Asperger's Syndrome Symptoms Helped by Chiropractic - A Case Study

The Asia-Pacific Chiropractic Journal published the result of a case study which was released on March 17, 2021, documenting the improvement of a young boy who was suffering with the symptoms of Asperger's syndrome.

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, "Asperger syndrome (AS) is a developmental disorder. It is an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), one of a distinct group of neurological conditions characterized by a greater or lesser degree of impairment in language and communication skills, as well as repetitive or restrictive patterns of thought and behavior."

The authors of this study note that AS is different from what is commonly known as autism because it is considered a high-functioning form of autism where the person with the syndrome still maintains a fair command of language skills and cognitive abilities. People with the condition have more trouble with social skills and tend to exhibit an almost obsessive focus on one topic or perform the same behaviors over and over again.

In this case, a 6-year-old boy was brought to the chiropractor for help with several medical conditions that had not responded to medical care. He had been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome with symptoms of jumping and flapping of his hands. In addition, the boy also suffered from asthma, and allergies that were made worse by his Asperger's syndrome.

A chiropractic examination was performed which resulted in the determination that there were multiple areas of subluxation and joint dysfunction. From this information, specific forms of chiropractic adjustments and procedures were started to address the issues.

The study records that the boy's parents reported improvement in the AS symptoms within the first week of the chiropractic care. The boy's health continued to improve, and he was eventually taken off asthma and allergy medications that were needed before chiropractic care. A year after starting chiropractic, the boy was much improved and experienced only two exacerbations which were quickly helped with chiropractic.

A follow-up of the boy at age 15 documented that he was off all medications, was not experiencing problems with allergies or asthma, and had not had a return of any of the symptoms associated with Asperger's syndrome.

The authors of the study note that this is just a single care study. However, they also recommend that chiropractic may well be a safer alternative than the harsh drugs used to treat Asperger's. "With the risk benefit ratios associated with the reduced risk of chiropractic care with increased risk of the typical medications used for this condition, a trial of chiropractic care for children or adults with this condition may yield important information."