Neurological Developmental Delay               

Dr. Master is committed to each infant and child obtaining an optimal neurological function so as to create a firm foundation in life and help prevent neurological developmental delays which could ultimately alter your child's developing self-esteem, abilities, and destiny in life. 

Dr. Master, due to his training as a functional neurologist, is trained to evaluate each stage of your child's neuro-development from birth and well into adolescence.  Understand that your child's

developmental milestones are small windows into the essence of their neurological development.  As such, any significant milestone delay such as below average development of milestones, missed milestones including crawling, or delayed walking, speech, or bladder control is usually indicative of immature development of neurological networks.  As such, the delayed or missed milestones contribute to a foundational level of neurological weakness in the child.  This is to say that your four-year-old child may have regions of brain at the four to six year-old level, however, other regions remain underdeveleped at the two to three year-old level, thereby contributing to weak developmental brain networks.  Unfortunately, the weak neurological networks do not resolve overtime, however, usually remain with the child as a neurological weakness well into adulthood; oftentimes, contributing to a weakness in brain networks and future handicaps in the ability to learn, interact appropriately in social settings, or life in general. 

Chiropractic neurologists, as functional neurologists, are trained to evaluate and treat neurological developmental delay from a non-invasive brain-based model without prescription drugs or surgery.  Should neurological network deficits or weaknesses be identified upon comprehensive examination, then Dr. Master will suggest a treatment plan to remediate those deficits which includes individualized treatment protocols involving neuronal plasticity.  Encouraging neuro-plasticity in children is both gentle and non-invasive.  Essentially, neuronal plasticity promotes long-term adaptive changes in the nervous system by strengthening the weak neurological networks and promoting remediation of the developmental delay.

Migraine & Sick Headaches

Many children suffer needlessly with migraines and sick headaches.  Early signs of migraine in

children include abdominal pain or "tummy-aches" which are commonly called "sick" headaches causing lost days from school and an early dependancy on medications.  Early signs sometimes

include a "colicky" period in the child's infancy, infant reflux, or a family history of migraines.  Nevertheless, these type of disorders are typically related to abnormal function of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), a system which Dr. Master is trained to properly evaluate and treat with gentle chiropractic neurological procedures.  Moreover, he is experienced in resolving children's headaches, despite a family history of migraines.  Understand that a family history of migraine suggests a genetic pattern of neurological weakness within the family, not a "done deal" that the child has an irreversible destiny of migraine headaches.  Much of this can be explained through the emerging and fascinating research in Epigenetics.  As a result, if the brain is appropriately activated and, in an enriched environment of stimulation, then it has the ability to change in function for the better through enhanced neurological plasticity.  Nevertheless, the earlier chiropractic neurological treatment is provided, the faster benefits are obtained.  

Sensory Processing Disorders

According to the KID Foundation, sensory processing disorder (SPD), in general, is a complex disorder of the brain that affects developing children.  Children affected with SPD misinterpret everyday sensory information such as touch, sound, light, and movement.  The child may feel overwhelmed with incoming sensory information, may seek out intense sensory experiences, or may have other symptoms.  This can lead to attentional, learning, and behavioral issues, problems with coordination, or other issues.  Effective treatment is available, but far too many children with SPD are misdiagnosed and not properly treated.  Dr. Master, as a chiropractic neurologist, is able to provide a unique hemispheric perspective to children suffering with SPD which enables them make very effective clinical gains.  His perspective involves looking specifically at the developing higher functions of brain and its failure to inhibit the lower functions being expressed as SPD.  Dr. Master's functional brain-based perspective is specifically tailored to the unique individuality of each child.

Coordination Disorders in Children     

Perhaps you, or others, have noticed your child to be clumsier than his/her peers, lacking coordination skills, or your child seems to be the last to be picked on the team in PE.  Ultimately, the above mentioned scenario oftentimes leads to very low self-esteem and personal embarrasment.  Since muscles and joints send the most information to brain, especially that of the spine, your child

could be suffering from a loss of valuable information being sent into the nervous system, thereby

contributing to your child's coordination issues and diminished reaction time.  As such, Dr. Master is fully trained to evaluate and effectively treat child coordination disorders non-invasively without drugs or surgery.

Postural Disorders in Children 

Increased computer usage and a sedentary lifestyle lead to diminished joint and muscle sensation needed to make the brain thrive and develop properly.  In fact, take notice of your neighborhood in the afternoon and you will notice a severe lack of children playing games, running, and playing outside.

This scenario represents a severe lack of muscle and joint stimulation, especially from the spine to the brain, which is needed to promote proper posture development among other things.  What's more, should your child, during the critical developing years, have an imbalance of function within the area of brain controlling posture and permanent scoliosis may ensue.  Understand, posture is an automatic response, much like the heart beating or breathing air - functions which work "automatically."  That is to say that we should not have to think about maintaining proper posture just as much as we do not have to think about making the heart beat or breathing air.  Moreover, posture is a direct reflection of how the brain is working.  In fact, poor posture has been linked to diminished processing power within the brain, thereby contributing to problems such as learning in school, poor social development and interaction, and behavioral issues as well. 

Dr. Master provides comprehensive examinations which include postural evaluations to identify neurological dysfunction within the cerebellum and vestibular system especially as it contributes to the hypotonic or slouched posture and scoliosis.  Most children with postural disorders, if caught early enough, respond to chiropractic neurological care, oftentimes preventing or reversing postural disorders from becoming permanent and disfiguring.

Eye Muscle or Eye Movement Disorders (Lazy Eye)  

It is a well established fact that eye muscles are linked neurologically with spine muscles through the vestibular system and the cerebellum.  Chiropractic neurologists receive advanced training in eye muscle disorders especially as it relates to postural or spinal muscle weakness. A child may have obvious signs of eye muscle weakness displayed as "lazy eye," an intermittent postural head tilt, or Strabismus and/or Amblyopia of the eyes.  Children diagnosed as having ADHD, learning or reading disorders may be suffering from Convergence Insufficiency.  Nevertheless, regardless of the child's eye muscle disorder, the most probable cause, outside of pathology, is from an imbalance or decreased neurological function which could be influenced by gentle and non-invasive chiropractic neurological procedures.  These gentle procedures performed by chiropractic neurologists may prevent the possibility of requiring invasive eye surgery.  

Nevertheless, should a child receive eye surgery, understand that the cause of the eye problem has not been "fixed," as the neurological weakness which created the eye problem to begin with will most likely manifest elseware.  Therefore, early correction of the neurological weakness is highly recommended in order to prevent dysfunctional neurological development.  Even in cases in which the child has received "unsuccessful" eye surgery, Dr. Master has been able to produce change with gentle chiropractic neurological procedures specifically designed to correct the root cause of the eye problem within the nervous system.

Child Neurological Disorders

Dr. Master's training in non-invasive neurology has enabled him to improve the quality of life in children suffering from neurological disorders including, but not limited to, cerebral palsy, various types of seizures, infant and child stroke, and traumatic brain injury.

With children suffering from cerebral palsy or traumatic brain injuries, following evaluation, Dr. Master will devise effective treatment plans to create guided neuro-plasticity involving the damaged areas of the nervous sytem, thereby improving long-term functional outcomes and gains in the child.

Dr. Master provides comprehensive evaluations and treatment for children suffering from various types of seizures.  If the seizures are determined to be functionally induced, then Dr. Master, through gentle and specific non-invasive procedures, will design strategies to encourage brain plasticity in hope to

effectively help minimize seizure frequency, intensity, and duration, as well as to minimize any further damage to the vulnerable developing brain.

 

Asthma / Breathing Disorders

Dr. Master has been able to help children suffering from asthma due to focusing on balancing the function of the nervous system and improving rib joint biomechanics.  Many children with asthma who are attended by Dr. Master have improved peak flow and FVC, as well as significantly reduced "attacks" or hospitalizations in conjunction with significant reductions in medication dependence.  Understand, Dr. Master never encourages a patient to discontinue their asthma medication.  However, usual clinical responses to Dr. Master's care typically results in significant reductions in asthma and steroid medication dependence and use thereof.

 

Athletic Performance Enhancement   

In competitive sports, it comes down to rhythm, timing and coordinated sequencing.  Whether your child is playing competitive sports in junior league, high school, college, or even Olympic hopefuls.  Dr. Master is able to evaluate for subtle neurological dysfunctions which could be affecting your childs balance, reaction time, and coordination.  These subtle neurological dysfunctions could possibly make the difference between the college scholarship or early career-ending injury.  By focusing on the athlete from a functional neurology perspective, Dr. Master has been able to enhance the performance of many promising local athletes, thus enabling them to rise to their peak level of performance.

 

Neck Dystonia

Dystonia is basically an imbalance in the neck muscles due to an imbalance in nervous system function, resulting in contractures or contortions ranging from mild to severe.  Torticollis or "wry neck" is a type of neck dystonia or contracture seen mainly in infants and young children.  Typically, the child will have a distorted posture, prefer not to turn the head in a particular direction or, if an infant, tend not to feed on a particular side.  Chiropractic neurologists receive extensive training in movement disorders including dystonia and are able to help many children resolve this condition without drugs or surgery.  This condition, if not treated properly and early enough, due to its effects on the developing nervous system, could lead to future developmental disorders.

 

                                                       

 

 

Providing A Balanced Approach Toward Optimal Health