Infantile Spasms

Infantile spasms (fixation spasms) affect one of every four to six thousand newborns. They are massive and debilitating muscular seizures that manifest within the first six to eight months of life.

Note: When initial age of vaccination was raised in Japan from 2 months (as it is in the U.S.) to two years, according to Cherry writing in Pediatrics (Suppl), infantile seizures in Japan virtually disappeared (Cherry, JD, Brunnell, PA, Golden GS et al. 1988. Report of the task force on pertussis and pertussis immunization – 1988. Pediatrics – Supplement: 939-984.)

Infant Spasms. Michigan Chiropractic Council Communique- Feb/March ’98 p.9.

This is the case of a child having fifty seizures per day and dismissed as a hopeless case of infantile spasm by her medical specialist. The MD told the parents that their child would be “a vegetable.” She was placed on several medications. At age 7 months, she had her first chiropractic examination. At her first visit, the child’s head appeared to be at a ninety degree angle from normal.

After one month of three adjustments per day she is off most medications, mobility has dramatically improved, spends more time awake “doing things that a baby should do” – something her specialist had said would never happen.

After two months of chiropractic care, she had her first normal EEG reading since the condition began.

Patient testimonial: infantile spasms. From the office of Dr. Dean DiRubba February Patient of the Month 2001.

“I have a five-year-old daughter diagnosed with a form of epilepsy called infantile spasms at 15 months. My daughter went through many drugs to stop the seizures, brain scans, and numerous doctors. Due to the seizures she wasn’t able to teach herself how to manage her body like normal children did with crawling, walking and learning how to speak. The seizures affected the speech part of the brain and her developmental motor skills. She went through many therapists, speech and sensory, and has gone to special needs classes since the age of three.

“I started bringing her to Dr DiRubba about 8 months ago. My daughter is now skipping, walking, balancing herself on beams and talking. The teachers, all of whom are special needs therapists, are amazed at the progress my daughter has made. There have actually been no seizures and her neurologist also suggested I keep taking her to Dr. DiRubba for regular adjustments.

“Specialists said my daughter will never be a normal child and will always be in a special needs class. My daughter will be entering a normal pre-kindergarten class next September. I owe this to chiropractic and Dr. DiRubba. I know that my daughter will keep progressing with regular chiropractic adjustments and will remain free from medication.”


Copyright 2004 Koren Publications, Inc. & Tedd Koren, D.C.