A Growing Problem… 1 out of 50 children in the US are affected with Autism
Often times when I am in the community and tell people that I own a Chiropractic Wellness office that also sees children, I get a few puzzled looks as if I’d just made up a new profession.
Anyone who knows anything about autism knows that the nervous system is greatly affected 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 2 systems most commonly affected in autism) that it can also contribute to things such as bowel and bladder problems, autoimmune challenges, and more.
For the purpose of this blog, let us discuss the primary mode of injury to the nervous system we see in our office, which 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. Unfortunately, in the US we have levels of birth intervention that even the WHO (World Health Organization) has termed to be at “epidemic” levels, especially the use of Cesarean delivery.
What does a specific chiropractic approach focusing on the upper cervical spine have to do with Autism?
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 undetected, uncorrected, and 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 birth injury causes a misalignment to the Atlas and upper cervical spine, which can put pressure on the brain stem and spinal cord. This creates a disturbance in the communication between the child’s brain and the rest of the body. This disturbance is very similar to what you experience during a poor cell phone reception. 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 (referred to as the “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.
By addressing the injury and resultant subluxation/misalignment, specific & gentle upper cervical adjustments restore proper balance and alignment to the head and neck, and thus can help restore balance and function to the central nervous system.
Upper Cervical NUCCA care is safe, gentle and effective at correcting these underlying upper neck problems and getting to the cause of a variety of different issues.
To schedule your child’s NUCCA evaluation, click here.
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Dr. Armen Manoucherian of Health Edge in Glendale, California is a Glendale Chiropractor and Upper Cervical Specialist trained by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA). He has helped many children and adults find natural relief and true wellness in Glendale, California. His upper cervical clinic also serves the communities of Pasadena, Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Burbank. He is uniquely trained to correct problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems. More information can be found on his website at https://www.healthedgela.com