Seizures can be terrifying.  When seizures occur with a child, the effect on those around is chilling.  The sheer feeling of helplessness is hard to describe.

Currently, there are multiple medications available for the management of epilepsy or seizures, mainly in the form of anticonvulsant drugs. Common medications include Dilantin, Phenobarbital, Tegretol, Mysoline, Depakene, Topomax and more. The long term effect of these medications and chemicals on the body can have a deteriorating effect such as blurry or double vision, unsteadiness, liver problems, skin rashes, low blood cell counts, swelling of the gums, hair loss or weight gain.

The McTaggerts Story:

“My name is Paula McTaggert.  My husband is Bill.  I’m a registered nurse and my husband is a paramedic.  He has over 25 years in the field and we have a son, David, our youngest child.  In 2005, we went on a vacation to Texas and our son was jumping up and down on a mattress, fell, hit his head on a brick, fire hearth and injured his head.  But didn’t seem to be a whole lot more going on with his injury other than he had a little bleeding.  We fixed that, cleaned it up and went on our way.

About a month later, our son started having seizures so we took him to the doctors and the doctors would just send us home with medication and tell us to go home and if he had a seizure, take the medication.  This went on sometime going to two different hospitals to two different ERs.  Again, “We don’t know why but take the medication and send them home.”  He went to a children’s hospital, had a lot test done, still they had no answers.  So again it was, “Here, take the medication.”  

Well, our son was about three years old and he was having 15-20 seizures a day still even on the medication. They put him on Topamax. When they originally put him on the Topamax, we had to increase it three different times in one week and still he was having seizures all day.  So our son was either post dictal, seizing or on medication that was causing him to just kind of be in a stupor. Fifteen minutes a day I saw my son the rest of the time doing nothing there in his eyes.

Well, one day it worked.  Another nurse asked me how my son was doing and she asked me if he was getting better and I said, “No.”  I was quite worried because I had to come to work at night and I was scared that something might happen to him while I was gone because his seizures happen frequently and some of them were very long. We would had to rectal valium on our bedroom wall taped in case he had a crises and we had to give him the valium.  

Well, all through this we kept trying to find an answer but when my friend asked me if my son was doing any better and I said, “No.”  She said, “Have you tried to take him to a chiropractor?” Right then and there, I knew that was the answer. I knew. So I made appointment for him and I know he had disappointment.  He was still having seizures. We had one waiting for the doctor’s office to open in a restaurant.  

We took him to the doctors. They took x-rays. They adjusted his back. That was on a Thursday. Between Thursday and Monday, he only had two more seizures. So that week I tried to get off him the Topamax.  We continued to see the chiropractor and the seizures went away.
    
C1 in the neck was out of place and we can see on the x-rays that it was clearly out of place.  No medical doctor even question this. No medical doctor even wondered about this and he was seeing some of the best in the nation. He went to a very large children’s hospital with a neurologist, a neurologist specialist and still no answer. But after taking him to the chiropractor and having him adjusted and try to take him off the medication, the seizures completely stopped after those last two.  
    
The smile came back. The twinkle in his eyes came back because when he was still taking the medication and he was still having seizures, there was no sparkle in his eye, like a small child has when he smiles. There was nothing there. Even for some time after that twinkle wasn’t there but after time it did come back. I know it’s because of the manipulation that he had in this back.  

I know that that was the answer because the pressure that was on his spine was causing on this… the pressure on this spinal cord was causing these seizures to trigger and having his adjustments change that so he no longer had that.  He was a normal little boy again. He wasn’t doped up on medication.  He wasn’t seizing all day. He wasn’t post stick to all day. I was scared to death that my son might die from complications from his seizure while I was at work.

So we’re so absolutely grateful. So absolutely grateful to find the proper doctors and he’s been coming to Doctor Fryes (Frye Chiropractic in Lancaster, CA) now over the last few years. The changes that… it’s like night and day to have your son seizing all day long and they’re coming in having his back fixed and the seizures to go away and Topamax.  Topamax has its own side effects and no parent wants to see your child just looking like a zombie all day long.  

But now we have our son back after doing the manipulations on his back. He’s a normal little boy again.  So I encourage anybody who has a child who’s having seizures take him to a chiropractor, have him checked because if it is from their spine being out of whack then you’ve got a whole new world ahead of you getting him fixed. God bless.”

What If There Was A Better, Safer Way?

The problem with many medications, is that they often do not address the underlying cause of seizures.  As you have seen and heard Paula McTaggert testify, the apparent cause of her son’s seizures was a spinal misalignment at the very top of the neck. X-Rays in fact not only demonstrated misalignment, but they also demonstrated laxity of the ligaments holding the first vertebrae (called the Atlas) in place.

In David’s case, medications could never cure his seizures, because the problem was not chemical.  David’s problem was bio-neuro-mechanical.  Chiropractors commonly call this condition a Subluxation.  This Subluxation not only caused David’s seizures, but it also caused his headaches and blurred vision. 

In an article published in 2001 by the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 17 children were given chiropractic treatment when they were unable to receive relief of their symptoms with any form of seizure medication. Roughly 88% of the patients studied experienced decreased frequency as well as the magnitude of their seizures.

Chiropractic care is very natural and has few side effects.  This makes it a virtually risk-free option to consider for a seizure patient. Chiropractic care is covered under a variety of different health insurance plans.

Chiropractic works with the nervous system to improve function and remove any interference from nerve fibers which can cause seizure activity.

If you are curious about how to choose a chiropractor to help a friend or a family member with their seizures, we recommend the following guidelines:

• Find a chiropractor who actually adjusts the spine (some are more focused on other methods).
• Look for a chiropractor who sees families.
• X-Rays are important, and most chiropractors take them in their office.  Flexion and extension as well as lateral flexion X-Rays might show ligament laxity.
• Do not judge a chiropractor by their acceptance of your health insurance.  Experience makes a difference.
• Feel free to ask us.  We can try to help you find a good chiropractor in your area. Leave us a message on our Facebook  or fill out a confidential form here.