| 30 years ago, Dr Jean Ayres linked neural function | | | | Foot position |
| and a child's success in school, or lack thereof, | | | | "Research shows foot positioning directly hampers |
| known as Neurological Integration. Neurological | | | | neuro-development of children," says Dr. Cody |
| problems in infants are seen in sensitivity to bright | | | | Hanish, DC of Sydney. "It is easy to see the |
| lights, loud sounds, and quick movements. | | | | value of foot position, posture, and the effects it |
| There is a marked change in activity levels, they | | | | has on health and wellbeing in the long term." |
| tire easily, seem to be in continuous motion, or | | | | A survey of 52 five-year-old children showed that |
| tend to sleep a lot. Coordination problems, speech | | | | 92.3% had knocked knees, 77.9% had |
| and language delays, attention issues, | | | | hyperpronation, (underdevelopment of the |
| self-regulation, all indicate problems with | | | | anklebone or heel bone restricting range of |
| neurological integration. This condition is masked in | | | | motion.) "Pronation is the most common foot |
| many different ways and it's vital that parents | | | | problem we see at our Chiropractic clinic in |
| know the signs. | | | | Sydney," says Dr. Hanish, D.C. |
| When an infant is playing or interacting, their brain | | | | "Considering the importance of the feet in |
| gathers data and attempts to organize it. If data | | | | neurological information to the brain, this is |
| becomes scrambled or disorganized, it's evident in | | | | extremely concerning," says Dr. Hanish, D.C. "By |
| the infant's behavior. | | | | age five, some children have developed rigid, |
| "The number of young children in school showing | | | | stooped, or sloppy postural habits when standing |
| sensory processing disorders increases every | | | | or sitting, or in coordinated movements." |
| year, currently estimated 12% to 17% of all | | | | Being proactive in your child's neurological |
| children in the United States," according to the | | | | development |
| Sensory Integration Education and Research | | | | Parents, caregivers, and teacher's have active |
| Foundation. | | | | roles in seeing children who may have neurological |
| Postural control | | | | problems. Trained Chiropractors can identify the |
| Standing or moving sends signals from our body | | | | underlying process and prescribe proper activities |
| to the brain and back again. The body | | | | for the infant or child. |
| automatically and reflexively assumes a particular | | | | These activities, boost tolerance toward specific |
| posture, based on a mix of responses, and what | | | | stimulations, desensitize overreactions, increase |
| your brain, is telling your body to do. | | | | proprioceptive input from the feet, help |
| Pressoreceptors, the millions of pressure sensors | | | | coordinate movement, and develop neurological |
| over the entire bottom surface of the foot. | | | | integration. |
| These receptors send information to the brain | | | | "What the chiropractic clinic, and what you do at |
| which then process, coordinate eight anti-gravity | | | | home, directly affects neurological development in |
| muscles; to keep the eyes level with the horizon. | | | | your child. What greater gift can you possibly give |
| Any failure in this process disturbs not only | | | | a child?" says Dr. Hanish, D.C. |
| balance, but many other senses as well. | | | | |