Finding Hope for Developmental Delays Beyond Traditional Therapies
As a parent, it's natural to feel worried and perplexed when your child faces gross motor delays. Despite numerous physical therapy and occupational therapy sessions and sticking to home exercises, you might see little to no progress. If your child struggles with sitting up, crawling, or walking, gets tired easily, constantly slouches, and avoids physical activities, you're not alone. Many parents share this frustration, questioning why their child's development has stalled.
However, what if the root cause of your child's difficulties isn't being addressed by standard pediatric therapies? Gross motor delays often involve more than just low muscle tone and a weak core.
The Vital Role of Gross Motor Skills
Gross motor skills are essential for a child's development and daily activities. These skills involve movements that engage the whole body, particularly the large muscle groups like the arms, legs, and core. Yet, discussions on gross motor skills often overlook the nerves and muscles of the neck and neurospinal system.
Development of gross motor skills follows a typical pattern, starting with head and neck control for nursing. As your child grows, trunk control develops through tummy time and learning to roll over. They then activate their core muscles to sit up independently, progress to army crawling and regular crawling, which are crucial for brain development, and finally, they start furniture cruising and taking their first steps.
The Overlooked Element: The Neurospinal System
Traditional therapies focus on strengthening muscles and enhancing coordination but often miss the crucial role of the nervous system, especially the neurospinal system, in gross motor function. To address neuromuscular or gross motor issues effectively, the nervous system needs to be considered first. This is where Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care comes in, as it can enhance Central Nervous System function in ways that PT and OT cannot.
Issues like subluxation and sympathetic dominance, or increased tone, often occur in the neck and neurospinal system, typically due to breech positioning or birth interventions like forceps, vacuum, induction, or c-section. This high tone remains in these areas until adjusted and released. Essentially, what appears as "low tone" or a "weak core" is often due to tension and subluxation in the neck and neurospinal system.
A Real-Life Success: Joseph's Story
Consider Joseph, a 12-year-old boy who sought help for autism, ataxia, and chronic constipation. His doctor immediately noticed significant gross motor delays.
Joseph's mom shared, "He will always find a way to slouch, no matter what we do." Joseph struggled to sit up straight, stand tall, and move without exhaustion. His body was both "wound up and worn out," leading to constant stimming and other behaviors. They had ceased all PT and OT, losing hope for his gross motor function and posture.
However, within the first week of Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care, Joseph's gross motor skills and endurance improved dramatically. He began asking to go to the gym, work out, use the treadmill, and play at the park. His mom and doctor were thrilled.
Moving Forward with Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care
If your child is facing gross motor delays and you feel like you've exhausted all options without success, it's time to look deeper. Subluxation, excessive sympathetic tone, and lingering effects of birth trauma might still be affecting your child.
At Proactive health & Wellness, we can assess your child's gross motor function thoroughly using Neurological INSiGHT Scans, especially the EMG. Based on the results, our doctors can develop a customized care plan tailored specifically for your child. This approach can help your child move past developmental plateaus and progress in their gross motor skills.
Remember, you're not alone in this journey. By addressing the root causes of your child's gross motor delays through Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care, you can help them reach their full potential and thrive. Don’t lose hope – effective solutions are available that can significantly impact your child's development and help them achieve their milestones.
