As a parent, watching your child struggle is heartbreaking.
Maybe your little one melts down over the smallest things. Can’t sleep through the night. Dreads going to school. The tantrums keep coming, more frequently and intensely, until your whole family feels like they’re walking on eggshells.
Perhaps you’ve tried therapy, behavioral strategies, and even medications. But nothing seems to stick. In fact, your child’s anxiety or aggression may actually be getting worse.
If this feels familiar, please know you’re not alone. And you’re not failing your child.
What Most Parents Don’t Realize About Childhood Anxiety
According to the CDC, more than 4 million children in the United States experience anxiety, and those numbers keep rising. But here’s what most parents don’t know: many of these challenges aren’t rooted in “bad behavior” at all. They stem from an overwhelmed nervous system that desperately needs support.
Think of it this way: your child’s nervous system is designed to shift between two modes: fight-or-flight and rest-and-digest. When stress and tension get stuck in the nervous system, kids become locked into that fight-or-flight state.
Suddenly, everyday experiences like school, homework, or bedtime feel overwhelming and unsafe. No matter how much reassurance you give.
The Nervous System Connection You Haven’t Heard About
At Real Health Chiropractic Clinic, Eden Prairie Chiropractor Dr. ShaRhae Matousek sees this pattern constantly in children with anxiety, ADHD, sensory challenges, or frequent meltdowns. The root cause? Often it’s subluxation. That’s misalignments and stress in the spine and nervous system that disrupt proper communication between the brain and body.
When the vagus nerve gets affected by this stress, kids lose access to the calming side of their nervous system. The vagus nerve is sometimes called the body’s “brake pedal,” and without it functioning properly, your child simply can’t slow down.
This explains why traditional approaches often fall short. Because they don’t address the neurological imbalance underneath the behavior.
When Did This Start?
Subluxation can begin much earlier than parents realize. Sometimes even before birth. Factors that add stress to the nervous system include:
- Maternal stress during pregnancy
- Birth interventions like C-sections, forceps, or vacuum deliveries
- Childhood illnesses, frequent antibiotics, or falls
- Ongoing emotional or environmental stressors
Without help, these layers of stress keep a child’s nervous system in overdrive. Regulation becomes nearly impossible and calm feels out of reach.
How Gentle Chiropractic Care Changes Everything
Dr. ShaRhae uses advanced neurological scanning technology to measure where stress is stored in a child’s nervous system. The INSiGHT™ scans allow her to create a personalized plan designed to release tension, restore balance, and help the body function the way it was designed to.
Gentle, neurologically focused chiropractic adjustments support the nervous system in shifting out of fight-or-flight mode. They activate the body’s natural calming mechanisms. Over time, this helps kids sleep more peacefully, regulate emotions and behavior, handle school and social settings with more ease, improve focus and attention, and experience a greater sense of calm and safety.
Restoring Calm, Renewing Hope
If you’ve felt stuck or hopeless about your little one’s anxiety, know there are answers. Our mission is to help families in Eden Prairie uncover the root cause of their child’s struggles and find natural, lasting solutions. Dr. ShaRhae reminds parents that every child deserves the chance to feel safe, calm, and connected, and that when the nervous system is supported, kids and families can experience real health and real hope.
If your child has been struggling with anxiety, sleep issues, or overwhelming stress, we’re here to help. Book an appointment today.