Chiropractic and the Vagus Nerve: How Adjustments May Support Children with Autism
Chronic stress is an ever-present thread in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and among the primary players is the vagus nerve; charged with vital tasks including mood regulation, digestion, and stress response. Experiments have shown that vagus nerve stimulation helps regulate the neuroimmune systems and positively affects kids with issues such as Autism, epilepsy, and depression, and other behavioral symptoms. These findings show how chiropractic care through improving vagal tone can reduce global body tension, and assist in establishing a better internal environment for self-regulation.
Early research into chiropractic suggests that spinal adjustment may influence sensorimotor integration, how the body combines touch and motion, through measurable changes. This would be especially relevant to children with Autism, who have sensory processing problems that drive these behaviors of overload, meltdowns, or distraction. By decreasing stress within the body and possibly increasing neural input/output efficiency, adjustments help toward a more regulated nerve system. What does that really mean? When a dysregulated vagus nerve becomes more regulated, then the child will be calmer, have less tantrums and meltdowns, digest food better, and overall be a happier child.
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