About Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Neurodevelopmental disorders impair the growth and development of the brain and nervous system. These disorders include Pervasive Developmental Disorders such as: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Sensory Processing Disorder, as well as various psychiatric disorders.
Children with neurodevelopmental disorders have difficulty processing sensory input. ‘Visual tracking’, the technical term for the natural ability of the eyes to follow an object in motion, may develop in an atypical pattern for children with a neurodevelopmental disorder. We use visual tracking to recognize faces, reading, writing and many other daily activities. Children with atypical visual tracking and processing can have trouble with academics, motor function or social behaviors.

The Neurobiomedical and Neurobiomechanical Approach

Pace Sensory Development Program was created with the goal of helping families that are affected by neurodevelopmental disorders. As one in six children currently living in the U.S.is classified as having a neurodevelopmental disorder, the need for alternatives to current therapies and medicines is ever-increasing. The Pace Sensory Development Program is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any neurodevelopmental disorder. The program focuses instead on naturally supporting the cooperative work of the body’s regulatory systems. Dr. Sarah is committed to making a difference in the lives of these families, and has learned under Dr. Monika Buerger, the founder of Intersect4Kids, a neurodevelopmental certification program that trains doctors to work with a variety of conditions and developmental delays. Our sensory development program is modeled after Dr. Buerger’s work. She is recognized as the leader in her profession, having developed the most comprehensive neurodevelopmental program in the nation.
Pace Sensory Development Program, like Dr. Buerger’s program at Eagle Canyon Wellness & Sensory Development Center, focuses on removing spinal subluxations, persistent primitive reflexes, and neurotoxins to help establish a clear line of communication for the central nervous system. This focus includes chiropractic, ‘brain building’ exercises, nutritional counseling, and specific individualized supplements. These ‘brain building’ exercises help to re-integrate the persistent primitive reflexes that so many children with neurodevelopment delays still retain, while nutritional counseling and supplements aim at flushing toxins from the ‘gut’ to remove the inflammation that can cause infections, allergies, and asthma, among others. To help all these bodily systems communicate effectively with one another, regular chiropractic adjustments are an integral part of the program. Chiropractic adjustments help the body’s different systems to communicate effectively, boosting immune function and facilitating the body’s natural healing capacity.

Prevention and Early Detection

Dr. Sarah likes to work with children from birth to ensure that any delays in development are detected as early as possible. When a child enters our program showing signs of atypical development, Dr. Sarah investigates all possible areas of disruption to the nervous system.
Dr. Sarah looks at the child’s neonatal development, birth history, and their early health history as well as their current presentation. Research has shown that some endotoxins a child may be exposed to while in utero can directly lead to impaired motor function. Further exposure to environmental, vaccine-related or foodborne toxins can also continue to compromise immune function. As the detoxification enzymes that children have work more slowly, they are more susceptible to these toxins. These toxins remain in the body, primarily housed in the brain and ‘gut’. Nearly 80% of the immune system is housed in the gut, and chronic inflammation in the gut due to these toxins can further impact inflammation levels throughout the body, including the brain.
So how do you know if your child is dealing with this kind of chronic inflammation? Common signs of this inflammation, which leads to nervous and immune system dysfunction are as follows: asthma, allergies, colic, chronic infections, difficulty sleeping, gastrointestinal issues, and picky eating habits.

Milestones

In addition to looking at the birth history of a child, Dr. Sarah will also evaluate their developmental history assessing whether or not they reached their milestones on time. Movement through space is essential for proper areas of brain development; particularly the movement of belly crawling and creeping on all fours. Why is this important? The action of crawling requires simultaneous use of opposite extremities (moving right arm with left leg, followed by left arm with right leg), in a reciprocating motion. Crawling therefore, requires the use of both the right and left hemispheres of the brain, in a complex action of neurological coordination. Many children with neurodevelopmental disorders, behavioral or learning issues; have delays in reaching various developmental milestones. Or in some cases, have not carried out specific milestone movements correctly in the necessary amount of time needed, for proper neurological development. These children may also have retained Primitive Reflexes.

Primitive Reflexes

What is the key factor behind Primitive Reflexes? These are reflexes that we are born with and that should be integrated into the nervous system, by no later than the first year of life. Not reaching these various developmental milestones or retaining various Primitive Reflexes, will impede the progress of higher and more sophisticated areas of brain and nervous systems development. This can result in poor motor, social, behavioral and academic learning. Based on each individual’s specific area of deficit, Dr. Sarah offers special neuromovement exercises, primitive reflex integration manuevers and “brain” exercises to promote proper development of neuropathways, essential for learning and navigating through life.