Treatments and solutions for children with ADD, ADHD and hyperactivity problems

• ADD – Attention Deficit Disorder
• ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

The sometimes controversial drug Ritalin (an amphetamine stimulant) is prescribed to many children for the treatment of ADHD. Although the drug causes hyperactive behavior in others, some believe that Ritalin is effective in helping children maintain focus and improve behavior.

Although some researchers believe the drug can be harmful, the FDA considers that the benefits outweighs the risks and they continues to approve the use of the drug, but only as a treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

A different approach

At Parker Chiropractic Wellness Center, our focus on non-drug treatments brings about great promise for our patients. By focusing on postural muscles, nutrition, and lifestyle changes that affect brain activity, we help our patients without the aid of drugs. Our philosophy is to “Treat the Child Not the Label.”
And we are well aware that parents of ADD and ADHD children are becoming increasingly concerned about drug therapy and are seeking natural, drug-free treatments. Even though the current system in a sense prompts school officials to encourage their parents to have their children diagnosed with ADHD (this allows the schools to get more funding), there is a strong movement toward other types of therapy.

Another challenge faced by parents is the fact that some teachers have difficulty with students who have a different style of learning. The child is considered “out of the norm” or a “problem” child which prompts the teacher and school to consider drugs, particularly Ritalin, as a way to help the child learn.

The traditional medical model seems to follow the cookie-cutter principle of basing the diagnosis of ADHD on the responses in a patient and parent questionnaire. This method is inaccurate and short sighted since true ADHD patients can exhibit problems that are often not mentioned on such a questionnaire. Tics, tremors, postural problems and sensitivity to sights, sounds, movement and touch are sometimes present and need to be considered when making a diagnosis.

Drugs are not a cure

Drug therapy lacks the ability to make a marked increase in treating the disorder. Of the children that suffer from ADD and ADHD, 80% will exhibit ADHD in adolescence, and 65% carry the disorder into adulthood. That’s why we offer a non-drug and non-invasive treatment for ADHD patients that targets the underlying problem, not the symptoms.

Both Dr. Alexa Parker and Dr. John Parker are trained to identify the malfunctioning part of the brain and find treatments to correct the problem and to help that hemisphere grow. On every patient, we perform a brain function exam. We test visual and auditory reflexes by flashing light in the eye, for example, or asking patients to listen to music in one ear or the other. When the problem is identified, patients are placed on a treatment program with most therapies being carried out at home.

Some children, for example, have difficulty with planning, organization, and coordination and can benefit from timing therapies. They can learn to clap or tap to the interactive metronome (see side bar for information on the interactive metronome) or perform spinning and balancing exercises.

We test children before they start treatment and then every three months. Typically, a child will show a two-grade improvement within the first three months. (Another reason we do not use drug therapy is improvement from drugs is short term and lasts only as long as the child takes the medication.) Our programs balance brain function and the improvement is lasting.

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If you would like to have more information or to set up a consultation and see how we can help you (or someone you know), with non-drug treatments for ADD and ADHD, give us a call in Sarasota 941.360.8570, in Tampa 813.254.5200 to schedule an appointment.