Asked recently by a patient as to if there was anything that I might be able to do for her child who was having difficulty breathing I commented on an article I had read recently.   The following is that article:

Chiropractors Really Do Treat Asthma?

By Peter Fysh, DC

In our column last month, we reviewed the chiropractic publications of the past 10 years which pertained to the diagnosis and treatment of asthma. This month, we present the case report of a child whose chronic asthma responded well to regular spinal care.

Case Report

Johnny, five-years-old, had been suffering from bronchial asthma for the past three years. His attacks were now coming daily and he was on increasing doses of medication, which included the bronchodilator spray, Ventolin, and steroids. Johnny's mother was very concerned about her son's condition. She had just been told by Johnny's physician that his medication dosage could not be increased any further at his age, even though his asthma attacks were occurring daily and were quite debilitating.

"Is there anything chiropractic can do for my son's asthma," Johnny's mother asked her chiropractor, almost in desperation. The chiropractor explained that not all cases of asthma responded to spinal adjusting, but that enough did, that would suggest that Johnny should undergo a thorough spinal evaluation. The chiropractor explained that in his experience, the cases that responded best to spinal adjusting were those which commenced at a young age, like Johnny's. Chiropractic seeks simply to restore normal function to the spine and nervous system, and if that is part of Johnny's problem, then we should see some appropriate response. The chiropractor further explained that working with the spine was not always a quick solution for asthma and that improvement in Johnny's condition might come gradually over a period of months. During this time, Johnny would probably need to be evaluated each week and should certainly continue with his prescribed medications. To a parent who had cared for her son through the many helpless nights of asthma, the slightest prospect of success was acceptable.

Johnny was evaluated by the chiropractor, found to have problems in several areas of his spine, and was started on a course of chiropractic treatment. Johnny, like so many patients with chronic bronchial problems, was found to have an anterior dishing of the spine in the midscapular region, a phenomenon which had been identified by F. Pottenger, M.D., British, last century.1 In Johnny's case, his spinal problems were mainly confined to the thoracic region, with occasional adjustments to the upper cervicals and to the lumbar spine and pelvis.

Johnny's response to the treatment showed a gradual improvement in his condition. After four weeks of treatment, his mother reported that the asthma attacks were now less intense, even though they still came every day. After six weeks of treatment his attacks were now down to three days a week. After eight weeks of treatment, Johnny visited his physician for further evaluation. To the delight of his mother, Johnny's steroid medication was reduced by half. Chiropractic care continued on a weekly basis, with very light spinal thrusts being applied to the midscapular spinal region and specific cervical adjustments being made, as indicated by palpation, about every second week.

After Johnny had been undergoing chiropractic care for four months, his asthma attacks were quite mild but still occurring about every second week. About this time, he again visited his physician for evaluation of his medication. This time his steroids were discontinued, and he was advised to continue with the aerosol inhaler daily. Johnny was now being seen only every other week by the chiropractor. After six months care, Johnny had stopped using his Ventolin inhaler, but his mother still carried it everywhere they went, just as a precaution.   The entire article can be read at Dynamic Chiropractic – July 3, 1992, Vol. 10, Issue 14

We are often asked by new mothers as to what to feed the babies and when to introduce certain foods.   I like to tell these mothers about Dr. Andersen's article on this very subject.  I have included a good portion of it here for you.

Infants and Allergies

By G. Douglas Andersen, DC, DACBSP, CCN

Late last year, the results of an extensive Italian study involving diet, environment and infant allergies came across my desk. The study compared more than 300 high-risk infants with multiple types of intervention.

The focus of the intervention was in three areas:

• mother's diet;
• infant's diet;
• environmental factors.

The mothers in the intervention group's dietary modifications included:

1. No more than six ounces of milk per day were given to nursing mothers.
2. No eggs were allowed in the diet of nursing mothers.

The infants in the intervention group's dietary modifications included:

1. No solid foods were introduced until the 5th month of life.  
2. Solid foods were introduced at a rate of no more than one new food every 7-10 days.  
3. Only low-allergy solid foods were given from the 5th through 12th months.
4. The solid foods that were considered low allergy included: cereal from rice, corn or tapioca; vegetables excluding all beans and tomatoes; olive oil; no dairy products except for Parmesan cheese; no eggs; turkey, lamb and rabbit were allowed, but no beef, pork, chicken or fish.
5. From the 12th month to the 24th month, all foods were introduced except eggs, nuts and cocoa, which were not given until after two years of age.

The environmental controls for the intervention group included:

• no smoking in the child's house;
• no cats, dogs or other pets with fur;
• weekly carpet cleaning;
• isolation from nurseries and preschool until two years of age.

The authors concluded that many of the preventive measures in the study were effective in reducing allergic symptoms in high-risk infants. At the end of the three year follow-up, when the intervention group was compared to the nonintervention group, the authors determined the top six factors that caused infant allergies. They were:

1. introduction of formula during the first week of life;
2. weaning before four months of age;
3. feeding beef at less than six months of age;
4. feeding cow's milk at less than six months of age;
5. second-hand tobacco smoke exposure;
6. entering day care before two years of age.

Although this was just one study, the intervention was extensive. The results are pleasing in that many common causes of infant allergies are easy to control.

Reference

1. Marini et al. Effects of a dietary and environmental prevention program on the incidence of allergic symptoms in high atopic risk infants: three years follow-up. Acta Pediatrica 1996;85:414(1-21).

Thank you Dr. Anderson... this was very informative.  Again, the author is Douglas Andersen, DC, DACBSP, CCN from Brea, California

Here is an article presented by a chiropractor that is well referenced.  We see here some possibilities of dealing with children who present with a stiff neck to a chiropractor.   

Pediatric Torticollis with Allergies and Head Injury

By Nancy Molina, DC

Case History  [ I have shortened the initial history for the sake of space here...   the reference for the entire article follows at the end of this abreviated article. ]

E.G. was a one-year-old female African-American who has had torticollis for two months. The mother brought her daughter to the chiropractor after evaluation by the medical generalist and pediatrician failed to resolve her "tilted neck condition."   The patient's past medical history was remarkable for preceding symptoms such as "allergic rhinitis" and slight cough. Exposure to high winds, dust, molds in home and pollens caused her respiratory complaints to increase.

Chiropractic assessment yielded joint fixation of the upper cervical vertebrae. Asymmetry in the position of the sternocleidomastoid muscles with slight soft tissue swelling was noted. 

Discussion: This case illustrates the typical clinical findings of torticollis. Although the patient did have upper cervical rotary subluxation, other potential difficulties were related to the effects of "shaken baby syndrome" and a tertiary allergic disorder that led to the patient's upper respiratory tract disorder.

Torticollis or cervical dystonia is the most common dystonia. Cervical dystonia affects the muscles of the neck, causing the head to turn or pull to the side. Cervical dystonia may also pull the neck forward (anterocollis), backward (retrocollis), or tilt the head toward the shoulder (laterocollis). The muscle contractions may be tonic (causing a sustained posture of the head), clonic (causing jerking movements of the head), or a mixture of both.

There is often a gradual worsening of symptoms over the first two to five years after onset, followed by a "plateau" or stabilization of the condition. Approximately 15-20 percent of those with cervical dystonia may experience a spontaneous remission. This usually occurs within the first five years after onset and may be temporary or long-term.

Allopathic traditional treatment consists of a variety of pharmacological medications, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

The chiropractic definition of torticollis (or "wry neck") is simply a rotational deformity of the upper cervical spine (neck) accompanied by contractions of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. Causes may be congenital, such as a fibrous tumor, or they may be acquired/traumatic, resulting from trivial or frank trauma. Torticollis may also be caused by bacterial or viral infection.

Results: After the initial visit the torticollis resolved within 48 hours. The family was educated; the torticollis condition was explained and provided with information so that future biomechanical lesions of the spine did not go left untreated. Follow-up care of the patient was performed, and outlined preventative procedures were released.

This article appeared in Dynamic Chiropractic – July 10, 2000, Vol. 18, Issue 15  and was authored by Nancy Molina, DC, San Juan Capistrano, California.   It was well done and well received by the profession.