Ludwig Chiropractic Pediatric Patient Testimonial
“I’m a Big Girl Now — I Wear Pull-Ups!”
Over the years there are a few patients whose stories stay with you forever. This little girl is one I will never forget.
Several years ago a mother brought her four-year-old daughter into my office. She had difficulty walking, could not swallow solid food, and had no sensation of bladder control.
As an infant she had been diagnosed with Tethered Spinal Cord, a neurological condition in which the spinal cord is attached to the base of the spine. She required surgery when she was only nine months old. She also had Microcephaly, a condition in which the brain does not develop normally, resulting in a smaller than normal head.
The surgery was necessary, but the surgeon cautioned her mother that neurological problems were very likely afterward, including difficulties with muscle control and bowel and bladder function.
When I first saw her, she had difficulty walking and wore orthopedic boots to help straighten her feet and legs. She tended to walk pigeon-toed and often stumbled over her own feet. She also wore diapers because she could not sense when she needed to eliminate. Eating was another challenge. She could not swallow solid food. Her mother or grandmother always kept a supply of napkins nearby because she would chew her food until the flavor was gone and then spit the solids into a napkin.
We used the Activator instrument not only on her spine but also on the joints of her feet, knees, and hips to help stimulate proprioception—the body’s awareness of posture and movement. Within several weeks, she was running up and down the hallway in our office and at home. Like most kids, she loved being barefoot, which continued to help stimulate her neurological development.
A few weeks later, her grandmother came into the office very excited. When she picked her up from daycare, one of the assistants told her the little girl had walked up and said: “I think I have to go potty.” She was beginning to feel sensations in her bladder and colon. Not long after that she came into the office with a big smile and proudly told me: “I’m a big girl now. I wear pull-ups!”
All of this occurred over about four months and two to three dozen chiropractic visits. Could this progress have happened anyway? Possibly. But until chiropractic care began, there had been no improvement. I did not treat her tethered spinal cord or her microcephaly. My goal was simply to help restore better nerve communication between the brain and body. I did my small part. Her little body did the rest.
Chiropractic care is often thought of as treatment for neck and back pain, but the nervous system controls and coordinates every organ, muscle, gland, and tissue in the body. When that communication improves, the body sometimes has an amazing ability to adapt and heal.
This story reflects one child’s personal experience in our office. Every patient and every condition is unique, and results may vary.
