The Vagus Nerve & Your Nervous System

Many parents come to us at House of Chiropractic in Albury feeling like they’ve tried everything, yet their child is still struggling with things like sleep challenges, digestive discomfort, emotional overwhelm, sensory sensitivities, anxiety, or frequent illness.

Today, we want to talk about something many parents have never heard of before, but once they do, it often helps a lot of things start to make sense. It’s called the vagus nerve. Before we go any further, this conversation is not about labelling your child. It’s about understanding how the nervous system works, and how supporting it may help children and yourself regulate, adapt, and cope more effectively with everyday stress. When we understand the nervous system, many behaviours and symptoms that once felt confusing can begin to make more sense.

What Is the Vagus Nerve?

The vagus nerve is one of the most important nerves in the body. It is the longest cranial nerve, running from the base of the brain, down through the neck, and connecting to organs throughout the chest and abdomen.

A helpful way to think about it is as a communication highway between the brain and the body.

The vagus nerve plays a role in regulating many automatic functions, including:

• Heart rate

• Digestion

• Breathing patterns

• Immune responses

• Emotional regulation

• The body’s ability to move into a calm “rest and digest” state

It is also a key part of the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps the body slow down, recover, and regulate. When the vagus nerve is functioning well, children (and adults) often find it easier to calm down, digest food, sleep, and adapt to stress. When regulation is more difficult, the nervous system may be working harder than it should.

The Accelerator Pedal and the Brake Pedal

One simple way to understand the nervous system is to imagine it like a car. The autonomic nervous system has two main branches:

• The sympathetic nervous system — the accelerator pedal — which activates the body’s stress response

• The parasympathetic nervous system — the brake pedal — which helps the body rest, digest, and regulate

The vagus nerve is a major part of that brake pedal. Ideally, these two systems work together in balance. However, when a child’s nervous system spends too much time with the “accelerator” pressed down, it can become harder for the body to settle, recover, and regulate.

Signs a Child’s Nervous System (or Vagus Nerve) May Be Under Stress

When the nervous system is working harder than it should, children may show signs across multiple areas of health. Parents may notice:

• Digestive challenges such as constipation, reflux, or tummy discomfort

• Sleep difficulties

• Sensory sensitivities

• Emotional outbursts, worry, or anxiety

• Difficulty calming down after stress

• Frequent illness or slower recovery

• Challenges with focus or regulation

These experiences can occur for many different reasons. In some children, they may reflect a nervous system that is under stress and finding regulation more challenging.

Measuring Vagus Nerve Activity: Heart Rate Variability (HRV)

One way researchers assess vagus nerve activity is through heart rate variability (HRV). HRV measures the natural variation between heartbeats. A healthy nervous system does not beat like a perfectly steady metronome — instead, it shows small variations that reflect the body’s ability to adapt and respond to stress moment by moment. Lower HRV patterns are often associated with the body spending more time in a stress‑dominant state.

At House of Chiropractic in Albury, we use INSiGHT scanning technology, which includes a specialised HRV assessment alongside other non‑invasive scans. These scans do not diagnose medical conditions, but they can provide objective information about how a child’s nervous system may be responding to stress, helping guide a more personalised and informed approach to care.

The “Perfect Storm” of Stress

In our practice, we often talk about something called The Perfect Storm. This concept recognises that many small stressors can add up over time. Some stress may begin during pregnancy. Birth itself can involve physical stress on a baby’s developing nervous system, particularly when interventions are involved. As children grow, additional factors such as illness, sleep disruption, emotional stress, or environmental demands may continue to layer on. None of these experiences alone necessarily cause long‑term issues. However, when multiple stressors build up together, the nervous system may begin to struggle with regulation — and signs may appear across different areas of health.

A Neurologically‑Focused Paediatric Chiropractic Approach

The encouraging news is that the nervous system is highly adaptable, especially in children. Neurologically‑focused paediatric chiropractic care aims to support how the nervous system communicates and regulates. Using information gathered through consultation, examination, and INSiGHT scans, we look for areas where the nervous system may be experiencing stress patterns, referred to in chiropractic as subluxation.

Care involves gentle, age‑appropriate adjustments designed to support better nervous system communication. For babies and young children, these adjustments are extremely light and focused on reducing stored tension within the system. The goal is not to force change, treat disease, or replace medical care, but to support the nervous system so the body can adapt and regulate more efficiently.

Why Supporting the Nervous System Matters

When the nervous system becomes more balanced, many families report changes such as:

• Improved sleep

• Greater emotional regulation

• Increased resilience to stress

• Children who appear calmer and more comfortable in their bodies

Every child is different, and outcomes can vary. However, when we support the foundation of the body — the nervous system — many other systems have a better opportunity to function well.

Looking for Answers? You’re Not Alone

If your child has been experiencing ongoing challenges and you feel like you’re searching for answers, you’re not alone. Many families in Albury and the surrounding region arrive at our practice feeling exactly the same way. Sometimes the missing piece isn’t doing more, it’s looking at the nervous system first. At House of Chiropractic Albury, we work with babies, children, and families to better understand how their nervous system is functioning and how it may be supported.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is chiropractic care safe for babies and children?

Paediatric chiropractic care uses very gentle, specific, age‑appropriate techniques. Care is always tailored to the child’s age, size, and nervous system presentation.

Can chiropractic care help with my child’s specific condition?

Chiropractic care does not diagnose or treat medical conditions. Our focus is on supporting nervous system function, which may help a child’s ability to regulate and adapt.

What are INSiGHT scans?

INSiGHT scans are non‑invasive assessments that measure how the nervous system may be responding to stress, including heart rate variability. They provide objective information to help guide care.

Do I need a referral?

No referral is required to see a chiropractor. We also encourage collaborative care alongside your GP or other healthcare providers when appropriate.

Care plans are individualised and based on your child’s presentation, scan findings, and response to care. This will be discussed with you clearly during your consultation.