Autism

Autism in the Eyes?

When I first meet a child diagnosed with autism whose parents bring him to me to see how chiropractic care can help, I always look to the eyes first.

Are they darting around the room? Can they focus on people or objects? Do they seem to be constantly scanning the environment trying to make sense of their surroundings?

Invariably, the child has moderate to extreme difficulty focusing. With the constant eye movement also comes circular motions of the head and generalized incoordination of motor function. The child is disconnected from themselves and their environment and does their very best to make sense of their universe. After we have conducted our initial neurological testing and I have checked and adjusted the child, I will tell the parents what to expect. 90% of the time the child will take a long nap or sleep for a prolonged period throughout the night. They will usually be much calmer and more relaxed as well.

I also tell them to pay close attention to their eyes.

The eyes truly are windows to the soul. We begin to see in those distant, unfocused eyes the awakening of that soul. Or, more appropriately termed, the unveiling or immersion of it as the child begins to become more fully integrated into his environment. This post was inspired today by the amazing changes I saw in one such child.

His light was dim and in a week a spark was lit.

His face lacked the normal vibrancy of youth and today I saw it restored.

What was once a slumped, depressed version was now the grinning, shining spirit I always knew was there.

Yes, the eyes tell us much, and mine witnessed something beautiful today.

Click Here For More Information on Autism and Chiropractic

San Diego Autism Workshop

Dr. Tullius presents regularly on autism in the San Diego region and is available for national and international conferences. If you would like to schedule him to come speak to your group, please contact us at 619.363.5073 or by using the form below.

Autism & the Brain-Body Connection

How Chiropractic Care Impacts the Brain and Quality of Life of Children with Autism

Dr. Tullius has presented this talk on autism and chiropractic at several locations in San Diego over the past year and provided the video below so that you can have a clear understanding of how the particular form of care he provides can help your child.

This presentation explores one of the most common forms of neurological stress and how restoring normal function can result in quantifiable improvements in language, sociability and behavior in children with autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions.

To schedule a consultation, call (619) 363-5073

Short Version

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53. Collection of Journal Abstracts, studies and personal accounts

Promising Research Holds Hope for Autistic Children and Families

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Local Doctor Calls for Further Research

Autism Awareness Month:

Promising Research Holds Hope for Autistic Children and Families

SAN DIEGO, California – (April 5, 2013) April is officially recognized as Autism Awareness Month. Just last week the Center for Disease Control indicated that 1 in 50 children in the United States will be diagnosed with autism. This is up from their last figures which reported 1 in 88 children are affected. These alarming numbers have Dr. Steve Tullius calling for more research into effective methods to help these children, pointing to a study that indicates that chiropractic care may significantly improve their quality of life.

Dr. Tullius references a study published in Clinical Chiropractic. The study showed that spinal adjustments help with some symptoms of autism. It cannot cure or treat the underlying condition, but for people with autism and their loved ones, these symptoms dramatically affect their quality of life.

“The results of this study are promising, as are the clinical results seen across the nation,” said Tullius, who follows scientific developments in the autism community and chiropractic profession quite closely.

In the study mentioned, researchers carried out a series of chiropractic adjustments on 26 autistic children over a 9-month period. Improvement was seen in certain reflexes and sensations, spinal motion, and improvement of other health problems.

Many of the children were able to discontinue medications aimed at controlling their behavior; bladder and bowel control improved; some children started to speak; eye contact and attention span improved while hyperactivity and aggressive behavior were reduced. Also, five children were able to attend regular classes at school for the first time.

The autistic children suffered from neurological dysfunction impacting their development and ability to integrate and respond to sensory information from their environments. The researchers concluded that correcting what chiropractic calls vertebral subluxation can positively affect neurological function and cause an overall improvement. Other research and case studies have shown similar findings as well.

Dr. Tullius indicated that he is currently conducting research in his office on how chiropractic care affects the quality of life of individuals within the autism spectrum and is seeking to team up with an imaging facility to look into how the care affects the brain.

For more information, contact Dr. Tullius at Good Vibrations Family Chiropractic in Kensington (619)-281-1234.

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Reference Material:

Autism Workshop: Autism & the Brain-Body Connection

Autism: A Chiropractic Perspective by Jane Jennings and Martina Baker of the Newbury Chiropractic Centre, Newbury, Berkshire, UK, published in Clinical Chiropractic (2006), Vol. 9, pp. 6-10.

Autism, the Brain-Body Connection and Chiropractic

Contact:

Steve Tullius, DC

4060 Adams Ave

San Diego, CA 92116

619-281-1234

Autism & the Brain-Body Connection

According to the CDC 1 in 50 children will now be diagnosed with autism.

That is up from 1 in 10,000 in 1970s. To say there is a problem is a gross understatement.

It’s time for society to start asking relevant questions. What has changed in this short amount of time to cause such an alarming rise?

This article won’t go into the various causes, but will instead look at one of the most overlooked factors affecting the quality of these children’s lives.

Life is How We Perceive It

I love the quote above because it incorporates two things I love: philosophy and science. No one would argue that our inner experience is a result of the cultural and familial “lens” we see the world through. Our beliefs and experience shape the way we see and interact in the world.

However, many people fail to contemplate how our nervous systems shape our perceptions and ability to respond and adapt to our environments in a healthy manner.

Think of your nervous system as a sponge. It constantly soaks in information through the five sensory organs.

Scientists have estimated that our sensory organs take in over 11 million bits of information every second and some estimates have total brain processing at 11 trillion bits per second!

Much of the sensory information is processed in the part of the brain known as the cerebellum, which is located just above the neck.

The incredible connectivity of the brain, however, is beyond our full comprehension. The image below depicts the amazingly intricate and complex neuronal connections.

With the promise of current and new technology, we are learning more and more about how the brain works. What is clear is that in order to be able to perceive and respond to our environments correctly, we must be able to receive and process information properly.

Some of the most important data traveling to the brain is proprioceptive information. Proprioception is from Latin proprius, meaning “one’s own”, “individual” and perception. It is the process by which tiny nerve endings known as proprioceptors detect and relay information about our body to our brain so that we can properly understand and respond to where our body parts are in relation to other parts and our environment.

If the information received by the proprioceptive system and other neurological components is interfered with in any way as it travels to the brain, then naturally, our ability to respond to that information appropriately will be affected.

This is where a common physical condition known as vertebral subluxation comes into the picture for children within the spectrum and with other disorders as well. A vertebral subluxation is a misaligned vertebra affecting the function of the nervous system as the delicate spinal cord travels through the spinal column. This misalignment alters the information being delivered to the brain, the brain’s response, and ultimately the quality of life of the individual.

The quality of our lives is dependent upon the information we receive and whether or not we are able to respond appropriately. Vertebral subluxation is a major source of interference to the nervous system that goes undetected in the majority of children within the autism spectrum.

Two studies, one featured in the February 2007 issue of Clinical Neurophysiology (1) and the other in March 2010 issue of the Chiropractic Journal of Australia (2), explore the issue of how vertebral subluxation impacts sensory processing and modulation and are worth reviewing.

In another study featured in the March 2006 issue of Clinical Chiropractic, researchers carried out a series of chiropractic adjustments on 26 autistic children over a 9-month period. Improvement was seen in certain reflexes and sensations, spinal motion, and improvement of other health problems.

Many of the children were able to discontinue medications aimed at controlling their behavior; bladder and bowel control improved; some children started to speak; eye contact and attention span improved while hyperactivity and aggressive behavior were reduced. Also, five children were able to attend regular classes at school for the first time.

I am currently conducting research into how vertebral subluxation correction impacts the quality of life of children who have been diagnosed with autism and associated disorders. If you would like to see if your child has a vertebral subluxation and could benefit from care in our office, contact us at (619) 363-5073.

Learn more about Vertebral Subluxation