What Kinds of Symptoms and Diagnoses do Functional Neurologists Treat?

For parents and caregivers, we understand that witnessing adverse changes in your child’s behavior can be distressing and confusing. Whether it’s an increase in anxiety and irritability, sudden attention difficulties in school or with daily tasks, or extreme changes in eating or sleeping habits, watching your child struggle to be the version of themselves that you know them to be is heartbreaking. You start down the Google rabbit hole - then maybe you ask your pediatrician, or parent groups on Facebook, or binging other mom’s videos on TikTok.

I’m assuming you’re reading this blog post because you’ve already been down the rabbit hole to try to figure out what’s going on with your child (or maybe more than one of them). Regardless of how drastic or subtle the change is that you’re seeing in him/her, identifying the source of the change is arguably the most crucial step in finding effective intervention. There are a number of factors that could create such drastic changes in a child, and a number of symptoms that you might be surprised to find out are interconnected. Every child’s body is a fascinating balance of resilient yet vulnerable - their worlds are small, yet change can happen at the drop of a hat. But read that sentence again - children are resilient. You just have to find the source first.

This blog post will explore the types of symptoms and diagnoses commonly addressed through functional neurology, including developmental delays, sensory processing disorders, and emotional regulation challenges. We’ll delve into how functional neurology seeks to identify underlying neurological dysfunctions and restore balance, ultimately aiming to improve not just behavior, but overall growth, development, and well-being. For pediatric patients, we’d like to help shed light on the diagnoses that we could help manage, and the strategies we use to create meaningful change.

What Symptoms Can Functional Neurology Change?

When it comes to addressing behavioral and neurological challenges, functional neurology looks at the whole picture of the brain and the functions of each of its parts. It targets the source of the symptoms, rather than just managing the symptoms themselves. (If you’d like to read more about this, check out my previous blog post explaining the whole functional neurology approach here.)

When a red flag pops up within a child or adult and someone raises a concern, we immediately recognize that the symptom can be coming from a wide range of factors, and the presence of multiple symptoms allows us to get even more specific with the diagnosis - even if the symptoms don’t seem related.

From difficulties with attention and learning to issues related to emotional regulation and sensory processing, the spectrum of challenges is broad. So what kind of symptoms do functional neurologists work with and sustainably resolve?

Behavioral Changes

• Obsessions or compulsions

• Hyperactive or impulse behavior

• Unusual or sudden behavior changes

• Repetitive behaviors

• Intensive interests
  

Emotional Regulation Issues

• Emotional instability

• Excessive worry

• Moodiness and irritability

• Anxiety attacks

• Unusual reactions

• Sudden fits of rage or anger

Lifestyle Changes

• Sleep disruptions

• Memory difficulties

• Social challenges

• Unusual eating habits

• Difficulty with reading or spelling

• Delayed speech or language development

Physical / Motor Symptoms

• Lack of motor coordination

• Motor or vocal tics

• Changes in motor skills

• Balance issues

• Delayed milestones

If you or your child is experiencing any of the above symptoms, please reach out to a healthcare professional near you to express your concerns and try to get connected with the appropriate provider. You know your child best - if something seems off, trust your gut, and follow through. If you happen to be in Valparaiso, Northwest Indiana, or the Chicago area, feel free to reach out to our office for guidance. We have a growing list of wonderful providers we’re happy to refer to for collaborative care.

What Diagnoses Can Functional Neurology Treat?

Symptoms help practitioners to build a bigger picture to lead towards a diagnosis. They help us to create a well-rounded view of patients’ history in order to correctly identify where things might be going haywire. This allows us to run appropriate lab work, run proper testing and objective diagnostic measures, and deliver a clear picture of the condition and prognosis to each patient.

On the flip side of that, people who have existing diagnoses enter Synergy’s care with a slew of medical records and tests, prior lab work, additional testing and evaluations from neurologists, neuropsychiatrists, pediatricians, physical and occupational therapists, speech therapists, and more. It’s our job to interpret all of that accordingly, and dig deeper into its source.

Even if a diagnosis doesn’t initially seem brain-related, there’s a very high chance that it is. Here’s a non- exhaustive list of conditions that we see in our office in Valparaiso Indiana - this may vary based on each practitioners’ training.

Neurological Conditions

• Vertigo and dizziness

• Dysautonomia

• Rare genetic conditions

• Headaches/migraines

• CRPS

• Developmental delays

• Chronic inflammation

Behavioral Conditions

• PANS/PANDAS

• Autism

• ADD/ADHD

• Dyslexia

• OCD

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Tourette’s or tic disorders

Movement Disorders

• Cerebral palsy

• Dystonia

• Hyperreflexia

• Balance and coordination difficulties

• Global developmental delays

Brain Injuries

• Anoxic brain injuries

• Traumatic brain injury

• Stroke

• Concussions

The brain is very plastic, and very flexible. (Rarely very mindful, very demure.) Its ability to change is the quality that makes it beautiful and damning all at the same time. The brain controls everything we do and everything we are, yet it’s one of the most mysterious things in the world that we’ll never fully understand. As long as your doctor understands how the diagnosis/condition is impacted and influenced by the brain and its intertwined neurology, significant change can be made for the better, in some cases resolving the symptoms all together.

If you’re going down the rabbit hole of symptoms, or maybe even a new scary diagnosis, and you’re not sure if functional neurology is for you, please feel free to reach out to our office to talk to one of our doctors, or fill out this form and we’ll reach out to you. Our office, Synergy Chiropractic and Functional Neurology, is located in Valparaiso Indiana (Northwest Indiana, just east of Chicago), but we have patients traveling to see us from multiple states. If you’re not local and/or not willing to travel, we’re happy to try to connect you with a solid practitioner near you!