The Movement-Brain Connection: Helping Kids Learn & Thrive - Part 1

Part 1: The Perfect Storm – How Birth Trauma & Early Stress Impact Brain Development

From the moment a baby is born, their nervous system is rapidly developing, laying the foundation for movement, learning, and emotional regulation. But what happens when stress, birth trauma, or early interventions disrupt this process? Many children today—often called Perfect Storm kids—struggle with focus, behavior, and sensory issues due to an imbalanced nervous system.

The Birth & Early Stress Connection

Many factors can contribute to nervous system stress, including:

• Birth interventions like C-sections, inductions, forceps, or vacuum extractions

• Prolonged labor or very fast deliveries

• Cord complications, breech positioning, or NICU stays

• Early life stressors like colic, chronic ear infections, or excessive antibiotic use

  
  

These early stressors can cause a child’s nervous system to get stuck in fight-or-flight mode, making it harder for them to regulate emotions, focus, and learn. Instead of being calm and adaptable, these kids may be overly sensitive, anxious, hyperactive, or struggle with attention.

How the Nervous System Gets Stuck

When birth trauma or early stress impacts the nervous system, it can cause subluxations (interference to the nervous system) that disrupt the brain-body connection. This leads to problems like:

• Retained primitive reflexes (which should naturally disappear but don’t, affecting motor skills and coordination)

• Poor sensory processing (making kids hypersensitive to noise, touch, or movement)

• Difficulty with learning and focus (because their brain is in constant survival mode)

  
  

How Movement & Chiropractic Care Help

The good news? The nervous system can be reset and rewired. Chiropractic adjustments help restore proper brain-body communication, while movement-based activities support sensory and motor development. Together, they help kids regulate emotions, improve focus, and thrive in learning environments.