Treating Autism Symptoms with chiropractics?

Treating autism symptoms with chiropractics?
The College of Chiropractors, in study results released in its publication, "Clinical Chiropractic," found that adjustments to the spine can alleviate some of the symptoms associated with autism, which afflicts 1 million to 1.5 million Americans. One in every 166 American children is born with the condition, the Centers for Disease Control reports.
Now, according to some chiropractors, including Kerry Woods of Whittier, their spine-adjusting techniques can improve the nervous system, which in the case of people with autism can help improve their reflexes, increase the range of motion in the neck and improve other health problems.
"Most people think chiropractics treats pain and it doesn't," he said. "It improves the nervous system."
A complex developmental disability, autism can impair an individual in areas of social interaction, communication and understanding of emotional expression. The disorder affects each person differently and has varying degrees of severity, according to officials.
While Woods stressed that chiropractic care is not a cure for autism, he believes that spinal adjustments, especially upper cervical adjusting, could

help children with the disorder.
"It gets the nervous system to improve, which could help their situation," Woods said. "The most basic thing we're trying to do is get their nervous system to be less irritated."
Although Pico Rivera parent Ruth Villaneda is not completely sold on that idea, she believes it might help in some cases.
"I would assume it has something to do with the child feeling more relaxed after a session," said Villaneda, 33, whose 8-year-old son, Nicolas, who was diagnosed with autism at age 2. "That would be something parents would have to observe over time in order to reach an educated conclusion."
She recommends parents of autistic children research their options for early intervention, whether or not those options include chiropractic therapy. In her own case, Villaneda said, she found early help for her son through speech therapy and muscle dexterity therapy.
Nicolas also attended an autism-focused preschool program at Maizeland Child Development Center in Pico Rivera.
Since then, Nicolas' degree of autism has improved, she said.
"He understands directions like any other student. He is extremely articulate, and he's able to express his needs and wants with his peers and here at home," Villaneda said. "Where he has challenges is when it comes to the pragmatics of speech. Every now and then he may start a conversation with you assuming that you know what he's talking about."
Each case is different, Villaneda said, and requires a program tailored to the child's needs.
"There are some interventions or therapies that will be successful with some children, but not with others," Villaneda said.