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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
While talking about poop may bring laughter to kids and parents alike, when your child faces chronic constipation, it becomes a serious concern. Recent research suggests that approximately 25-30% of children experience constipation, impacting their overall well-being. More than a digestive issue, chronic constipation is often a symptom of an underlying problem linked to various childhood conditions. Such as autism, anxiety, sensory processing disorder, developmental delays, and ADHD.
If you have dealt with your child struggling with chronic constipation, you know the repercussions on their lives are significant. It affects their immune system, sleep, energy levels, and emotional regulation. If you have exhausted various remedies, including diet changes, prune juice, probiotics, and even Miralax, this is for you. Let’s dive into the genuine root causes of chronic constipation. Let’s go beyond nutritional imbalances, and provide drug-free options to enhance your child’s quality of life.
A Story of Hope
Consider Lucas, who began experiencing stomach issues at the age of 4. His daily struggles with pain led his family through a maze of doctor visits, X-rays, ultrasounds, and a traumatic experience with Miralax. Despite feeling frustrated and overwhelmed, a glimmer of hope emerged when they stumbled upon a social media post mirroring their story. Skeptical yet desperate for answers, they sought help, leading to transformative changes in Lucas’s life through neurologically-focused chiropractic care.
Understanding the Science: It’s Neurological
Chronic constipation is not merely a genetic or nutritional imbalance; it’s primarily a neurological imbalance. Many parents, like yourself, have already explored diet modifications, probiotics, and supplements. All with little success in achieving relief for their children. Clinically, chronic constipation is often “neurogenic,” indicating an overactive sympathetic nervous system and dysregulated digestive muscles.
This neurological imbalance, termed subluxation and dysautonomia, triggers a fight-or-flight response, diverting energy away from the digestive tract. When your child’s nervous system is in this protective and stressed-out state, it greatly impacts the gut and digestive system. Mainly by “conserving energy” for the skeletal muscles (to fight or flight) and taking it away from the muscles of the digestive tract.
This is why we see chronic constipation strongly correlated with conditions like autism, ADHD, sensory challenges, and anxiety. They all stem from that same neurological imbalance.
Neurologically-focused chiropractic adjustments, particularly targeting your child’s vagus nerve and parasympathetic system, provide a drug-free solution to restore balance and alleviate chronic constipation. The focus of our adjustments is to stimulate and activate the parasympathetic nervous system and vagus nerve. Which in turn stimulates and activates digestive motility and relaxation for your child.
Next Steps: Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic
So, if you are grappling with your child’s chronic constipation, understanding the neurological component is crucial. We see the difference our specialized approach here at RCW makes on a daily basis. Our goal is to activate your child’s parasympathetic nervous system. We humorously refer to this as “hitting the poop button”. Our adjustments promote digestive motility and relaxation within their nervous system.
To learn more about how this works, or get your child scheduled for a consult and exam, please reach out to RCW today! Investing in your child’s neurological well-being not only addresses chronic constipation, but opens the door to a happier, healthier future for them.
As parents and dedicated pediatric chiropractors at Rochester Chiropractic and Wellness, we have witnessed the struggles that countless children face – battles against unresolved anxiety, poor sleep, low immunity, and inflammation, despite the tireless efforts of you parents striving to support your child’s health. This struggle leaks into their behavior, marked by frequent meltdowns and an inability to self-calm or regulate. These persistent challenges may be indicative of a constant activated stress response causing struggles for their delicate nervous systems.
The alarming truth is that over 77% of today’s youth suffer from chronic health conditions, with neurological and mental health disorders standing out as the most prevalent. The latest clinical research points to dysfunctional nervous system patterns that serve as the main drivers when it comes to these conditions.
Specifically, when your child becomes stuck in “fight or flight” mode, the cascade of stress hormones disrupts vital processes like digestion, immunity, and development. The restorative parasympathetic “rest and digest” activation becomes suppressed, spiraling into a relentless cycle known as the “Perfect Storm.”
If your child is stuck in the “Perfect Storm” of symptoms, leaving you feeling helpless in your pursuit of solutions – rest assured this is a scenario that resonates with so many parents, and it’s crucial for you to recognize that you are not alone. Understanding that these challenges are linked to the nervous system is pivotal in navigating the journey toward better health for your child.
How Kids Get Stuck in a Fight or Flight Stress Response:
Your child’s nervous system, like a switch, goes between active and relaxed modes. When there’s a short-term danger, it goes into “fight or flight” mode. But problems happen when the stress reaction stays for too long.
The Vagus Nerve’s Function
At the heart of nervous system regulation is the vagus nerve, controlling the activation of the body’s “rest, digest, and regulate” parasympathetic nervous system. This critical nerve regulates digestion, breathing, heart rate, and inflammation and is more tied to restoration. We also know that the vagus nerve is essential to social and emotional regulation, speech, and so much more.
Impaired vagal tone traps your child in fight or flight, leading to a condition called dysautonomia. Dysautonomia (or out-of-balance autonomic nervous system) can then lead to a host of other chronic health challenges in kids.
What Getting Stuck in Fight or Flight Looks Like in Kids
Here are signs that your child may be stuck in fight or flight mode:
- Heightened baseline anxiety, worry, and panic responses
- Frequent emotional meltdowns and outbursts
- Disrupted sleep and nightmares
- Loss of appetite or overeating
- Increased food sensitivities and allergies
- New onset headaches or body aches
- Overreaction to minor frustrations
- Poor focus and concentration troubles
- Frequent illnesses and decreased immunity
- Persistent fatigue or hyperactivity
When your child’s nervous system gets overloaded and stuck, churning out stress chemicals, it turns into a range of symptoms that can disrupt health and development. Leading to:
- Anxiety and Mood Changes
- Cognitive and Behavioral Challenges
- Physical Hurdles (including): Headaches, body tension, abdominal pain, low energy, and immune weakness
- Growth and Development Delays
How to Get Our Kids Out of Fight or Flight Long Term
Parents, you hold immense power in nurturing your child’s well-being at home. It’s always a great idea to engage daily in breathing exercises, helping with the relaxation response. You can try gentle movements like yoga to process cortisol. Ensure optimal nutrition to replenish drained reserves, and consider natural supplements for gentle inflammation modulation. Prioritize restorative sleep for holistic health.
However, time and again, we meet parents who have tried everything under the sun to help their child learn to calm, regulate, and balance their emotions and nervous system, but to no avail.
In cases where the nervous system seems stuck in fight or flight, the crucial first step is Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care.
These adjustments target vagus nerve stimulation and release pent-up stress within the sympathetic nervous system, proving way more impactful than traditional methods.
As adjustments start to help restore better sleep patterns and enhance neurological health for your child, you can then introduce breathing exercises, calming activities, and nutritional programs.
So, if your child is expressing symptoms tied to a stuck-on, fight-or-flight nervous system, and you’ve exhausted every avenue without success, consider addressing nervous system dysregulation and subluxation as the missing link.
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.
