Sensory Processing Disorder: A Nervous System-First Approach to Helping Your Child Thrive
Why Is Everything “Too Much” for My Child?
Do loud noises, bright lights, scratchy clothes, or crowded environments send your child into meltdowns, shutdowns, or overload? Does your child seem constantly distracted, agitated, or disconnected from the world around them?
These could be signs of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), and you’re not alone.
At Healthy Families Chiropractic, we support Wellington families whose children struggle with sensory processing. We take a nervous system-first approach that helps get to the root cause, not just manage the symptoms.
What Is Sensory Processing Disorder?
SPD occurs when the brain has difficulty receiving and responding to information from the senses. That includes touch, sound, sight, smell, taste, and even internal senses like balance (vestibular) and body awareness (proprioception).
Children with SPD may be:
Sensory avoidant – reacting strongly to textures, tags, noises, or touch
Sensory seeking – constantly jumping, crashing, chewing, spinning or evening biting
Or a mix of both, depending on the situation
While this can look like “bad behaviour” or “lack of focus,” it’s often a sign of a stressed, disorganized nervous system that is overwhelmed by input.
The Root Cause: Dysregulation in the Nervous System
Sensory processing doesn’t happen in the ears, skin, or eyes, it happens in the brain.
When a child experiences early stress or trauma (like a difficult birth, developmental delays, or frequent illness), it can cause subluxations, interference in the spinal cord and nervous system. This disrupts the flow of information between the brain and body, making it harder to process the world around them.
The result? A child who is constantly stuck in fight-or-flight mode, unable to regulate input or stay calm.
Signs Your Child May Have SPD
Frequent meltdowns in busy or loud environments
Refusal to wear certain clothes or try new foods
Always moving, crashing into things, or fidgeting
Trouble focusing, sitting still, or following instructions
Delayed milestones or speech
Co-occurring challenges like anxiety, ADHD, or motor delays
If this sounds familiar, it’s not just “quirky” behavior, it's your child’s nervous system asking for help.
How Chiropractic Care Can Help with SPD
At Healthy Families Chiropractic, we use INSiGHT Scanning Technology to measure how much stress is stuck in your child’s nervous system and how it’s impacting their sensory and motor development.
Our chiropractic adjustments don’t force change, they gently restore calm, balance, and connection to your child’s brain-body communication. That allows the nervous system to better receive, organize, and respond to sensory input.
Parents report improvements like:
✅ Less sensory meltdowns and overwhelm
✅ More calm and focus
✅ Better sleep and mood regulation
✅ Increased body awareness and coordination
✅ Confidence in social and school settings
Let’s Get to the Root Together
If you suspect your child has Sensory Processing Disorder, let’s take the next step. Book a visit at Healthy Families Chiropractic in Wellington, where we’ll listen to your story, scan your child’s nervous system, and guide you toward a personalised plan to help them thrive, naturally.
Because when the nervous system is supported, everything changes.
