We hear it all the time! Our child was given a label, diagnosis or is constantly having issues but no one will explain to us WHY this is happening. Finally having a doctor confirm what you have been experiencing with your child with a diagnosis can be a big relief. You feel like now that I know what is wrong I should be able to help my child better. The problem is that so many parents are given the diagnosis and are left with no explanation. Often, they are only given options that involve some type of medication paired with therapy. Therapies like ABA, speech and occupational therapy can be a vital step for children who are struggling to fit into their world. But what if I told you there is a missing step that if taken first makes the therapies much more effective?
Think about the nerves connecting your body and brain as roads. These should be smooth super highways transmitting information at the speed of light. Too often we find that instead of smooth, paved and efficient roads these kids have one-lane dirt roads filled with potholes. This lack of efficient communication makes it very difficult to learn, even when they are placed in the best learning environment possible. Chiropractors are doctors who focus specifically on the nervous system. We want to help remove barriers to healing so that the body can pave and widen these roads. When that happens, more efficient communication occurs, and it is much easier to adapt to the stresses of everyday life. Also, this advances their ability to learn and make progress in their other therapies or interventions.
The next logical question is “why is this happening to my child?” How did they end up with inefficient communication systems that have lead to so many of the issues they are struggling with. It is important to note that I am not just talking about performance in school. So often when kids have struggles other systems are affected too like sleep, eating/digestion, emotional stability, ability to transition, immune function and many more! The system that controls the focus and learning part of our body also controls the growth, healing and thriving functions too. It is important to NOT look at all these problems separately but to look at the system as a whole. Often when children with ADHD start to notice their ability to focus is better, parents will report that bedtime is easier and they are getting sick much less often. It is all connected! The most vital nerve in this system that I am talking about is the Vagus nerve. When this nerve is interfered with so many of the systems we have been talking about are affected.
Now I bet you are thinking “how did this happen to my child?” How did their Vagus nerve and healing part of their system become so inefficient? The answer is so simple it gets overlooked, stress! When our nervous system cannot keep up with processing all of the stress in our bodies, the stress builds up and prevents our Vagus nerve from functioning properly. Often it is odd for parents to think of their child as being stressed. As adults we think of stress has having to pay the bills, keeping our marriages healthy, keeping our kids alive and working. There’s more to the stress story than this. Stress can be emotional like the examples above, but it can also include physical stress and toxic stress. The number one physical stress I see having lasting effects on children is birth. Especially birth that included interventions. Toxic stress is everywhere in our environment but one of the most common we see is food. When we eat a diet high in sugar, grains and dairy we are adding a ton of toxic stress on our bodies.
Now the question you are thinking is “how do I get this stress out of my child’s system so they can heal?” Great question! Dr. Angela Dixon will be answering this question along with explaining more in depth how and why stress affects our children at her upcoming workshop called The Perfect Storm. This free and informative workshop will help you put together the pieces of the health puzzle you have been desperately trying to solve for your child and give you the answers you’ve been searching for. Don’t miss this opportunity to finally get the answers you deserve and give your child the bright future they deserve.