Over the past few decades, life-changing diagnoses like Autism, ADHD, anxiety, asthma, and allergies have rapidly increased in children. According to the CDC, 1 in 31 children is now diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and approximately 1 million more kids were diagnosed with ADHD between 2016 and 2022.
While genetics and lifestyle factors play a role, clinical evidence increasingly points to nervous system dysregulation and vagus nerve dysfunction as a root cause being massively overlooked by the conventional medical system.
At the heart of this is the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is the longest of the cranial nerves, connecting the brain to vital organs and regulating functions like heart rate, digestion, inflammation, behavior, and more. Disruption of this critical nerve from stresses like high-risk pregnancy and birth trauma can lead to chronic health conditions that impact a child’s quality of life.
In this article, we’ll explore the hidden world of vagus nerve disorders and how Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care can help stimulate and activate the vagus nerve, setting the stage for lasting, drug-free healing.
What is the Vagus Nerve?
The vagus nerve, also known as cranial nerve X, is the longest and most complex of the 12 cranial nerves. Its name, derived from the Latin word for “wandering,” reflects its extensive path from the medulla oblongata at the base of the brainstem down through the neck, chest, and abdomen.
What makes the vagus nerve unique is its bidirectional communication system: sensory fibers that carry information TO the brain about what’s happening in your organs, and motor fibers that carry commands FROM the brain to regulate organ function. This two-way highway is why your gut can tell your brain you’re anxious, and your brain can tell your gut to calm down.
The vagus nerve is a key component of the Parasympathetic Nervous System, responsible for the body’s “rest and digest” functions. It regulates digestion, heart rate, respiratory rate, inflammation, and immune response. Thanks to Dr. Stephen Porges’ work on polyvagal theory, we also know the vagus nerve is highly involved in regulating our children’s emotions and behavior, which is why it’s such an important aspect of helping children with autism, ADHD, and anxiety.
Measuring Vagus Nerve Function: Heart Rate Variability
One of the most reliable ways to assess vagal tone, the measure of how well your vagus nerve is functioning, is through heart rate variability (HRV) measurement.
HRV measures the variation in time between heartbeats. You might think a healthy heartbeat is perfectly steady like a metronome, but that’s actually not the case. A healthy nervous system creates natural variation – your heart rate speeds up slightly when you breathe in and slows down when you breathe out. This is called respiratory sinus arrhythmia, and it’s a sign of good vagal tone.
Low HRV indicates sympathetic dominance and poor vagal regulation. When the vagus nerve isn’t functioning well, your heart loses this healthy variability and beats in a more rigid, mechanical pattern. Children with low HRV often struggle with emotional regulation, immune challenges, and difficulty recovering from stress.
This is why our INSiGHT Scans include an HRV assessment: it provides objective data on vagus nerve function and allows us to track improvements as we address subluxation.
The Vagus Nerve and Brain Function
The vagus nerve plays a crucial role in regulating emotions and behavior in children by influencing the Autonomic Nervous System. Think of it like your child’s nervous system has two pedals, a gas pedal (sympathetic) and a brake pedal (parasympathetic/vagus nerve). When the vagus nerve isn’t working right due to upper cervical subluxation, it’s like the brake pedal stops responding. Your child’s gas pedal stays pressed down 24/7, which is why they can’t sleep, can’t digest, can’t calm down – their body thinks they’re being chased by a bear all day long.
Dr. Stephen Porges’ polyvagal theory helps explain why vagus nerve dysfunction affects behavior so profoundly. The theory describes three neural circuits:
- The Ventral Vagal Complex (Social Engagement System): Responsible for social connection, facial expression, and the ability to feel safe and calm. When this system is active, children can learn, play, and connect with others.
- The Sympathetic Nervous System (Mobilization): Your child’s “gas pedal” – the fight-or-flight response that revs them up to deal with threats.
- The Dorsal Vagal Complex (Shutdown): The freeze or shutdown response. When overwhelmed, children may become withdrawn, disconnected, or appear “checked out.”
Children with vagus nerve dysfunction often get stuck in fight-or-flight or freeze states due to subluxation, preventing proper vagal signaling. They’re not choosing these behaviors; their nervous system is stuck in survival mode.
The accumulation of prenatal stress, birth trauma, and childhood stressors, which we call the “Perfect Storm,” disrupts this system, preventing children from accessing their social engagement system and keeping them trapped in survival states.
The Vagus Nerve and Immune System Dysfunction
Vagus nerve dysfunction can significantly impact the immune system through the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. When the vagus nerve functions properly, it releases acetylcholine – a neurotransmitter that signals immune cells to reduce inflammatory responses. If the vagus nerve’s function is compromised, cytokine regulation breaks down, leading to unchecked inflammation.
This explains why children with poor vagal tone often struggle with allergies, asthma, eczema, and frequent infections: their immune systems lack proper vagal regulation to keep inflammatory responses in check.
Birth trauma causing cervical spine instability at C1-C2 can compress the nodose ganglion – the nerve bundle where vagus nerve cell bodies cluster at the atlas level – disrupting this anti-inflammatory signaling from day one. This is why we often see babies who are chronically congested, constantly getting ear infections, or developing early food sensitivities.
Signs of Vagus Nerve Dysfunction
Vagus nerve dysfunction occurs when the vagus nerve is not functioning properly, leading to various signs and health issues. Reduced vagal tone shows up in multiple ways throughout the body. Parents often notice these signs, but pediatricians dismiss them as “normal” or “something they’ll grow out of.” The reality is that these are red flags that the nervous system needs support.
Common signs include:
- Difficulty swallowing or speaking
- Dizziness or fainting
- Anxiety and depression
- Chronic fatigue
- Headaches and migraines
- Chronic inflammation
- Weakened immune response
- Sensory Processing Disorder
- Focus and concentration challenges
- Difficulty regulating emotions and behavior
This can also manifest as digestive issues (bloating, constipation, diarrhea, acid reflux). Gastroparesis is a condition in which the vagus nerve can’t properly signal the stomach muscles to move food along. Additionally, a rapid or slow heart rate. Vasovagal syncope happens when the vagus nerve overreacts to triggers, causing sudden drops in heart rate and blood pressure that can lead to fainting
These signs can have a significant impact on a child’s quality of life, affecting their physical, emotional, and social well-being.
Vagus Nerve Dysfunction Explained
The vagus nerve can sometimes struggle to regulate important bodily functions, leading to vagus nerve dysfunction, also known as dysautonomia.
This dysfunction often occurs following physical trauma such as birth trauma, serious infections, surgical complications, and other conditions. Psychological stress, prolonged exposure to toxins, and chronic inflammation can also compromise the vagus nerve.
Recent evidence suggests that neurological dysfunction in the upper neck and brainstem regions, known as subluxation, can disrupt communication between the brain, vagus nerve, and end organs. This dysfunction alters sensory input and communication into the brain, leading to disrupted signaling between the brain and the end organs.
“The Perfect Storm” of Factors Behind Vagus Nerve Problems
At PX Docs, we refer to the combination of factors leading to vagus nerve dysfunction as “The Perfect Storm.” This concept suggests that a series of events and stressors, often beginning in utero and continuing through early childhood, can accumulate and overwhelm the developing nervous system.
Key factors include:
- Physical trauma and injury: Birth trauma, such as prolonged labor, forceps delivery, or vacuum extraction, can damage delicate tissues. Other traumas, like head injuries or whiplash, can also cause vagus nerve damage.
- Chronic stress and emotional trauma: Exposure to chronic stress or emotional trauma during childhood can lead to changes in the nervous system that affect vagus nerve function, resulting in an overactive “fight or flight” response and reduced vagal tone.
- Infections and inflammatory conditions: Viral and bacterial infections, as well as chronic inflammatory conditions like autoimmune conditions, can “hijack” and disrupt vagus nerve function.
When these factors combine, they create a vicious cycle of nervous system dysregulation, inflammation, and vagus nerve dysfunction. Birth trauma is a common trigger. Many infants are born each year through interventions that can physically strain and traumatize the brainstem and vagus nerve area. This physical injury can have lasting effects if not properly addressed by a trained Neurologically-Focused Pediatric Chiropractor.
Natural Support vs. Medical Intervention
- Medical Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS): Medical vagus nerve stimulation involves implanting a device in the chest that sends electrical impulses to artificially stimulate the left vagus nerve. The FDA has approved VNS for care-resistant epilepsy and depression. While effective for some patients, this approach cares for signs by forcing nerve activation rather than addressing why the nerve isn’t functioning properly in the first place.
- Vagal Maneuvers and Self-Care Techniques: Some families find temporary relief through vagal maneuvers, techniques that manually stimulate the vagus nerve, like deep diaphragmatic breathing, cold water face immersion, gargling, humming, or singing. While these can provide momentary trait relief, they’re like turning the brake pedal by hand instead of fixing the mechanism that’s preventing it from working automatically.
The reason these interventions often provide only temporary relief is that they don’t address the “Perfect Storm,” the accumulation of stressors beginning in utero that created the dysfunction. When we remove the interference through Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care, the body’s innate healing capacity can restore proper function naturally.
The PX Docs Approach to Vagus Nerve Dysfunction
At PX Docs, we focus on the root cause: nervous system dysregulation and subluxation. Our Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care protocols identify and correct these underlying imbalances, helping to restore proper vagus nerve function and support overall health.
It’s important to note that INSiGHT scanning technology does not diagnose medical conditions, and Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care is not a cure for vagus nerve dysfunction or any other condition. Instead, these INSiGHT Scans help us track down the root cause of nervous system dysfunction and build customized care plans to help shift the nervous system back into balance, regulation, and resilience.
We use INSiGHT Scans that employ surface electromyography (sEMG), thermal scanning, and heart rate variability (HRV) to provide a detailed picture of your child’s neurological health.
One of the most objective measures we track is HRV, which shows us how well your child’s vagus nerve is regulating their autonomic nervous system. Low HRV indicates sympathetic dominance and poor vagal tone; the brake pedal isn’t working, and your child is stuck with their gas pedal pressed down. We can watch HRV improve on scans even before you see signs of change, helping families understand that neurological healing is happening at the foundational level.
By addressing these root causes rather than simply masking symptoms with medication, we aim to promote long-term healing and optimal function of the vagus nerve and other key systems in the body.
Neuro-Tonal Adjustments for Vagus Nerve Stimulation
Once we have identified areas of subluxation and nervous system dysregulation, we use precise Neuro-Tonal adjustments to help restore vagal nerve balance and promote optimal function. Unlike medical Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) devices that use electrical impulses to artificially activate the nerve, our adjustments remove structural interference, allowing the vagus nerve to function naturally.
We’re not forcing the nerve to fire; we’re removing what’s blocking it from doing its job.
These adjustments are designed to:
- Reduce subluxation and stimulate proprioception
- Restore natural vagal signaling and promote parasympathetic tone
- Improve communication between the brain and the body
- Reduce inflammation and support gut health
- Strengthen the immune response and endocrine system
- Enhance overall nervous system regulation and resilience
By addressing the root cause of vagus nerve dysfunction, Neuro-Tonal adjustments can help to alleviate the traits and support your child’s overall health and development.
Unlocking Your Child’s Potential Through Neurologically-Focused Care
At PX Docs, we believe that every child deserves the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential. Our Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care approach identifies the root causes of vagus nerve dysfunction, promoting optimal health and function for your child.
If you suspect that your child has a damaged vagus nerve, we encourage you to take action and seek out the care they need. The PX Docs Directory can help you find a qualified practitioner near you who can assess your child’s unique needs and develop a personalized care plan.
Don’t let vagus nerve dysfunction prevent your child from experiencing optimal health and happiness. With Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care, you can help your child build a strong foundation for lifelong wellness and success.
Start today and schedule a consultation with a PX Docs practitioner. Together, we can help your child thrive and reach their full potential!
