Improvement in a
Child with Autism Following Chiropractic
In the July 6, 2017,
issue of the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family
Health is a case report documenting the improvement
of autism symptoms in a child after undergoing
chiropractic care. The study describes autism
spectrum disorder (ASD) as a set of developmental
disabilities that can lead to significant social,
behavioral and communication restrictions.
The
word spectrum refers to a variety of symptoms
associated with autism which affect skills at
various levels of impairment. The number of ASD
diagnosed children is increasing world-wide. In the
U.S., it is estimated that the number of children
with ASD is 1 in 68. This has increased over a four
year period from what was estimated at 1 in 88
children. This problem is much more prevalent in
boys as the numbers show that at the age of eight,
approximately 1 in 42 boys have ASD compared to 1 in
189 girls.
ASD adds a financial
burden to both parents and schools. It is estimated
that the yearly increase in medical costs for a
child with ASD is $3,020.00, while the increased
cost to educate a child with ASD is $8,610.00 more
per child per year. On average, mothers with
children with ASD are forced to work less, costing
them about 28% of the income they would have earned.
According to the study,
the diagnosis for ASD is not an exact science as
there is no medical test, such as a blood test, to
determine this condition. Diagnosis of ASD is made
by judgment of the activities and abilities
according to certain criteria of the child involved.
In this case, a
6-year-old boy was brought by his mother and father
to the chiropractor. The boy had been previously
diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder by a
neurologist. His parents noticed that he was
hindered in his social activities and had become
somewhat aggressive. The boy was not sleeping well
and would often walk throughout the night. He would
rarely eat a full meal and was very picky about his
food selections. The boy was put on psychiatric
medications by his medical physician for his
condition.
The boy's history
included a cesarean birth which the parents
described as including a lot of pulling and twisting
of the baby. In his early years, the boy also had
multiple ear infections and took antibiotics for
each occurrence. He had his full range of
vaccinations as well.
A chiropractic exam was
performed which included both static and motion
palpation. Due to the boy's condition, the exam
process was difficult. A sEMG scan and a thermal
scan were also performed. From the exam, it was
determined that the boy had subluxations affecting
nerve system function.
Specific chiropractic
adjustments were started at the rate of three visits
per week. Home stretching exercises were also given.
During the first week of care, the mother reported
that her son had fallen asleep earlier than normal,
and had been sleeping later than he normally would.
During her son's second week of chiropractic, his
mother reported that she had not administered either
of the two psychiatric medications since his first
week in the clinic. She also noticed an improvement
in his behavior, and a week later, his eating
improved. As chiropractic care continued, the mother
continued to report improvements in all areas of
initial concern. At one point, her son had improved
to such a point that she threw her son's medications
into the trash.
In their conclusion the
authors noted, "This case study demonstrates the
reduction of ASD symptoms and impairments with the
use of subluxation-based chiropractic care." They
explained how chiropractic helped by saying, "As
chiropractic care does not treat any disease, this
study can further connect possible vertebral
subluxation effects on the nervous system of ASD
patients." |