For Children

We begin life ready with a large palate of universal, reflexive movements. Rolling over, reaching for a desired object, hand grasping or crawling are motor development patterns that appear to be essential for the future development of reading, writing, memory and social interactions. In a healthy child, a particular movement or series of movements are investigated, enjoyed, and the corresponding neural circuits created. Once firmly established these circuits are moved to lower levels of the brain for connection to the whole body movement system. These neurological connections, first established to sequence gross motor movement, get reused later to help sequence and adjust mental acts and thoughts. Adequate movement and sensory stimulation, in the presence of another loving human being, are essential for normal human development.

Working with infants to reach their full developmental potential is the greatest gift we can give our children – and the most cost-effective.

Brain Wiring

By the time a baby is 6 months old the brain has doubled in weight. Essential, life-determining synaptic connections are being formed even before your child can smile. These complex circuits shape our future thinking, feeling and behavior and they form at an astonishing rate. By the age of three a young child’s brain has twice the number of nerve connections that it will have as an adult. Which connections survive to adulthood are largely determined by which connections get reinforced. The kind of care your child receives, the behavior you model, and the kind of activities and experiences she is exposed to will influence which connections ultimately survive. This is the most important “use it or lose it” period in our entire life and such rapid brain growth will never happen again.

Early on the part of the brain that is developing most rapidly is the brain stem and the sensory-motor system. Every day is filled with new information, sights, smells and movement possibilities. A safe, nurturing environment, full of age appropriate motor challenges creates new synapses and strengthens ones already formed. The brainstem is where basic survival information is regulated and sensory-motor programs integrated and it is based in present time. When a baby is cold or hungry, she responds with a cry of distress, and continues crying until the discomfort stops. She can’t predict whether it will stop in five seconds or five hours. It is a real and present danger. One of the most important aspects of this period is the baby’s need to establish “Where am I and am I safe?” A child cannot successfully develop more sophisticated neurological capacities until the sensory-motor system is fully functional. When this happens and there is sufficient nurturing, the child will develop affect-regulation or the ability to control her own sensory-motor and survival systems. Once the feeling of safety is achieved, exploration and independence are the normal progression. Me! and Mine! are frequent exclamations as the infant explores the boundaries between herself and her surroundings. Because these basic neural networks of the sensory-motor system are at the foundation of all further growth, gaps or underdevelopment at this stage can have ramifications throughout life.

The prefrontal cortex also develops towards the end of the first year and its development is tightly linked to caregiver interactions. The affect that is modeled by the caregiver imprints on the baby’s prefrontal cortex and has a determining effect on the child’s world view, sense of self, and ability to relate to others. The second major developmental phase of the prefrontal cortex happens in later adolescence.

When Things Go Wrong

During the first 18 months of life, your child’s brain development is focused largely on learning how to move the body, and learning to make sense of the information coming in through the senses. When a child falls, or is fussy, is irritated by loud noises or strong smells, or fails to achieve a developmental milestone, or uses one side of the body to the exclusion of the other, gets ill too often, or exhibits a regressive shift in behavior – then it is time to pay attention! Intervening early saves wear and tear on a whole family and can save a life-time of difficulties for the child. There are a variety of alternative therapies that can help your child fill the gaps when these primary developmental stages fail to integrate.

Immunity

The other important system that has very rapid development during this period is the immune system. The infant is born immuno-suppressed and receives it’s first burst of immunity from the mother in the form of colostrum. As the infant develops she receives further immunological protection from breast milk while her own system is developing. As a species we are under an unprecedented immunological challenge as our environment becomes increasingly toxic, our food sources less and less nutritious, and our predilections more and more towards processed foods – pseudo food substances we were never meant to eat. We are also in the first century of adjusting to early childhood immunizations and the jury is still out on the long term effects these will have on our natural immunity as a species.

When is chiropractic helpful for infants?

At the Lydian Center we use a unique chiropractic technique called Axial Stability Method®. It is a low-force technique appropriate for all ages. Our unusual approach can transform a child if the underlying problem is biomechanical instability. A difficult birth, infant seizures, a bad fall, bumps on the head, surgery, can all cause biomechanical inefficiency and instability.

Infants appear to recover quickly from bumps or falls, and indeed usually do! But sometimes, though the surface injury heals perfectly, the child is left with a hidden biomechanical instability. The developing sensory-motor system, so dependent upon movement patterns, begins to show strain as the body struggles with the mechanics of movement. Our clinical experience suggests that behavioral problems, emotional irritability and frustration, sensory integration problems, insomnia, poor balance, poor immunity and digestion, neurological delays, unequal use of the limbs, learning disabilities, language delays and visual problems are signs that there might be underlying biomechanical injury.

At this age, just a few chiropractic treatments can have a miraculous affect: physical difficulties disappear, behavior improves, the immune system bounces back and the child eases back into the blue print of development.

During the first three years of life, a child learns more at a greater rate than he will ever learn again. These are exciting times! As the motor system becomes more developed and the major gross motor tasks of crawling, walking, running, jumping, and climbing are well on their way, the toddler begins to explore the differences between themselves and others. Solitary or parallel play gives way to an awareness and desire to play with peers. “Where is it and who are you?” is explored as the mid-brain, or limbic system, becomes a hot bed of brain development. Establishing emotional connection to people and objects paves the way for the natural development of social community and joyful cooperation. This part of the brain is involved with the present and the past. A large part of memory is stored here and it is the seat of emotions. The toddler stands up and begins to make distinctions between self and others. Generosity, sharing, and compassion for others are natural human responses, but develop fully only if the child has these human responses modeled for them by their parents and the supporting community around them. The development of the limbic system relies on a solid sensory-motor system foundation. It builds upon what was learned before through infant movement reflex patterns and information absorbed and processed by the sensory system.

Ages four to seven

Between the ages of four and seven, the child’s right brain is at the forefront of development. This is the time of repetition, more complex movement patterns and imaginative play. The right brain is involved in all new learning. Repetitive story telling, “do it again!” activities, and endless “why Mommy?” questions hone neural connections for faster processing. Future problem solving abilities are grounded in the stories and activities explored in imaginative play. The right hemisphere has direct connections to the limbic system and the brainstem and thus strong connections to the entire brain as a functioning unit. It has the ability to understand past, present and future and maintains a holistic perspective. This is the foundation for intelligence – our ability to weigh options in the context of the heart and emotional systems, and respond creatively to new and unknown situations. At about age seven another big shift happens when the site of major development moves to the left hemisphere and the ability to sequence and code is ushered in. This is when the child is ready for school and academic work. For some children this shift happens earlier and for others later. When preparing a child for school readiness it is helpful to assess where in this developmental process they are. Many children are not neurologically ready for near focus, left brain work when they enter the school system. Parents, educators and alternative health therapists need to work together to assist the child to have a successful school experience. If possible it is better to delay the start of school than to send a child too early. Adequate development of the right brain allows for future creative thinking, the ability to see the forest and not just the trees, and gives the gift of the big picture.

When things go wrong

At this age, the difficulties and delays can be anywhere from subtle to quite pronounced and the motor system, the underpinning of the whole nervous system, may start to show strain. The child who learned to crawl and walk just fine, has a “funny” run, can hop on only one leg or can’t learn to skip, or is awkward climbing on a play structure. These difficulties can spill into unexplained fears, obstinacy, inability to share, and out of control behavior. Toilet training can be a challenge. The child holds on to rigid patterns and can’t “flow” with his environment. These behavioral difficulties can also manifest independently of motor or physical problems. All these patterns can be the result of physical injury, energetic disturbance, toxic exposure or immunological injury, emotional neglect or abuse, or any other derailment of mother nature’s plan for development. Depending upon the cause of the derailment many of our alternative therapies can help a child get back on track and help the brain to reboot.

When is chiropractic helpful for young children?

Axial Stability Method®, the only chiropractic technique practiced at the Lydian Center, is appropriate for all ages. Our unusual, entirely low-force approach can transform a child if the underlying problem is biomechanical instability. A difficult birth, infant seizures, a bad fall, bumps on the head, surgery, can all cause biomechanical inefficiency and instability.

As a child becomes upright, the opportunity for exploration and injury(!) increases. Young children appear to recover quickly from bumps or falls, and indeed usually do! But sometimes, though the surface injury heals perfectly, the child is left with a hidden biomechanical instability. By this age, those instabilities can become easier to detect. The developing sensory-motor system, so dependent upon movement patterns, will begin to show strain as the body struggles with the mechanics of movement. Often a child will have difficulty with the more advanced weight bearing activities such as hopping and skipping or they have an awkward run. Our clinical experience suggests that behavioral problems, emotional irritability and frustration, sensory integration problems, insomnia, poor balance, poor immunity and digestion, other neurological delays, unequal use of the limbs, learning disabilities, language delays and visual problems are also signs that there might be underlying biomechanical injury.

At this age, children usually love coming to the chiropractor. They can tell it is a place to get help. Many young patients tell their parents when it’s time for a visit. If they don’t let you know, watch for signs of regressive behaviors, a sudden bad cold or ear infection, or a degeneration of physical skills. Often, just a few chiropractic treatments can restore the motor system to efficient functioning and physical difficulties disappear, behavior improves and the immune system bounces back.

Around the age of seven, intellectual, abstract thinking, logical left brain development begins its intense period. Around the same time the ciliary muscles of the eye develop for near point focus work. This is the best time to begin to read and do near work. It’s the age when children begin to codify and file information away and ask the question, “What is it?” The right brain, developed during early childhood, steps up connections to the left hemisphere via a massive series of connections called the corpus collosum. It is the right hemisphere that feeds new information to the left for analysis and codification. The left hemisphere is our intellect and in charge of all stable patterns of knowledge.

The school years are a time of great knowledge expansion and social exploration. This is dependent upon the smooth interactive functioning of the eyes, ears, hands, heart and body. It is fraught with social and academic challenges, and success relies on many factors. An extensive, well established neural network system that allows the child to access all the parts of his brain is essential to realize full developmental potential.

When Things Go Wrong

This is the time when most developmental delays or problems become painfully evident. The increasingly intense demands of near work at ever earlier ages is challenging the natural developmental timeline of our children’s central nervous systems. “But she was fine until she went to school!” or “I didn’t know he couldn’t see!” are frequent refrains. Some problems are easily solved. The child just needed reading glasses, or a more relaxed home schedule. But usually by this time the difficulty requires more intervention and creative problem solving. Conventional special education plans are sufficient for many children to “get by” or even do much better. But to fully reach developmental potential it usually requires a closer look at neurology, injury, and the emotional intelligence of the right brain and brainstem.

When is chiropractic helpful for school age children?

Axial Stability Method®, the only chiropractic technique practiced at the Lydian Center, is appropriate for all ages. Our unusual, entirely low-force approach can transform a child if the underlying problem is biomechanical instability. During the grade school years the physical world opens up. New sports, snow boarding, sledding, learning to ride a bike, climb a tree, and more daring exploits(!) can out-strip abilities. The lifestyle of a school age child is one of minor trauma. Usually these injuries resolve on their own, but sometimes they don’t. The minor trauma itself or an accumulation of minor injuries can cause a disruption in the structural system.

Many children already struggling with hidden biomechanical injuries from the past are even more prone to getting injured further. They tend to be less coordinated, have poorer balance, less efficiently developed motor patterns and less developed proprioceptive skills. They may be shy and less able to participate socially, unable to focus and prone to hyper activity, unable to process new learning, or unpleasant and uncooperative. These children can have more gaps in their sensory-motor, and emotional neural networks.

If biomechanical injury is the root cause of these gaps, chiropractic can be a miracle cure. Our clinical experience suggests that behavioral problems, emotional irritability and frustration, sensory integration problems, insomnia, poor balance, poor immunity and digestion, neurological delays, unequal use of the limbs, learning disabilities, language delays and visual problems are signs that there might be underlying biomechanical injury. Stabilizing the structural system through chiropractic treatment can allow the body to fill in these neurological network gaps.

A sure sign of injury is the development of scoliosis. A curve in the spine is not normal and is usually correctable by conservative, non-invasive means if treated early enough. We have had great success in treating scoliosis with Axial Stability Method. Stabilizing the cranium, pelvis, and spine allows the body to straighten the curve.

Occasionally a child complains of recurring headaches or chronic musculoskeletal pain. No child should be in chronic pain. It is a sign of injury and should not be ignored. Early intervention can save a lifetime of complaints.

At about age 15 we are given the chance to begin to develop civility. The sensory-motor system of infancy, the limbic-emotional system of preschool, and the verbal-intellectual system of grade school, have stabilized. The prefrontal cortex takes center stage and begins its final burst of development. The initial phase of its development began towards the end of the first year of life and all along continued developing in parallel with the three main parts of the brain, acting as the great orchestrator of a marvelous symphony. This is the culmination of the neurological blueprint. It houses our greatest human attributes: altruism, higher analytical abilities, and wisdom. It is the part of the brain that most makes us human.

Its existence is fragile and vulnerable. Because it connects to all the main centers of the brain, damage or dysfunction to any part of the brain affects its function. Late adolescence is a crossroads. When things go well and a caring adult is able to model the behavior, a young person becomes filled with a sense of mission and purpose, takes up causes, believes deeply in their dreams, sees that they matter and develops a profound sense of themselves as a powerful agent in the world.

When Things Go Wrong

If the brain centers below are not fully developed, if there are gaps in the structure, emotional or physical traumas, injuries, or if insufficient adult modeling is available, this time of radical prefrontal expansion will not complete the circuits necessary for whole brain, whole body functioning. Young people at this age especially need care and attention. Good modeling cannot be underestimated. A recent study showed that children who sit down to family meals and engage in family conversation are higher academic achievers.

If a teenager is shut down, joyless, addicted to the computer, involved in self-destructive behaviors, they need extra care. It becomes detective work teasing out what might be wrong. Emotional issues may manifest as physical issues, and vice versa. They need to be listened to, engaged and helped over the hump into adulthood. Several alternative modalities are especially good for this age and can help the young person to fill in neurological gaps, create new ways of thinking and find their sense of self.

Hormones

Analogous to the massive development of the immune system in early childhood, the endocrine system busts into action at puberty. The body undergoes a huge shift physically, psychologically, and emotionally. The changing emotional and physical landscape can be very unsettling for a child. Some alternative therapies can be immensely helpful with this all important transition to adulthood.

When is chiropractic helpful for teenagers?

Axial Stability Method®, the only chiropractic technique practiced at the Lydian Center, is appropriate for all ages. Our unusual, entirely low-force approach is helpful for many problems if the underlying issue is biomechanical instability. During the teen years physical activity becomes more organized and usually competitive: sports injuries, skiing, sledding and snowboarding, repetitive injuries from track, running and wrestling are just a few.

Many young people already struggling with hidden biomechanical injuries from the past are even more prone to getting injured further. They tend to be less coordinated, have poorer balance, less efficiently developed motor patterns and less developed proprioceptive skills. They may be shy and less able to participate socially, unable to focus and prone to hyper activity, unable to process new learning, or unpleasant, uncooperative and a bully. These young people can have more gaps in their sensory-motor, emotional, or verbal-intellectual neural networks.

If biomechanical injury is the root cause of these gaps, chiropractic can be a helpful intervention. Our clinical experience suggests that emotional irritability and frustration, insomnia, poor balance, poor immunity and digestion, and learning disabilities are signs that there might be underlying biomechanical injury. Stabilizing the structural system through chiropractic treatment can allow the body to fill in some of these neurological network gaps.

Occasionally a teen complains of recurring headaches or chronic musculoskeletal pain. The most common complaints with this age group are headaches, neck and shoulder pain, and sore knees. No young person should be in chronic pain. Chronic pain is a sign of injury and should not be ignored. Early intervention can save a lifetime of complaints.

Hormonal discomfort and irregularity with the young female endocrine system can also benefit tremendously from chiropractic. Our clinical experience suggests that correcting underlying structural instabilities, especially in the pelvis, can allow the endocrine system to find an even keel.