CASE STUDY Improvements in a 4-year-old with Autism Spectrum Disorder Following Chiropractic Care to Reduce Vertebral Subluxation

Objective: This case study describes the effects of subluxation-based chiropractic care on a 4-year-old boy diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experiencing significant language delays. Clinical Features: A 4-year-old boy diagnosed with ASD was brought into a chiropractic clinic by his parents for chiropractic care. The parents’ main concern was his delay in language development. The patient was non-verbal and had diminished ability to sense pain. Interventions and Outcomes: Subluxation-based chiropractic care was initiated for 15 visits over a period of 8 weeks. The patient was assessed using static palpation, motion palpation, and postural analysis, and adjustments were performed using Diversified Technique. The parents reported significant improvements in language development over the course of care. The Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) was used to assess effectiveness of chiropractic care on four areas of impairments: Speech/language/communication improved 34.8%, Sociability improved by 50%, sensory/cognitive awareness improved by 50%, health/physical/behavior improved by 31.4%, and the patient had an improvement in their overall score by 40.6% over 8 weeks. Conclusions: This case study serves to strengthen the relationship between the reduction of vertebral subluxation and improvement in function of patients with ASD.