Cerebral Palsy

Children with cerebral palsy respond to chiropractic care
Eighth Annual Vertebral Subluxation Research Conference October 7-8, 2000 in Spartanburg, SC. in the October, 2000 Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research.

All four children in the study were medically diagnosed with cerebral palsy that was the result of birth trauma from medical deliveries. The children were placed under a course of chiropractic care. Surface EMG exams and Thermographic exams were performed to document their response to care. Their mothers and care-givers monitored changes in activities-of-daily-living and quality-of-life factors.

All four children showed a positive response to chiropractic care. All showed improvement in muscle tone via EMG re-evaluation and autonomic function via follow-up thermography readings. Activities-of-daily-living such as mobility, range of motion, coordination, concentration, behavior, discipline, emotional states, vigor, feeding and appetite, sleeping patterns, balance and postural control showed improvement as well.

Cerebral Palsy less of a handicap with chiropractic. Rubinstein H. The Chiropractic Journal July 1992.

Dr. Henry Rubinstein began adjusting 96 severely handicapped persons in United Cerebral Palsy-operated cluster homes. From the article:

He (Dr. Henry) comes to adjust them and stimulate their immune system to function better, and it works. My kids are happier and healthier. Even their skin color and tone is better"- says the nurse guardian of a foster home with CP and handicapped children.

Chiropractic and the handicapped child: cerebral palsy. McMullen M, International Review of Chiropractic September/October 1990.

This paper reviews the history of cerebral palsy (CP) and typical findings in a CP patient and discusses management of care. "The child's quality of life can be improved with patience and support," says the author.

Certain spinal areas are reported to be more frequently involved with CP - atlanto-occipital (upper neck) subluxations: cranial base lesions, particularly the sphenobasilar joint, temporomandibular joint.

Two special children and their parents are fighting autism and winning! Khorshid K, ICA Review, Fall 2001.

A five year-old-male child who was diagnosed with ataxic cerebral palsy, autism and developmental delay. He was unable to crawl or stand up without being held for support. He would not always respond to his name or to requests made of him. His physical, social and communication age was that of an 8-month-old, and his self-help and academic age was 12 months. He did not talk.

After five weeks of chiropractic care he was able to crawl from one room to the other. Within the next few months he appeared more aware of his surroundings and showed more compliance, better coordination and more control over his limping, starting to walk with braces and support. Craniosacral therapy was added to his care after about 8 months of visits, after which he began to take steps on his own.

His parents were told by MDs that their son would never walk unaided and yet with continued chiropractic adjustments and exercises he was soon able to walk in and out of the clinic without wobbling. His fine and gross motor skills have improved immensely; he is running in the clinic and he has a range of different sounds he is making including experimenting with words.

Case study: Treatment of a cerebral palsy patient. Sweat R, Ammons D Today's Chiropractic Nov/Dec 1988. P.51-52.

A 40 year old woman diagnosed with cerebral palsy at age 2 had been in severe pain her whole life. M.D.s told her she would have to "learn to live with it."

From the article: "The patient began to respond to [chiropractic] treatment almost immediately, and improvement continued gradually over about the first 2-3 weeks." Within two months of beginning care, "The patient...stated that this is the first time in her life that she has ever been free of pain."

Case study: mental retardation/cerebral palsy. Webster L, Chiropractic Pediatrics. Vol. 1 No. 2 Aug 1994 Pp.15-16.

A six year old male diagnosed with mental retardation, cerebral palsy (spastic diparesis), pervasive developmental disorder was developing normally until 30 months of age at which time he began a progressive deterioration.

The family history was negative for mental retardation, cerebral palsy or any neurodegenerative disease. The child was adjusted, atlas only with an ASL listing. After 4 weeks of chiropractic care the school teacher asked the mother if the child had been placed on some powerful drugs as he was behaving better in school. The mother stated, "No, we're trying chiropractic care."

After 5 months of care he was able to follow verbal commands and his toilet accidents decreased. He is able to speak and communicate better.

The efficacy of upper cervical chiropractic care on children and adults with cerebral palsy: a preliminary report. Collins, KF et al. Chiropractic Pediatrics 1994; 1 (1):13-15

Seven patients were tested - two children and five adults. They all reported improvements in many areas: muscle spasticity decreased, sleep patterns improved, decreased irritability, decreased pain, and decreased incidence of respiratory and other infections.

One child had four unsuccessful surgeries to correct strabismus - after two adjustments, the strabismus was no longer apparent.

The children were able to hold their heads up for longer periods and are making more attempts at crawling or standing with support. There is also improved clarity and volume of speech in patients with speech and hearing problems. With chiropractic care, there is overall decrease in muscle activity at all levels and balance improved with eyes closed.

Cortical blindness, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and recurring otitis media: A case study in chiropractic management. Amalu WC, Today's Chiropractic May/June 1998 pp.16-25.

A 5-year-old boy was referred by his parents because of recurring middle-ear infections at one-month intervals.

The child had been diagnosed with cortical blindness (his eyes and optic nerves were healthy, but his brain (visual cortex) couldn't "see" the images coming from his eyes), cerebral palsy, epilepsy and severe brain damage, secondary to possible aborted crib death or viral encephalitis.

His mother reported he had been a very healthy child but, "Two days following a well-child checkup with an inoculation," became "colicky" and developed a mild upper respiratory infection with fever. After he fell asleep that day he became cyanotic, gasping for air and nonresponsive. In the emergency room, he was cyanotic, in shock and unresponsive. A septic workup found no infection. A cranial CT-scan showed cerebral edema, comparable with either an ischemic insult or sepsis. Child began to have seizures 24 hours later. He was diagnosed as severe hypoxemic encephalopathy, secondary to possible SIDS or vital encephalitis.

Child was placed on Phenobarbital T for over 1½ years then on Dilanton T . Multiple specialists said he would never walk, speak, regain his vision or progress in school. At the time of his first chiropractic visit, he was having 30 grand mal and complex seizures a day and otitis media once per month.

When first brought to the chiropractor he was non-ambulatory, uncommunicative and non-responsive with a constant loud vocal drone and almost constant writhing torsocephalic motions. His gross motor coordination included reaching out with his hands and rolling over onto all fours."

Chiropractic adjustment of the atlanto-occipital subluxation in a knee-chest posture was done. After the first adjustment, the mother noted that he had his first good-night sleep in weeks. After the 2nd adjustment, seizures reduced to 10 a day, vocal drone became a quiet intermittent moan and he began to clap his hands. During the next week, patient became more alert, sitting up and looking around, and responded to sounds. Seizures decreased to 5 per day. Pupillary reflexes returned to normal, almost all writhing motions had ceased, ears were clear of effusion.

By the 3rd week grand mal seizures had stopped. He was sleeping through the nights. For the first time in his life he vocalized "dada" and began vowel sounds. Overall, spasticity had deceased in all extremities. He began showing fine motor skills. He had his first month free from otitis media in 9 months.

By end of fifth week was seen by an ophthalmologist who noted a drastic improvement with recovery of central field vision. Seizures reduced to 3 per day. He was saying more words and had improved fine motor coordination. By 7-12 weeks, seizures reduced to staring spells which saying his name brought him out of. Over the next 10 months improvement continued. All epileptic medication was removed and neurologist declared him non-epileptic. He remained free from ear infections. His vision improved to the point where he was prescribed glasses. Vocabulary continued to increase. He was learning to feed himself and was potty training. He was able to walk slowly with assistance.

Comments by Dr. Koren: This appears to be a vaccine related injury, especially since cerebral edema is a sign of vaccine damage. Also encephalopathy has been noticed in the medical literature as a possible reaction to the DTP inoculation. Upon discussion with the author of this paper it was learned that the medical personnel did not tell the parents their child was probably vaccine injured.


Copyright 2004 Koren Publications, Inc. & Tedd Koren, D.C.