Chiropractic Helps Child with Developmental Delay
Born prematurely via C-section due to her mother’s gestational diabetes, the 3-year-old girl in this case faced various developmental delays from birth. With conditions like hypotonia and weak mouth muscles affecting her feeding, speech, basic motor skills, traditional therapies had limited success.
The chiropractor examined her and found structural shifts, weak muscles, and decreased muscle tone. Retained primitive reflexes were identified and an eye assessment revealed abnormal eye tracking. These structural shifts can lead to obstruction of the nerves and it is this obstruction, called vertebral subluxations, that chiropractors correct.
Following chiropractic care integrating reflex, sensory, and motor therapies over a span of four months, she demonstrated remarkable progress in speech, emotional control, and motor skills.
The study’s author called for additional research to investigate the clinical implications of chiropractic in this population.
Reference: Applying the Melillo Method with Focus on Primitive Reflex Integration, Sensory Integration, and Multimodal Approaches to Address Neurological Dysfunction in a 3-Year-Old Female Patient: A Case Study. Nageena Akhtar DC, MChiro, PgC, Nupur Laroiya PT, CDNP, CWHC, MIAP, Patrick Bruce PT, CAS, CPRCS Morales. Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health, Chiropractic ~ Volume, 2024.
Developmental Delay – FACTS
Developmental delays refer to when children do not reach their developmental milestones at the expected times. These delays can be observed in different areas such as motor skills, speech and language, cognitive abilities, and social-emotional skills. The reasons behind these delays can be multifaceted, encompassing genetic factors, environmental exposures, complications during birth, or other medical conditions. Early identification and appropriate interventions are crucial for enhancing a child’s development and overall prognosis.
Children with developmental delays tend to learn new skills at a much slower rate than most other children. For example, the age for standing is 9 months and walking is 11 months; it may take a child who is delayed much longer to learn to stand and walk. Tracking milestones can be difficult in that children develop at different rates, but most do reach milestones within a certain age range. Being markedly late in reaching developmental milestones puts a child at a higher risk for experiencing further learning disabilities.
Once developmental delay is diagnosed, treatment would involve speech therapy, physical therapy, behavioral therapy, and social skills training. Chiropractic care has emerged as a supportive co-management for certain aspects of developmental delays, particularly those involving motor skills and bodily coordination. The basis of chiropractic treatment lies in the understanding that the nervous system controls and coordinates all functions of the body. However, structural shifts in the spine can occur, which obstruct the nerves and interfere with their function. These misalignments, known as vertebral subluxations, can impede the normal neural communication necessary for bodily functions and development. Chiropractors focus on correcting these subluxations by realigning the spine to ensure optimal nerve supply and improved function.
For children experiencing developmental delays, regular chiropractic adjustments might improve issues like coordination and motor skills, ease muscle stiffness, enhance movement patterns, and support the overall integrative processes that contribute to development. This approach is particularly beneficial when combined with other therapeutic interventions such as occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy.
