Having a child with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) doesn’t just affect that child, it affects the whole family. Parents often struggle with finding natural methods to help calm the sensory storm and help their child manage their emotions and behavior and are often left feeling judged, confused, and hopeless. As a parent you may have been told by the pediatrician that your child will “grow out of it” but instead you have seen your child begin to experience more stress, more dysfunction, and more struggles.
Sensory Processing Disorder is a condition that affects how the brain processes and responds to sensory information from their environment. Children with SPD can easily get overwhelmed by stimuli such as light, noise, textures, or even everyday functions such as combing their hair or trying new foods which can lead to behavioral issues or shutdowns which is often referred to as sensory overload. SPD can be expressed in a variety of ways, but these symptoms are often a sign of an underlying dysfunction in the nervous system’s ability to properly perceive input from the environment and appropriately coordinate and respond to that sensory information.
Research has shown that Sensory Processing Disorder is strongly correlated with early exposure to stressful events and even physical injury during pregnancy (high risk/high stress), labor and delivery (such as C-sections, forceps, induction), and early infancy and childhood (conditions such as colic, reflux, constipation, chronic ear infections as well as the medications to treat these conditions). Theses triggers and stressors can stimulate the Sympathetic Nervous System into overdrive. Fortunately, there are many drug-free options to help kids and families with SPD manage their sensory challenges and live happier, healthier lives.
When reward charts and various punishments have failed, when diet and behavior modification is not enough, and when traditional therapy has helped but as a parent you know there is more that can be done, many families have turned to Neurologically Focused Pediatric Chiropractic. This approach does not try to cure or fix SPD, but rather address the root cause by targeting the excessive sympathetic nervous system response associated with SPD, which can help calm your child’s sensory storm and improve their quality of life.
By utilizing state of the art technology called Heart Rate Variability (HRV), we can measure and monitor your child’s Sympathetic Nervous System. In addition, we evaluate NeuroThermal and NeuroSensory EMG function to assess your child’s overall function and go beyond the symptoms to examine the root neurological cause and help develop a customized care plan for your child. By properly addressing the function of the nervous system and with consistent care, we can start to see amazing changes in challenges children have often dealt with since birth.
Having a loved one with Sensory Processing Disorder can be challenging, but with the right support your child can thrive. As with most conditions, the earlier we can address the challenges, the faster the results. If you feel your child is struggling with SPD, consult a Neurologically Focused Pediatric Chiropractor near you who specializes in sensory disorders for an in-depth consultation, INSIGHT Scans, and HRV today!
Crystal Hogan, DC
Pediatric, Prenatal, and Family Chiropractor
About the Author
Dr. Crystal Hogan, DC has over 20 years or clinical experience working with patients of all ages. She has been certified by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association since 2002 and most recently completed her advanced certification with Life University Postgraduate Department in Neuro Tonal Pediatric and Family Analysis and Adjusting. She is the owner of The Hive Chiropractic Wellness Center, LLC in Irving, Texas where she specializes in pediatric, prenatal, and family chiropractic care.
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