Category: Adhd Autism

Many people don’t realize how deeply stress and physical trauma can affect the body long after an injury seems to have healed. Stress doesn’t only come from emotional strain—it can also build up from physical injuries, accidents, repetitive strain, and even long-standing tension patterns. Over time, this accumulation can overwhelm the nervous system and contribute to ongoing pain, fatigue, immune challenges, and difficulties with focus or emotional regulation.

This case report, published in the January-March 2026 issue of the Asia-Pacific Chiropractic Journal, followed a 30-year-old woman who had experienced multiple physical and emotional traumas throughout her life. She initially sought care for persistent neck and back pain, stiffness, and nerve sensations such as tingling. Alongside these physical concerns, she also struggled with mental overload, difficulty concentrating, and a constant feeling of being “on edge.” These symptoms are often viewed separately, yet they may share a common root in how the nervous system is coping—or failing to cope—with ongoing stress.

The nervous system plays a central role in how the body adapts to challenges. When stress becomes chronic, the body can remain stuck in a heightened “fight-or-flight” mode. This prolonged state may disrupt immune balance, increase inflammation, and interfere with brain regions responsible for focus, calmness, and emotional control. If subluxations are present, nerve communication may become further strained, making it harder for the body to self-regulate and recover.

Care in this case focused on supporting the nervous system by reducing interference from subluxations and improving overall function. As care progressed, the woman reported not only relief from pain and stiffness, but also a growing sense of mental ease. She described feeling calmer, more relaxed, and better able to manage daily demands. These changes were reflected in improved balance, coordination, and physical stability as well.
Interestingly, improvements extended beyond the original complaint. The woman reported clearer thinking, improved focus, and a noticeable reduction in long-standing attention-related challenges. She also experienced fewer headaches, better sleep quality, and an increased ability to return to work and exercise. These outcomes highlight how changes in nervous system function can influence both physical comfort and mental well-being.

This study offers an important insight: the body functions as an integrated whole. Supporting nervous system health may have far-reaching effects beyond pain relief alone. For individuals with a history of trauma, chronic stress, or attention challenges, addressing nervous system interference may open the door to improved resilience, clarity, and overall quality of life.

The third quarter 2025 issue of the Asian Pacific Chiropractic Journal published a case study documenting chiropractic helping a child who was suffering with balance issues, behavioral issues, and respiratory function problems. Complicating this case, the child was also suffering with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder are considered separate neurodevelopmental conditions that can occur together. These two health issues are continuing to grow in numbers and in the focus of healthcare. According to the Ehlers-Danlos Society, “The Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) are a group of 13 heritable connective tissue disorders. The conditions are caused by genetic changes that affect connective tissue. Some features are seen across all types of EDS, including joint hypermobility, skin hyperextensibility, and tissue fragility.”

In this case, an 11-year-old boy with a relatively sedentary lifestyle and a complex history of multiple medical diagnoses was brought in for Chiropractic care for the first time. He had been medically diagnosed with level 2 Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, and anxiety disorder. Additionally, the boy was undergoing testing to confirm a diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome which caused all his joints, including his spine, to be excessively movable, a.k.a. hypermobile.

The boy’s mother described her son’s symptoms as including problems with his balance and coordination. She noted he was always dropping things and had poor posture. She also noted that her son was tired and sleepy all the time. The boy suffered with generalized musculoskeletal pain and had difficulties with everyday tasks including feeding and eating.

A detailed chiropractic examination was performed and modified chiropractic care was started. The chiropractic care had to be modified due to the boy having fragile skin and hypermobile joints from his Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

The study reports that after his first chiropractic adjustment visit, the boy noticed immediate improvement in his breathing. As care continued, the boy’s posture also began to improve. His parents began to notice significant improvements in his abilities to perform daily activities. The study also records that the boy was able to sit through most of the day at school, was more stable and less prone to falling. It was also recorded that the boy was more active, had better balance, had more energy and was overall happier.

This study included a comment made by the boy’s mother as to his progress under chiropractic care. “When I brought him to a Chiropractor, I didn’t have high hopes. I figured anything that could improve his quality of life, which is better than what he has now. I was always so worried about him. The wind could knock him over, and he couldn’t stay upright when sitting for longer than about one minute, whereas he can now sit for most of the day with standing breaks before he gets tired. The biggest thing was after the first appointment and adjustment, he sat in the car and looked at me and said 閃um, I can breathe. I can take a full breath and breathe’.”

The Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies published the results of a study on February 19, 2025, showing that school aged children with a wide variety of health issues benefit from chiropractic care. The study data was tabulated and written by multiple authors in the United States, New Zealand, and the Netherlands.

The authors of the study begin by noting “Chiropractic care is utilized in school aged children for a variety of health complaints, including headaches, postural issues, nocturnal enuresis, neurodevelopmental disorders, and back pain.” The study points out that there is an alarming increase in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD’s) among children. NDD conditions include problems such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD), dyslexia, attention-deficit hyperactivity order (ADHD), and other neurological conditions.

The study reports that children are typically brought to the chiropractor for care with musculoskeletal disorders such as back pain, neck pain or headaches. However, there is a growing group of children who receive chiropractic for NDD issues. They state, “Chiropractic care for children has been used in the clinical setting to help co-manage individuals with NDD’s, particularly autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, and other behavioral disorders.” They continue, “Previous research on chiropractic care in the pediatric population has also shown improvements in quality of life and a high satisfaction of care.”

In this study, the health records of children between the ages of 5 and 18 who had received chiropractic care in a public-school setting in the United States were reviewed. Children were offered chiropractic care if they were identified by their teachers as having an NDD, or if requested by the child’s parents or caregivers due to musculoskeletal problems or other health complaints.

The records of the children included in this study were reviewed to determine the results of the care. The children were only included if they had received 12 weeks of continuous chiropractic care within the schools participating in this study. This study was ethically approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Life University, Marietta, Georgia, USA.

Results of the chiropractic care were evaluated by standardized scientific questionnaires, and by tests to determine neurological function. The questionnaires included information about the child’s quality of life, mental health, school performance, and relationships with other children.

The results of this study show positive changes for the children in the various areas that the study examined. The authors described the results by saying, “This retrospective case series in 180 children revealed statistically significant improvements following 12 weeks of chiropractic care in several areas.” They elaborated by stating, “Statistically significant improvements were noted in the ‘health and activities’ sub-section and overall score of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ and in the hyperactivity domain of the Strengths and Difficulties questionnaire.” The authors concluded, “These positive changes highlight the potential benefits of chiropractic care in addressing certain aspects of well-being and behavior of school-age children.”

The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health Chiropractic published the results of a case study on March 1, 2024, documenting the positive health outcomes from chiropractic care for a child who had been diagnosed with ADHD. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control describes Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) on their website by stating, “ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. It is usually first diagnosed in childhood and often lasts into adulthood. Children with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors (may act without thinking about what the result will be), or be overly active.”

The author of this study begins by pointing out how common this issue has become. “There has been an astounding increase in certain childhood mental health diagnoses in society today. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is just one of the many increasing mental health conditions in children, which has shown increased prevalence rates from an estimated 6% in 1997 to 10% in 2017. Upwards of 15% of US children are utilizing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.”

Chiropractic care is becoming a more common form of what is called complementary and alternative care for children with ADHD. The author reports that “…statistics have shown that more than 30 million children visit chiropractors every year. Approximately 7-12% of children with ADHD are utilizing complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) options for care.”

In this case, an 11-year-old boy with a diagnosis of ADHD was brought to the chiropractor. The boy’s history showed that he was born 9 weeks premature. By elementary school, the boy had difficulties with reading and reading comprehension. His parents had been utilizing various exercises and home therapies to help their son with his ADHD issues. They also started to have their son play golf with his father. Due to his issues, the boy had difficulties and was unable to perform several of these exercises.

A chiropractic evaluation was performed, and specific forms of chiropractic adjustments were started. The study reports that after the first adjustment, the boy was able to do the home exercises better than previously, allowing an increase in his home exercise routine. By the boy’s 8th chiropractic visit, the boy was testing better on all levels and reported that his golf game had also improved. As chiropractic care continued, the study reports that the boy continued to show improvement in his level of frustration and all the objective testing performed for ADHD.

This study adds to the growing body of evidence in the form of case studies showing chiropractic helping individual children who have been diagnosed with ADHD. It should be noted that chiropractors do not claim to treat ADHD, but through improvement in nerve system function, many of the issues created by ADHD can be improved.

The fourth quarter issue of the Asian-Pacific Chiropractic Journal published the results of a case study documenting the improvement under chiropractic care of a young boy who was suffering with the issues of his Autism and Attention-Deficit-Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD).

The study authors make it clear that chiropractic does not treat autism or ADHD. What chiropractic does is seek to correct interference in the nerve system from vertebral subluxations. In correcting subluxations, the patient’s nerve system is allowed to return to a more normal function and address health issues better.

In this case, a 6-year-old boy was brought to the chiropractor. The boy had been diagnosed with both autism and ADHD. His mother reported that her son had difficulty focusing and staying on task, would not respond to his name, and was non-verbal. His mother also noted that her son used little to no eye contact, had difficulties sitting in the same spot for more than ten seconds, and had difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. The boy also engaged in some destructive behavior such as tearing up books instead of reading them.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included palpation of the spine and thermal scans. The results of his examination revealed that the boy had multiple areas of vertebral subluxations. Based on the results of the examination, the researcher created a care plan and stated, “Aims of care were established as removing interference from the nervous system by correcting subluxations so that the body would be better able to regulate itself. Additional clinical aims of seeing improvements in sleep, focus, attention, and less stress in the nervous system were established and the upper cervical spine was determined to be an area of focus for care.”

Immediately after the boy’s very first adjustment, it was recorded that the boy was able to take a big breath and relax. He instantly became more calm and started sitting in a chair instead of jumping on it. On the second visit, his mother reported that after returning home from her son’s first adjustment, he fell asleep only 30 minutes after his bath and dinner, a process that usually took over two hours.

Both the boy’s mother and chiropractor noticed that the boy was more focused and attentive when his mom and the chiropractor were speaking to him. Over the next few weeks, the boy became more verbal and was trying to speak more. Eventually, the boy was moved from a special day classroom setting to a general education setting. He was becoming more responsive and making eye contact. He also stopped tearing books up and was able to turn pages and follow along as he and his mother read books.

In their conclusion, the authors stated, “Chiropractors make no claim of ‘cure’ with autism or ADHD. In this case there were no other notable changes made in the child’s routine, and significant changes in his well-being were noted over the course of care. Therefore we can state there is a relationship between Chiropractic care and the function of this child’s nervous system tone and sympathetic arousal, and that a restored state of calm had been noted.”

A case study reported in the fourth quarter issue of the Asian-Pacific Chiropractic Journal documented the case of a young boy who was helped by chiropractic with issues of aggression, hyperactivity, and poor social functioning stemming from his Autism Spectrum Disorder, (ASD).

The National Institute of Mental Health describes this condition by stating “Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn, and behave. Although autism can be diagnosed at any age, it is described as a “developmental disorder” because symptoms generally appear in the first 2 years of life.” The National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities estimates that 1 in 36 children have ASD.

In this case, a 4-year-old boy was brought to the chiropractor by his mother. The boy had been previously diagnosed with ASD. The mother reported that her son was exhibiting aggressiveness, suffered from speech delay, had poor eye contact and was hyperactive. She also reported that her son would hit anyone who gets close to him and would also bang his head on the floor whenever he got frustrated or angry.

An age-appropriate chiropractic examination was performed. The results of the examination confirmed the presence of spinal subluxations. In simplest terms, a subluxation (a.k.a. Vertebral Subluxation) is when one or more of the bones of the spine (vertebrae) move out of position and create pressure on, or irritate spinal nerves. Spinal nerves are the nerves that come out from between each of the bones in the spine. This pressure or irritation on the nerves then causes those nerves to malfunction and interfere with the signals traveling over those nerves.

Based on the finding of subluxations, specific chiropractic care was started. After the first week of chiropractic care, the mother reported that her son was less aggressive, less hyperactive, and was no longer hitting other children or banging his head on the floor.

Within the first 6 weeks of chiropractic care, the boy’s mother noted that her son was talking a lot more and had better eye contact. Over time, the boy continued to show improvements in development, speech, and socialization. The boy’s teacher also commented that the boy was doing better in class.

The study authors noted that a single case of chiropractic helping a boy with ASD should not be generalized to every case of ASD. However, they comment that the growing number of reported and documented cases of chiropractic helping ASD is important. They stated “The Chiropractic evidence surrounding Autism Spectrum Disorder is currently limited to case report data. While this limits our ability to make sweeping claims as to the impact of Chiropractic care on ASD, and the highly complex and political nature of the disorder would likely make unsubstantiated claims problematic, it is of clinical value to note that numerous case reports have shown improvements in ASD-related symptomatology while under chiropractic care.” They also added, “While the mechanisms behind the improvement in the patient’s behavioral characteristics are yet unknown, it is possible that by removing the interference in the nervous system, the brain can communicate better with the rest of the body.”

On April 10, 2023, the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health Chiropractic published the results of a case study documenting the improvement of a young chiropractic patient with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

According to the CDC website, “Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. People with ASD often have problems with social communication and interaction, and restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests. People with ASD may also have different ways of learning, moving, or paying attention.”

The CDC also notes that “About 1 in 36 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) according to estimates from CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network.” Additionally, “ASD is nearly 4 times more common among boys than among girls.”

In this case, a 7-year-old boy was brought to the chiropractor by his parents. The boy had been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at the age of three. At the age of two, his parents noticed unusual behaviors including that their son preferred to be alone and would not walk up to them. Instead of playing with toys, he would line them up in a row, and the boy would not let his parents know when he was hungry.

Chiropractic care was started for the correction of subluxations at the rate of two visits per week for the first four months. A variety of specific chiropractic adjustments were used starting with the gentlest ones, as sometimes autistic children do not tolerate receiving adjustments well.

After three months of chiropractic care, the study reports that there were multiple areas of improvement in the boy. It was recorded that his eye tracking had improved, and he was able to make eye contact. The boy’s mother reported that her son showed multiple areas of improvement with his autistic behaviors. It was noted that on one visit to the chiropractor the boy, “…was very talkative and explained all the Star Wars characters in an animated way.”

In their conclusion, the authors wrote, “This case study demonstrates the relationship between chiropractic care and decrease in autistic symptoms.” They also concluded, “This report supports the possible link between reduction of vertebral subluxation and improvement in the behavioral patterns of ASD.”

The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health Chiropractic published the results of a case study on February 1, 2023, that documented the improvement under chiropractic care of a child who was suffering with severe Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

This study begins by noting that ASD usually begins before the age of 30 months. The study defines it by saying, “Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is defined by abnormal or impaired development of communication and interaction with others, as well as a marked limitation in interests and activities.”

They report that the Center for Disease Control estimated that 2.24% or 1 in 45 U.S. children in 2014 were diagnosed with ASD. They point out that the number has been steadily increasing as in from 2011 to 2013 there were 1.25%, or 1 in 80 children in the U.S. diagnosed with ASD. Additionally, boys are diagnosed with 75% of all cases.

In this case, a three-year-old boy was brought to the chiropractor for help with a variety of issues related to ASD. Six months prior, the boy was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder by a psychologist. The boy’s parents reported that their son did not speak. He was on a liquid diet because he was unable to eat solid food due to his inability to chew or feed himself. The boy did not like being touched, and was experiencing difficulties with both sleeping and constipation.

The boy’s parents also reported that their son had not gained any weight in two years. He was attending a special needs school, but upon arrival each day, he would develop anxiety to the point of vomiting excessively. He was getting speach therapy which did not seem to be helping.

A chiropractic examination was performed which rendered a diagnosis of spinal subluxations. The goal of the chiropractic care was to reduce the subluxations through specific chiropractic adjustments in an attempt to reduce the severity of the symptoms the boy was experiencing from his ASD. The initial recommendation was to have the boy seen three times per week for the first two months.

Following the boy’s first adjustment, his parents reported that their son had slept extremely well and that he had been calm for two days straight for the first time ever. Within the first week of care, the boy started making eye contact with the chiropractor and staff and had learned how to give a “high five.”

By the third visit, the boy was becoming comfortable with the chiropractor touching him to give the adjustments. The boy’s parents reported improvements in his constipation, behavior, and sleep habits. They also reported that he had been trying to say his first words.

Over a period of 21 additional visits, it was reported that the boy had learned nine new words and was now starting to repeat words he was hearing. As care continued, the boy showed improvements with his constipation, his sleep, his demeanor, and was becoming social and curious with other children.

In the study conclusion, the authors wrote, “The chiropractic care of a 3-year-old patient diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder is presented. Significant improvement in sleeping, behavior, sensitivity to touch, eye contact, hypertonicity of musculature, retained primitive reflexes, vocabulary expansion, and parroting was achieved. It is feasible that chiropractic care can influence Autism Spectrum Disorder…”

The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health Chiropractic published the results of a case study on December 1, 2022, documenting the improvement under chiropractic care of a patient who was suffering with multiple health issues including autism, altered behavioral patterns, language deficits, sleeping problems, constipation, and earaches.

This study begins by describing autism issues, “Autism can be defined as a disorder beginning in childhood marked by the presence of abnormal or impaired development in social interaction and communication with a markedly restricted repertoire of activity and interest.”

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Centers of Disease Control and Prevention reports on their website that in the year 2000 the rate of children identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was 1 in 150. By the year 2010, that number had grown to 1 in 68 children diagnosed with ASD. As of the latest CDC survey study in 2018, the number of children with ASD was up to 1 in 44.

Standard medical care for ASD has traditionally involved sensory integration, visual and auditory training, behavioral modifications, and medications designed to control mood. With no effective drug treatment for autism, the study reports that more people are seeking other forms of care such as chiropractic.

In this case, a 17-year-old male was brought to the chiropractor by his parents. His parents reported that their son had been diagnosed with autism at the age of two. Additionally, the study noted that the boy was only able to get between two and four hours of sleep each night. Due to their son’s sleep issues, his parents were forced to alternate nights of staying up to keep him from leaving the house. The boy also was having between five and seven temper tantrums per week and was suffering with constipation and ear infections. The boy’s vocabulary was limited to about 30 to 50 words.

A chiropractic examination was performed with the specific goal of locating vertebral subluxations. Based upon the examination and the positive findings that subluxations were present, specific forms of chiropractic were started.

Improvement was reported after the first adjustment as the boy’s parents reported that their son fell asleep in the car on the drive home from the chiropractor. Prior to that, the boy had not taken a nap in 14 years. After arriving home, it was reported that the boy laid down on the couch and slept from 10:00am to 7:30pm. After the boy woke up, he ate dinner, and then laid down in his father’s lap for the first time in 10 years. The boy then fell asleep from 9:00pm that night to 9:00am the following day.

As care continued, periodic examinations were performed documenting his continued improvements. After three months of care, his parents reported that the boy’s vocabulary had expanded to 100 words. His sleep had greatly improved as he was not sleeping between 6 to 8 hours each night. His parents also reported a decrease in temper tantrums and improvements in his other symptoms.

After six months of chiropractic care, the boy’s vocabulary had increased to about 300 words. His sleeping was also so regular that his parents no longer had to take turns sleeping on the couch to make sure he would not leave the house during the night.

Chiropractic care continued, as did the boy’s progress. By the two year point in care, the boy’s quality of life had drastically improved in all aspects with a 500 word vocabulary and only a mild temper tantrum maybe once per month. All sleeping issues were gone as were most of his other symptoms that he had at the start of chiropractic care.

The study authors summed up this case by saying, “The purpose of this study was to document the relationship between chiropractic care and the patient’s progress as it relates to autism, altered behavioral patterns, language deficits, sleeping problems, constipation, and earaches. The case study showed large improvements for these conditions through consistent chiropractic care.”

On May 2, 2022, the result of a case study was published in the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health documenting the improvement in symptoms of a young boy who was diagnosed with ADHD. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is marked by an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development.”

The study begins by noting that ADHD is one of the most widely diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorders affecting children. It is estimated that 9.4% of children from the ages of 6 to 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD in the United States. They also point out that the rate of diagnosis of this condition is continuing to rise. The study reports that more parents are turning toward non-medication approaches to helping children with ADHD.

There is currently much debate on why ADHD is becoming more prevalent, but it is known that those with immediate family members who have ADHD are between two to eight times more likely to be also diagnosed with ADHD than those whose family members do not have this condition.

Medications are a common mode of treatment for ADHD but these medications come with much controversy and side effects. The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention do not recommend medication as a first line of treatment for younger children. “For preschool-aged children (4-5 years of age) with ADHD, behavior therapy, particularly training for parents, is recommended as the first line of treatment before medication is tried.”

In this case, a 5-year-old boy was brought to the chiropractor by his mother. The boy was exhibiting behaviors of ADHD and his mother wanted to see if chiropractic could help without having to go the medical route and receive an official diagnosis of ADHD. She was looking to explore non-medical options for her son and was interested in seeing if a cause could be found for his, as she described, “out of control” behavior.

The boy’s history, as reported by his mother, included a continuous urge to bounce and jump. He also had a history of ear infections, and his mother reported that he skipped crawling during his developmental progression and currently exhibited toe walking.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included spinal range of motion, motion and static palpation, visual observation, paraspinal thermography, and a static EMG study. The results of the examination confirmed the presence of vertebral subluxation. Based on the finding of subluxation, and with the mother’s permission, a series of specific chiropractic adjustments were started to correct the subluxations.

Changes during care were measured both against the original exam findings as well as the perceived changes as noted by the boy’s mother. After 14 chiropractic adjustments, the boy’s mother reported that his teacher noticed that the boy exhibited behavioral changes and that he was becoming more focused with fewer disruptions in class. His mother also reported that, shortly thereafter, her son was able to be a part of family gatherings without being a disruptive factor.

Over time, the boy continued to improve as measured by both the examination procedures as well as his activity. At one point, his mother reported that her son wrote a letter by himself, a task that he was previously not been able to accomplish. The study authors stated, “The results of this case study reveal an overall positive outcome of ADHD symptomatology following chiropractic care.”