now called.

Basically, it started out as a short-term, acute problem that could’ve been fixed for good. Instead of improving plumbing and restoring neuro-immune function, it is now a lifelong chronic illness and immune dysfunction. What was once a kid who struggled for a night or two with pain and discomfort, is now a kid who struggles every single day of their life.

It’s an absolute “Perfect Storm” all on its own. 

These kids don’t need more antibiotics and they don’t need more surgeries. Their families need more facts. They need more doctors and pediatricians who will tell them the actual truth. That antibiotics are not only mostly ineffective for all these challenges, they’re dangerous. 

They need doctors who will tell them to seek out chiropractic care and natural health options for ear infections. Before sending them down this perfect storm road of antibiotics, surgeries, allergies, and asthma. 

If you have a kiddo who is suffering, or if you know someone who is, please get them checked by a pediatric chiropractor to find out if they are subluxated. If there was extra stress during the pregnancy or intervention and trauma during the birth process, the chances are high that they indeed are. 

But that can mean good news for your family! Because that can mean a better chance of finding answers and relief through chiropractic care and natural health! 

Alright, Moms, here we go. Most of the content we put out on this platform is for you and your kiddos because we know in your heart and in your head they are always your number one priority. Your days are filled with ensuring your children have everything they need, from meals to appointments to extracurricular activities, to their health. You devote so much time and energy to your family that you often neglect your own well-being. Being a mom is one of the most incredible jobs, but also the hardest to keep up with. It can be so overwhelming and exhausting.

But we am here to tell you that there is a way through it. As pediatric and family chiropractors, we have had the opportunity to help countless families. Our favorite moments are when moms ask for help with their own health. So, let’s talk about three quick and practical health hacks that can help you improve your well-being, even with a busy schedule.

Firstly, let me emphasize that these hacks are real-life applicable, considering how packed your schedule is. We understand that you don’t have the luxury to take a month off and go to a wellness retreat. Instead, our focus is on maximizing your time with quick and easy solutions that can fit into your daily routine.

With the insider tips and tricks that we’ve been able to share with hundreds of patients, you can tackle motherhood feeling like a whole new person. You’ll be the kind of mom who can handle anything that comes your way, all while exuding a sense of mystical energy. You will be able to sleep without constant anxiety and stress. You’ll be without the tension that so many moms feel in the “mom zone” – the area between your shoulders and at the base of your neck. Let’s dig into the causes of this stress and tension and how to alleviate it so that you can be the best mom possible.

Many moms that we see in our practice are accustomed to putting their own health on the back burner. They instead prioritize their children’s wellbeing. However, we often ask these moms to consider what it would look like if they made their own health a priority. In response, many moms express that they feel like it is impossible to live a life free from stress and anxiety. They may feel like they are beyond repair due to chronic health issues and a feeling of being constantly tired or anxious.

But the truth is, you can take control of your health and kick the crap out of your stress. It is not necessary to rely on medication and caffeine to get through the day.

By prioritizing your nervous system and well-being through chiropractic care, you can become more resilient, energetic, and less anxious. As the boss of the family, you have the power to model healthy behaviors and create an environment of wellness in your home. 

If you want your children to be healthy, resilient, and full of energy, it starts with prioritizing your own health.

Mom Stress Is Real

The first thing to address is mom stress. It’s a real issue, and it often manifests in the neck, shoulders, and between the shoulder blades. This area is commonly referred to as the “mom zone,” and it can feel like a constant burden. As moms, we all know how life can get overwhelming, from managing group chats to waiting in the pickup line. The longer we’re stuck in this kind of routine, the more our stress builds up in our bodies. Thankfully, our first hack, neurologically focused chiropractic adjustments, can release that tension and bring relief.

1. Chiropractic Adjustments

The best part? It only takes five to ten minutes. This is what we refer to as a “health hack.” Sure, a 90-minute yoga session, meditation, growing your own vegetables, and making organic smoothies are all great, but let’s face it, most don’t have time for that in day-to-day real life. The chiropractic adjustment is the most efficient way to reset and recalibrate the nervous system. It’s fast, effective, and feels incredible.  An adjustment is like a massage or yoga on steroids.

We are able to run EMG scans to assess the stress levels of moms, and we can release that tension. But the benefits don’t stop there. Did you know that adjustments to the lower neck can also stabilize the thyroid? And by making adjustments to the middle and lower mid back, we can help to calm the stomach and adrenals. Leading to improvements in gut health and anxiety. These adjustments are fast! Meaning you can get in and out of the office quickly while still reaping the benefits of this powerful health hack.

2. Exercise

So what are the other two health hacks? First, let’s talk about exercise. It’s no secret that exercise is essential for our physical and mental health. However, finding the time to fit it in can be a challenge for busy moms. My advice is to aim for at least 10 to 20 minutes of movement every day. Whether it’s a quick run, a hit workout, a yoga session, or a combination of these. Even on the busiest days, those 10 to 20 minutes can make a difference in how you feel and function.

Of course, if you can carve out an hour for exercise each day, that’s even better. But don’t discount the value of those shorter workouts. Put it in your schedule, block it out, and protect it. Prioritizing movement, even in small doses, can help you be more productive and efficient throughout the rest of your day.

3. Supplements

Finally, let’s talk about supplements. As busy moms, we’re often running on fumes and can benefit from some extra support for our adrenal and nervous systems. Supplements like magnesium and zinc can help support healthy neurological function and provide an energy boost when we need it most. Take a few minutes each day to incorporate these supplements into your routine, and you may notice a big difference in how you feel.

The Importance of Prioritizing a Mom’s Health

Moms, I could go on and on. I love to talk about the importance of chiropractic care not just for your children but for yourself as well. I have seen firsthand how prioritizing your health can positively impact your life and your family’s life.

When you’re able to do all the things you need to do as a mom without the exhaustion, anxiousness, irritability, and fatigue that come with receiving chiropractic care, you become more resilient and adaptable. This leads to a more enjoyable experience for both you and your family.

Let me share a story about one of the families we are currently taking care of. They drive an hour to see me at our clinic here in the suburbs of Chicago. The mom brought her son, who is on the spectrum, and her middle school daughter, who was experiencing focus and anxiety challenges. But what’s amazing is that the mom realized the importance of stress on the nervous system and asked if she could receive chiropractic care too.

After six weeks of care, we saw a significant change in the mom’s posture, face, neck, and shoulders. I asked her how she was feeling, and she started to cry. She said that receiving chiropractic care had changed everything for her. She used to be consumed with stress and anxiety, which led to her yelling and screaming at her kids. But now, she is much more relaxed and happy, which has made their family experience more enjoyable.

Our PX Docs network believes that moms shouldn’t have to feel tired and anxious all the time. Instead, we focus on restoring and rebuilding your nervous system through chiropractic adjustments.  We will be the first to cheer you on to get your workouts done and supplements taken. When your nervous system is functioning at its best, everything in your life will follow suit.

That’s why we offer care for the whole family, including moms, dads, and kids. We believe that when the whole family is under care, they can become healthy for a lifetime. And when kids see their parents prioritizing their health, they’ll be more likely to do the same.

Don’t put off prioritizing your health any longer. You deserve it.

Take care, and God bless.

The Vagus Nerve is all the craze right now! Any search on google will generate thousands of hits with life and “health hacks” galore.  With all the research, biohacking, and natural science that has been reported lately, it’s cool to hear about a part of our nervous system that can have such an amazing impact on our health and adaptability.

But did you know the vagus nerve is also very important for our kid’s development, behavior, and sensory comfort? Let’s dig into the science of an active vagus nerve and a vagus nerve that is “turned down.”

If you are in the health world and follow natural, holistic living, there is no doubt that you’ve heard of the vagus nerve. Being a pediatric chiropractor, I would be very remiss if I didn’t talk about the vagus nerve and how it can help you and your kiddos because it is the answer to so many of our health challenges.  

What Is the Vagus Nerve?  Turn It Up or Turn It Down

The vagus nerve is a nerve that comes out from underneath the skull on both sides and goes throughout the entire body – through the heart, lungs, and digestive organs. You may have heard about the vagus nerve in relation to the brain-gut or gut-brain balance, which has much to do with digestion. While that is one of the incredible things the vagus nerve can do, it has more all-encompassing action that’s so important for our kids.

There are two main things that the vagus nerve does. If you turn it up, it is a sensory relaxer, so it will help the body rest, relax, and digest.  If you turn it down, it allows the other side of the nervous system to take effect –  the go, go go, fight or flight, busy brain side.

What you really want is a balance of up and down regulation and what we usually end up needing for our kids is to turn the vagus nerve up because, in the world we live in, it’s so often turned down. That’s why our kiddos seem to have that busy brain, fight or flight more often.

The Vagus Nerve and Rest/Sleep, Emotional Regulation, and Digestive Function

When we turn it up, that results in three effects on our kids. Number one is rest and sleep. The vagus nerve allows the body to sensory deregulate to help the body block out all external noise. This allows the brain and body to calm down, which helps kids get to sleep and stay asleep.

The second thing is emotional regulation – the relaxed side. When our body is turned down on the vagus, it feels like you’re running from a bear in fight or flight. So if you have a three-year-old like me, you know they can go haywire sometimes because emotions are controlled by that up or down regulation. We want to get that vagus nerve turned up for our kiddos.

The third has to do with our digestive side. There’s so much more that goes into that brain-gut connection. Not only is digestion so key for moving fluids throughout the body, but it’s huge in feeling comfortable and developmentally ready for kids.

If you have a kiddo who is six months to a year old and they’re working on walking, talking, adding in foods, and are starting to get away from bottle or breastfeeding, if they’re not digesting, it’s going to slow everything else down. So the vagus nerve is vital for babies as a developmental milestone to help them jump ahead with the sensory system, motor system, movement, social system, and walking. 

The Vagus Nerve and Birth Trauma, Stress, and Physical Trauma

This is where chiropractic comes in because pediatric chiropractors can have a major impact  on turning that vagus nerve up when needed. Because of where it is located, it can be impacted in a negative way by three main things we see. 

It can be affected by birth trauma. If you had a stressful pregnancy or delivery, had to use forceps or a vacuum, or had a C-section, that can impact and turn down the vagus nerve immediately during the birth process. 

Secondly, the vagus nerve can be impacted by the toxic stress levels we are surrounded by today. When our environment comes at us with toxic items, that can affect our gut which communicates back and forth with our brain. If the gut and brain are imbalanced, it will cause the body to do all different things, like turning the vagus nerve down, resulting in that flight or flight mode.

The third thing is when kids are playing sports, having accidents like falling off their bikes, and experiencing these big physical stressors in their life that are causing them to 

get tight, tense, and hold that extra energy. Physical stress affects the vagus nerve, not only impacting this upper cervical region but in turning it down. 

So if you are struggling with sleep, emotional regulation, digestion, etc, and are trusting your gut that they’re all related… you’re right! That is because it is all controlled by the vagus nerve. 

We use technology in our office called INSiGHT scans to measure this nerve and see whether it is turned up or down. If it is more turned up, chances are, you are going to have a much easier, well-regulated rest, digest, chill kiddo that can adapt and overcome a lot of things.

If it’s turned down, they most likely want to do those things but might struggle to get them done. That’s where we come in, and we really want to help you. We know that every kiddo is unique, so we will put together a custom care plan to help your child reach their full potential.