Child With Autistic Spectrum Disorder And Bedwetting Helped With Chiropractic

A case study documenting the resolution of bedwetting and improvement of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) appeared in the January 30, 2012 issue of the Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research.

The authors of the study start off by noting that between 5-6 million children over the age of 6 are affected by bedwetting in the United States. They also report that it is estimated that approximately 1 in 110 children in the United States suffer from ASD and it is found to be more common among boys than in girls.

In this case a 6 year old boy who was bedwetting was brought to the chiropractor. At age two he was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and exhibited the symptoms of that problem when arriving for care.

The boy’s mother reported that her pregnancy with her son was difficult and she noted that she had taken Levoxyl for hypothyroidism throughout the pregnancy. She also stated that the childs hospital delivery and birth were traumatic resulting in a cesarean section. The boy’s mother reported that as her son was growing up he had multiple falls, and suffered from numerous bouts of ear infections.

A chiropractic examination was performed that included palpation, a postural analysis, leg length tests, bilateral weight analysis, thermography, and neck x-rays. The results of the examination procedures led to the conclusion of the presence of a subluxation at the upper neck, (atlas). Specific chiropractic adjustments were then initiated for correction of the atlas subluxation. Follow up examination procedures were performed during the course of care.

The mother noted that her son had completely stopped wetting his bed after the first visit. As care continued she also reported that she had observed a 70% improvement in his ASD, and noticed that he had performed better in school and displayed greater social skills.

In their conclusion the authors wrote, “This case study explores the possible link between the objective reduction of a vertebral subluxation and the resolution of nocturnal enuresis as well as the subjective improvement in the behavioral patterns of a child diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.”