Developmental Warning Flags in Children

What some parents may not be aware of is that a balanced, well-functioning nervous system is the CORE FOUDNATION for all other nerves, muscles, and organs systems to run smoothly. If subluxation (nerve interference between the brain and body) is present, babies and children will have difficulty adapting to stress, developing gross motor and fine motor skills, and regulating their emotions. Subluxation may also be the root cause of several other common childhood health concerns that can heal once the function of the nervous system is restored.

Keep reading to learn more about gross motor skills, warning signs that your child’s health and development may be hindered by a dysfunctional nervous system, and what you can do about it.

3 Facts Every Parents Needs to Know About Gross Motor Development

As we watch our babies and toddler grow, something we don’t typically realize is that those odd but cute ways of getting around aren’t actually helpful for their developing brains and bodies. In fact, they are often a sign that a dysregulated nervous system is preventing the brain, muscles, and organs from properly sending and receiving messages it needs to work properly.

Here are 3 important facts to be aware of as your child’s gross motor skills develop:

1. Every movement milestone has a PURPOSE: Tummy time helps to gain head control as well as neck, shoulder, arm, and core strength. Crawling is vital for upper and lower body strength and core strength to get our muscles ready for walking. If a child doesn’t crawl, it is usually a sign of neuromuscular tension and stress that can cause an imbalance or improper activation of muscles. From the outside, this can look like muscle weakness and lack of coordination.
2. Your child should be using both sides EQUALLY in their movement: We are symmetrical beings and our left and right sides should be working together! When a child is not using one side, they are not gaining strength, practicing coordination, or going through important movement patterns. It is very important to identify early if this is a preference or a neuromuscular issue.
3. Butt-scooting, dragging a leg, and toe-walking are huge RED FLAGS🚩that there is a significant neurological and muscular problem: These movements are a warning sign that there is severe subluxation in their nervous system. This subluxation causes a stressed and dysfunctional nervous system leading to issues in the muscle system. When our muscles are receiving poor messages from the nervous system, it disrupts normal movement patterns and essentially teaches the body “bad habits.”

If you notice any of these signs in your child the best thing you can do is have their nervous system scanned and get them adjusted by a neurologically-based pediatric chiropractor to remove subluxation and restore the health of their nervous system.

Developmental Delays: 5 Signs Your Child Should Be Checked by a Pediatric Chiropractor

Does your baby or young child seem behind in any of these areas of development?

While every child grows and masters skills at their own pace, general guidelines for when kids should master certain skills (and in what order) serve as a helpful benchmark to know when it may be time to seek professional help for the delays you notice in your child.

👉If babies and toddlers don’t meet developmental milestones in the proper order or within a certain time frame, this can disrupt more advanced developmental areas like fine motor, social, and emotional skills, as well as their digestive and immune system function.

If your child routinely displays any of the following symptoms, getting them checked by a neurologically trained pediatric chiropractor is a good idea.

Warning Signs to Look For:

• Frequently stiffens, arches, cranks head and neck, bangs their head, and cries
• Can’t stand tummy time, can’t sit or stand on their own by 12 months
• Skips crawling altogether or goes through it very quickly to standing in a stiff and tense manner
• Struggles consistently with sleep, digestion, and immune function
• Spends far more time crying and looking distressed than making eye contact, smiling, interacting, babbling, imitating sounds, and engaging

Our pediatric docs would LOVE nothing more than to support your child’s developmental journey by scanning their nervous system 🧠 for subluxation (nerve interference) and imbalance and RESTORING proper communication of the neural pathways between the brain and body. When subluxation is removed and the autonomic nervous system balanced, most delays and concerning symptoms resolve themself … it’s amazing to see! 🎉 Book your appointment online today to start seeing results!

What Causes Kids to Miss Developmental Milestones?

Today more than ever babies and toddlers are slower to master critical developmental milestones like crawling, talking, sleeping, and walking. Why is this the case and what can parents do to help their young child thrive in their physical, mental and emotional well-being?

Watch this video as Dr. Kyle explains how a stressed nervous system impacts a child’s ability to grow and function normally, and what happens in-utero and during birth that adds stress to a baby’s nervous system.