Autism Spectrum Disorder Care in Brookfield
Every family walks through our doors with different questions, comfort levels, and ideas about what a good visit looks like. For families of a person with autism, those questions often come before anything about the appointment itself.
Understanding a Spectrum, Not a Single Experience
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition related to differences in how the brain develops and functions. It can affect communication, social interaction, learning, movement, behavior, and the way a person experiences sensory input like sound, light, touch, or movement.
Autism truly is a spectrum. One child or adult may have very different strengths, challenges, preferences, and needs than another. We know people may prefer different language when talking about autism, and we are happy to follow what feels right to them.
The Questions Families Bring In With Them
Will my child be comfortable here? What if they do not like being touched? What if new places are hard for them? Will you understand if they need more time or communicate differently?
Some parents also come to us thinking about their child’s overall well-being, including sleep, digestion, sensory challenges, or communication frustrations. Families have shared changes they noticed while their child was under chiropractic care, including more regular bowel movements, improved sleep, periods of greater calm, changes in the amount or intensity of stimming, and clearer communication of needs.
Those are individual experiences, not a promise of what chiropractic care will do for another child. Chiropractic care has not been established as a treatment for autism itself. Our goal is not to “fix” autism or change who someone is. It’s to understand the person in front of us and determine whether chiropractic care is appropriate for their individual needs.
We Meet Them Where They Are
Before we think about an adjustment, we want to understand what will help someone feel comfortable. That may mean learning how they communicate, what types of touch they tolerate, their sensory sensitivities, previous healthcare experiences, and what tends to make appointments easier or harder.
For one person, that might mean walking around the office first. Another might want to watch a parent or sibling get adjusted. We can demonstrate what we are going to do, let them see or touch an instrument beforehand, change positions, keep things quieter, take a break, or give them extra time. Sometimes a successful first visit is simply getting comfortable with us.
If chiropractic care is appropriate, our pediatric approach is individualized based on the child, their age, examination findings, and what they are comfortable with that day. For adults, care is adapted in much the same way. There is no single “autism adjustment.”
Chiropractic care may be appropriate for musculoskeletal concerns within our scope of practice, and some families include it as part of a broader health and wellness routine. It should never replace appropriate medical care, developmental services, occupational therapy, speech therapy, educational support, or other services a person may need.
What Helps Beyond the Visit
There is no single roadmap for every person with autism. Predictability, respecting sensory preferences, and finding the communication style that works for someone can make unfamiliar situations easier.
When something changes suddenly, it can help to look beyond the behavior. Is the child uncomfortable, constipated, exhausted, overstimulated, in pain, anxious, or hungry? Sometimes behavior is communication. Sleep, movement, nutrition, hydration, time outside, familiar routines, and opportunities to regulate and recharge can also be important pieces of overall well-being.
The right support team may include a pediatrician or primary care provider, occupational therapist, speech-language pathologist, developmental specialists, teachers, mental health professionals, a chiropractor, and others. As much as possible, we also want the person receiving care to have a voice in what happens to their body. Their comfort, communication, boundaries, and trust matter.
What Our Patients Say
Since beginning care at McCann Chiropractic, we’ve noticed that Jameson is much more regulated in the days following his adjustments. He’s happy and excited when it’s time to go to his appointments, which speaks volumes to how comfortable and supported he feels.
From the very beginning, the professional and positive atmosphere at McCann Chiropractic made us feel incredibly welcome. Every visit is thorough and never rushed, and we have complete trust in the staff and the care Jameson receives.
One moment that truly stands out was our first meeting with Dr. Pat. From the start, we felt like we had found our new home at McCann Chiropractic. Seeing the sign in the lobby that read, “You are right where you need to be,” felt like confirmation that we were exactly where we were meant to be. Dr. Pat’s personality and genuine care sold us from the very first moments.
The benefits of chiropractic care are truly immeasurable. Spinal health impacts all areas of life, and chiropractic care is about so much more than just a backache. While our journey with McCann Chiropractic is just beginning, we are confident, excited, and looking forward to a long partnership ahead. – Jameson’s Parents.
We started at McCann Chiropractic for our son, Deon when he was 2 years old. As an infant, he had so many ear infections that were never ending and we finally decided to do surgery for ear tubes. We thought after putting ear tubes in we were done with ear infections, but unfortunately they came back again. Apart from ear infections, Deon had terrible constipation issues when he was a baby, and as parents, we did not want to use over the counter medications for our son every time he was struggling with it.
We did a lot of research online and found out that chiropractic care could help us with our son’s ear infection and constipation. We found McCann Chiropractic and I should say we came to the right place for our son, Deon.
After starting care, we could see a big change with Deon. It took some time for our son to get used to the adjustments, but Dr. Pat did an amazing job of keeping track of his needs and doing the right adjustments. Deon was very healthy during the winter after we started getting him adjusted, which surprised us for not having a single visit to the urgent care for fever or ear infection.
Not only did we see great changes in his physical development, Deon also showed improvement in his academic skills too, which allows him to learn and focus more at the day care and in his classroom work. Finally, we are very happy to say that McCann Chiropractic is the best place to go if you are a parent that wants to get the best service in chiropractic care.
Dr. Pat and Dr. Kate are amazing with families and always make it a priority to listen to the parent’s concern in regard to their child. My son, Deon loves Dr. Pat a lot and he always welcomes kids with a big smile on his face. The staff is amazing and does an excellent job. They are so flexible with your scheduling and always provide the best service. – Deon’s Parents
A Place Where Families Feel Heard
At McCann Chiropractic, our team takes the time to understand each person’s communication, sensory, and comfort needs. Contact us today to talk about what a visit could look like.
