Monthly Archives: January 2024

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!

Story of Hope

Meet Jake, a young boy whose life took a turn from explosive emotions to self-regulation. At 2 and ½ years old, Jake’s parents were desperate as tantrums, anger, and emotional struggles dominated his daily life. After discovering Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care, they witnessed a remarkable transformation. Jake not only became calmer but also excelled in competitive karate, showcasing the power of nervous system regulation. 

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 Impact Chiropractic 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 Impact Chiropractic today to schedule an appointment.

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 Impact Chiropractic, 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 Impact Chiropractic. 

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, affecting 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. We’ll delve into the genuine root causes of chronic constipation, extending 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 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. Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care, such as the specialized approach at Impact Chiropractic, can be a game-changer. By activating your child’s parasympathetic nervous system, often humorously referred to 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 Impact Chiropractic today! 

As parents, the well-being of our children is our top priority, so we are always trying to stay informed about the choices we make for their health. Today, we dive into a topic that affects countless families – the use of antibiotics in infants and young children. Antibiotics can play a pivotal role in saving lives, but as parents, we must be aware of their potential impact on our children’s health. This blog aims to empower and educate on the far-reaching effects of antibiotics.

If you have young children who have been on antibiotics in their early years, this is for you. We will dive into the dangers of antibiotics in kids and the associated risks, both short-term and long-term. As well as the intricate impact of antibiotics on autoimmune and neurodevelopmental health in children. And most importantly, the natural strategies for recovery.

Every year, an increasing amount of research highlights the risks associated with administering antibiotics to children. Despite decades of awareness, pediatricians, urgent care centers, and other conventional medical systems persist in overprescribing antibiotics at alarming rates. Furthermore, early exposure to antibiotics is identified as one of the top three contributing factors or “ingredients” in what we call “The Perfect Storm.” This refers to the pathway leading to conditions such as autism, ADHD, anxiety, autoimmune disorders, and other chronic illnesses prevalent in our children today.

The Risks of the Overuse of Antibiotics

• Increased Risk of Autoimmune Disorders like Asthma and Allergies

Antibiotics, though life-saving, can disturb the balance between your child’s immune system and gut microbiome. This disruption has been linked to a higher risk of conditions such as asthma, allergies, and even obesity in children. 

• Increased Risk of Neurodevelopmental Challenges like Autism + ADHD

The connection between the gut and brain is very delicate and antibiotics can disrupt. This interference can affect neurotransmitter production – which is essential for higher brain function, cognition, and emotional regulation – potentially contributing to neurodevelopmental challenges like Autism and ADHD.

• Disruption of Gut Microbiome

The gut microbiome, a complex ecosystem of bacteria, plays a pivotal role in a child’s overall health. Antibiotics, unfortunately, disrupt the natural balance of the gut microbiome by killing both harmful and beneficial bacteria. This leads to imbalances and potential gastrointestinal issues, such as diarrhea and, in some cases, more serious conditions that could cause severe colitis.

• Allergic Reactions

While allergic reactions to antibiotics are rare, they can range from mild skin irritations to severe, life-threatening responses like anaphylaxis. It’s crucial for parents to be aware of any past reactions and communicate them to healthcare providers.

• Antibiotic Resistance + Development of Secondary Infections

Perhaps one of the most pressing concerns is the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. When antibiotics are used excessively or inappropriately, bacteria can evolve to become resistant to these drugs, making infections harder to treat and leading to increased medical costs, prolonged hospital stays, and increased mortality.  Overuse of antibiotics can also lead to the development of secondary infections. 

• Global Health Threat

The overuse of antibiotics extends beyond individual health; it’s a global issue. It contributes to the rise of superbugs, bacteria resistant to most antibiotics, posing a severe threat to global health security.

Chiropractic Care as a First Choice

While antibiotics remain pivotal in emergencies, there’s an alternative for families under regular Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care at Impact Chiropractic. We offer a safe and natural way to support your child’s defenses against viruses, bacteria, and infections. 

Neurologically-Focused Pediatric Chiropractors aim to strengthen your child’s body’s natural defense systems rather than directly treating an infection or illness they catch. Adjustments focus on improving their body’s “drainage and plumbing,” providing relief from sinus and ear pressure, facilitating easier fluid movement, and transforming dry coughs into productive mucus-clearing ones. 

In essence, by enhancing the body’s “plumbing” and “wiring,” your children can clear congestion, inflammation, and infections more efficiently and naturally without resorting to antibiotics or other medications. 

So many parents share with us how consistent chiropractic adjustments and a healthy lifestyle lead to less sickness for their kids. And when their children do get sick, they recover from colds and respiratory challenges faster and easier after adjustments. 

If you would prefer to reserve antibiotics for emergencies rather than the standard first option, consider changing your “batting order” of providers. Begin your journey with us at Impact Chiropractic.