ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a relatively common condition that tends to emerge in children during their early school years. The most common signs of ADHD are:
- Inattention
- Hyperactivity
- Impulsive Behavior
- Difficulty Concentrating
It is estimated that between 3 and 5 percent of children have ADHD - approximately 2 million children in the United States - and is much more common in boys than girls. This means that in a classroom of 25 to 30 children, it is likely that at least one will have ADHD.
It is not entirely certain what causes ADHD, but the current thought is that it is a combination of an overactive nervous system, coupled with a decrease in the brain's ability to filter out extraneous sights and sounds, That said, there are a number of things that chiropractic can do to help eliminate those things that stress a child's nervous system, such as:
- Remove spinal subluxations that irritate the nervous system
- Suggest dietary changes to avoid common problem foods
- Suggest changes to the home to help reduce exposure to toxic chemicals
To many times, the medical treatment for ADHD is drugs like methylphenidate, also known as Ritalin. Ritalin is actually a stimulant drug that normally speeds up the activity of the nervous system. The problem with taking Ritalin is that it does not do anything to resolve the cause of the ADHD, it only masks the symptoms. In addition, continued use of Ritalin has shown to have detrimental effects on the brain itself. Obviously we want nothing less than the best for our kids, so more and more parents are turning to chiropractic care as a natural, effective approach.
