Autism
Case Report: autism, otitis media. Khorshid
K. ICA Review Fall 2001
This is the case of Victoria, a 3-year-old
girl diagnosed with autism, who also suffered from serous
otitis media and hearing difficulty. The girl had speech
and communication deficits and was considered to be at 9-12
month level of development. An ENT specialist suggested tubes
in the ears.
She was placed under chiropractic care. Within
3 weeks of her first chiropractic adjustment, there was complete
resolution of her otitis media. It was noticed that her tantrums
increased after drinking milk therefore a gluten and casein
free diet was implemented and this brought about “terrific” cognitive
and emotional improvement, social skills, language and reasoning
skills.
Lawrence’ Story: autism and cerebral palsy. In-line
with Oklahaven Children’s Chiropractic Center (newsletter),
Spring 2001, Oklahoma City, OK.
Six-year-old Lawrence was diagnosed
with autism and cerebral palsy.
After beginning chiropractic
care “Lawrence became
more aware of the people around him and his surroundings.
He took his first independent steps while receiving intensive
treatments. He now walks 50 or 60 feet on his own, changing
direction and standing still as necessary. He is also beginning
to feed himself….His fine and gross motor skills have
improved immensely and he has a range of different sounds
he is making including experimenting with words.”
Chiropractic
care and behavior in autistic children. Aguilar AL, Grostic
JD, Pfleger B. Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics
Vol. 5 No. 1, 2000
This is one of the more ambitious projects
regarding chiropractic and autism. Twenty-six randomly selected
autistic children received nine months of upper cervical specific
care. During this period they had four examinations during
which their behavior and neurological response was monitored.
Autism rating scales used were Childhood Autism Rating Scale
and Modified Autism Behavior Checklist. (Orthospinology upper
cervical chiropractic technique which is hypothesized to
remove interference from the spinal cord and brainstem was
employed as the chiropractic technique.)
The changes in children
under chiropractic care included:
- Children going off all medication (i.e.Ritalin, Dexadrine)
- Improved bladder control
- Improved digestion
- Starting to speak/ speech improved
- Decreased ear infections
- Chronic colds stopped or decreased
- Improved sleep
- Improved eye/vision
- Improved behavior
Five children enrolled for the first
time in full time inclusion classroom settings
Heather’ Story. Barnes T. in Kentuckiana Children’s
Center Int’l Chiropractic Assn. Review Sept/Oct 2000.
Heather was diagnosed with autism and mild mental retardation.
Her ability to walk began to deteriorate about the sixth
or seventh grade. She frequently picked at her skin and had
sores and scabs on her arms and legs. Her sleep patterns
were erratic and she had large mood swings and tantrums.
She had been seen by many orthopedists and neurologists and
no cause for her condition could be found.
After Heather’s
first chiropractic adjustment she was able to take some steps
on her own. Additionally, the sores on her arms and legs began
to heal and she started sleeping through the night. She continues
her chiropractic care.
Case report: autism and chronic otitis
media. Warner SP and Warner TM. Today’s Chiropractic.
May/June 1999
This is the case report of a three and a half
year-old girl with autism. She was non-verbal, had compulsive
disorders, daily rituals, exhibited head banging and would
become violent.
Within one month after beginning chiropractic
care, her parents and teacher noticed a 30% improvement socially.
After one year of care, an 80% improvement was noticed. Her
head banging and other rituals diminished by 50% with less
violent behavior.
She had chronic serous otitis media and had
been on antibiotics for one year. Within a one-week period
after her first adjustment, antibiotic use stopped due to a
70% improvement in her otitis media.
Autism, asthma, irritable
bowel syndrome, strabismus and illness susceptibility: a case
study in chiropractic management. Amalu WC. Today’s Chiropractic.
Sept/Oct 1998. Pp. 32-47.
This is the case of a 5-year-old female
diagnosed with autism, asthma, allergies, eczema, irritable
bowel syndrome and left-sided strabismus. She had been experiencing
25 violent temper episodes per day, with each episode lasting
up to 20 minutes. The episodes consisted of ear-piercing screams,
combative behavior and throwing herself onto the floor. She
also exhibited three episodes each day of self-inflicted violent
behavior, which included biting her arm, slapping her head
and repeatedly banging her head against a full-length mirror.
She
had at least one episode of violent behavior each day – hitting
people, especially her mother. Speech was limited to a few
words such as “mama,” “dada,” “milk” and “walk.”
Chiropractic
care consisted of adjustment of the atlanto-occipital subluxation
in the knee-chest posture with contact to the posterior arch
of atlas.
Correction of the subluxation was determined by post-adjustment
cervical thermal scan.
During the first week of care she had
two adjustments. After the first adjustment, the patient had
her first good night’s
sleep since her mother could remember. Violent temper episodes
had reduced from 25 per day to 15 per day with decrease in
intensity. Mother noticed that reasoning with patient could
stop them. Self-inflicted violent behavior was decreased
in frequency. Her speech had improved with an increase in
vocabulary. Sleep patterns had improved.
During the second week
of care she had one adjustment. Her violent temper episodes
decreased from 15 per day to five per day with continued decrease
in intensity and more control over stopping them. Her right
eye showed no more signs of strabismus. She began speaking
in sentences for the first time, was able to nap without waking
and could go back to sleep on her own at night. Mother reported
a marked decrease in hyperactivity along with a desire to be
touched and hugged.
During the third week of care she received
one adjustment. Her violent temper episodes decreased to 2
per day with decreased intensity. She continues to use more
speech to express her feelings. She exhibits strabismus in
her left eye only when tired. Mother states there is little
hyperactivity. Self-directed or outward violent behavior has
ceased. Irritable bowel syndrome was much improved.
On her fourth
week of care she received no adjustments. All temper episodes,
hyperactivity, violent behavior had stopped; She is sleeping
through the night. Eczema behind ears had cleared up and allergic
skin reactions have stopped. The patient was then evaluated
by two therapists who declared the diagnosis of autism was
incorrect.
During weeks 6 and 8 she experienced a mild return
of symptoms, an adjustment was given, and symptoms abated.
During
weeks 9-12 no adjustments were needed. The IBS had almost completely
resolved. She had continued improvement over next 8 months
and had not experienced more asthma attacks.
Developmental communication
disorder. Goldman, SR Today’s
Chiropractic July/August 1995 p.70-74.
This is the case of a
two-year old boy diagnosed with ‘developmental
communication disorder.’ He was non-responsive to any
external stimuli, even to receiving an injection. He did
not respond to sound or touch.
Chiropractic analysis revealed
an axis (C2) subluxation.
“On the third visit, when I
walked into the room, he began to cry. That was the first time
that he responded to anything happening around him. By the
sixth adjustment, he started to follow certain commands and
stopped making repeated hand motions. He started to talk after
the 12th office visit.
At present, he has an extensive vocabulary
and is slightly hyperactive; he is probably making up for lost
time."
Case study – autism. Rubinstein, HM Chiropractic
Pediatrics Vol. 1 No. 1, April 1994.
This is the case study
of a seven-year-old female diagnosed with autism. The child
has a history of sexual and physical abuse. The girl would
slowly turn in circles in place while singing an incomprehensible
song with a glazed stare and blank expression.
Spinal examination
revealed a right posterior and superior C1. She was adjusted
about twice a week.
After ten months of care she was able to
carry on conversations, carry out commands and dress and groom
herself. Cognitive development progressed to where she was
able to learn, read, and participate in public school.
The effect
of chiropractic adjustments on the behavior of autistic children;
a case review. Sandeful, R, Adams E. ACA Journal of Chiropractic,
Dec 21:5, 1987.
The authors reported that 50% of all autistic
subjects under chiropractic care experienced reliable behavioral
improvements, as recorded by independent observers.
It is reported
by those working with autistic children than any change in
behavior in an autistic child is considered to be significant.
Behavioral improvements were observed in such diverse areas
as picking up toys, use of sign language, reduction of self-abuse
and appropriate use of language.
Copyright 2004 Koren Publications, Inc. & Tedd
Koren, D.C.
SEE ALSO - Chiropractic Care and Behavior in Autistic
Children