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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
When it comes to ensuring the well-being of your kids and families, you may think of maintaining a balanced diet, regular exercise, and managing stress. And those are all great goals! However, there’s a massively effective, yet simple, approach that could help change the way you understand and care for your child’s health – nervous system regulation.
If you have tried various health interventions (you’re doing amazing) for your child but still struggle with issues like sleep, mood imbalances, and energy levels – this is for you. Nervous system regulation is a transformative way to enhance overall well-being for your child … and you!
Understanding Nervous System Regulation
Nervous system regulation ensures the body functions properly, maintaining balance and stability. Dysregulation occurs when stress (or what we call subluxation) overwhelms the nervous system, impacting sleep, digestion, and energy. Signs such as sleep disturbances, mood swings, and energy fluctuations indicate a dysregulated nervous system.
The autonomic nervous system governs body systems, with the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches managing stress and relaxation, respectively. The vagus nerve, crucial for rest, repair, and regulation, plays a pivotal role. Damage to this nerve can hinder the nervous system’s ability to stay balanced.
Things like a stressful pregnancy, birth trauma (c-section, vacuum, forceps) or tough life experiences can kick this off. Nervous system dysfunction in children manifests as difficulty nursing, colic, and developmental delays. As they grow, issues like chronic ear infections, immune challenges, and emotional struggles emerge. This “Perfect Storm” can lead to sensory, ADHD, and spectrum-like challenges in kids.
The Power of Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic and Nervous System Regulation
So parents, imagine a health hack that doesn’t involve extreme measures. Nervous system regulation, achievable in just 3-5 minutes, is the answer. Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care specializes in restoring optimal function and balance to your child’s nervous system. It doesn’t aim to treat symptoms but addresses the root causes, leading to remarkable improvements in your child’s quality of life.
A well-functioning nervous system is vital, influencing development from childhood to adulthood. If the nervous system isn’t regulated properly, it will certainly impact your child’s quality of life. Neurologically-Focused Chiropractors at Rochester Chiropractic and Wellness offer natural, drug-free solutions.
We aim to restore optimal function of your child’s nervous system, focusing on the central and autonomic nervous system, especially the vagus nerve. Unlike traditional approaches, we don’t just treat symptoms; we tackle the root causes of subluxation, dysautonomia, and vagus nerve dysfunction. Quality of life should improve as neurological healing accelerates.
If you’re ready to explore the potential of Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care for your child, please reach out to Rochester Chiropractic and Wellness today to schedule an appointment. If you are not local to us, check out the PX Docs directory to find an office located near you. Get started on the journey today toward unlocking the positive health advantages of regulating your child’s nervous system!
Like so many other developmental challenges in kids, witnessing your child struggle with speech delay can be such a heartbreaking and frustrating experience. It not only affects their communication skills but also leads to social and emotional challenges as they find it difficult to express their needs and emotions.
Whether your child has been diagnosed with a speech delay or you suspect one, this blog aims to shed light on the science behind speech delays. Additionally, if your child is receiving speech therapy services but is still struggling or has plateaued with their results, we’ll get into how often traditional therapy is fantastic but not able to fully address the root cause. We’ll break down the neurology behind speech delays in kids and provide actionable steps to address the root cause.
Understanding Speech Delay
As parents, your child’s first words are so eagerly anticipated. Few things can compare to first hearing your little one say “Mommy,” “Daddy,” and “I love you.” So as time goes on, and those milestones are missed, disappointment and confusion set in. This is a common scenario for parents dealing with speech delay.
Speech delay occurs when a child’s language and communication skills develop more slowly than expected, which is actually an indication of stress or interference within their brain and nervous system. Children with speech delay may have individual words but struggle to string them together and form clear sentences.
Traditional pediatricians often attribute speech delay to “bad luck” without providing a comprehensive explanation. Speech delays are most commonly an issue with the “physical” formation and execution of speech, especially once other neurological disorders or hearing challenges are ruled out.
The Role of Birth Interventions (Trauma) and Speech Delay
By far and away, the most common but massively overlooked correlation we see with speech delays in our practice is the connection between birth interventions and trauma. Birth interventions such as forceps, c-sections, vacuum extraction, and induction can contribute to speech delays, especially in severe cases like apraxia of speech. Chronic ear infections, torticollis, and plagiocephaly, often linked to birth interventions, play a crucial role in understanding the root cause.
These types of delivery methods put tremendous pressure and physical tension on the cranial nerves, brainstem, upper neck, and vagus nerve. This results in a neuromuscular dysfunction known as subluxation. Subluxation is a neurological dysfunction that creates interference or disrupted communication between the brain and body, specifically affecting the nerves and muscles that control speech perception, formation, and execution.
The Role of Pediatric Chiropractic Care in Speech Delay
At Rochester Chiropractic and Wellness, our chiropractic approach doesn’t aim to treat or cure your child’s speech delay. Instead, our focus is on addressing the root cause – neuromuscular dysfunction and interference. We collaborate with you and other providers to create personalized care plans rather than recommending and doing the same thing for each child simply based on their delay or diagnosis. We know that each child is unique.
While witnessing your child struggle with speech delay can be disheartening, addressing the root cause with Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care can be so rewarding. To learn more and ensure your child gets back on track, schedule a consultation with our PX Docs at Rochester Chiropractic and Wellness. If you are not local to us, be sure to check out the PX Docs directory to find an office near you. We are ready to help you unlock your child’s full potential by getting to the root cause of their speech delay.
Hey parents, we want to talk about sleep today… or should we say lack of sleep. Let’s discuss the importance of sleep for you and your child’s health and well-being. Sleep is crucial for the immune, digestive, and cognitive systems. It impacts your kids social-emotional maturation and development. It is alarming to know that almost 50% of us have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Not enough people are talking about this!
Lack of sleep causes irritability, difficulty focusing, and decreased energy levels. These challenges are even more severe for children as their brain is still developing and learning to regulate emotions, focus, and behavior.
Did you know that the brain builds more neurons and connections during sleep in the first couple of years of life than later in life?
During sleep, the brain repairs, recharges, and prepares for the next day. It’s essential for brain development and learning. Unfortunately, it’s common to see parents and children struggling with exhaustion. Leading to unhealthy habits like excessive caffeine consumption in adults and behavior struggles in kids.
As neurologically-focused chiropractors, we prioritize improving the sleep quality of our patients. We must address sleep as a primary concern. That’s why the popular tagline, “America runs on Dunkin,” is concerning. It’s exposing a significant problem with our culture’s addiction to caffeine because we aren’t getting enough sleep!
We need to prioritize healthy sleep habits for our children and teenagers too. They need it most during this time of brain development and learning.
So what we want to do is help you get to the root cause of your family’s sleep challenges. This information is relevant to families with infants, little ones, grade schoolers, teenagers. Even for you, mom and dad, if your sleep is not great either. If you have tried everything from magnesium, melatonin, essential oils, diffusers, probiotics, every white noise machine, and blackout curtains, and are still not able to get your child to sleep. We think that this one thing we’re about to dive into is the missing link.
The Correlation Between Neurological Disorders and Sleep in Kids
Whether we are working with brand new little babies or older kiddos, the very first thing we work on is sleep. We focus on the root cause rather than just treating symptoms. Our obsession is to help your child get a good night’s sleep and, in turn, help them improve their motor planning, speech, behavior, and emotional well-being.
The Root Cause of Sleep Challenges
Lean in with me because we want to explain what may be causing your sleep challenges. And what we can do to help. This may get a bit deep into neurology, but we will keep it simple. Falling asleep and staying asleep both come from the same problem – an overactive, overstressed, overstimulated sympathetic fight or flight nervous system. During the day, it’s normal for our bodies to be on the gas pedal. With the nervous system being a little bit more fight or flighty as we go through our daily activities.
However, as nighttime approaches, our body’s central and autonomic nervous system senses our circadian rhythms, and starts to activate what’s called the parasympathetic system. This is nicknamed the rest, sleep, and digestion side of the nervous system. It’s the opposite of the fight or flight system. The parasympathetic nervous system helps us wind down and prepare for restful sleep.
Unfortunately, when children experience early life stressors such as birth interventions like forceps, vacuum extraction, C-sections, or induction, they may experience physical trauma to the nerves and muscles in the brainstem and upper cervical spine. This area of the body houses and protects a very important nerve called the vagus nerve, which is in charge of rest and digest functions.
The vagus nerve branches from the brainstem area, makes its way through the neck and into the thorax, and helps calm our heart rate and respiration, as well as activate digestion. It also goes into our social, emotional, and cognitive functions, slowing the brain down when it’s activated. If the vagus nerve is not functioning properly, you may struggle to shut your brain and body down, causing restlessness and difficulty sleeping.
This is a sign of vagus nerve dysfunction, also known as subluxation. This is simply our chiropractic term for stress stuck on the brake pedal with the vagus nerve shut down. We frequently see this in children who have suffered physical trauma to the upper neck at birth or in accidents. As well as anyone at any age that experiences constant pressure and tension on their neck and shoulders. Due to activities such as looking down at their phone or working on a computer for extended periods of time.
This issue, commonly referred to as “tech neck,” is a major contributing factor to why the nervous system may become stuck on sympathetic fight or flight overdrive. Preventing the brake pedal (parasympathetic nervous system) from functioning properly.
How Can Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Help?
As chiropractors focused on neurological care, we prioritize the consultation and case history to understand your challenges better. From colic to sleep issues to sensory and behavioral challenges, we recognize that these issues often stem from an overactive sympathetic fight or flight system and a vagus nerve brake pedal shutdown.
These issues can lead to cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and brain-based challenges.
At the core of our care is our unique approach to adjustments. We like to call them neuro-tonal adjustments. They activate the vagus nerve and the rest and digest system. Our goal in the first week, month, and 100 days of chronic issues is to activate the vagus nerve and restore basic building blocks of health, like sleep.
Our approach to care has led to regular and common improvements in sleep and overall health, as reported by 65% of our patients within the first month. Improvements in sleep lead to improved mood, cognition, gut health, and more. This is especially true for older children with neurological challenges.
We recognize that healing happens in the order in which we get sick. Issues with sleep, digestion, and immunity are all under the control of the nervous system and the vagus nerve. By addressing the sympathetic fight or flight subluxation and reducing stress and noise, we can restore the function of the vagus nerve and the rest and digest system.
If you’ve tried other approaches without success, we believe that neurologically focused chiropractic care may be the missing link for your health. We invite you to learn more about our approach and how it can benefit your child’s health.
Our INSiGHT neurological testing can measure the amount of stress on your or your child’s nervous system, and determine if the vagus nerve is dysfunctional or shut down. This will give you the answers you need to help you get the restful sleep you need.
It’s common for parents and kids to be exhausted and emotional, but it’s not normal.
Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care is the best solution for sleep challenges. More effective than other natural remedies like magnesium or melatonin. If you’ve tried everything and are still struggling with sleep issues, we encourage you to reach out to our office today.
Getting your child the sleep they need is essential for their overall health and well-being. Once your child is sleeping well, the whole family will benefit from better sleep and improved mood. Please share this information with other families who may be struggling with sleep challenges. We are here to provide hope, answers, and drug-free help.
As parents, our primary goal is to ensure the well-being of our children. One critical aspect of their health is understanding the appropriate use of antibiotics. Unfortunately, many parents are unaware that antibiotics are not always necessary or effective in treating certain infections. Such as viral illnesses or chronic ear infections. We want to dive into the importance of empowering and educating parents to become strong advocates for their children’s health. We will also shed light on the long-term health consequences of antibiotic misuse, and emphasize the need to address the root causes of common childhood infections.
Antibiotic Resistance: A Growing Concern
Overuse and inappropriate use of antibiotics have led to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This poses a significant threat as these infections become difficult, or sometimes impossible, to treat with conventional antibiotics. By understanding that antibiotics are not always the solution, and there are always natural alternatives, parents can play a crucial role in preventing the development of antibiotic resistance.
The Disruptive Effects of Antibiotics on Children’s Health
- Weakening and Suppression of the Immune System
- Disruption of the Microbiome
- Disruption of the Neurotransmitters and Gut-Brain Communication
- Development of Antibiotic Resistance
Antibiotics can be effective against harmful bacteria and lessen symptoms at the moment. They can also weaken and suppress the immune system. This can leave children vulnerable to recurrent infections and compromise their long-term health.
The human body hosts a vast community of microorganisms, known as the microbiome, which plays a crucial role in maintaining overall health. Antibiotics indiscriminately kill both harmful and beneficial bacteria, disrupting the delicate balance of the microbiome. This disruption can lead to various health issues in children. Such as increased risk of infections, digestive issues, allergies, asthma, anxiety, etc.
There is a neurological link as well. Emerging research suggests that antibiotics may also disrupt neurotransmitters and the communication between the gut and the brain. These neurotransmitters are essential, and this disruption can impact children’s mental health, cognitive development, and overall well-being.
Lastly, as previously mentioned, repeated exposure to antibiotics increases the risk of developing antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This not only limits treatment options but also perpetuates a cycle of antibiotic reliance, further compromising children’s long-term health. If antibiotics are continuously taken for smaller issues early in life, they won’t be as helpful later on for helping any serious, life-threatening issues.
Addressing the Root Causes: “Poor Plumbing” and Neuro-Immune Imbalance
As neurologically-focused chiropractors, our goal is to get to the root cause of your children’s challenges. The overuse of antibiotics for conditions like ear and respiratory infections fails to address the underlying cause. The real root problem lies in “poor plumbing” and impaired drainage, along with an imbalance in the neuro-immune system. These factors contribute significantly to recurrent infections and compromised health in children.
Pediatric chiropractors can help a child’s nervous system, and overall physiological function, improve to better hold off and clear out respiratory and immune challenges. We make this happen with increased “plumbing” and drainage of the ears, sinuses, lymphatic system, throat, lungs, and gut. And by lessening the sympathetic fight or flight response of the body, which leaves it in a pro-inflammatory and immune-suppressed state.
By improving the “plumbing” and wiring of the body, a child is often able to clear out congestion, inflammation, and infection faster and more efficiently. All without the use of dangerous and overused antibiotics and other medications.
For those parents that want to learn even more and better understand the science behind pediatric chiropractic, it is described here in this article on subluxation. Subluxation means stress stuck on the nervous system, and the neurological imbalance piece is called dysautonomia.
Birth Interventions and Trauma: Unveiling the Connections
Another thing to keep in mind when digging into the root causes of children’s health challenges is that certain birth interventions and trauma. Forceps, vacuum extraction, and C-sections, have been linked to long-term health issues in children. Research has shown associations between C-section deliveries and respiratory and autoimmune conditions later in life. These interventions can disrupt the delicate balance of the microbiome, and cause physical tension that affects the function of the Vagus Nerve. Which affects the autonomic nervous system’s regulation of immune function and inflammation.
This is another reason why neurologically-focused chiropractic care is so important. We will consult with you and your child to dig into the child’s case history, look for root causes, and will do a deep dive into the function of your child’s nervous system. We do this by using incredible technology called INSiGHT scans that can detect subluxation within their stressed-out nervous system.
Empowering and educating parents about appropriate antibiotic use is crucial for safeguarding children’s health, and combating the rise of antibiotic resistance. By understanding the disruptive effects of antibiotics on the immune system, microbiome, and neurotransmitters, parents can make informed decisions, and seek alternative approaches to address the root causes of infections.
We are trained and ready to provide those drug-free, natural options you have been looking for!
Parents, if you have a child struggling with ADHD, whether they’re diagnosed or not, whether they’re on medication or not, please know that you are not alone. ADHD affects 6 million kids in the United States. Over 4 million of them are on medication that can have harmful short-term and long-term side effects.
So, we want to delve into the root causes of ADHD. Including the neurology, chemistry, and physiology behind it, in a way that is easy to understand. This is specifically for parents who do not want to use medications to help their child with ADHD challenges. We nickname our ADHD kiddos “Raging Bulls” because they have a lot of energy and drive, and we absolutely love their personalities. If you resonate with this, then this is perfect for you.
We’ll explore the causes of ADHD and how it can be turned into a superpower for your child. We’ll also talk about the struggles that come with ADHD, such as difficulty with sleep. However, the most important message is that you can turn your child’s ADHD into a superpower without medication.
We want to debunk the outdated medical theories surrounding ADHD and get to the root of the neurology that is causing it. It’s important for parents to understand that once you know what’s really behind ADHD, you can start working on drug-free solutions to balance your child’s nervous system and help them thrive.
The Genetic and Chemical Imbalance Theories
It’s alarming that there is no medical test for ADHD, and yet 6 million children have been diagnosed with it. 4 million are taking dangerous medications based on two scientific theories that both lack evidence. The first theory is the genetic theory, which suggests that ADHD is purely genetic. The second is the chemical imbalance theory. It proposes that certain chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and epinephrine are out of order, and medications are required for life to correct this imbalance.
This is where Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic comes in. Many people seek out chiropractic care for physical ailments, such as chronic neck or back pain. They may not even know they have ADHD, but will soon discover that a lot of times neurological challenges actually stem from these physical ailments.
Contrary to popular belief, the number one cause of ADHD is not bad genetics or bad chemistry. It’s actually imbalanced neurology.
The True Root Cause – Imbalanced Neurology
Our nervous system has two sides – the gas pedal fight or flight side and the brake pedal parasympathetic side. When the fight or flight side is overstimulated, it can lead to ADHD symptoms like impulsivity, hyperactivity, and emotional dysregulation. This is because ADHD is a subtype that is impulsive or hyperactive in nature.
However, the other side of the nervous system called the parasympathetic side, is also known as the “brake pedal.” This side of the nervous system is responsible for rest, relaxation, focus, following directions, and emotional control. Unfortunately, for children with ADHD, this side of the nervous system is underactive, and their gas pedal side is overactive.
Early Stressors Affect Neurology
So why does this happen? During the first few years of life, the brain is highly plastic and moldable. If a child experiences a lot of stress during this critical period, it can wreak havoc on the brainstem and nervous system. This stress can begin all the way back to pregnancy, labor, delivery, and birth interventions resulting in birth trauma. Furthermore, if a child experiences early-life stressors such as a lot of antibiotics or challenges, it can shift the neurology and hardwire the brain to be excessively in sympathetic overdrive.
When the nervous system is in this overdrive state, it creates an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are responsible for transmitting messages within the nervous system. This imbalance leads to the classic symptoms of ADHD.
We’ve discussed neurological differences between the gas and brake pedals of the brain with traditional medical doctors. This phenomenon is not merely a theory but a scientifically-backed explanation for ADHD, anxiety, sensory processing disorders, and other related conditions.
While chemical imbalances are present in these cases, they are not the root cause but rather a secondary effect. The chemicals involved are meant to regulate the nervous system, and respond to stimuli with either a fight or flight response. In the case of individuals with ADHD, their nervous system is wired to respond with an excessive urge to move, talk, or engage in risky behaviors. This is where the neurotransmitters come into play – responding to the nervous system’s signals.
Therefore, while the chemical imbalance theory is not inaccurate, it is incomplete as it fails to address the underlying neurological differences that lead to these behaviors.
Air Traffic Control – The Autonomic Nervous System
There is something deeper, the true root cause of these chemical imbalances in children lies in an imbalance in the central or autonomic nervous system. The root cause is often caused by early stressors a child experiences. While genetics may play a small role, the stressful and toxic environment we live in today affects our children earlier than ever before. Leading to what we call the Perfect Storm theory.
But here’s the good news: by rebalancing and restoring function to the nervous system, we can address the true root cause of these imbalances using neurologically-focused chiropractic care. By focusing on the central nervous system, we can reactivate and wake up the “brake pedal” side of the nervous system. The side that is responsible for calming and regulating the body.
We have trained using a unique set of care protocols for children with neurological challenges, regardless of their specific diagnosis. The interest is not simply in treating or curing ADHD; our focus is on addressing the cause of the symptoms. We do this by using an adjusting protocol system that activates the parasympathetic side of the nervous system. This helps with concentration and calming.
The length and frequency of our neurologically focused chiropractic care plan depends on the severity and duration of a child’s nervous system challenges. We work with each family to create a customized care plan to help achieve optimal nervous system function.
In order for your child’s brain and nervous system to calm down and function at their best, this care plan is necessary. It is commonly known as neurologically focused restoration chiropractic care. If your child is struggling in school with failing grades, a fried brain, and an inability to concentrate or sleep, and ADHD seems to be getting the better of them – there is HOPE. Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic care can turn their ADHD into a superpower.
We believe that every child with ADHD has so much potential. They possess a unique brain and drive that when properly harnessed, can be a superpower.
The world needs more raging bulls. But for those kids who are always on the go, it’s important that they have the ability to slow down and take corners more smoothly when needed.
Chiropractic care is a drug-free option that addresses the root cause of your child’s ADHD. By activating their brake pedal system, we can regulate their chemistry, physiology, and overall body function. It’s a transformative approach that can help children of any age and severity.
It’s frustrating that traditional medicine often lacks a complete understanding of the chemical theory behind ADHD. And doesn’t offer a test for it. At our offices, we believe in providing measurable results, and our ADHD test does just that.
If you’re ready to take the next step, please give our office a call! If you’re not local to our office, check out our directory and find a PX Doc local to you. Your child deserves to reach their full potential. This can be achieved without relying on medication and looking forward to a brighter future. We’re always here to support you and your child on their journey toward success.
We understand that there’s a lot to keep track of when it comes to taking care of our little ones. From the numerous items in the diaper bag to everything they need day to day, it can be extremely overwhelming. Then there is a whole other chart that isn’t in that diaper bag we need to be aware of as parents, and it’s called the Developmental Milestones Chart. These are things that your pediatrician or family doctor will check in with you on during your well-baby checks.
Often, motor development and developmental milestones are overlooked, dismissed, or missed altogether by pediatricians and standard doctors. So, in this blog, we are going to discuss gross motor development, referring to your baby’s larger muscles. Milestones tummy time, rolling over, sitting up, crawling, and walking. These are important movements that contribute to your child’s overall health and well-being.
As a parent, it can be challenging to navigate these issues without proper knowledge or expertise in neurodevelopment. That’s why we’re here to provide you with the answers and explanations you need. As pediatric chiropractors, neurodevelopment is our expertise.
If you’re concerned about your child’s motor milestones and aren’t receiving the answers you need from your pediatrician, this is for you. It’s also suitable for parents whose children have plateaued in physical therapy or other related therapies. Please share this information with other parents who may be experiencing similar struggles!
The missing link we’re about to discuss is not typically found in pediatrician’s offices. Or even evaluations by physical, occupational, or speech therapists. However, when neurologically-focused chiropractic is added in, it can yield excellent results.
PTs and pediatricians are simply not trained to look for this missing link, but it’s present in 80-90% of cases. If it is not found, it cannot be fixed. If it’s not identified and addressed, it can lead to weak core muscles and limbs, as well as low-tone challenges. We’ll also explore the cause of low tone and break that down in this blog.
The Connection Between Gross Motor Development and the Nervous System
So what is that missing link?
The key to understanding motor development lies in the nervous system. The developing muscles of your child’s body are under complete and total control of the nervous system.
The central nervous system is the absolute boss and controller of the muscular system.
When we look at motor delays or structural deformations, such as plagiocephaly and torticollis, we find that these gross motor and structural challenges have a neurological foundation. Stress can affect the central nervous system, causing it to be stressed out and wound up. The nervous system has two sides to it. The sympathetic fight or flight tension side and the parasympathetic calm and relaxation side. When the sympathetic nervous system is firing and overactive, the muscles become too tight and too wound up. This is what we find in many of our gross motor and neurodevelopmental cases.
You may be thinking, “That’s not my child’s problem. My child has low tone.” However, hypotonicity or low tone cannot exist in the core or limbs without first having excessive hyper-high tone in the neuro spinal and brain stem areas. The central nervous system comprises the brain, spinal cord, and motor and sensory nerves that control every tissue and cell of the body, especially the muscles. If the central nervous system is injured during birth trauma, from a fall or childhood physical trauma, it can cause misalignment, fixation, and tension, also known as subluxation.
Subluxation can take the central nervous system and wind up the fight-or-flight sympathetic nervous system. Especially in the neck, traps, and shoulders. If your child has low tone or coordination challenges, we need to assess their brainstem, neck, and spine to identify any subluxations that may be present. Pediatricians, PTs, and OTs are not trained to assess the nervous system in the same way that a trained, neurologically-focused pediatric chiropractor is.
Sequential Order of Gross Motor Development
It’s important to address gross motor delays, as gross motor development needs to occur in a complete, organized, and timely fashion to kick on fine motor and advanced neurodevelopment. Think of it like project management, where the gross motor system needs to develop first. The big muscles of the neck, spine, trunk, core, and limbs. And it’s not just the big muscles on the outside, but also the muscles on the inside that need to be functioning properly.
This neuro-gross motor system needs to be fully functional before the brain can focus on speech and socialization. As well as behavioral and emotional regulation. What we see all the time is that these gross motor delays are missed. Because it’s not a parent’s job to know how to spot them, and pediatricians are not trained to spot them.
As mentioned, birth trauma, such as a stressful pregnancy or an intervention during delivery, can lead to subluxation. Subluxation can cause tension and tightness in your child’s neck, traps, shoulders, and spine right from the start. This can result in weak core and limb muscles. In turn making it difficult for your child to develop their gross motor skills, which can then lead to developmental issues later on.
If your child exhibits signs such as being colicky, fussy, having torticollis or plagiocephaly, acid reflux, chronic ear infections, or difficulty sleeping, these may all be indications of subluxation in the central nervous system. Until this subluxation is found, fixed, and adjusted, your child may continue to experience challenges with gross motor development, which can hinder their overall development. Because everything not only has to ‘go on time’ as the charts say but more importantly, it’s supposed to go in the right order and sequence.
If you have tried everything, from tummy time to regular PT sessions, and are still struggling, or if you haven’t started yet, there is still hope and we’d love to help! Understanding this crucial piece of information can be the key to unlocking your child’s full potential.
If you suspect your child may be subluxated, please give us a call to schedule your exam and consultation. Our team can then conduct an INSiGHT scan. This scan measures neuromotor function and can determine if your child is subluxated and the severity of that subluxation. From there, you can get a customized care plan! This will help your child get back on track with their gross motor development and overall health.
Motor development and overall developmental milestones are crucial for the health and function of the brain later in life. If subluxation is the hidden challenge hindering your child’s development, it’s crucial to take action and address it sooner than later. We want to help you take the necessary steps to ensure your child reaches their full potential!
