Childhood Disorders

Asthma

Asthma is a chronic lung condition that is characterized by difficulty in breathing. In a person with asthma, the airways narrow, requiring the person to breathe with more effort to move air in and out of the lungs. The narrowing is the result of inflammation of the tissues lining the walls of the airways, spasm of the smooth muscles and secretion of mucous into the airways. There are numerous factors that may cause this. They are not all well understood, and the factors are different for each patient.

An immediate cause of asthma may be over-sensitivity (hyperreactivity) to certain stimuli such as:

• certain foods
• cigarette smoke
• pollen
• dust mites
• exercise
• mould
• respiratory viral infection

The New Zealand Commission described relief from asthma as one of the more consistent and frequent benefits of chiropractic treatment.¹ Chiropractic removes the physical restriction and/or neurological imbalance that is an underlying cause of the body’s over-sensitivity in some patients.²

There have now been three studies assessing chiropractic management of asthma in children.^2-4 These have reported mixed results, with stronger improvement in subjective measures (relief from symptoms, reduced use of broncho-dilators and medication) than objective measurements (peak air-flow rates).

Importantly, at Shirley Rd Chiropractic, we understand that asthma can be life-threatening and most patients should be under medical care. What all the evidence suggests, however, is that chiropractic co-management is safe, generally beneficial, dramatically effective for some patients and that chiropractic assessment for spinal contributing factors should often be considered. We will only adjust if there is found to be spinal joint dysfunction and those with no musculoskeletal joint restriction are not corrected.

Bed wetting (nocturnal enuresis)

Bed wetting is found in 20% of 4-5 year olds, twice as frequently in males as in females, and produces great distress. The causes are unclear. Explanations include behavioural, biological and psychological reactions, and often there will be more than one cause. There are many medical treatments – including periodic waking, fluid restriction, bell and pad, dry bed training, psychotherapy and hypnotherapy – none supported by strong research.

Chiropractors often report successful results. The largest study of 171 Australian children aged between 4 and 15 reported moderate success.⁵ A study from the U.S. found that those children improving tended to have spinal dysfunction in both the pelvic and upper cervical (neck) spine areas.⁶

The most important aspect is to ascertain if there is a spinal joint dysfunction. The dysfunction can be corrected and it will clear one of the possible causes of bed wetting. If it does not prove to be 100% successful, then it is good to know that there are more than likely others factors at play.

Colic

Infantile colic is a term used to describe persistent, often violent crying for no apparent reason in otherwise healthy and thriving young infants. Colic begins at 1-4 weeks of age and usually spontaneously ends at 3-4 months of age. The source of pain is unclear but traditionally believed to stem from the lower digestive tract. Because of the high incidence of spinal joint dysfunction in colicky infants, and the interactions between spinal and digestive dysfunction, chiropractors postulate that the pain may be aggravated or arising from the spinal problem.

Good results have now been supported by a multicentre study of 316 infants in Denmark.⁷ The children in the study were on average aged 5.7 weeks and to be entered into the study had to have:

• colic (normal weight gain and health, but persistent crying for at least 5 hours per day)
• an inability to be comforted by various normal means
• spinal dysfunction
• behaviour during colic that included motoric unrest, such as frequent flexing of the knees toward the abdomen and/or backward bending of the head and trunk.

Treatment, given an average of 3 times over 2 weeks, comprised light-force techniques of no more trouble to the infant than basic physical examination. There was a success rate of 94% (colic stopped – 60%, significantly improved – 34%) and the researchers concluded that, with appropriately selected infants, “standard chiropractic treatment constitutes an effective treatment for infantile colic.”

In a follow-up study, comparing standard medical management and chiropractic for infantile colic, the same group in Denmark found that:

1. Chiropractic management is safe and effective
2. Chiropractic is significantly more effective than standard medical treatment with dimethicone.⁸

The study further supports the view of chiropractors that the primary cause of the pain and other symptoms of “infantile colic” is a musculoskeletal problem rather than a digestive one.

Otitis Media (Inflammation of the Middle Ear)

Otitis media (OM) is an inflammation of the middle ear. It is not a primary disease, but a complication of colds, sinusitis and sore throats. Obviously chiropractic has no role in the treatment of acute OM, but it can be most successful in the prevention of chronic, recurring OM.

Restricted lymphatic drainage from the middle ear plays a major part in the establishment of chronic recurrent infections. Lymphatic drainage depends on its flow from adequate muscle activity / contractions, arterial pulsations and external compression of body tissues.⁹ Spinal joint dysfunction may cause neck muscle spasm, which can restrict lymph drainage from the head. Reduced drainage causes a reduction in the lymphatic outflow from the Eustachian tubes (tube connecting the ears to the throat) so fluid builds up in the ear making it an inviting environment for bacteria and viruses.¹⁰

Tonsillitis

Similar to otitis media (inflammation of the middle ear) chiropractic treatment may be effective for children who have chronic recurring infections and cervical spine dysfunction. The largest published case series is by Lewit, a Czech neurologist and manual medicine specialist.¹¹ Working with a throat specialist, he found that in a group of 76 children with chronic relapsing tonsillitis, 70 had “dysfunction between the occiput and the atlas” (i.e. between the head and the first vertebra). Thirty-seven were given manipulation and then followed for 5 years. Sixty-seven percent were cured. Twenty-five had tonsillectomy operations. Of these, 76% still suffered movement restrictions which were then treated with manipulation. Lewit concluded that:

“tonsillitis goes hand in hand with movement restriction in the craniocervical junction… with little tendency to spontaneous recovery and the danger of permanently disturbed function in one of the most sensitive regions of the locomotor system” and that “our experience suggests that blockage at this level increases the susceptibility to recurrent tonsillitis.”

References