You’re watching your friend’s children at the park, and there it is again—that twinge in your stomach as her 10-month-old effortlessly pulls to stand while your 12-month-old is still struggling to crawl. You’ve tried to brush it off. “Every child develops at their own pace,” your pediatrician assures you during well-visits. But the gap seems to be widening, not closing.
At night, you find yourself scrolling through developmental checklists, toggling between worry and hope. Should you push harder with tummy time? Get more physical therapy? Just wait it out? The advice is conflicting, and your instinct says something isn’t quite right.
If you’re a Madison parent watching your child miss gross motor milestones or struggle with physical skills that seem to come naturally to their peers, you’re not alone. And more importantly—your concerns are valid.
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When Developmental Milestones Matter: Understanding the Concern
Developmental milestones serve as important signposts in your child’s journey. While there is indeed a range of “normal” for each skill’s emergence, consistent delays or unusual patterns in gross motor development often signal that a child’s nervous system needs support—not just more time.
Gross motor skills—those large movements involving the arms, legs, and core—build the foundation for everything from independent play to classroom success. They include:
- Rolling over (typically 3-6 months)
- Sitting unassisted (typically 6-8 months)
- Crawling on hands and knees (typically 7-10 months)
- Pulling to stand (typically 9-12 months)
- Walking independently (typically 12-15 months)
- Running and jumping (typically 2-3 years)
- Climbing, balancing, and coordination skills (continuing to develop through early childhood)
When these skills are delayed or develop in an atypical pattern, it often impacts more than just physical abilities.
“We thought our son Jacob just wasn’t athletic,” shares Middleton mom Melissa. “But when he started struggling in kindergarten with handwriting and sitting still, we realized his earlier gross motor delays were connected to so much more.”
Beyond Physical Skills: What Gross Motor Delays Can Impact
What many parents don’t realize is that gross motor development influences numerous aspects of a child’s life:
- Cognitive development: Movement exploration helps build neural pathways essential for learning and problem-solving.
- Social interaction: Children who struggle with physical skills may avoid playground activities or sports, missing crucial peer connections.
- Confidence and emotional well-being: Difficulty with physical tasks can create frustration and affect self-esteem, even in very young children.
- Fine motor development: Core strength and shoulder stability gained through gross motor activities are prerequisites for skills like writing and buttoning.
- Classroom performance: Sitting upright, controlling body movements, and maintaining attention all depend on well-developed gross motor skills.
“The most frequent comment we hear from parents is, ‘I wish someone had taken my concerns seriously sooner,'” says Dr. Eric Kurzinski of ADIO Chiropractic in Middleton. “By the time children reach school age, these early motor delays can manifest as challenges that affect learning and social experiences.”
The Missing Piece: The Neurological Foundation of Movement
What’s rarely discussed at well-child visits is that developmental delays aren’t simply about muscles needing to strengthen or skills needing practice. The roots of gross motor challenges often lie in the nervous system’s functioning.
How Your Child’s Nervous System Controls Movement Development
Your child’s nervous system is the command center for all movement. For smooth, coordinated physical development to occur, several neurological components must work together:
- Proper spinal alignment and function: The spine houses and protects the spinal cord—the information superhighway between brain and body. Misalignments (subluxations) can interfere with nerve signals to and from muscles.
- Primitive reflex integration: Babies are born with reflexes that should naturally integrate (disappear) as the nervous system matures. When these reflexes persist, they can interfere with voluntary movement development.
- Muscle tone regulation: The nervous system controls muscle tone—too much tension (hypertonia) or too little (hypotonia) can make movements difficult.
- Vestibular system function: This inner ear system provides information about balance and spatial orientation, crucial for coordinated movement.
- Proprioception: This “sixth sense” tells the brain where body parts are in space without visual input, essential for fluid movement patterns.
When any part of this neurological foundation is compromised—whether from birth stress, early illness, environmental factors, or other causes—developmental delays can result.
Common Neurological Challenges Behind Gross Motor Delays
In our experience at ADIO Chiropractic, we frequently identify these neurological patterns in children with motor delays:
- Upper cervical subluxations: Misalignments in the upper neck can affect brain-body communication and vestibular function, impacting balance and coordination.
- Retained primitive reflexes: When reflexes like the Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR) or Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR) persist beyond their normal timeframe, they can interfere with crawling, walking, and later coordination.
- Sensory processing challenges: When the brain struggles to organize sensory information (particularly vestibular and proprioceptive input), movement planning becomes difficult.
- Autonomic nervous system imbalance: When a child’s nervous system is stuck in “fight-or-flight” mode from stress or other factors, physical development can be compromised as the body prioritizes survival over development.
“The traditional approach to gross motor delays often focuses only on practicing the missing skills,” explains Dr. Alexandria Quick from ADIO Chiropractic. “While physical therapy and practice are valuable, without addressing the underlying neurological patterns, progress may be limited or temporary.”
Why Traditional Approaches Often Fall Short
If you’ve sought help for your child’s gross motor delays, you may have encountered some of these common approaches:
- Wait and see: Monitoring the delay without intervention
- Physical therapy: Exercises targeting specific movement patterns
- Occupational therapy: Activities to build sensory-motor skills
- Home exercise programs: Parent-led activities to practice movements
While each of these can be valuable, they may not address the root neurological causes. Think of it this way: if your child’s nervous system is like a computer with a programming glitch, having them practice movements is like repeatedly clicking an application that won’t open. Sometimes, you need to restart the system or update the software first.
“We spent months doing the recommended exercises with minimal progress,” shares Sun Prairie dad Michael. “It wasn’t until we addressed our daughter’s nervous system function that we saw her motor skills take off. The exercises that previously frustrated her suddenly became possible.”
The ADIO Approach: Neurologically-Based Care for Developmental Support
At ADIO Chiropractic in Middleton, we take a fundamentally different approach to supporting children with gross motor delays. Rather than focusing solely on practicing the delayed skills, we address the underlying neurological patterns that may be hindering development.
Our Comprehensive Assessment Process
Our approach begins with a thorough assessment to understand your child’s unique neurological patterns:
- Detailed developmental history: Understanding your pregnancy, birth experience, and your child’s early development provides crucial context for current challenges.
- Neurological scans: Using advanced technology like our INSiGHT Scans to measure how your child’s nervous system is functioning and where stress or interference may exist.
- Movement pattern observation: Assessing not just what movements your child can do, but how they perform them, often reveals important clues about underlying neurological patterns.
- Reflex assessment: Checking for the presence of primitive reflexes that should have integrated, as these often play a significant role in motor development challenges.
- Spinal examination: Identifying specific areas of subluxation (misalignment) that may be interfering with proper nervous system function.
This thorough assessment allows us to create a personalized care plan that addresses your child’s specific neurological needs rather than simply treating the delayed skills themselves.
Gentle, Specific Chiropractic Adjustments
Our pediatric adjustments are nothing like adult chiropractic care. They are:
- Extremely gentle: Using no more pressure than you’d use to test a ripe tomato
- Specific: Targeted precisely to areas of subluxation or tension
- Age-appropriate: Modified techniques based on your child’s developmental stage
- Comfortable: Most children find adjustments relaxing or even enjoyable
These gentle adjustments help restore proper communication between the brain and body, creating an optimal environment for development to proceed naturally.
Beyond Adjustments: Comprehensive Support
Our care extends beyond in-office adjustments to include:
- Reflex integration support: Specific activities to help integrate persistent primitive reflexes
- Home recommendations: Simple, playful activities that support neurological development
- Nutritional guidance: Basic suggestions for supporting optimal brain and nervous system function
- Environmental considerations: Identifying potential stressors or triggers that may be affecting your child’s nervous system
- Collaborative care: Working with your child’s other providers (physical therapists, occupational therapists, etc.) to create a cohesive approach
“What impressed me most,” says Verona mom Stephanie, “was that Dr. Eric didn’t dismiss the exercises our physical therapist had given us. Instead, he explained how addressing my son’s nervous system would help make those exercises more effective. The collaborative approach made all the difference.”
Real Results: How Neurologically-Based Care Transforms Development
When the underlying neurological patterns are addressed, we often see improvements that extend far beyond the initial gross motor concerns.
Physical Transformations
- Accelerated milestone achievement: Children often begin to reach previously delayed milestones more quickly
- Improved movement quality: Not just accomplishing skills, but performing them with better coordination and less effort
- Enhanced balance and stability: Better core control and postural stability
- Smoother transitions between movements: Less falling or stumbling when changing positions
- Increased physical confidence: Greater willingness to try new physical challenges
Beyond Motor Skills: Whole-Child Benefits
- Better sleep patterns: More restful sleep with fewer disruptions
- Improved focus and attention: Greater ability to stay engaged in activities
- Enhanced emotional regulation: Reduced frustration and more appropriate emotional responses
- Better sensory processing: Less overwhelm in sensory-rich environments
- Improved immune function: Fewer illnesses interrupting developmental progress
- More energy and vitality: Greater stamina for physical activity and learning
Family-Wide Impact
- Reduced parental stress: Less worry about developmental progress
- More enjoyable parent-child interactions: Focus shifts from “working on” skills to enjoying time together
- Better family dynamics: Less tension around developmental concerns
- Increased confidence in parenting: Better understanding of your child’s needs and how to support them
- Long-term developmental foundation: Setting your child up for success in all areas of development
Emma’s Story: From Delays to Development
Four-year-old Emma’s journey illustrates the transformative potential of neurologically-based care. Despite being born full-term with no complications, Emma struggled with gross motor development from the start.
“She was late to roll over, late to sit up, and at 18 months still wasn’t walking,” shares her mother, Jennifer, from Fitchburg. “Our pediatrician wasn’t concerned yet, but my gut told me something wasn’t right.”
Physical therapy helped somewhat, but progress was slow and inconsistent. Emma would learn a skill, then seem to lose it a few weeks later. By age three, she was walking but still struggled with balance, coordination, and confidence in movement. She avoided playground equipment and was beginning to notice her differences from peers.
“The hardest part was watching her withdraw from physical activities she actually wanted to try,” Jennifer recalls. “She would watch other kids climbing and jumping with such longing, but her body just wouldn’t cooperate.”
When Jennifer brought Emma to ADIO Chiropractic, our assessment revealed several key neurological patterns:
- Upper cervical subluxations affecting vestibular function and balance
- Retained primitive reflexes interfering with coordinated movement
- Signs of sensory processing challenges, particularly with proprioception
- Overall tension patterns suggesting a nervous system stuck in stress mode
“What surprised me was learning that Emma’s birth—which I thought had been straightforward—had actually created significant tension in her upper neck,” Jennifer explains. “And that tension was affecting everything from her balance to how her brain processed information about where her body was in space.”
Within four weeks of beginning gentle adjustments, Jennifer noticed Emma attempting to climb stairs with alternating feet for the first time. By eight weeks, her balance had improved enough that she was willing to try playground equipment with assistance. Three months in, her preschool teacher commented on the dramatic improvement in her participation during gym activities.
“Six months later, you wouldn’t know she ever had motor delays,” Jennifer shares. “She’s not just catching up—she’s keeping up. She recently joined a dance class and loves it. The joy on her face when she masters a new physical skill is something I wasn’t sure I’d ever see.”
Perhaps most tellingly, Emma’s improvements extended beyond motor skills. Her sleep improved, her attention span lengthened, and she became more willing to try new experiences of all kinds.
“The change in her confidence has been the biggest gift,” says Jennifer. “She believes in her body’s abilities now, and that changes everything.”
Trust Your Instincts: Your Child’s Development Matters Now
If you’re a parent in Madison, Middleton, Verona, or surrounding communities watching your child struggle with gross motor development, we want you to know this:
Your concerns are valid. Even if your child is only slightly behind or has been told they’ll “grow out of it,” your parental intuition is a powerful guide worth honoring.
Delays rarely resolve completely on their own. Without addressing the root cause, children often develop compensatory patterns that can create new challenges.
Early intervention makes a difference. The younger the child, the more responsive their nervous system is to supportive care.
The neurological connection is real. Understanding how your child’s nervous system affects their development gives you a pathway for meaningful support.
There is hope beyond practice. While physical therapy and home exercises are valuable, addressing the underlying neurological patterns often provides the breakthrough many families are seeking.
At ADIO Chiropractic in Middleton, we partner with parents who want to give their children the strongest possible foundation for development. We offer hope, understanding, and effective support through neurologically-based care that addresses the root causes of developmental delays.
Your Next Step: Developmental Nervous System Assessment
We invite you to schedule a Developmental Nervous System Assessment at our Middleton office. During this thorough evaluation, we’ll:
- Listen to your concerns and your child’s developmental history
- Perform age-appropriate neurological scans and assessments
- Explain our findings in clear, understandable language
- Create a personalized care plan designed for your child’s specific needs
- Answer all your questions without rush or pressure
Don’t wait to see if your child’s developmental challenges will resolve on their own. Take the first step toward supporting their natural developmental potential by calling ADIO Chiropractic at (608) 824-0950 or scheduling online today.
Because your child’s development isn’t just about meeting milestones—it’s about building the foundation for a lifetime of confident, joyful movement.
