Is it ADHD? #ADHD

Can chiropractic help your child with "Behavior

issues" at school?

Patrick's mom had been through the wringer. Her 6-year-old son not only still wet the bed, but was also having incidents of frequent daytime accidents. In addition, she was getting regular calls from school. He couldn't sit still, he had difficulty controlling his temper, and was having difficulty focusing. Everybody had a suggestion ranging from more discipline to medications. The one thing that was clear was something needed to be done.

Spinal Galant Reflex

After a lot of research and an independent evaluation, Patrick's mom was told that he seemed to fit the pattern of a retained Spinal Galant Reflex. This is a primitive reflex present at birth that typically integrates and disappears by 12 months of age.

This is an important reflex that helps the baby to navigate its way through the birth canal. When this reflex does not integrate appropriately, it can result in various symptoms including bed-wetting as well as daytime incontinence, difficulty sitting still, irritability, squirming, difficulty concentrating, and the inability to tolerate tight waist bands on clothing. As she read the description, Patrick's mom knew that this fit her son to a T and wondered why people didn't talk about this more often.

This is where I entered the picture. (#chiropractor #spinalgalantreflex #antsinhispants)

Patrick's mom reached out and asked me if chiropractic could help him to integrate these reflexes. She asked if this could be the solution to his struggles including his incontinence and behavior problems. It absolutely could help, I responded. How? All reflexes are rooted in the nervous system and are involuntary, we cannot control the actions that they cause and they may be stimulated by various sources. In Patrick's case, the Spinal Galant Reflex is as it sounds, rooted in the spine. Stimulation of the muscles on either side of the spine cause the hips to swivel, with the intention of guiding the baby through the birth canal. When this reflex is retained, the stimulation causes irritation, and will sometimes even result in #bedwetting and daytime accidents.

I met with Patrick for the first time today and sure enough, I could elicit the reflex.

He didn't want to be treated, he was scared because yesterday had been a bad day and he didn't want another bad day today. I adjusted him, and he laughed so hard he cried. I then used kinesiotape to help desensitize the reflex and help him integrate it. I provided instruction to his mom and will see him again next week. His mom let me know that when they left she told him he was coming back next week, and he was excited. Once the fear of the unknown doctor visit wore off, he was also hopeful that this might be the first step towards feeling better.

See you next week, Buddy!