30May
kiddo adjusting baby doll

How to Care for Constipation Naturally 

May 30, 2023By

Constipation is a common issue affecting about 30% of children, and it tends to be worse in the preschool and toddler years. However, constipation is not something kids neccessarily grow out of. Instead, they grow into other digestive issues later in life.

If you’ve already tried prebiotics, probiotics, prune juice, pureed prunes, and other natural remedies to no avail, this is for you. Even if you’ve resorted to over-the-counter or prescription medication like Miralax (which often comes with side effects like behavior issues and meltdowns), and you’re still searching for a natural drug-free option- this is for you.

As a neurologically focused pediatric chiropractor, I want to share with you the number one missing link found in more than 80% of kids with constipation who come to our clinic. Please share this with other parents who may be struggling with constipation in their kids, as the information we’ll discuss could help their little ones as well.

The Root Causes of Constipation

In our clinic, we don’t just treat the symptoms and throw medications at a condition like a traditional pediatrician would. Instead, we get to the root cause and work closely with the nervous system. Constipation may seem like a gut issue related to diet and nutrition, and if you’ve tried all the nutritional changes, supplements, and probiotics- you’re amazing and moving in the right direction to make digestion easier for your kiddo!!  But if your child is still struggling with constipation, that’s where neurology and science come into play.

Through a real-life case study, I’ll explain how neurologically focused chiropractic adjustments can help alleviate constipation in children. The natural and drug-free approach we use focuses on the nervous system to get to the root of the problem, rather than just treating the symptoms.

Constipation, like most challenges in children, is rarely caused by one thing. In fact, there’s usually a multitude of stressors that go into the child’s nervous system and body early on in life. This can include stress during pregnancy, interventions during delivery such as C-section, forceps, or vacuum, and exposure to toxins in the environment. This assortment of stress can cause the nervous system, or the neuro-digestive system, to slow down and become constipated. So if you’ve struggled to find the exact cause of your child’s constipation, the answer is usually a combination of factors.

Stress on the Nervous System Affects Digestive Motility

Even though the majority of patients try to address constipation through nutrition and supplements, the root causes often come from stress on the nervous system. In chiropractic care, this stress is called subluxation, which means stress stuck on. The sympathetic fight or flight side of the nervous system is what we call the gas pedal. When it gets stuck on, it can cause a variety of issues, including constipation, ADHD, anxiety, and sensory issues. In fact, many patients who struggle with these issues later in life also had constipation when they were children.

When the nervous system is stressed out, it steals energy from the gut. This can cause digestive motility to slow down, leading to what we call neurogenic constipation. Four out of five cases of constipation that we see in our clinic are neurogenic, which means they are caused by stress on the nervous system. We can usually determine this by looking back at the child’s case history, seeing if the family has tried everything else, and measuring the stress, or subluxation, on the nervous system using our INSiGHT scans.

Juniper’s Story of Hope

One example of how chiropractic care can help with constipation is the case of a little baby named Juniper. At just five or six months old, Juniper was going days without pooping, and her rock star mom had tried everything, from probiotics to changes in diet. But after seeking chiropractic care, Juniper’s constipation improved significantly.

I’m going to dive into Juniper’s first neurothermal scan, which is a piece of technology we use in our offices to measure stress on the nervous system. The neurothermal scan allows us to do two things: quantify stress and locate stress. It helps us identify subluxations, or misalignments, in the spine. We conducted Juniper’s first neurothermal scan, and found two significant subluxations in her neuro spinal system. One was at the very top of her spine, the brain stem or upper cervical area (C1-C2, Atlas and Axis), and the other was in the middle, at T5-T6.

When the upper cervical area is subluxated and stressed out, the nerve that is most affected is called the vagus nerve. This nerve is known as the “rest and digest” nerve, which is crucial for proper digestion. It starts in the cervical spine, goes all the way down to the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and diaphragm, and slows our heart rate while improving our breathing. In Juniper’s case, her constipation was caused by subluxations in the upper area that were blocking the vagus nerve’s proper function.

The second subluxation was in the mid-neuro gastric, stomach area. This area was responsible for getting food digested and into the top one-third and two-thirds of her neuro gastric system. If the food cannot be broken down in steps one and two, it cannot be eliminated in step three, which is how digestive motility works. This is why Juniper was having difficulty with constipation.

Even though this did not show up in Juniper’s scan specifically, it is not uncommon for kids with constipation to have significant subluxations down around the sacrum. The sacrum houses another plexus of what’s called parasympathetic, or “rest and digest,” nerves. Many kids we see in our clinic not only have the same upper to middle subluxations that Juniper had, but they also have lower subluxations.

Chiropractic care does not aim to treat or cure constipation. Rather, our focus is on taking care of the nervous system by removing stress and subluxation through gentle and easy Neuro-Tonal adjustments. By doing so, we aim to relax the Nervous System and improve the tone and coordination of the neuromuscular system as a whole, which is essential in cases of neurogenic constipation – the most common type of constipation.

While there are various factors that contribute to constipation, such as poor nutrition and excessive toxins, many families are making positive changes in these areas by incorporating good foods and supplements while limiting or eliminating toxins. However, as has been mentioned, even with a healthy diet and lifestyle, subluxation can still occur during pregnancy, delivery, and early stages of life, making it crucial to seek out neurologically-focused, pediatric chiropractic care. If you aren’t local to our office, we have a network of trained and ready chiropractors in our PX Docs Network that can address this missing link and ensure optimal nervous system function.

To learn more about how to take care of constipation naturally, please read this article. We encourage you to share this information with other moms and families to reach more people who may benefit from this knowledge. If you’re ready to explore pediatric chiropractic care and the role of subluxation in digestive motility, please reach out to us to schedule a consultation or to find your local PX Doc, visit our directory. We can provide customized adjustments that are personalized to your child’s specific needs, which can lead to better gut health, improved immune system, sleep, and motor tone.

We want to help families find answers to their constipation concerns before turning to heavy medications with potentially harmful side effects. As always, we are here for you to provide hope, answers, and help in any way we can.

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23May
Pediatric patient face down on table

Gross Motor Delays and Developmental Milestones

May 23, 2023By

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, which includes 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 I’m here to provide you with the answers and explanations you need because, as a pediatric chiropractor, neurodevelopment is my 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, so 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 evaluations by physical, occupational, or speech therapists. However, when neurologically-focused chiropractic is combined with these movement-based therapies we co-collaborate and co-manage with all the time, 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 muscles of your child’s body in the developing muscular motor movement system 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, as we find in many of our gross motor and neurodevelopmental cases, the muscles become too tight and too wound up.

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, which includes the big muscles of the neck, spine, trunk, core, and limbs, needs to develop first. 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, socialization, and 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 I mentioned, birth trauma, such as a stressful pregnancy or an intervention during delivery, can lead to subluxation, which 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, 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! You can check out the PX Docs website, which has a plethora of articles and videos that explain more about subluxation and neurologically focused chiropractic care. 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 with our team, who can 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 that 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 is 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!

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16May
insight scan of pediatric chiropractic patient

Dysautonomia and Chiropractic Care

May 16, 2023By

Let’s delve deep into the topic of dysautonomia. It’s a term you may not be familiar with, and even some medical doctors may not have a full understanding of it.

Dysautonomia is a condition that affects the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for controlling and coordinating every function in our body. The autonomic nervous system is designed to operate on autopilot, but when it’s in disarray, it can lead to a variety of issues. Most medical doctors do not evaluate the nervous system when assessing illness or sickness, which is why dysautonomia often goes undetected.

They look at lab results, which is looking at our chemistry or blood work. Or they look at imaging which may be looking at tissue or structures – such as X-ray, MRI, or CT scans. Neither of these most common modes of medical analysis – blood work and lab analysis and imaging (MRI) – evaluate the function of the nervous system.

You’re probably wondering what dysautonomia is, what causes it, and how it can impact your child’s health.  And most importantly, what to do to help them. If your child is struggling with various health issues and has seen multiple specialists, dysautonomia could be the root cause of their problems. Every single teenager we see struggling with anxiety, depression, brain fog, sleep disturbances, ADHD, and gut issues has dysautonomia.

What Is Dysautonomia?

To begin, let’s define dysautonomia. It’s a condition where the autonomic nervous system is disorganized and imbalanced.  There are two sides to the autonomic nervous system; there is the gas pedal, fight or flight side, which means stress, tension, and anxiety.  Then there is the relaxation side, which means calm, rest, and emotional regulation.

When dysautonomia sets in, other systems in the body also begin to experience symptoms, leading to conditions such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, gut issues, fatigue, brain fog, and sleep disturbances. Therefore, addressing dysautonomia is crucial for improving overall health and well-being.

  1. Decreased Motility in the Gut

One of the first symptoms of dysautonomia is decreased motility in the gut – which means things are not moving along very well. What this looks like in infants are reflux and colicky behavior.  Older kids may experience chronic stomachaches, nausea, and constipation. These symptoms can be particularly challenging for children and teenagers.

  1. Immune Challenges

As parents, you’re probably well aware of the gut-brain connection and the importance of a healthy digestive system for a healthy immune system. But did you know that the autonomic nervous system plays a crucial role in this connection? Dysautonomia, or a subluxated nervous system, can lead to decreased movement in the gut, increased mucus and secretions, and a higher risk of respiratory and immune system congestion.

This congestion can manifest into ear infections, sinus infections, chronic strep infections, and even more serious conditions like PANDAS, asthma, allergies, and pneumonia. Every time a child gets sick, they can’t kick it.

This all starts with an out-of-balance nervous system, which causes an out-of-balance immune system. We end up with a high correlation, especially in older kids and adults, between dysautonomia and autoimmune challenges.

  1. Mental and Emotional Health Challenges

Dysautonomia has also been linked to mental health challenges like ADHD, OCD, and anxiety because the autonomic nervous system also controls our mood, memory, emotional regulation, depression, and focus. In fact, exhaustion is one of the clearest and most common symptoms of dysautonomia, affecting everyone from grade school children to adults. They are wound up and worn out at the same time.

As pediatric chiropractors, we see firsthand how correcting subluxations and restoring balance to the autonomic nervous system can lead to significant improvements in digestion, immune function, and mental health. By ensuring that the nervous system is functioning properly, we can help children and adults alike lead happier, healthier lives.

To help your child, it’s essential to address the root cause of dysautonomia, which is often related to subluxation in the spine and the Vagus Nerve. Subluxation is a misalignment of the neurospinal system that can interfere with the proper functioning of the nervous system, leading to dysautonomia.

  1. The Motor System

The final system impacted by dysautonomia is the motor system. When that sympathetic fight or flight system is running too much, you’ll get spasms, tension, neck pain, back pain, tension headaches, migraines, and weakness.

So what we see a lot with our special needs, sensory, and spectrum children are commonly affected by dysautonomia due to a combination of factors, leading to a Perfect Storm that just keeps going until the autonomic nervous system is addressed.

Medications or chemistry can’t address the issue, and medical testing such as lab results and imaging can’t take care of it. Therefore, the only way to address dysautonomia through the motor system is by addressing tone and coordination. Motor tone and coordination are two significant aspects of the muscular or motor system that dysautonomia greatly affects.

The Simplicity of Healing the Nervous System

I understand how overwhelming it can be for parents to manage multiple health concerns for their children. If you’re juggling appointments with specialists, OT, PT, and psychologists and trying to keep up with daily struggles, you’re not alone.

However, I want to share a key piece of information that can tie everything together. In the majority of cases, there is one underlying issue that is causing your child’s gut, respiratory and immune issues, ADHD, behavioral or cognitive concerns, and more.

Before we dive into the details of what causes this issue and how to address it, I want to emphasize that the solution is simple. But don’t let the simplicity fool you – it’s effective. In today’s world of advanced medical technology and lab work, it’s easy to believe that the solution must be complex.

The truth is that God designed our bodies to be healthy, and the control and coordination of our various systems are managed by the nervous system.

When this system is functioning well and communicating properly, it controls and coordinates all other systems in the body, leading to better digestion, immune function, sleep, focus, energy, and more.

Conversely, if the nervous system goes haywire, everything downstream can go haywire as well. This is where neurologically focused-pediatric chiropractic comes in.

By improving the function of the nervous system, we can greatly improve the function of many other systems in the body.

The beauty of this approach is that we can address a multitude of challenges tethered to and caused by one thing, greatly improving the quality of life for children and their families.

We’ve witnessed firsthand the top three positive responses to chiropractic care for thousands of young patients in our practice. Number one is better sleep. Number two is improved energy and emotional regulation. And number three is improved digestive and immune responses.  It’s amazing how one thing, adjustments, can have such a profound impact on a child’s overall health and well-being.

What Causes Dysautonomia?

Let’s discuss the primary cause of dysautonomia, which is subluxation. Subluxation is a neuro-spinal term that we use in a completely different context than medicine.

Simply put, it refers to #1, the misalignment of the joints and neuro biomechanics of the body, specifically in the neuro-spinal system that closely connects and protects the central and autonomic nervous system.

The neck and spine are crucial in this regard, and we need to be careful with them, whether it’s a football player, a youth gymnast, or a newborn who can’t hold their head or neck yet – we all know the most important thing to protect, is the neck. Unfortunately, everyday factors like birth trauma and staring at phones can lead to subluxation and neck injury.

Most children have a significant subluxation in their neck and upper cervical brainstem region from birth trauma, forceps, vacuum, C-section, and induction. These physical traumas cause misalignment, which leads to fixation and tension and, ultimately, neurological imbalance or dysautonomia.

Subluxation causes an excess of sympathetic fight or flight response, called the gas pedal. A subluxated child with sensory issues may have a meltdown in a store or restaurant, get overwhelmed easily, and struggle with brushing their teeth or wearing certain clothes. This happens because the child is stuck in fight or flight mode due to too much subluxation and tension.

Furthermore, subluxation causes too little parasympathetic or vagus nerve function, which regulates our heart rate, breathing, digestion, immune system, inflammation, and sleep quality. It also helps to focus our emotions, socialization, and communication. A subluxated child may have difficulty relaxing, calming down, and regulating their body functions.

The word to remember here is “subluxation means stress stuck on.”

When that stress is stuck on, it shifts the nervous system into fight or flight mode, causing significant disruptions in a child’s overall well-being. Therefore, it’s crucial to identify and treat subluxation in children through neurologically focused pediatric chiropractic care.

How Do We Care For Dysautonomia and Find Subluxation?

The first step in addressing subluxation is finding it. This is where our advanced INSiGHT scanning technology comes in. We use thermal, EMG, and HRV scans to locate, quantify, and measure the extent of subluxation. By doing so, we can determine if your child is struggling with dysautonomia.

Once we have this information, we can develop a personalized plan to correct the subluxation and restore balance to your child’s nervous system. This plan involves chiropractic adjustments, which can release tension and restore proper alignment. Our goal is to get your child’s vagus nerve, a crucial regulator of the autonomic nervous system, back online and functioning properly.

To get started, you can schedule a consultation with us or a PX Doc in our network, if you’re not local to our office. During a reported findings visit, they’ll review the results of the scans and show you the plan for correcting subluxation. Our clinical protocols are designed to get the job done and help your child achieve optimal health and wellness.

In conclusion, finding and correcting subluxation is crucial for your child’s overall health and well-being. With our advanced scanning technology and clinical protocols, we can locate, quantify, and correct subluxation to restore balance to the nervous system.

I hope this blog provides you with answers that you haven’t found elsewhere. Please share this information with other families who may benefit from it. We are always here to provide hope, answers, and help.

Understanding dysautonomia and subluxation is the missing link in healthcare that can make a significant difference in the lives of millions of children. Once parents have access to this information, it leads to action and helps their child get out of that stress mode, out of the storm, and back to the healthy, thriving life they deserve.

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09May
Tech Raegan filling in while mom gets adjusted

From Chaos to Calm: 3 Health Hacks to Manage Mom Stress and Tension

May 9, 2023By

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 and one that can be so overwhelming and exhausting.

But I am here to tell you that there is a way through it. As a pediatric and family chiropractor, I have had the opportunity to help countless families, and my 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 I’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’ll be able to sleep without constant anxiety and stress and without the tension that so many moms feel in the “mom zone” – the area between your shoulders and at the base of your neck. I’m going to 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 and instead prioritize their children’s wellbeing. However, I often ask these moms to consider what it would look like if they made their own health a priority. In response, I have heard 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 I want 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 two to three 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 our 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.

  1. 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, but 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.

 

  1. 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 I am 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, I noticed 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.

If you’re not already under care, I encourage you to check out our PX Docs directory to find a PX Doc local to you and make an appointment. Don’t put off prioritizing your health any longer. You deserve it.

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02May
Exploring the Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Colic

Exploring the Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Colic With the Help of INSiGHT Scans

May 2, 2023By

As a parent myself, I know firsthand how distressing it is to hear your baby cry incessantly. When it’s just a little whimper, we want to jump right in and comfort them, but when it’s all day, every day, and they’re writhing in discomfort and can’t sleep, it’s excruciating to witness. This could be a sign of colic. Unfortunately, many pediatricians tend to dismiss colic as just normal crying and may tell you they’ll grow out of it. But if your gut is telling you that something isn’t right, it’s time to dig deeper.

Colic is a common catch-all term used to describe a baby who is crying excessively and is unable to sleep or eat comfortably. It affects about one in five babies, but I believe that number may even be higher. The challenge with colic is that it’s often dismissed as just normal baby behavior, leaving parents feeling helpless and frustrated.

We want to help parents understand the root causes of colic and what they can do to alleviate their baby’s discomfort. We’ll take a closer look at a case study of a baby we helped named Nicholas, who was experiencing digestive issues, torticollis, and extreme discomfort. His mom knew that something more was going on and sought out chiropractic care.

The #1 Missing Link: The Nervous System

One contributor to colic can be nutrition. Certain foods may be more difficult for babies to digest, whether through formula or breastfeeding. However, the biggest missing link that many parents and pediatricians overlook is the nervous system.

The nervous system is the foundation for all other systems in the body, including digestion, immunity, and motor function.

The nervous system was certainly the missing link for Nicholas, as well as thousands of other babies with colic we’ve been able to take care of at our practice. I’m passionate about helping parents understand the root causes of colic and how they can help their babies find relief. Let’s dive deep into the science behind colic and provide some practical tips for parents.

Babies Do NOT Grow Out of Colic

I first want to address a common misconception about colic. It is not something that babies simply grow out of. If your parent gut is telling you that something is not right, you’re absolutely correct. There is something going on within your baby’s body that you CAN address.

Many times, parents are told to just let their babies cry it out or to make dietary changes. However, these solutions usually don’t work. In fact, they may be causing more stress for you as a parent. Breastfeeding mothers may feel like they have to give up certain foods in order to help their baby, which can be very stressful during a time when they need to focus on their own healing and nervous system.

What is so disheartening about this for so many families is that not only has their baby been crying nonstop, but they’ve tried everything. They’ve gone all in on diet changes and tried probiotics, gas drops, and herbal, natural, and nutritional remedies. After all that, their baby is still crying, arching, and uncomfortable. This is exactly what happened with Nicolas.

What Is Subluxation, and How Can INSiGHT Scans Help Detect It?

The reality is that there is something deeper going on, and that’s where subluxation comes in. Subluxation is simply a nerdy chiropractic word that means stress stuck on. When babies are colicky and inconsolable, it’s often because their nervous system is stuck in fight or flight mode. What we want is for them to spend more time in parasympathetic rest, digest, and poop mode.

Babies are supposed to eat, sleep, poop, and be cute. If they’re not doing these things and seem to be uncomfortable, then there is most likely subluxation present. I want to dive into Nicholas’s case and scans to explain this further.

These INSiGHT neurological scans are an incredible technology designed to detect and find stress on the nerves and muscles that control everything within your baby’s body. These scans are crucial because they help us understand how your baby’s nervous system is functioning and can identify subluxation.

The digestive system is the first thing that needs to develop for an infant, and it’s controlled primarily through the parasympathetic nervous system, which means rest and digest. The number one nerve that controls the parasympathetic and digestive motility function is a nerve called the vagus nerve, which branches from the upper cervical brainstem area.

Unfortunately, the vagus nerve is most easily subluxated either through a breach or abnormal positioning while the baby is still in utero or, most especially, through birth interventions such as forceps, vacuum, and C-sections where we twist, yank, and pull a baby out into the world. This subluxation causes misalignment in the upper cervical brainstem area, which is where the vagus nerve branches from.

The vagus nerve needs to make its way down through the cervical spine, thorax, and into the abdomen. It opens up the esophagus and activates the stomach and small intestine in our digesting processes. Any areas where there are tons of green, blue, and red in the scans indicate areas of built-up stuck tension, which is caused by subluxation.

The built-up and stuck tension are levels of subluxation that interfere with the function of the gut, motor developmental system, ears, throat, and lungs. Children who end up with a lot of colic and torticollis may develop ear and respiratory infections later on.

For instance, Nicholas’s initial scans showed significant subluxation in multiple areas, which caused stress in his neuro-digestive function, leading to colic and torticollis. However, after receiving gentle, neurologically focused adjustments, we were able to release and unwind the tension from his nervous system. Nicholas started sleeping longer hours, and his neck and torticollis were resolved. His digestive system went from jammed up to kicking butt and pooping on the regular.

Chiropractic Care Can Help Your Colicky Baby

A pediatric chiropractor’s primary goal is to understand and address the root cause of colic in infants. We don’t treat or cure colic – we use thermal scans and other technologies to locate and quantify the subluxation and sympathetic stress that are causing the issue. With this information, we can develop a personalized care plan that includes gentle, safe adjustments to release the subluxation and reduce the stress on your child’s nervous system. That is what our office is trained to do. The result is a happy, relaxed baby who can eat, sleep, and poop like they’re supposed to.

Colic is a serious issue that can lead to chronic ear infections, behavioral challenges, and delays in gross motor, fine motor, and speech development. That’s why it’s important to address it as early as possible. When the nervous system is under stress, it interferes with the vagus nerve and gut function. By making gentle, effective neuro-tonal adjustments, we can help your child sleep better, poop better, and be more relaxed overall.

If you’re a new parent dealing with colic, I hope this is helpful to you. Please share this information with other parents who may be struggling with similar issues. Our PX Docs website has more information on colic, subluxation, and the scans we use to locate the root cause of these issues. If you think that your child is likely experiencing stress on their nervous system, we encourage you to give us a call to schedule an appointment so we can take a deeper look into your baby’s nervous system.

By identifying and addressing the root cause of colic, we can help your child thrive and reach their developmental milestones.

So don’t wait – take action today and give your child the best possible start in life.

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