The 90% Tax: Why Your Child Isn't Defiant, They're Exhausted

He was eight years old, and his teacher’s reports were always the same: “Can’t stay in his seat. Easily distracted. Doesn’t follow multi-step directions.”

His parents were frustrated. They had tried tutoring, reward charts, and even considered medication. They thought they had a “behavior” problem.

The Brain’s Unfinished Basement

Imagine building a beautiful four-story home on a foundation that is constantly shaking. No matter how much you spend on the top-floor decor, the windows will eventually crack.

The human brain develops in the same way—from the bottom up. At the very base, in the brainstem, we have what are called Primitive Reflexes. These are survival “software” programs we are born with to help us transition from the womb to the world. By the time a child is a few months old, these reflexes should “integrate”—essentially turning off to make room for higher-level learning.

But for many children, especially those diagnosed with ADHD, these reflexes never turned off. They are “glitched” in their foundation.

The “Wiggler” and the “Startle”

Take the Spinal Galant reflex. In an infant, it helps them move through the birth canal. In an eight-year-old, it means that any touch to their back—even the waistband of their pants or the back of a chair—triggers an involuntary hip wiggle. This is the child who literally cannot sit still.

Then there is the Moro Reflex, our internal alarm system. If this stays active, the child lives in a constant state of fight-or-flight. Their pupils are dilated, their cortisol is spiked, and they are hyper-aware of every sound in the room. They aren’t “distracted”; they are scanning for survival.

The 90% Tax on Learning

This is what I call Neurological Debt. When a child’s foundation is glitched, they have to use 90% of their metabolic energy just to keep their body still and regulated. That leaves a measly 10% for reading, math, and emotional control.

They aren’t being defiant. They are exhausted. They are running a marathon every single day just to stay in their seat. And if we don’t fix the foundation, they don’t “grow out of it”—they simply burn out. By age twelve, the compensation leads to shattered self-esteem and chronic anxiety.

Clearing the Static

The good news? You can’t tutor a brain out of a reflex problem, but you can clear the neurological static.

Through neuro-focused chiropractic care, we go back to the “basement.” By adjusting the spine—specifically the upper neck area—we help the nervous system shift from the “gas pedal” of stress to the “brake pedal” of growth. We allow the brain to finally integrate that old survival software so the child can return to their natural essence: happy, healthy, and vibrant.

Listen to the full episode: “Kids Glitch in Their Foundation” here: https://shows.acast.com/little-light-wellness-podcast