Down’s Syndrome
Cranial therapeutic treatment of Down’s
Syndrome Chiropractic Technique. Blum CL. Chiropractic Technique
1999; 11:66-76.
This is the case of a child born with trisomy
X, suffering from failure to thrive, history of chronic pneumonia,
tachypnea, fever and possible atrial septal defect. Medical
professionals recommended open heart surgery but parents
decided to investigate conservative care consisting of cranial
therapy and nutritional therapy. Many of the symptoms that
the patient suffered were alleviated and the surgery was
later cancelled.
Male Child - age 4 - Diagnosis: retardation,
asthma, Down’s
syndrome, immune dysfunction. International Chiropractic
Pediatric Association newsletter, November 1996.
Patient had
been evaluated at several clinics with retardation, asthma,
Down’s syndrome, immune dysfunction, and was
on 11 medications on initial visit. After 4 months of care,
all medications were withdrawn and the above diagnoses were
being changed. Patient still under chiropractic care and
very difficult to adjust - child does not want to lay or
be on adjusting table - the patient is adjusted either in
the mother’s arms or on her back using the mother as
a “table.” Adjustment: Atlas ASR, with a toggle
type thrust.
Handicapped infants and chiropractic care: Down
syndrome- Part 1. McMullen M. International Chiropractic
Association Review Jul/Aug 90;46:32-35
Most infants with DS
are found to exhibit subluxations of the atlas, axis or occiput,
with cranial base faults being the next most common area of
involvement.
Cases included a “fussy” DS baby who slept no
more than 3-4 hours at a time. “The most dramatic,
immediate change was in a 10-year old female DS with apparent
encephalitic complications….immediately following
her first adjustment (occiput/cranial base) she slept nine
continuous hours (and has most nights since)…an improvement
in her general muscle tone and the size of her head, which
was growing at a disproportionate rate stabilized.
Infants with
hypotonia had significantly reduced once care began; strabismus
disappeared in all but two infants…previously
chronic URTI/Otitis media was reduced. Dr. McMullen writes
that if she can work on infants from their first few months
of life, “It has been possible to reduce symptoms of
craniofacial ‘flattening.’ These infants have
also developed normal palatal arch/length, which I feel has
prevented the common trait of tongue protrusion as none of
these children have been affected by this.”
Studies reveal that10 to 20 percent of individuals with
Down’s Syndrome have radiographic Atlas/Axis instability.
International Chiropractic Pediatric Association newsletter.
May 1990.
10 to 20 percent of individuals with Down’s
Syndrome have radiographic Atlas/Axis instability defined as
an anterior arch/odontoid distance greater than 4.5 mm. Of
these individuals, 10 to 20 percent have symptomatic spinal
cord compression manifested as torticollis, spastic hemiparesis,
paraparesis or quadriparesism, neurogenic bowel or bladder,
paresthesias or abnormal gait with ataxia, staggering or clumsiness.
Upper
cervical instability in Down’s Syndrome: a case
report. Dyck V. Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association
1981; 25(2): 67-8.
Although spinal manipulation is a safe procedure,
the chiropractor should always be alert for contraindications
to his treatment.
Down syndrome and craniovertebral instability.
Topic review and treatment recommendations. Brockmeyer D. Division
of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Primary Children’s Medical
Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
“The diagnosis and
management of occipital-atlantal and atlantoaxial instability
in Down syndrome patients is a challenging problem in pediatric
spine surgery.”
Brachial plexus injury in an infant with Down’s
Syndrome; a case study. Peet J. Chiropractic Pediatrics Vol
1 No 2 Aug. 1994.
This is the case of a 12 month male with Down’s
Syndrome who suffered a brachial plexus injury at birth. The
infant had a lack of upper body control and arm movement and
had night time wakefulness which lasted several hours and which
usually occurred more than once a night. Infant was unable
to bring his hand or to mouth and sit up without support.
Chiropractic
analysis revealed vertebral subluxations secondary to birth
trauma. While still in the hospital the parents were advised
by the physical therapist and hospital staff to avoid chiropractic
care. After the first adjustment the child began to sleep five
to six hours at a time instead of two to three hours at a time.
By the third visit, the child could lift his arms for the first
time in his life. He started to sit up six weeks after care.
Complete resolution of brachial plexus symptoms were achieved
by three months.
Copyright 2004 Koren Publications, Inc. & Tedd
Koren, D.C.