What do you think of when you hear the word chiropractic in Sandy Springs? Most people think of low back pain. Doctors of Chiropractic or DCs, are educated by Accredited Chiropractic Colleges “through a curriculum that includes a minimum of 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory, and clinical internship. The average DC program is equivalent to allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) medical schools in classroom hours (source)”.
Chiropractic education teaches DCs how to examine human physiology. This includes:
- cardiovascular system
- musculoskeletal system
- head and neck
- cranial nerves
- peripheral nerves
- gastroenterology system
- genitourinary system
DR. LAURA HANSON'S SPECIALITY IN SANDY SPRINGS
Many chiropractors go beyond the 4,200 hours to specialize in different areas. Dr. Hanson has done exactly this. Her area of specialty is in pediatrics. In addition to the 4,200 hours of chiropractic education, she has completed 360 hours in the concentrations of pregnancy and pediatrics, 480 hours in focused pediatric conferences for continuing education, 452 hours in bio/neurofeedback, and numerous more hours.
In addition to her Doctorate in Chiropractic studies, Dr. Hanson has her Masters in Sports Health Science with a concentration in nutrition and a certificate in Neuro-Development. She is also a Diplomat in Clinical Pediatrics. Dr. Hanson is a recognized pediatric expert. She has taught neurology since 2001 and pediatric developmental care since 2004 for the Pediatric Diplomat program.
WHAT IS NEUROLOGICALLY-BASED CHIROPRACTIC?
Neurologically-based chiropractic is a practice that incorporates many disciplines into a foundation for assessing and managing patients. When assessing children, Dr. Hanson looks at their developmental milestones, the timing between both sides of their brain, the frequencies associated with brain function (known as a brain map), their gut health, vitamins and minerals, genetic snippets, and lipid profiles. Neurology means assessing the central and peripheral nervous systems and the systems that make them work.
When any system is altered, the child’s perception and interpretation of their world becomes confused. The chiropractic adjustment is a tool for “self-regulation”. The adjustment takes many forms. For example, a chiropractic adjustment for an infant or a child is completely different than adjusting an adult. The adjustment is one part of supporting the entire nervous system.
FREQUENCY FOR AN ADJUSTMENT
The brain map helps identify the frequency for an adjustment. The map will reveal whether the brain is over or under-aroused. Let’s look at this point more closely. Arousal is the ability to receive a stimulus and pay attention to whatever is going on. (Hopefully the connection for you is happening right now.) “Attention” is used in the labels of ADD and ADHD. Under-aroused is ADD and over-aroused is ADHD. The ability to “pay attention” is part of a developmental sequence.
PRIMITIVE REFLEX & MORO REFLEX
This particular sequence began back in the womb at around 9 weeks of pregnancy. There are reflexes that drive the development of the nervous system. The reflexes are perfectly normal, and we have all had them. The reflexes beginning around the 9th week of pregnancy are called the primitive reflexes. The first of these is called the Moro reflex which after birth will mature to what is called the startle reflex.
The Moro reflex activates arousal, CO2/O2 balance, and the sympathetic nervous system. Arousal is needed for the infant to begin self-regulation. At birth, the infant is expected to arouse/wake every 2.5-3 hours to feed. Glucose/breastmilk/formula is used up in the brain within the 2.5-3 hours they are asleep. Once glucose is depleted, the low glucose arouses the baby, stimulating them to wake up. The baby’s system is responding through the reflex. When a baby sleeps too long this is an under-aroused nervous system and then the “little ‘catnappers’” are over aroused.
AROUSAL COMPONENTS
In some instances, a retained Moro reflex is associated with an ADD or ADHD label later in life. The arousal component is the force that provides the ability for humans to respond to stimuli by producing a muscular response. As an infant, this response is reflexive and is from the brainstem. As the child matures, the higher brain is expected to take over. If a child missed a developmental sequence, the result may be low muscle tone, speech delay, auditory confusion, poor balance or avoidances, such as avoiding riding a bicycle or playing with other children. There are many findings associated with retained primitive reflexes that interfere with a child’s expected development.
The arousal, whether it is under or over, directs the frequency of the chiropractic adjustment. An over-aroused brain typically receives one adjustment per week, and an under-aroused brain may receive more than one. The adjustment is always modified to meet the child’s needs and comfort level. It breaks the current neurological pattern. The program available at Connect My Brain encompasses the whole child. The program addresses all mechanical delays and identifies and supports the physiological needs, such as gut health, deficiencies, genetic pathways, and detoxification. The final component of the adjustment is brain integration. For additional information review the tabs titled Neuro/Bio Feedback, Nutrition and Functional Labs For Children, or call our team at Connect My Brain today to get started.