Health Articles

Improvements in Hearing, Speech, Development, and Behavior Following Chiropractic

A case study appeared in the February 14, 2011, issue of the scientific periodical, the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal and Family Health. This study documented the case of a 4-year-old boy with a history of enlarged adenoids, nasal congestion, hearing loss, speech difficulties, developmental delay, and behavioral concerns, who was subsequently helped with chiropractic.

The article begins by noting that otitis media is one of the most common causes of hearing loss among young children with possible further implications for speech, language, and learning delay as well as subsequent behavioral concerns. Otitis media accounted for 24.5 million doctor's visits in 1990 and is the most common reason for emergency visits among children.

In this case, a 4-year-old boy was brought to the chiropractor's office, having been previously diagnosed by the pediatrician and ENT physician with bilateral hearing loss, fluid build-up in the middle ears, swollen adenoids, and swollen nasal tissue. The boy's parents also mentioned he was diagnosed with expressive speech delay and developmental delay associated with behavioral issues. The boy also seemed more immature than children his age and was behind with his language ability for his age.

A chiropractic examination was performed on the boy and restriction was noted in the upper cervical (neck) spine. It was determined that subluxations were present in the boy's spine. These subluxations created interference with the boy's nervous system therefore decreasing his ability to function normally and be healthy.

Care was initiated with a series of specific chiropractic adjustments to correct the subluxations. The study reports that after 11 chiropractic visits the boy had a medical examination to test his hearing. The results of that test revealed that his hearing had improved and he was within normal limits. By the 24th visit another medical examination was performed and the boy's hearing was completely normal. Additionally it was reported that the boy also showed improvements with speech development and behavior.

This case also documents that the boy showed improvement in his language skill until he was on level with other children his age. It was also reported that his ability to interact with others and in school had also improved to appropriate levels.

In their conclusion the authors noted, "It is hypothesized that chiropractic care may increase overall immune function not limited to those with the conditions presented in this case report but also in the general pediatric population. Not only can this help to reduce sickness, but has great implications for prevention and to dramatically lower health care costs since otitis media is the number one complaint among pediatrics."

The journal Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery published research in their February, 2011 issue that found children who have undergone a tonsillectomy have also gained weight.

Researchers reviewed nine studies that spanned a 40-year period. The review studied the weight of 795 children, ages 0 to 18 years, before a tonsillectomy and for eight years after the procedure. The results showed that over 50 percent of the children had gained weight.

A tonsillectomy is the most common operation done on children. Each year, over one-half of a million children have their tonsils removed. Tonsils are a defensive organ and part of the lymphatic system. Their main job is to trap bacteria and viruses entering into the body through the mouth.

The children who had their tonsils removed gained approximately 7 percent more weight after the surgery. These results are alarming considering the number of children in the US who are obese. The Center for Disease Control has determined that 18 percent of children ages 12-19 are obese, 20 percent of children ages 6-11 are obese, and 10 percent of children ages 2 -5 are obese.

Obesity is a major cause of diabetes, high-blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. The review's findings showed that some normal weighted children were pushed into the overweight range after surgery, and overweight children were determined to be obese after surgery.

Although a correlation between the surgery and weight gain has been shown, the cause of the weight gain in children after a tonsillectomy is still not known. In a February 1, 2011 interview with Reuters Health, Dr. Anita Jeyakumar, an ear nose and throat specialist at Saint Louis University in Missouri who worked on the study stated, "For some patients, the surgery might be considered more of a risk than a benefit."