As parents, there’s nothing quite like hearing your child say “mama” or “dada” for the first time. It’s a milestone filled with joy, connection, and relief. But when that moment doesn’t come – when your child isn’t speaking like their peers, or struggles to express even the simplest needs – the worry can be overwhelming. “How is my child going to make friends? Go to school? Be a kid?” 

We recently met a boy, just under 4 years old. His parents came to us exhausted, worried, and full of questions. He wasn’t talking. No “mama.” No “dada.” No communication. He wasn’t gaining weight, wasn’t sleeping well, and was often frustrated – sometimes melting down in ways that broke his parents’ hearts. His mum said, “It feels like he’s in there, but we just can’t reach him.” They had tried speech therapy, dietary changes, even sensory play routines. But something still felt… stuck. As we had a discussion through his first few years of life, signs of an overlooked problem were starting to show – needing birth intervention, changes in the shape of his head, a few falls knocking his head when he was a baby – events that possibly have altered how well his spine is aligned and how the nervous system was functioning. When we examined him, there were retained primitive reflexes, history of recurrent infections/illness and hypersensitivity to noises and light – all signs of an dysfunctional nervous system. 

Within just a few months of upper cervical chiropractic care, their boy began to change. His sleep deepened. His digestion calmed. The tantrums became fewer. And then – the words started to come. First slowly, then steadily. His mum cried as she told us, “He’s like a new kid. I’m happy to have my boy back.” 

So what changed? What does the spine have to do with speech delay?

Let’s talk about the brain-body connection. 

Most people think speech delay is a problem with the mouth or tongue. But speech is actually a highly complex neurological process. It starts in the brain –  where language is processed, coordinated, and prepared – before it travels through nerves to the muscles that produce sound. At the very top of the neck, right where the head sits on the spine, is a region we call the upper cervical spine. This is where the brainstem lives — the control center for many of your child’s most basic and vital functions. When this area is misaligned, often from birth stress or early falls, it can disrupt how well those vital signals go from the brain to the relevant areas of the body. We call this a subluxation. Imagine trying to stream a video with a weak Wi-Fi signal. The information is there, but it can’t get through clearly. That’s what can happen in the nervous system when subluxation is present. Speech may be delayed because the brain can’t send clean signals to the speech centers.  

But speech delays rarely happen in isolation. Many of the children we see also struggle with other signs of neurological imbalance: poor sleep, frequent meltdowns, constipation, delayed milestones, sensory issues, or difficulty connecting with others. This cluster of challenges is often brushed off as “just a phase” – but it can actually be a sign of nervous system overload. 

Upper cervical chiropractic doesn’t treat speech delay directly. Instead, we help remove the interference that may be blocking your child’s ability to express themselves. We do this through extremely gentle, precise corrections to the upper neck – often with no twisting or cracking. 

When the nervous system clears, we often see improvements in not just speech, but emotional regulation, immune function, focus, growth, and overall connection. 

It’s never about forcing development. It’s about creating the conditions where your child can unfold, naturally and beautifully. We’ve worked with many families walking the same road – tired, worried, and unsure where to turn. And while every child’s journey is unique, one thing remains consistent: when the nervous system works better, the child does too. 

If you’re wondering whether chiropractic care could help your child, we’d love to connect. Sometimes the missing piece isn’t another therapy or diagnosis – it’s a clear connection from brain to body. 

 Want to know if your child could benefit? Book a paediatric assessment with our team today.