Understanding Developmental Milestones and How Chiropractic Care Can Help
Developmental milestones are key physical, behavioral, and neurological markers that provide insight into a child’s growth and progress. From holding their head up to crawling, walking, and talking, these milestones offer parents a way to track their child’s physical and cognitive development.
But milestones go beyond just movement. They encompass critical systems like sleep, digestion, and immune function—areas often overlooked but deeply connected to overall development. Many children face challenges with these ‘internal’ systems, leading to delays in motor, social, and cognitive growth. In this article, we’ll explore these connections and how pediatric chiropractic care can support optimal development.
Categories of Developmental Milestones
Developmental milestones can be grouped into categories or systems, making it easier for parents to identify areas of progress or concern:
Motor Skills: These include physical actions such as holding the head up, tummy time, rolling over, sitting, crawling, standing, walking, and jumping.
Social Skills: Skills like making eye contact, smiling, laughing, engaging with others, and initiating play fall into this category.
Cognitive Development: Thinking, reasoning, problem-solving, and understanding the world around them.
Behavioral and Emotional Growth: Self-regulation, calming, patience, listening, and following directions.
Digestive Function: Breastfeeding, swallowing, pooping, and overall gut motility.
Immune Health: Efficient recovery from colds and fevers, teething, and handling seasonal changes.
Finally, sleep stands in a category of its own due to its profound impact on development. Adequate sleep supports the brain’s growth and ability to form connections, which is crucial during infancy and early childhood.
Why Milestone Delays Should Be Taken Seriously
Some delays, such as difficulty with tummy time or late crawling, may be dismissed as “normal” by traditional pediatricians. However, these delays often point to deeper neurological or physical challenges, such as:
Difficulty with latch or feeding.
Poor sleep patterns.
A lack of social engagement (e.g., avoiding eye contact or not smiling).
When these issues are ignored, they can lead to more significant developmental delays or sensory integration challenges. Pediatric chiropractic care offers a proactive approach to addressing these root causes, ensuring your child’s development stays on track.
What Causes Developmental Delays?
The primary culprit behind many developmental delays is subluxation—a misalignment in the spine that disrupts communication between the nervous system and the rest of the body. Subluxation often results in:
Altered Tone and Tension: This leads to tight or unbalanced muscles, making movements like rolling over or crawling more difficult.
Incoordination: Impacts fine and gross motor skills, as well as digestion and immunity.
So, what causes subluxation in the first place? Common contributors include:
Birth Trauma: Difficult deliveries, C-sections, and interventions such as forceps or vacuum extraction.
Maternal Stress: Emotional and physical stress during pregnancy can affect the baby’s nervous system.
Modern Stressors: “Tech neck” from screen time or poor posture can add unnecessary tension to a developing child’s spine.
How Chiropractic Care Supports Development
Pediatric chiropractors specialize in detecting and correcting subluxations. Through gentle, precise adjustments, chiropractic care can:
Enhance Nervous System Function: By reducing nerve interference, chiropractors help improve communication between the brain and body.
Promote Motor Development: Adjustments support better coordination and muscle balance, making it easier for babies to reach motor milestones.
Boost Sleep, Digestion, and Immunity: A well-functioning nervous system helps regulate these critical systems, which are essential for overall development.
Developmental Milestones by Age
While every child develops at their own pace, there are general markers that help track progress. Below are some key milestones:
1 Month:
Lifts head briefly during tummy time.
Exhibits rooting or sucking reflexes for feeding.
Responds to sounds and voices.
Struggles with pooping or shows signs of colic? This is worth addressing.
3 Months:
Can hold the head steady and push up during tummy time.
Begins smiling and babbling.
Shows increased coordination between eyes and hands.
Issues like trouble pooping or sleeping frequently indicate stress in the nervous system.
6-12 Months:
Sits unassisted, crawls, and begins pulling up to stand.
Engages with others through eye contact and laughter.
May show early signs of walking.
Persistent challenges like avoiding tummy time, skipping crawling, or chronic fussiness could signal deeper issues.
When to See a Pediatric Chiropractor
If your child is consistently struggling with milestones, such as late crawling, poor sleep, or colic, it may be time to consult a pediatric chiropractor. Early intervention can:
Prevent delays from becoming long-term challenges.
Support optimal neurological and physical development.
Provide answers and solutions to the concerns that traditional pediatric care often overlooks.
At Embrace Family Chiropractic, We Help Your Child Thrive
Our practice specializes in neurologically focused chiropractic care for infants and children. With state-of-the-art technology like INSiGHT Scans, we pinpoint areas of stress and subluxation that may be affecting your child’s development.
Don’t wait for concerns to “resolve themselves.” Early chiropractic care can make all the difference in helping your child reach their milestones and thrive. Contact us today to schedule an appointment and learn how we can support your family’s health and happiness.