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Neurological healing is no easy task. Nor is it normally a linear, straightforward path. In fact, it’s most commonly quite the opposite, going through multiple stages and phases on its way to optimal healing and outcomes.
The first challenge parents and patients face when trying to determine whether or not things are moving in the right direction with neurological healing is that the process is the stark contrast opposite of traditional medical treatment. Every single component of the medical system is designed not with healing in mind, but with suppressing, stopping, and shutting things down as the ultimate goal.
Have an infection? Kill it off with an antibiotic (which literally means anti-life).
Have a fever? Shut it off with a fever suppressor.
Have inflammation? Shut it down with steroid-based medications.
Have hyperactivity and impulsivity? Suppress it with stimulant medications.
Have anxiety? Cover it up and suppress it with drugs.
The medical way is one that is supposed to “work” fast and, therefore, be readily apparent. Unfortunately, parents today especially know that what we discussed is very true – the vast majority of the time, drugs and medications are doing nothing to address the actual root cause, create any actual healing, and they also come with a whole host of unwanted side effects.
So, what other options do we have? Well, if you’re reading this, then it’s likely that you’ve already begun to take the root cause of yours or your child’s challenges head on with neurologically-focused chiropractic care, or you’re strongly considering it and wondering exactly how that process works.
To make this super simple to understand, we’ll be breaking things down into three parts. First, the healing phases we’ll discuss are:
- Release Phase
- Rebuild + Reorganize Phase
- Restoration Phase
Phase 1 – Release
The first phase of neurological healing + restoration is often the bumpiest. The longer you have been subluxated and stuck in sympathetic dominance (dysautonomia), the deeper those stress patterns and dysfunctions set in. The body is doing all it can to adapt, but in the toughest of cases (Perfect Storm + Neuro Intensive ones especially), we generally find that the nervous system is just flat out worn out and exhausted.
Therefore, when you release those deep subluxation patterns in the first two (2) weeks to two (2) months of care, oftentimes, patients will experience some form of “neuro detox” where certain signs and symptoms may get a bit worse.
This is really no different than what happens when you get a fever, diarrhea, or traditional immune response – the body is actually getting “sick” to get well again.
So, in the vast majority of these neurological detoxes that occur way early in care, it’s actually a “good” sign that healing is happening. We’re getting the nervous system unstuck from the long-standing stuck, stressed, and exhausted subluxation patterns it’s been in.
Phase 2 – Rebuild + Reorganize
This is an exciting phase of care, and it’s really rooted in the science of something called neuroplasticity. Which honestly is what all of neurologically-focused chiropractic care is based upon.
Neuroplasticity, also known as neural plasticity or brain plasticity, is the ability of neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganization. It is when the brain is rewired to function in some way that differs from how it previously functioned.
Subluxation, dysautonomia, and the “Perfect Storm” are all what stop neuroplasticity, growth, and optimal development dead in its tracks and throw things off course. Therefore, when we hit this stage of care, and we start to see growth and reorganization happening again and a child getting back on track with their milestones and development – oh man, is it exciting!
What does rebuilding + reorganization look like practically? Check out the following list to spot the signs of this stage in progress:
- INSiGHT Scans shifting, changing, calming, clearing, and reorganizing
- Oftentimes this can be tracked with our “neurometrics” and scores
- Improved Neuro-Postural Patterns
- No more head tilt + rotation, shoulders relaxed and level, etc.
- Improved Neuromuscular Tone + Coordination
- Observed through movement, gait analysis, etc.
- Improved Neurological “Soft Signs”
- Sleeping better, eating better, improved digestion, better immune health, improvements in posture and coordination, etc.
- Improved Focus + Endurance in School, Therapy, etc.
- Being able to do more during therapy appointments and school
- Less Severe Subluxation Patterns and Adjusting Restrictions
- When things shift, move, and get easier to adjust
By no means does a child or patient need to experience everything on that list to be in this phase of neurological healing, as healing is unique to each individual. However, even observing and having just a couple of them means things are progressing and on the right track to optimal healing and neurological restoration!
Phase 3 – Restoration
This phase of care is the ultimate goal of our initial care plans, but honestly, it’s just the beginning of the best part – the child or patient is now experiencing a high quality of LIFE once again!
We feel strongly that we are designed to be strong, healthy, resilient, and happy, and therefore live a high quality of life as a result! This stage of care is when kids and patients really have had transformative changes with their health and day-to-day experience a quality of life far greater than what they had prior to starting chiropractic care.
This stage then sets the stage for wellness, but the work is not all the way done. In this stage, we want to stay on the job of neurological healing and continue to deploy neuroplastic healing principles in order to put “slack” and “stability” in the system.
This third state of neurological healing is essential for one reason – life goes on. Meaning kids are still going to have growth spurts, falls and injuries, colds and sickness to get through, social and emotional challenges, school, sports, seasonal changes, and so much more they still need to stay ahead of and adapt to. Adults are right there with them with work stressors, seasonal allergies, social engagements, and other physical stressors.
By completing this final stage of the neurological restoration care plan, we can then transition into lifetime wellness care with a strong, resilient, and more stable nervous system. A more stable nervous system can better withstand various regular life stressors and stay healthy and strong through them!
That is the ultimate goal we have for our patients – to not just get healthy for a season, but stay there for good! To do that, this third phase and achieving restoration is essential.
Diving Deeper into Neurological “Soft Signs” of Healing
While every single one of us, from the parent team to the provider team, wants to see massive changes and achievement of the big goals happen right away… science and clinical experience let us know that, typically, that is not the case.
So often, and so rightfully so, some of the most common examples parents have for BIG goals for their children’s care include things like starting to walk or talk, eliminating seizures or autism spectrum related challenges, improving focus and behavior, lessening anxiety and depression, and so forth. For the purpose of this article, we’ll refer to these functions as “brain-based” or “higher level” functions.
In contrast, more primary and basic neurophysiological functions that are essential to health are things like eating, sleeping, digestion (pooping), motor planning, respiratory + immune health, and so forth. These core health functions could also be called more primal or foundational components of health, and what many parents and providers don’t know is it’s these things that get offline and off track first, which then leads to the bigger “brain based” problems down the road as neurological function and development is compromised.
Therefore, on the road to optimal neurological healing, we often need to see changes with these “soft signs” (and scans), and the more basic physiological functions first.
- When a teen intensive patient struggling with anxiety, epilepsy, and exhaustion starts to finally fall asleep easier and stay asleep longer, we know we’re on the right track!
- When a three (3) year old patient recently diagnosed with autism and apraxia (nonverbal) begins experiencing better digestion, immune health, and gross motor planning, we know we’re on the road to recovery + restoration!
- When a grade schooler struggling with ADHD and behavioral regulation challenges has more relaxed shoulders, less tension, and gets adjusted easier, we know we’re making the right changes happen to their nervous system!
So often for parents, not seeing the big changes happen instantly with chiropractic care can be frustrating and, if we’re being honest, even disheartening. But when we can point out these incredibly important changes on their INSiGHT Scans and with their neurological “soft signs,” we can rebuild that hope and let you know we’re heading in the right direction!
If you have any questions at all about what phase of care your child is in (or yourself), do not hesitate to ask and really dig in with your doctor at the next visit. We love talking through this stuff with our patients, and always do our best to stay ahead of it, making sure you know what to look for and what to track as care progresses through each and every phase of care!
Your child melts down over the smallest things. They can’t sleep. They refuse to go to school. The tantrums are getting worse, and you’re walking on eggshells, never knowing what might set them off next. You’ve tried behavioral programs, therapy sessions, and maybe even medication, but nothing seems to stick. In fact, everything you try seems to make their anxiety and aggression worse.
You’re not alone, and you’re not failing your child.
4.4 million children in America struggle with anxiety, and the numbers are climbing every year. What most parents don’t realize is that their child’s anxiety isn’t a behavioral problem that needs to be managed – it’s a neurological problem that can be solved.
Damon’s Story: From Despair to Hope
When 8-year-old Damon started having self-harming thoughts and refusing to go to school, his mom felt hopeless. His emotions were coming out as anger and aggression, and things were getting progressively worse for his entire family.
Damon had already been through a behavioral program, but his mom felt like everything she tried was making his anxiety and aggression worse. She was worried about what school would look like and how he would adapt as he got older.
When they discovered the real root cause wasn’t in Damon’s head – it was stuck in his nervous system – everything changed. For the first time, his mom felt heard and hopeful. There was no judgment; they felt understood and finally had some answers as to why Damon was struggling. And even better, there was a solution.
Understanding Why Your Child’s Nervous System Gets “Stuck”
Here’s what you need to understand: your child’s anxiety isn’t a character flaw or behavioral choice. It’s their nervous system stuck in a constant “fight or flight” state. Unable to access the “rest, digest, and regulate” mode that’s essential for emotional well-being.
When the nervous system is out of balance, even simple daily activities can feel threatening to your child’s brain and body, triggering anxiety responses that seem disproportionate to the situation. This stuck state is caused by subluxation – stress and tension that builds up in the nervous system and interferes with proper brain-body communication.
Think of it this way: your child isn’t choosing to be anxious or defiant. Their nervous system is literally unable to find the “off switch” for their stress response.
The Perfect Storm That Creates Childhood Anxiety
Subluxation buildup often starts earlier than you might think:
Pregnancy: Maternal stress hormones cross the placenta and impact your baby’s developing nervous system. This isn’t about blame – it’s about understanding that stress affects developing systems in ways we’re only beginning to comprehend.
Birth Stress: Interventions like C-sections, forceps, or vacuum extraction can create physical trauma to the delicate upper neck and brainstem area, where crucial nerves are housed.
Early Childhood: Falls, illnesses, emotional stress, and even frequent antibiotic use continue to add layers of stress to an already overwhelmed nervous system.
Without addressing these root causes, children don’t simply “grow out of” anxiety. They often grow into more complex neurological challenges.
The Vagus Nerve Connection Most Doctors Never Mention
Here’s the key piece most healthcare providers miss: the vagus nerve is your child’s “brake pedal.” It’s responsible for activating the calming, healing side of the nervous system, which allows them to self-regulate and feel safe.
When subluxation interferes with vagus nerve function, your child loses access to this natural calming mechanism. Making it nearly impossible for them to settle down on their own.
This explains why traditional behavioral approaches often fall short. They’re trying to teach coping skills to a child whose nervous system is physically unable to access the calm state needed to use those skills effectively. It’s like trying to teach someone to drive while their brakes don’t work.
Taking Back Control: How to Address the Real Root Cause
As a parent, you have more power than you realize. The first step is understanding that your child’s struggles stem from a neurological imbalance that can be measured and addressed.
We utilize advanced INSiGHT Scans that can detect and measure the presence and severity of subluxation and nervous system dysfunction in your child. These scans show exactly where stress is stuck in your child’s nervous system, and help create a personalized plan tailored to their unique needs.
Through precise, gentle chiropractic adjustments, neurologically-focused chiropractic care works to release stuck stress from the sympathetic nervous system, activate the vagus nerve, and restore balance to the nervous system as a whole. The goal is to help your child’s body learn when it’s safe to relax, and when it’s appropriate to activate the stress response. Giving them access to both sides of their nervous system.
Imagine your child being able to:
- Handle everyday stressors without complete meltdowns
- Sleep peacefully through the night
- Go to school without the morning battle
- Communicate their needs instead of acting out
- Access their natural ability to calm down and regulate
This isn’t just wishful thinking. It’s what happens when you address the neurological root cause instead of just managing symptoms.
Your Next Step Forward
If this all sounds familiar to you, know that you’re not powerless in this situation. Your child’s anxiety isn’t a life sentence, and you don’t have to resign yourself to years of behavioral management and medication trials.
At RCW, we understand the neurological basis of childhood anxiety and have the tools to measure and address nervous system dysfunction. We utilize advanced neurological scanning technology, INSiGHT Scans, and take a comprehensive approach to nervous system health.
Your child’s healing journey starts with understanding that their struggles are real and, most importantly, can be addressed. So if you are ready to advocate for your child’s neurological health and help them access the calm, regulated state they deserve, don’t wait to reach out to RCW today.
You know your child best. Trust your instincts, ask the hard questions, and don’t settle for “they’ll grow out of it” when your parental intuition tells you there’s more to the story.
Your child’s nervous system has an incredible capacity for healing and adaptation. Sometimes it just needs the right support to remember how to find balance again.
If you find yourself running from one appointment to the next — physical therapy on Mondays and Wednesdays, occupational therapy Tuesdays, speech therapy squeezed in on Fridays, plus weekly sensory integration sessions and maybe even ABA or other behavioral interventions — all while trying to manage a strict, restrictive diet and administer what feels like 50 to 100 different supplements, vitamins, detox agents, and homeopathics every single day… you’re not alone.
More importantly, we want you to know — you’re not missing anything. You’re not failing your child.
The truth is, you may actually be doing too much.
The Hidden Trap of “More is Better”
In the quest to help your child heal, develop, and regulate, it’s easy to fall into the trap of constantly adding more. More therapies, more protocols, more supplements — without realizing that their nervous system may already be at or beyond capacity.
When the brain and body are stuck in a constant state of stress — sympathetic overload, vagus nerve dysfunction, subluxation, dysautonomia — even well-intentioned interventions can become overstimulating, and in some cases, even counterproductive.
That’s why so many families report that despite doing everything “right,” their child is still stuck, plateaued… or even regressing.
It’s not because you haven’t found the perfect protocol or the right combination of therapies. It’s because healing doesn’t come from piling on more — it comes from starting at the foundation.
And oftentimes, the most powerful next step isn’t another supplement or session… but rather taking a step back, calming the chaos, and working to first regulate and restore the nervous system.
What is Healing Interventions Overload?
Through work with thousands of families, we’ve identified an all-too-common frustrating and heartbreaking pattern. Families often arrive with children enrolled in an overwhelming schedule: physical therapy and occupational therapy 2-4 sessions weekly, speech therapy with additional feeding interventions, behavioral programs or ABA therapy sometimes 20+ hours weekly, sensory integration programs, academic tutoring, 10-40+ supplements with complex dietary protocols, detox programs, and primitive reflex integration therapy.
These parents have faithfully followed every recommendation. Eliminated foods from their child’s diet, given countless supplements, and wondered why their child seems more overwhelmed and exhausted than before.
Healing Interventions Overload occurs when multiple beneficial therapies overwhelm a child’s already dysregulated nervous system. Causing individual interventions to work against each other rather than building synergistically toward improvement.
Think of your child’s nervous system like a computer with limited processing power. When too many tabs are open and too many programs are running simultaneously, the entire system slows down or crashes.
You can also think of your child’s nervous system like a circuit board. If it’s already miswired or overloaded, plugging in too many things at once, even good therapies, can trip the system and blow a fuse.
This explains why kids with nervous system dysregulation often struggle with sleep, meltdowns, sensory overload, and even seizures or motor tics when their system gets overwhelmed from too many therapies happening all at once.
The Science Behind Why Good Therapies Go Bad
When your child’s nervous system is stuck in sympathetic dominance, essentially living in constant “fight-or-flight,” it operates like a smartphone with a dying battery. Every function becomes about survival and energy conservation, not growth and learning.
Stressed nervous systems drain energy in a specific hierarchy:
First: The Gut and GI System Suffers
The digestive system often struggles with motility, absorption, assimilation, and elimination, causing a child to chronically not “feel good” and therefore struggle in therapies. This is why millions of kids today still struggle with chronic gut issues despite having pristine diets and thousands of dollars worth of supplements. The problem is not with their nutrition, it’s with their neurology.
Second: The Motor System Breaks Down
Delayed milestones, poor coordination, hypertonicity and spasms, weak core strength result in crawling delays, W-sitting, toe walking, incoordination, and gait issues that stall out and are hard to address with PT or OT alone. Speech issues are also at their root a neuro-motor dysfunction.
Third: Immune Function Deteriorates
This leads to chronic inflammation, frequent ear infections, antibiotics, more infections, asthma, and autoimmune conditions. If your child is sick all the time, they either can’t even make it to therapies, or can’t get much out of them.
The Transformative Solution: Sequential Healing That Works
The answer isn’t to abandon beneficial therapies. It’s to understand the proper sequence for introducing them, creating what we call “the multiplier effect”. Where each intervention becomes exponentially more effective.
Phase 1: Building the Foundation
This phase focuses exclusively on high-frequency neurologically-focused chiropractic care to address subluxation patterns and restore proper nervous system function. Implementing a “less is more” approach by pausing most other major interventions. Consider this building the foundation!
Phase 2: Supporting the Core Four
This phase strategically reintroduces support for the “Core Four” functions: sleep, gut and GI function, immune balance, and motor development. These foundational systems must be online before higher-level functions like speech or academic learning can develop properly.
The best place to start within Phase 2 is the Motor System. You’ll now see your child be able to benefit so much more from PT, OT, and Speech Therapy once their nervous system is better regulated, connected, and coordinated.
In most cases when a full care plan of neurologically-focused chiropractic is done right and done fully, primitive reflexes will fade and integrate on their own.
Finally, after the neuro-motor system is working better, you can begin to better support the gut-immune system and work on detoxification and elimination more smoothly, safely, and effectively.
Phase 3: The Magic Happens
With a regulated nervous system and stable foundational functions, previously ineffective therapies can produce dramatic results. Children with regulated autonomic function experience exponentially better therapy gains and start to really catch up and get back on track developmentally!
How to Know If Your Child is Dysregulated and Overloaded
Start first by doing an honest “gut check” on their progress, and what your “parent gut” is telling you may be going on. Ask yourself: Are the current interventions moving things forward, leaving your child stuck, or making things worse?
Advanced assessment technology, INSiGHT scans, can precisely measure nervous system dysregulation, subluxation, and vagus nerve dysfunction to see if your child’s nervous system is completely overloaded, overwhelmed, and exhausted — meaning they would struggle to gain benefit from other integrated therapies.
This gives parents confidence to trust the process and resist the urge to add more interventions prematurely. Because clinically we know that nervous system improvements often happen before visible signs, which means true foundational neurological healing is happening first.
Your Next Steps
If everything we’ve discussed sounds familiar, know that you’re not alone in this journey. The exhaustion you feel from juggling multiple therapies while wondering why progress has stalled is valid, and there is hope.
At Rochester Chiropractic and Wellness, we understand that healing happens from the foundation up, and know how to regulate and restore your child’s nervous system.
Your child’s healing journey doesn’t have to be overwhelming, and we want to help. Give RCW a call today to schedule a consultation.
When we address the foundation first — the nervous system — every other intervention becomes more effective. Your child can finally experience the breakthrough you’ve been working so hard to achieve.
