Rett Syndrome

The effect of chiropractic care on Rett Syndrome: a case report. Gossett, LJ. Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics, Vol. 4, No. 1, 1999.

Rett Syndrome, also called Rett’s Disorder, is a neurologic disorder that affects girls.

The child appears normal until the loss of acquired skills is observed at six months of age. There is loss of communication skills and purposeful use of the hands. Apraxia, the ability of the body to perform motor movements is the most severely handicapping aspect. This is considered a genetic neurodegenerative disorder of childhood first described by Dr. Rett in 1983. The cause is unknown. “No consistent genetic abnormalities or biological markers have been identified.”

The child, by five and a half years of age, had received four doses of DPT, one dose of DT, six doses of polio and one dose of MMR. “Vaccinations were begun at ten weeks of age and no adverse reactions were noted.”

Examination: “The 13 year-old girl was confined to a wheelchair and appeared very thin and small for her age.” She was unable to speak, stand or walk on her own.
Chiropractic care: The child received care on a daily basis for the first week, three times per week for the next two weeks, then twice a week for three weeks.

Results: Mother reported child did not complain of pain after her period as she usually did, and did not need her regular pain medication; consistent bowel movements were reported whereas before care they were 1-2 per week. Her mood had improved. According to the mother, “She is much happier and laughing more."

Dr. Koren comments: The late Robert Mendelsohn, MD once stated that “If MDs don’t know much about a condition, they name it after someone.” This condition may be vaccine related, especially since it appears similar to autism, cerebral palsy, or non-specific developmental delay – all conditions that have been related to vaccine damage. It is certain that no medical research done on this disorder has explored this possibility. It is also possible that the child had a late vaccine reaction but it was never recorded as such.


Copyright 2004 Koren Publications, Inc. & Tedd Koren, D.C.