Piche Family Chiropractic, PLLC

Looking for some fun activities to play this summer that will help your child’s development? These are our favorites to incorporate!

Nothing is cuter than a little person on a big table! It is so fun to watch our little patients grow and become so comfortable in our office! 😃

In our office we love learning and tend to always be working towards the next big thing! Hannah and Chantel have began to take an afternoon throughout the week to continue education to better serve our patients. 😀

Certain behaviors are typically labeled “bad,” and if a child presents with “bad” behaviors, then they must be a “bad kid.”

👉🏼But the truth is there are NO BAD KIDS!

There is always a reason for behaviors, and with a different understanding, behaviors can be viewed as a window into the brain.

When we observe certain behaviors, we tell our parents to WATCH & WONDER and see their behaviors through a BRAIN-BASED LENS.

Often the reason behaviors occur is the inability to adapt to stress, too high of a demand, and inefficiency in the tools they have for processing, engaging, and connecting with their world.

You are not alone in this! Your Brain Blossom Provider is here to help you put on your brain-based lens, and give you right now strategies to navigate these behaviors.

Schedule with Dr. Lea to set your nervous system up for giving birth!

🤰🏼 Why do pregnant women get chiropractic?

✅ A balanced pelvis optimizes fetal positioning and baby's developmental space.

Which prevents ⬇️
〰️ low back pain
〰️ sciatica
〰️ lower abdominal pain
〰️ asymmetry (leading to intrauterine constraint)

Book an appointment with us! Call or text to 231-995-0990 to schedule today!

Let's see what you all think! Comment below👇😉

Your child is NOT a bad kid and they are NOT broken!

These behaviors are a window into the brain and give clues to begin understanding how a child is processing, connecting, and learning from their world.

When we understand how an individual is processing, we can know how to meet them where they are, lower demands, and determine the next step to help them.

Our Brain Blossom Program is designed to help your child increase their ability to meet demands so they can reach their fullest potential!

Can you relate to the sports and activities struggle? Let us know below 👇🏼

We have royalty in our office! 👑 Last month with got to celebrate with a Cherry Prince of the Traverse City Cherry Festival🍒

Here are 5 signs your newborn may need an adjustment!
Call or text us at 231-995-0990 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Lea!

Call or text to schedule a visit with Dr. Lea who specializes in prenatal care!

Transitions from school schedule to summer can be one of the most challenging times of the year. Are you feeling it?!

This time of year can be very surprising to parents when they see increased anxiety or behaviors at the start of summer vacation.

👉🏼We go from having more of a rigid routine to a more open schedule with empty space to fill. Believe it or not, the "space" can create challenges for those who struggle with visualization of the future (often, those with behavioral, learning, and socialization challenges).

Give this tip a try and help prepare your child for unpredictability of summertime!
Reach out to us if you need more support. We are here for you!

Comment below!👇

Good Monday morning! Enjoy that coffee and maybe even an adjustment 😉

Happy Friday😆 We hope this week wasn't too rough! To start next week off on the right note, give us a call or send us a text to get scheduled! 231-995-0990

Did you know what a subluxation was?

We've probably heard it from adults our whole childhood: "Look me in the eyes when I'm talking to you."

Yes, eye contact is important for connection, respect, and social norms. But some kids REALLY struggle with this! Especially when they may be upset, embarrassed, or angry.

And since we know behavior is a window into the brain, consider that there is an underlying reason they are struggling to use their eyes to connect with others and the world around them. They may have some gaps in development or inefficiencies in the tools they have for processing that is making this task a high demand.

We see this clinically in practice all the time on exams. So it's important to work with a provider that uses this whole child approach to look at the visual system for clues that this may be a challenge for your child. You can find a Brain Blossom provider at the link in our bio!

What you can do right now: Lower demand, make them more comfortable by sitting next to them instead of in front of them, and don't force this eye contact if they are struggling with it.

Follow along for more brain-based tips!

Whether there is a dyslexia diagnosis or not, it’s important to understand that when there are persistent challenges with reading and writing, we could be looking at issues with the way we use our eyes.

This also is a clue that they may struggle with visualization, including their ability to visualize their own bodies.

At the Brain Blossom program, we always take a “whole child” approach to care. It’s not just a reading challenge or a writing challenge. We use what we know about the hierarchies of brain development to understand the reasons behind challenges and behaviors.

We have specific games to help support these gaps in development! To get started with the Brain Blossom program, give us a call!

YUP! That is all it takes!

Who can relate? 😆

Siri knows best 😉 Just ask her to call or text us at 231-995-0990

Physical manifestations in our bodies can certainly happen when there is an increase in demand. Imagine being in a new social setting. As adults, sometimes we are unsure of how to engage with a new group. Have you ever noticed that in these situations, you feel more tired? Maybe you feel hot, or you start feeling easily overwhelmed. This is communication from your body saying, ""Hey! This demand is a little too much right now.""

So, if this happens often with ourselves or our kids, try to pick up on a pattern. We don't want to "train" ourselves to ignore these sensations and just push through. Start by understanding that this could be a mismatch in what tools they currently have and the demand that's being placed on them.

Remember, you're not alone in dealing with stress. Dr. Lea is a Brain Blossom provider, and is here to offer right now solutions to help you or your child
navigate these challenging situations. Don't hesitate to reach out for support.

This is such a positive testimonial! Thank you so much for taking the time to remind us why we do what we do!

How do you teach your littles about the meaning of this holiday? Here's a kid-friendly 4th of July lesson ❤️🤍💙

Fun facts to share:
⭐ We honor the 4th of July as the birthday of the United States of America.
🎆 Fireworks, BBQs, and parties are in celebration, just like how we celebrate our own birthdays!
🎂 The United States is 244 years old

Books we recommend for taking the lesson further:
❤️ A is for America by Greg Paprocki
🤍 The Night Before the Fourth of July by Natasha Wing
💙 The Fourth of July Story by Alice Dalgliesh

What are your plans?

Here is your reminder to celebrate this LOUD holiday to meet YOUR family's needs.

Be aware that the anticipation and excitement of any holiday can create a higher demand creating more stress. This can lead to an increase in behaviors, including new ones.

Remember, all behaviors are a window into the brain, and if we see them leading up to special events or a holiday, that could be the reason.

Here are some tips!

⚫️ Create a visual schedule leading up to the holiday.
⚫️ Make a plan for the actual day, including the day's schedule, all activities, and even the people involved.
⚫️ Consider food. With holidays it's common for us to make exceptions with food and "cheat" on our dietary restrictions or accommodations. Be aware that this can add to the stress demand!
⚫️ When considering the day's demand, create opportunities for your child to take a break and get some downtime. Make a plan in advance so your kid knows their options if needed.

Sometimes, the tendency is to continue a higher academic demand throughout the summer, but it could be more beneficial to lower it.

Think of it this way: you can use the summer to help develop your child's brain differently through lower-stress environments and a high focus on play and connection.

Enjoy your summer! Get lots of sunshine and activity to boost the brain's happy chemicals, and you'll be sure to feel refreshed and ready to tackle the next school year when the time comes.

In the Brain Blossom Program, we adopt a comprehensive approach that takes into account all aspects of a child's development, including their
environment and emotional state. If a child's test performance varies depending on the setting, we delve deeper to understand the underlying
reasons.

We call this the "whole child approach".

It's not uncommon to see some "pulling in" as a stress response when the increased demand of a test occurs at a possibly inappropriate time
(e.g., the end of the day, right before recess or lunch, at the end of a long week).

As a parent, it's important to ask yourself not just IF a child can perform a task, but also HOW are they doing it?

Remember, as a parent, you have the power to make a difference. Just because your child can complete a task doesn't mean they're not struggling. You might see evidence of this as big behaviors later. This is where you can step in, advocate for your child, and find a more suitable way for them to handle the task.

Follow along for more brain-based parenting tips!

It can be tempting to try to offer logical solutions to a child's stress response. Phrases like "It's fine! You don't need to be scared." or "It's not that big of a deal" will not go a long way toward helping a stressed-out child actually feel better.

The key for these moments is NOT to try to use logic while they are in "fight or flight" mode. Remember, a brain in stress is not available for learning or growth.

During these moments, focus on filling the three buckets of safety, connection, and control.

Once your child has calmed down and is no longer in the "fight or flight" response, you can then introduce logical solutions to the problem.

Give this a try, and let us know how it goes!

The nervous system has a BIG impact on a child's ability to learn and move through development.

It is responsible for engaging, connecting, and learning from our world.

Here's a brain-based right-now strategy: Put on your detective hat and look for clues that your child (or yourself!) is in fight or flight mode.

It could look like they are shutting down, an explosive behavior, a stutter, a tic, control seeking, sensitivity to sensory input, overly compliant, etc.

These are clues that your child is having a big stress response! Once you've identified these clues, you can then learn how to help them through these challenging moments and get back on track.

Next week, we will discuss these tips! Be sure to follow along!

If your kid has meltdowns, challenges in the classroom, shuts down at various times, or has social or behavioral challenges...listen up. This post is for you.

Finding the clues BEFORE a child becomes dysregulated or exhibits a behavior is key to understanding why it is happening. Once we can understand the
triggers, we can use brain-based "right now strategies" to help children better cope with the increased demand they are experiencing.

Our goal is never just to extinguish a behavior but to understand the why behind it and help children fill in gaps in development to move along a healthier
developmental trajectory.

So, get out your phone's notes app and start taking notes on trends you see. Then you can bring these notes to your Brain Blossom provider, and they'll be able
to help you with some "right now strategies" to help!