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Parents, did you know that food intolerance affects up to 20% of the population, as reported by “Medical News Today”? It’s not just limited to gluten and dairy intolerance anymore. Wheat, barley, milk, cheese, bananas, avocados, and more can all be culprits. Is your child included in this 20%?
Food intolerances can manifest differently in children, and the symptoms can vary in severity. If you are a parent whose child has a food intolerance and you’ve watched them suffer from bloating, upset stomachs, constipation, behavioral changes, eczema, sleep issues, or migraines, this is for you.
We want to delve into the world of food intolerances and empower you to take charge and manage your child’s struggles. If you’ve tried elimination diets and supplements without success, we are here to help. Let’s explore the root causes, focusing on the incredible vagus verve, which plays a significant role in your child’s brain-gut communication.
Understanding Food Intolerance
Food intolerance, sometimes referred to as food sensitivity, occurs when the digestive system has difficulty breaking down certain foods. The gut becomes sensitive to specific foods and struggles to tolerate them. When a child with a food intolerance consumes these problematic foods, they may experience uncomfortable symptoms such as gas, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
The traditional medical approach to food intolerances often attributes them to insufficient enzyme production in the digestive system. However, this explanation fails to address the underlying reasons behind the biochemical reactions to certain foods. Furthermore, you may have gotten a referral to a gastroenterologist that led to eliminating problematic foods, which can be helpful by alleviating the symptoms… but difficult in today’s world to do for your child, and it completely misses the root cause. We need to understand why your child’s gut and digestive system are so sensitive and impacted.
Vagus Nerve Dysfunction
To truly comprehend the root cause of your child’s food intolerance, we must examine the communication between the brain and gut, which is driven by the vagus nerve. This massive sensory nerve extends from the brainstem to the digestive system, with various stops in between. The vagus nerve can play a crucial role in many of your child’s health challenges, especially digestive issues.
Moreover, due to the strong connection between the gut and the brain through the vagus nerve, food intolerances can have negative effects on your child’s sleep, behavior, emotions, and mood regulation – which further intensifies this struggle for you and your child.
The Impact of Birth Trauma
When we start to dig deeper, we may find that in your child’s case, some sort of birth trauma, such as prolonged labor, forceps, vacuum, or C-section, may have played a role. Any of these types of interventions can cause physical trauma leading to subluxation and a stress response in the nervous system. Specifically, the upper neck and brainstem region, where the vagus nerve originates and communicates from, can be affected.
This imbalance in the vagus nerve can adversely impact the gut’s functioning, leading to problems with absorption, digestion, and elimination of foods and toxins.
Altered signaling to the gut can result in increased inflammation and susceptibility to common foods, transforming minor sensitivities into full-blown intolerances. This also explains why your child who struggles with food intolerances may have started with reflux, colic, or immune issues like ear infections or asthma.
The Role of Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care
As Neurologically-Focused Pediatric Chiropractors, we believe in starting at the very beginning and providing a personalized care plan to each child’s unique needs. So, if your child is struggling with food intolerance and cannot consume certain foods, please seek guidance from a neurologically focused, trained Pediatric Chiropractor in our PX Docs network.
They will delve into your child’s case history and identify the exact triggers and root causes using an innovative technology called INSiGHT scans. These scans help locate subluxations within your child’s nervous system, providing valuable information to determine the necessary adjustments to restore your child’s nervous system to its full potential.
By understanding the role of the Vagus Nerve and seeking neurologically focused chiropractic care, you can empower yourself as a parent and take charge of your child’s health, and we are here to help you every step of the way.
We aim to provide you with the freedom to reintroduce the foods your child previously couldn’t tolerate without having to worry that they are going to come back from a birthday party nauseous or have an emotional meltdown because of something they ate. Please give us a call to schedule your consultation and examination today! If you aren’t local to us, visit our PX Docs directory to find someone near you. Remember, you are not alone in this journey. Our mission, alongside you, is for your child to experience optimal health and enjoy a variety of foods without worry.
Author: Tony Ebel DC, CACCP, CCWP
