Anxiety is natural and it happens to us humans when we sense danger. It can mess with our thoughts, emotions, and how our bodies feel. It really puts a cramp in your style. Sometimes, we all get a bit anxious, especially when we’re dealing with big changes in our daily grind. It’s our body’s way of getting ready to either fight, run away, or freeze like a deer in headlights. These reactions help us stay safe.
When we feel threatened, our brain tells our body to release some special chemicals like adrenaline and cortisol. These chemicals make us alert and quick to think. They also pump up our heart so that blood can flow well to the important bits. When the danger goes away, our body sends out different chemicals that help our muscles relax. Anxiety often hangs out with anger. When kids feel scared or stressed, anger can show up as a way to protect themselves and feel more in control. Anxiety’s constant worry and tension can also make people feel pretty grumpy.
For kids, anxiety can really mess with how they grow and feel. Knowing the signs of anxiety in kids is super important. They might feel nervous, restless, or really tense. Or they could think something bad is going to happen soon. Their heart might beat super fast, and they might breathe really quickly. They might even sweat a lot, shake, feel weak, or get tired easily. Concentrating might be tough, and they might worry all the time. Plus, they might have tummy troubles.
There are other things to look out for too, like being really sensitive to stimuli like light, noise, touch, or smells. Emotions can be hard to handle, and they might not sleep well. And sometimes, their muscles feel tense, and their body isn’t quite right. Sometimes, the signs of anxiety don’t show up until later, like when kids are in school or teenagers. But often, the troubles start when they’re really little.
Neurologically-Focused Pediatric Chiropractors look at anxiety differently. They look into the history of kids from way back when they were born. This helps them figure out when the nervous system might have started “acting up” initially. When Neurologically-Focused Chiropractors look at anxiety, they think about three things: subluxation, dysautonomia, and the vagus nerve. Subluxation is like a hiccup in the nervous system. It messes with how the brain talks to the rest of the body. Over time, it causes a bunch of problems, like dysautonomia. This is when the nervous system isn’t balanced right, making stress worse. If the nervous system is all messed up, it sends weird messages through the body. These messages are called “neurotransmitters.” They follow the nervous system’s lead, so they get wonky too.
The Vagus Nerve is a big deal in all this. It’s in charge of the “rest and relax” part of the nervous system. Sometimes, it gets injured when babies are born, especially if there were problems during delivery. This can lead to anxiety later on, along with other issues like ADHD and Sensory Processing Disorder. Kids’ early troubles, like colic or ear infections, can be signs that something’s not right in their nervous system. This trouble sticks around as they grow, and it’s made worse by busy lives and environmental stressors.
If your child is dealing with anxiety or other brain stuff, you can talk to a Neurologically-Focused Chiropractor like Dr. Dave at Hanson Family Chiropractic. He’s all about finding the real reasons behind the anxiety and helping kids thrive without drugs. Parents want more than just a label for their child’s anxiety. They want to understand what’s really going on and try drug-free ways to help their kids do their best. It’s not about curing anxiety or just dealing with the symptoms. Instead, it’s about reducing stress in the nervous system and helping the child’s body adapt.