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.