Autism Research

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 12^th 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.