Ever feel like your child was crushing it with their neurological challenges, and then BAM! Everything just… stopped? Maybe you’ve even seen some old behaviors pop up again – stuff you thought was long gone, like sleep issues or emotional meltdowns. Ugh.
If you’re sitting there wondering if your care plan is totally failing or if something’s seriously wrong, take a deep breath. Seriously. Because here’s the deal: plateaus and even little slips backward are totally normal, even necessary, parts of getting better.
The journey to neurological healing is rarely a straight shot. Think of it more like a rollercoaster with all its crazy ups, downs, and unexpected turns. But here’s the secret many parents miss: those plateaus aren’t signs of failure. Nope! They’re actually proof that your child’s nervous system is digging deep, working through older issues, and getting ready for the next big leap forward.
You’re Not Alone in This Journey
As a chiropractor focused on neurology, I see this all the time in our practice. Almost every parent who brings their child in will experience what the smart folks call “non-linear healing progress.” Basically, research on how our brains change (neuroplasticity) shows that the brain is amazing at rewiring itself, making new connections, and sometimes even growing new brain cells!
Kids usually have these bursts of super-fast progress, followed by times where they just “digest” those new skills. It’s the same for neurological healing. That “two steps forward, one step back” dance isn’t a fail; it’s just your child’s brain naturally reorganizing itself to make those changes really stick.
Understanding the Five Main Reasons for Healing Plateaus
Let me break down the most common reasons your child might hit a plateau. Knowing this can help you understand what’s happening and feel way more confident moving forward.
1. Growth Spurts and Developmental Milestones
When your child is growing like a weed or learning new big skills (like walking or talking), their body is pouring all its energy into that. During growth spurts, their body is busy building new bone, muscle, and brain connections, which takes a ton of energy. This can temporarily pull energy away from other healing stuff.
You might notice things like:
- More moodiness
- Sleep issues popping up
- A temporary step back in other areas as their nervous system focuses on these big physical changes
Just remember, these pauses due to growth are ultimately good signs, not setbacks. Every time your child’s nervous system masters a new skill, it gets stronger overall.
2. Immune Challenges and Their Healing Effects
Okay, this might surprise you: fevers and illnesses aren’t just annoying roadblocks – they’re actually super clever ways your body can speed up healing in the long run.
When a child gets a fever, their immune system basically kicks into high gear, raising their body temperature to fight off germs. During this whole process, the nervous system redirects its resources to manage the illness, which can make your child seem tired, cranky, or just “off” for a bit.
But here’s the cool part: fevers actually trigger the release of special proteins that help brain cells grow and connect better! That’s why we often see big breakthroughs after an illness, even if there was a short period of regression right before.
3. Environmental Factors: The Hidden Disruptors
Kids with existing neurological challenges often have super sensitive nervous systems, making them more vulnerable to toxins around them. Think pesticides or heavy metals in food, flame retardants in furniture, or strong chemicals in cleaning products. Over time, these can mess with normal brain function.
Even mold exposure (from a leaky pipe or poor air flow) can release nasty toxins that lead to foggy thinking and neurological symptoms. These environmental stresses can definitely cause temporary plateaus as your child’s body works hard to get rid of them.
4. Emotional Stress and Life Changes
Big life changes, like starting a new school year or even subtle shifts at home, can trigger that “fight or flight” response in kids with neurological challenges. This stress response floods their body with hormones like cortisol, which can quickly become too much for an already sensitive nervous system.
Over time, this constant stress can lead to something we call subluxation – basically, areas of dysfunction in the nervous system that keep the stress cycle going. That’s why we often see regressions during times of change or high emotions; their nervous system is busy dealing with the stress instead of making progress in other areas.
5. Medication and Therapy Overload
Many medications are designed to just hide symptoms, not actually fix the root cause of neurological issues. They’re like a “mute button” for what your body is still struggling with underneath. When we start real healing by getting the brain and body to talk better and balance the nervous system, it’s like the body starts to “wake up” again, sometimes bringing those underlying issues back to the surface temporarily.
Your child’s nervous system can only handle so much. That’s why we always suggest focusing on nervous system regulation first, and then slowly adding in other therapies.
What This Means for Your Family
At Health From Within in Orland Park, IL, we totally get it. Most of the time, plateaus are just one or more of these outside stressors putting a little headwind in your child’s sails. Once that stress passes and your child builds up more resilience, they’ll zoom right past it and be back on track for progress and breakthroughs again!
The main thing to remember is that healing isn’t a straight line. It’s often “two steps forward, one step back” at first! Growth spurts, immune stress, environmental stuff, emotional changes… all of these can cause temporary pauses or even regressions as your child’s nervous system works super hard behind the scenes to integrate and level up.
Moving Forward with Confidence
That 3-week sleep regression, the return of meltdowns, the sudden clinginess – it’s not a sign that care isn’t working. Actually, it’s one of the clearest signs that your child’s nervous system is finally unwinding and releasing! Think of it like cleaning out your closet or pantry: it gets a little messier before you can reorganize it all into those nice, neat bins.
You’re doing better than you think, and so is their nervous system. Trust the process, stick with your care plan, and remember that these apparent setbacks are often just proof that your child’s nervous system is working through deeper layers and getting ready for the next big breakthrough.
If you’re ready to take the next step in your child’s neurological healing journey, or if you’re dealing with these plateaus and want some guidance, please reach out to Health From Within in Orland Park, IL today! Not local to us? Check out the PX Docs directory to find an office near you.