One of the most memorable times in my chiropractic career was the day a mother allowed me to adjust her young daughter, who happened to be on the “autism spectrum.” She was 3 1/2 years old, constantly ill with a cold, flue, or something else. At this point she did not speak, and the parents were told that there was limited to no likelihood of her ever speaking, nor living a “regular life.”
This was in 2009. Fast forward to 2012 and you will meet a well adjusted, bright, smiling, super talkative big sister who now attends a regular school. While the transformation following her first chiropractic adjustment was rather quick(she was speaking within 3 weeks) and her chronic colds and flues disappeared immediately, the experience peaked my interest in autism.
While I have been told that this little girl’s situation was simply anecdotal by some in the medical field(some have even told me it was a placebo effect), I know what a major impact this transformation has had on this family.
No longer do they see doctors 5-6 days each week. They have had a chance to go on vacation, and begin raising a healthy child. That’s what brings me to this video clip from Louis Theroux’s 2 part documentary series Extreme Love.
I have been a fan of Louis Theroux ever since I first watched Louis Theroux’s Wild Weekends. Over the past decade he has matured into one of the best documentary film makes and interviewers I have ever seen. He has a candid way about him without making the subject feel ignorant, and lucky for us he has decided to tackle some serious subject matter.
In part one of this series, Extreme Love: Autism, Louis explores the reality of families living with autistic children. At times it is frustrating, but most of the time it is heart breaking. I’ve chosen to include a dramatic clip of what one family has to deal with every day, and as the woman states, most people have no idea what a family with an autistic child has to deal with.
[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/45976794[/vimeo]
I have been fortunate to know some local Seattle teachers who run autism programs at local schools, and they also love seeing a chiropractor. In the time I have known them they have shared some of their experiences and it is an absolutely thankless job.
Lucky for us there are people who don’t mind doing the heavy lifting in life.
If you enjoy this clip make sure you check out the entire video when it becomes available on Netflix. The second part of the series deals with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. While the subject matter may initially not seem uplifting, the programs are worth watching.