Gross Motor Delays and Developmental Milestones

As parents, we’re constantly juggling the many needs of our little ones, from diaper bags to schedules and endless to-do lists. But amidst all of this, there’s something just as crucial to keep track of—the developmental milestones chart. While your pediatrician may check off these milestones during well-baby visits, it’s easy for important signs of motor development to be overlooked or missed altogether.

Motor development, especially the gross motor skills (the large muscle movements like tummy time, rolling over, sitting up, crawling, and walking), is essential for your child’s overall health and well-being. Unfortunately, this is often neglected or underestimated by pediatricians, physical therapists, and other professionals.

As a pediatric chiropractor, I’m here to help bridge this gap and explain the connection between motor milestones and the nervous system, and how these issues can be addressed with neurologically-focused chiropractic care. If your child is struggling with developmental delays, you’re not alone. This information could provide the missing piece to support your child’s motor development and overall growth.

The Missing Link: The Nervous System and Motor Development

The key to understanding motor development lies within the nervous system. Your child’s muscles are completely controlled by their nervous system, and when the nervous system is out of balance, motor delays or challenges can arise. From birth trauma to environmental stressors, these early influences can have a lasting impact on your child’s nervous system.

The nervous system has two sides: the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) and the parasympathetic nervous system (rest, digest, and recover). When the sympathetic nervous system is overstimulated—often due to stress or subluxation (misalignments in the spine)—it can cause the body’s muscles to become tight and overly tense, hindering normal motor function.

Contrary to common belief, low muscle tone (hypotonicity) cannot exist in a child’s core or limbs without first having high muscle tone in the brainstem and spinal areas. If the nervous system is stressed—whether due to birth trauma, early-life stressors, or even daily environmental factors—it can lead to an imbalance, which affects muscle tone and development.

Neurological Focus: How Subluxations Impact Gross Motor Development

Subluxations (misalignments in the spine) are the underlying cause of much of this imbalance. When these misalignments occur, especially in critical areas like the brainstem, neck, and spine, it can prevent your child’s body from regulating movement effectively. The result? Delayed or poor motor coordination and weak core and limb muscles, making it more difficult for your child to reach developmental milestones.

For children who experience issues like torticollis (neck tightness), plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome), chronic colic, acid reflux, or difficulty sleeping, subluxations could be the cause. These problems are often missed or overlooked by pediatricians and physical therapists, but they can have lasting effects on your child’s development if not properly addressed.

At our office, we use the INSiGHT Scan to evaluate your child’s nervous system. This scan helps us identify any subluxations and determine how they are affecting your child’s motor function and development. With this valuable insight, we can create a customized chiropractic care plan that works to support your child’s nervous system and promote healthy motor development.

Helping Your Child Reach Their Full Potential

Motor development is essential for your child’s brain and body. If subluxations are the hidden cause of delays, early intervention is crucial. Neurologically-focused chiropractic care can help balance and restore your child’s nervous system, improving their gross motor skills and, ultimately, their overall development.

If your child is struggling to meet developmental milestones, or if you’ve tried other therapies without seeing the progress you expect, we invite you to reach out to our team. We specialize in pediatric chiropractic care and can work with you to help your child unlock their full potential.

Call us today to schedule an evaluation and learn how chiropractic care can support your child’s growth and development.

Want to learn more? Watch this video: https://youtu.be/caRd63mU8Fw

Your child’s potential is limitless. Let’s work together to ensure they thrive!