The anxious child in your practice: what to do beyond the adjustment
Dear Colleague,
A mum recently wrote on her 3-year-old daughter’s intake form:
“Anxious. Hypersensitive. Explosive. Sleep problems.”
In the consultation she added, completely exhausted:
“She has to touch me all night. She flies off the handle continuously. She won’t talk to anyone — not even her grandparents. She’s driving me crazy. My psychologist suggested we come here. She thinks she’s in fight/flight and that you can help.”
As we explored her history, the picture became clear: stress in utero with a major upheaval for mum, a traumatic birth, then colic and reflux and ongoing stress in the home. Not exactly a calm, regulated start to life.
After a month of care, the change has been remarkable. She’s happier, friendlier, more connected and the energy in the entire family has shifted. They walk into the practice smiling. They breathe.
The same week, an 11-year-old came in, referred by another psychologist for generalised anxiety, tummy pain, insomnia, OCD-type behaviours as well as separation anxiety. Again, a wonderful response — even after the first adjustment.
I’m not sharing these stories to suggest chiropractic is a miracle cure for anxiety. I’m sharing them because they highlight something we are all seeing:
Childhood anxiety is rising, and it is showing up in our practices whether it’s written on the intake form or not.
So the question becomes:
Are we prepared to support these families with a clear, confident, evidence-informed plan?
Anxiety: what are we really seeing?
Anxiety is the body’s reaction to threat or danger. It is normal and protective. But when the stress response becomes persistent, children begin to struggle with everyday life: school, friendships, sleep, play and sport.
Anxiety does not always look like “worry.” In children, it often presents as:
avoidance (school, social events, sport, sleepovers)
meltdowns and tantrums
irritability and emotional volatility
perfectionism, overplanning, overthinking
reassurance seeking
trouble concentrating
stomach aches, headaches, muscle tension
sleep disturbance and fatigue (1)
Many children won’t meet criteria for a formal anxiety disorder or even seek a diagnosis, but anxiety is still shaping their nervous system, behaviour, learning and development.
The bigger picture: this isn’t rare anymore
Recent data is sobering. In the US National Survey of Children’s Health (2022–23) found that 31% of youth aged 12–17 had a mental, emotional, developmental or behavioural problem, and 18% of children reported at least one major depressive episode in the past year (2).
The 2023 CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey reported 2 in 5 high schoolers experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, with rates over 50% in girls (2).
Last year 2025, Ben Singh reported that diagnosed anxiety in children increased 27% between 2016–2020, with global rates around 21% (3). Anxiety is now the leading cause of non-fatal disability (4).
Neurodivergent children have higher rates of anxiety (5) and so do children with dyslexia (6).
Whether you practise in Australia, Europe, the US or the UK, the message is the same: We are working with a generation of children whose nervous systems are under chronic load.
The anxious brain: a quick refresher (that helps you explain it to parents)
Anxiety is not a behavioural problem.
It is a nervous system pattern.
The amygdala detects threat and asks: “Is this dangerous?”
The hypothalamus activates the stress response (HPA axis, adrenaline, cortisol)
The hippocampus tags memories as emotionally salient, sometimes overgeneralising fear
The prefrontal cortex normally inhibits the amygdala - but under stress, kids lose access to rational control
The ant cingulate becomes hypervigilant, continuously scanning for error and threat
This is why telling anxious children to “just calm down” doesn’t work. Their nervous system is doing exactly what it believes it must do to survive.
Where chiropractors fit (and why we matter)
Of course, we adjust. We address nervous system interference and abnormal spinal and cranial patterns. We support parasympathetic function and vagal regulation. And often this alone creates profound shifts for children and families.
But what I want to emphasise today is this:
Our role is bigger than the adjustment.
Chiropractors are uniquely positioned to support families because we often:
see children regularly
build deep trust with parents
create a calm and safe environment
have time and knowledge to educate and support lifestyle change
And that gives us a powerful opportunity.
The solution: a simple framework you can use immediately
When parents are overwhelmed, they don’t need a long lecture. They need a clear plan.
Here are the most effective, research-supported areas to focus on:
1) Protect sleep like it is “treatment”
Poor sleep heightens the brain’s fear response, disrupts serotonin, increases cortisol and worsens anxiety. And anxiety then worsens sleep.
Start with:
consistent bedtime routine
no screens 2 hours before bed
cool, calm, uncluttered, dark bedroom maybe with white noise
chamomile tea
calming sensory input (bath, story time, lavender)
supplement with magnesium citrate or glycinate
valerian root can help sleep
2) Prescribe movement
A large meta-analysis involving 38,000 children found that structured exercise significantly improves anxiety and depression symptoms. Interestingly, lower intensity and resistance-type exercise was particularly effective for anxiety (8).
3) Get children outside — and prioritise morning light
Outdoor time supports mental health. Morning light helps regulate circadian rhythm, serotonin and melatonin - which feeds directly into sleep and mood stability.
4) Create screen boundaries (especially at night)
A 2025 meta-analysis of longitudinal studies found that screen use contributes to socioemotional problems, and socioemotional problems increase screen use, with gaming being the most detrimental (9).
5) Support the gut-brain axis without overwhelming families
Many families are not ready for a complete nutritional overhaul. But you can start by:
adding vegetables (prebiotic, nutrient dense)
reducing processed foods, sugar and caffeine where possible
considering nutrient deficiencies (iron, B12, zinc, omega-3, magnesium)
6) Teach one simple regulation tool per visit
Breathing, grounding, mindfulness, journalling (through drawing for youngsters), music, crafts - these are powerful tools for shifting a child out of fight/flight.
The key is not “doing everything.”
The key is doing something consistently.
The most important thing we give families
Parents of anxious kids are exhausted. Many feel ashamed. Many feel they are failing.
What they need most is:
Hope + understanding + a plan.
And that is where chiropractors can shine.
Because we don’t just adjust spines.
We support nervous systems.
And right now, nervous system support is one of the greatest needs in our communities.
Warmly,
Dorte
1/ https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/anxiety_in_children/
2/ Annie E Casey Foundation June 2025
3/ Ben Singh et al 2025
4/ Yubo et al 2025
5/ Sutherland et al 2025
6/ NS Adi et al 2024
7/ Purves et al 2021
8/ Ben Singh et al 2026
9/ Vasconcellos et al 2025