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Autism
HOW CAN CHIROPRACTIC CARE HELP WITH AUTISM?
Well, as is the case with so many questions, the response to this one is going to be multi-faceted. However, it will also have one recurring theme… and that recurring theme will be our focus on the Central Nervous System.
Anyone who knows anything about autism knows that the nervous system is greatly affected in this disorder and the challenges this brings about are responsible for many of the issues seen in children with autism, such as hyperactivity, attention issues, sleep challenges, behavior problems, social issues, sensory processing issues, and more. In addition, the nervous system is so intimately linked with the digestive and immune systems (the other two systems most commonly affected in autism) that it can also contribute to things such as bowel and bladder problems, autoimmune challenges, and more. From here on out we will look at these systems in a “triangular” sort of approach with the nervous system being the link between them.
Let us first start with possible ways the nervous system can be damaged or injured. There are numerous ways to discuss, so we will focus on the major one for purpose of this article. The primary mode of injury we see in our office is what we term Traumatic Birth Injury. For many of these children their nervous systems have been damaged right from the outset due to this birth injury, or even prior to that due to in-utero constraint issues (i.e. breech positioning). Unfortunately, in the United States we have levels of birth intervention that even the WHO has termed to be at “epidemic” levels, especially the use of Cesarean delivery. It must also be realized, that sometimes even natural and fast deliveries can lead to problems, and that the problems or injuries can come later in life as well.
The area that is most commonly injured during the birth process is the upper neck and skull. The risk of injury to these areas, and the resultant issues from it, go up exponentially as intervention levels go up. C-sections, forceps, vacuum extraction, and prolonged pushing all lead to greater risk of traumatic birth injury to the infants head and neck. Unfortunately, no one in the medical system is really trained to check (or address) these sorts of injuries, so most of the time they go completely unmentioned to the parents… If the injury were addressed by a trained professional shortly after it occurred, most of the neurological injuries associated with it could be prevented. If we are truly going to win the battle for autism in this country, we must learn how to prevent it, not cure it. This area would be a vital first step.
Once that injury occurs, it can put pressure on the brain stem and spinal cord, as well as the spinal nerves in the vicinity. What is more, by creating a misalignment and joint fixation complex (subluxation) in the area, it leads to improper neurological “signaling” or “communication” into and out of the central nervous system. This challenge to the communication system of the body is one of the primary reasons so many children with autism have challenges with sensory processing, social interaction and behavior, and learning.
All of this eventually puts the nervous system into a chronic or permanent state of stress. This is often referred to as the stress response, or fight/flight response. It is a response that is vital for short term reactions, but detrimental when “stuck on” for extended periods of time. Most children with autism have been in fight/flight from their first moments. This is why we see such a high correlation with infantile colic, ear infections, digestive disorders, and autism. Again, if our system were designed to address these challenges immediately, rather than waiting for the symptoms to appear, far fewer children would be suffering with autism and related disorders. One can simply observe a child with autism and see the “stress and fear” in their eyes. It is such a joy to see this look change in their eyes as they progress through care in our office.
Getting back to our triangle example, this chronic state of stress wreaks havoc on the immune and digestive systems as both of them are “down-regulated” during chronic states of stress. Speaking specifically about the digestive system, sustained neurological stress responses can lead to an increase in constriction, cramping, and inflammation. When the digestive system is in this state it does a very poor job of breaking down foods and other substances, leading to even further inflammation and irritation that can spill over into the bloodstream and cause an immune response.
The immune system faces the same challenges… when we are in a constant state of neurological stress the immune system dysfunctions and leaves a child susceptible to allergies, asthma, eczema, and other inflammatory type reactions. All of this leads to more and more inflammation and irritation, and the cycle continues. This is why so many of these reactions and challenges are what we refer to as “viscous cycles” that essentially continue to feed each other and lead to greater and greater challenges. Somewhere, this cycle must be broken, and that is where chiropractic adjustments come into play.
By addressing the injury and resultant subluxation, a specific chiropractic adjustment restores proper balance and alignment to the head and neck, and thus can help restore balance and function to the central nervous system. Depending on the severity and duration these injuries have been present, sometimes repeated adjustments can create positive change in a step-by-step process that leads to an improvement in behavior, digestion, immunity, learning, sleep, and more. As I have stated many times before, the sooner we start, the better our chances of having success with such care.
In addition to this, our practice has a variety of other resources for these children. We will not go into detail here, but will quickly introduce each of them. The first is our unique rehabilitation and sensory-based therapy program. One thing I noticed quickly in practice is that virtually every child who had been “diagnosed with” things such as ADHD/Autism/Asperger’s all had major troubles with sensory integration and processing that made social interactions and learning difficult. We therefore developed an incredible therapy program that is unique to each child, that helps create more lasting and more effective results from our adjustments. The therapy is done in conjunction with the adjustment and is not designed to replace any work done by a licensed PT or OT, but is truly an enhancement to the child’s care and our therapy gets incredible results. For more information on our sensory-based rehab program, click here.
In addition to all the neurosensory work we do, we also take a very holistic and encompassing look at a child’s health. Another major area of focus in our practice is nutrition. We are very well-versed in the special diets such as wheat-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and other type of diets, as well as experts in proper supplementation and support. We utilize an incredible line of supplements from NutraMetrix that was specifically designed for children on the spectrum.
We believe that when a family has a child who is challenged by something like spectrum disorders, the number one thing they need is someone who can support them and help them make the proper decisions. Unfortunately, despite the enormous growth in this disorder, most pediatricians are quite lacking in their understanding of spectrum disorders and how neurology, nutrition, and toxicity play a role in it. By reaching out to doctors who are caring, empathic, and experts in this area, you can be rest assured that you will get the support and care your child needs to overcome these challenges and lead a bright and promising life.
If your family is going through these difficulties please do not hesitate to contact our office today to find out how we can help. Our care is safe; it’s effective, and affordable. Thank you for taking the time to read this article and I look forward to serving you and your child.
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