Hope for Developmental Delays: Finding Success Outside Standard Therapies

If your child has been in physical therapy for months and the gross motor delays are not improving, the problem is probably not the therapy. It is not your effort, either. The issue is that traditional therapy addresses the muscles without addressing the system that controls them: the nervous system.

Gross motor delays in kids almost always go deeper than low muscle tone and a weak core. Here is what is usually being missed.

The Importance of Gross Motor Skills

Gross motor skills are crucial for a child's overall development and daily activities. These skills involve movements that require the entire body, primarily utilizing large muscle groups like the arms, legs, and core. However, a set of nerves and muscles often left out of the conversation when discussing gross motor skills and development are those of the neck and neurospinal system.

Gross motor development follows a predictable sequence, starting with head and neck control for latching and nursing. As your child grows, they begin to develop trunk control through tummy time and learning to roll over. Next, they start activating their core muscles to sit up independently. From there, your child progresses to army crawling and regular crawling, which are essential for brain development. Finally, they learn to furniture cruise and take their first steps.

The Role of the Neurospinal System

Traditional therapies focus on strengthening muscles and improving coordination. What they cannot access is the neurospinal system: the part of the nervous system that controls how muscles activate, coordinate, and sustain effort. That is the "neuro" in neuromuscular. Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care addresses that layer directly, in a way that PT and OT are not designed to reach.

Subluxation and sympathetic dominance, or increased tone, often establish themselves in the neck and neurospinal system. These issues are most commonly caused by breech positioning or birth interventions like forceps, vacuum, induction, or c-section. The resulting hyper or high tone will remain stuck in those regions until adjusted and cleared. The original cause of "low tone" or a "weak core" is actually tension and subluxation in the neck and neurospinal system.

A Real-Life Example: Joseph's Story

Let's talk about Joseph, a 12-year-old boy who sought help with his daily challenges associated with autism, ataxia, and chronic constipation. What immediately caught his doctor's attention were his significant gross motor delays and struggles.

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 around without exhaustion. His body was simultaneously "wound up and worn out," leading him to seek additional movement stimulation through constant stimming and other behaviors. As a result, they had stopped all PT and OT and pretty much "given up" that his gross motor function and posture would ever improve.

However, within the very first week of receiving Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care, Joseph's gross motor function and endurance rapidly improved. He was asking to go to the gym, work out, hit the treadmill, and go to the park to play! Mom was ecstatic, and so was his doctor.

The Path Forward: Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care

If your child has been struggling with gross motor delays and you feel like you've tried everything without lasting results, it's time to look deeper. Subluxation, excessive sympathetic tone, and the lasting effects of birth trauma could still be at play.

At Reissing Health, we can help you find out how your child's gross motor function is doing at its core by using Neurological INSiGHT Scans, especially the EMG. Once we have the results of these scans, our doctors can create a customized and tailored adjusting care plan specifically for your child. This approach can help your little one finally move past that plateau or stuck point and get back on track with their gross motor development. If you are not local to us, check out the PX Docs directory to find a PX Doc office near you.

If you are not local to us, check out the PX Docs directory to find a PX Doc office near you. ",

For more on how we approach pediatric care at Reissing Health, see our pediatric chiropractic care page.