Poor emotional regulation is one of the main issues in children with autism and ADHD. Additionally, many of these children also experience poor posture and complain of neck pain.
Is there a link between neck pain and autism or ADHD? Or can a stiff neck affect the mood and behavior of children with autism and ADHD?
Stress can cause misalignment of the upper neck
Stress can cause move the upper neck bones, specifically the vertebrae C1 and C2, leading to tension and tightness.
Sensitive Children with autism and ADHD are more vulnerable to stress and anxiety in everyday life. As a result, upper neck rotation can occur multiple times a day, causing a tight neck and headache, whether they complain about it or not.
Tight muscles restrict blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, and nerves
Tight muscles can be compared to compressing a garden hose or putting a kink in it. When you turn on the tap, what happens? Only a trickle of water comes out of the end of the hose. That is what happens in the body.
If the neck muscles are tight, they can restrict blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, and nerves.
Restricted blood vessels: Blood carries nutrients, so when blood flow is restricted, the body does not receive nutrients and oxygen properly. This can lead to cell damage and death.
Lymphatic vessel restriction: Lymphatic vessels play a crucial role in the immune system by transporting lymph, a clear fluid that contains white blood cells, to help fight infections and remove waste from tissues.
Nerve restrictions: Nerve restrictions occur when there is a disruption in the signals carried by nerves between the brain, spinal cord, and other parts of the body. This can lead to a disruption in communication between the brain and the body. Over time, it can result in muscle weakness and sensory and motor dysfunction.
Sensory and motor signals travel through the neck
Numerous nerves are concentrated in the upper neck area as it acts as a major information network highway between the brain and the rest of the body via the spine. Any restriction in this area can lead to impaired sensory and motor signals, potentially affecting mood, behavior, and overall health.
One of the most important nerve get impact by the stiff neck is the Vagus Nerve.
When the vagus nerve is not functioning properly, it is associated with conditions such as anxiety, depression, poor emotion regulation, poor health, and impaired speech.
Try “The Basic Exercise”
By releasing tension in the neck muscles and maintaining neck flexibility, you can not only help resolve neck pain but also improve blood, lymph, and nerve flow to and from the brain. This can potentially alleviate the impact on the vagus nerve and further enhance mood, behavior, and overall health.
This simple 2-minute exercise, introduced in the book “Accessing the Healing Power of the VAGUS NERVE” by Stanley Rosenberg, can help your child relieve neck pain and improve their mood and behaviors when done regularly.
Final Thoughts
A stiff neck is more than just discomfort; it can actually lead to sickness, irritability, and behavioral issues in children.
It is important not to ignore your child’s neck pain or stiff neck, as over time it can worsen their symptoms of autism and ADHD.
The Basic Exercise designed by Stanley Rosenberg, is an effective and quick way to relieve a stiff neck.
Children who have sensory sensitivity are more prone to experience stress in their daily lives. If your child is struggling with sensory sensitivity, especially sound sensitivity, please our website visit . We specialize in helping children with sound sensitivity and sensory sensitivity issues.
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