Seizures Gone, Behavior, and Cognitive Development Improved with Chiropractic

On May 14, 2015, a study was published in the Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research documenting the case of a toddler suffering from seizures, behavioral disturbances, and developmental delay, being helped by chiropractic.

In this case, a 2-year-old boy suffering from seizures was brought to the chiropractor. The history noted that 1 year and 4 months prior, the boy fell about three feet hitting the back of his head on a wooden deck. The boy immediately started having a seizure and his parents took him to the emergency room. His head was treated for the laceration with 4 staples. X-rays were taken and no fracture was found. No neurological tests were performed at that time and the child was prescribed pain medication for his pain.

After a few days, the child's seizures got worse. Because of this, his parents brought him in for a further medical evaluation where electroencephalogram (EEG) studies were performed both while he was sleeping and awake. The boy's sleeping EEG did not show any problems but the one done while he was awake showed activity consistent with seizures. Next, an MRI and CT scan were performed, but neither of these found any medically detectable abnormality.

The boy was prescribed anti-seizure medication, which was ineffective. The child’s seizures continued to worsen over time. He worsened to the point where he was experiencing an average of 3 seizures per week and occasionally up to 3 seizures per day. As a result of his problems, his parents noticed that their son became overly aggressive, combative, angry and generally uncooperative. They also noticed developmental delays in their son's language, including his ability to form sentences.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included palpation, thermal scans of the neck, and specific spinal x-rays. The authors stated that the purpose of the chiropractic examination was to see if a subluxation was present at the level of the first cervical vertebrae. Based on the examination, it was determined that a subluxation was present at the top of the boy's neck and specific chiropractic adjustments were begun.

After the first adjustment, the boy's parents reported an increase in their son's seizures. However, after subsequent visits, the seizures began to decrease in frequency. The number of seizures continued to decrease until they were completely gone by 51 days after the initial chiropractic adjustment. At approximately 2.5 months after the beginning of care, the boy was taken off all anti-seizure medication.

The boy had one minor seizure three months later, but with continued chiropractic check-ups, the child remained seizure free thereafter. His parents also reported that his behavioral issues and other problems were also resolved.

In their conclusion, the authors wrote, "This case is one example of how chiropractic care may be helpful in bringing balance back to a child’s nervous system. Though this is only one example, it adds to the ever growing number of case studies that have shown chiropractic care to be effective in helping to control seizures in children and in other non-musculoskeletal conditions."