Chiropractic and Autism
Patients present to my clinic seeking health for a myriad of health problems. They may be suffering from migraine, irritable bowel, allergies, back pain, sinus, digestive upsets, dysmenorhoea, chronic fatigue, learning difficulties in children, dyslexia and autism to name a few.
No matter what their health condition my treatment protocol has the same goal; to restore their health.
My approach is wholistic in that I attempt to address all aspects of their wellbeing so that they function in harmony with their environment.
According to D.D.Palmer the founder of chiropractic, “The determining cause of disease are traumatism, poison and autosuggestion”. In other words health is a balance between physical, chemical and emotional parameters. So in order to help a patient regain their health, one must address the three components of the triad of health.
A disturbance in either the structural, chemical or emotional components has the potential to lower the immune system leading to ill health.
Structural relates to the human frame, primarily the bones of the spine. (Vertebrae), the pelvis and the cranium. These structures house and protect the central nervous system, the brain and the spinal cord. Since the function of every cell, tissue and organ in the body, any interference in the nervous system will result in loss of health.
The chemical component of the triad deals with those things that upset the bodies delicate chemical balance. This includes poor nutrition, food intolerances, environmental toxins in the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe. Medications both prescription and over the counter and the toxic and allergic effects of immunisation and vaccinations, viruses, bacteria and other opportunistic organisms play a role here. All of these can suppress the immune system resulting in allergic reactions, fatigue, behavioural changes, hyperactivity, disturbed mental function.
Autistic children in particular are highly allergic to many food substances and chemical additives indicating a suppressed immune system. This intolerance exhibits itself in the various behavioural abnormalities of the autistic child. Their suppressed immune system may very well be the result of adverse reaction to early immunisations and or birth trauma.
Muscle testing as a means of diagnosis
We are indebted to George Goodheart D.C. chiropractor, the father of applied kinesiology. Therapy localisation is a term used in applied kinesiology whereby a body part(spine, cranial body reflex or acupuncture meridian point) is held and a strong muscle is tested for weakening. It tells the doctor that something is not correct.
A muscle will also weaken when a stressor ( allergen) is placed within the bodies electromagnetic field.
Treatment Protocol
After examining the patient extensively using spinal analysis, muscle testing, allergy testing and other procedures, the practitioner is now aware of any structural, chemical and emotional components effecting the patients health. Treatment can now be directed and removing interference to the nervous system and returning the immune system to optimal function thus enabling the bodies innate intelligence to heal.
Since the autistic child is generally highly intolerant to many foods and chemicals a few words on allergens is appropriate here.
Although it is possible to desensitise the child to most allergens it is more important to ascertain the primary cause of their suppressed immune system causing their allergic reaction. As an example, I recently found an autistic child under my care tested positive to the following immunisations; Diphtheria, polio and tetanus (DPT), chicken pox and vitamin k. Although I had primarily desensitised him to many substances with excellent results, the desensitisation to the childhood immunisations restored his immune system and he has been free of food and chemical intolerances to date.
Although I have not gone into detail on the emotional component of the triad of health, suffice to say that it is vitally important that this is addressed and fortunately we have an excellent technique to determine if any aberrant emotions exist and how to correct them.
Russell V. Beel D.C.
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