What is Autism?

Autism is a severely handicapping disorder, which begins at birth or within the first 2-1/2 years of life.  For many years, autism occurred in approximately five children per 10,000 live births.  However, since the early 1990s the rate of autism has increased enormously throughout the world; now figures as high as 60 per 10,000 are being reported. 

The reasons for the increase are being debated, but the most likely cause appears to be excessive vaccinations in infants.  Patricia Lemer, M.Ed., executive director of Development Delay Resources (devdelay.com) has described the “total load theory.”  This theory is a multi-factorial approach to describe the cumulative effect of the individual assaults of each symptom on the body as a whole.  This cluster of symptoms eventually leads to one of the diagnoses on a continuum from Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) to Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) to Learning Disabled (LD) to Pervasive Developmental Disorders or Delays (PDD) to Autism.  The cluster of historical factors and symptoms affecting the child's physical and mental health include:  genetics, prenatal toxin exposure, birth trauma, poor maternal health, lack of breast feeding or early introduction of cow's milk, frequent upper respiratory infections treated with antibiotics, unusual reactions to immunization, heavy metal exposure, undetected food and environmental allergies and sensitivities.

Most autistic children are perfectly normal in appearance but spend their time engaged in puzzling and disturbing behaviors, which are markedly different from those of normal children.  They may stare into space for hours, throw uncontrollable tantrums, show no interest in people (including their parents) and pursue strange, repetitive acitvities with no apparent purpose.  They have been described as “living in a world of their own.”  Some autistic individuals are remarkably gifted in certain areas such as music or mathematics, as depicited in film Rain Man.  All need help.

What is the cause? 

The causes of autism are poorly understood; although, it is clear that autism is a biological brain disorder.  The Autism Research Institute (autism.com) is investigating various possible causal factors.

What is the outlook?

In recent years, there has been a marked increase in the percentage of children who have been able to attend school with normal children and to live more or less independently in community settings.  However, the majority of autistic persons remain severely handicapped in their ability to communicate and socialize with other people.

PDD, LD, ADD, and ADHD are all fairly self explanatory with severity ranging from worst at Classic Autism and decreasing in severity from PDD to ADD.

What does craniosacral treatment have to do with these disorders?

Craniosacral treatment is a form of osteopathic manipulation that addresses the cranium (skull) and related neuromusculoskeletal components (including the sacrum--which is the bottom part of the spinal column).  These components include the connective tissue (fascia and dura) that surround the brain and spinal cord, the muscles, tendons, ligaments, organs, bones and related vascular, lymphatic and neurological tissues.  Adjustment of these areas of the body allow for improved fluid flows, including the cerebral spinal fluid that also surrounds the brain and spinal cord.  The flow of these fluids and the function of the neuro-endocrine-immune systems are intimately related.  Research by Sutherland, Upledger (Craniosacral Therapy) and others concludes that the majority of austistic children have a craniosacral system with decreased elasticity.  This restriction causes a very high level of inherent energy within a restrictive connective tissue, resulting in a smaller amount of overall movement at a faster rate. 

The goal of craniosacral therapy is to maximize overall motion by gradually releasing the restricted connective tissue and normalizing the rate of motion.  A trial of 8-12 treatments over 2-3 months or 4-6 months is suggested to allow sufficient time for improvement to be seen.  Patients may experience changes--both abrupt and gradual--in their behavior, responsiveness, pain level or other symptoms.  Often, one or more cycles of healing reactions may manifest as an apparent worsening of symptoms but with continued treatment is usually followed by improvement.