ADHD
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and attention deficit disorder (ADD) are common neurobehavioral conditions typically diagnosed in children and adults, respectively. Traditionally treated with drugs, there are case reports suggesting that chiropractic care is an effective treatment for these disorders. As a pediatric, Dr. Heather Brown of Well Adjusted Chiropractic in Scottsdale, Arizona, is your choice for treatment of both children and adults. Book online or call today to schedule a treatment session.
ADHD Q & A
by Heather Brown, DC
What are ADHD and ADD?
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and attention deficit disorder are, as their names suggest, closely related. Both ADHD and ADD feature symptoms in which you may have trouble focusing on a single point of attention. Completing tasks or following through with play may be difficult for you, and others might think you’re not listening to them when they’re speaking directly to you. Following instructions can be hard, as can staying organized.
ADHD adds hyperactivity into the mix, and it’s a condition most often diagnosed in children, and in boys more often than girls. Usually revealing little impulse control, you may be prone to squirming or fidgeting, unable to sit still, along with any of the attention problems mentioned above. ADHD sufferers tend to talk too much, interrupt others, and have trouble with patience.
Though almost anyone may have moods that include any or all of these behaviors, ADHD and ADD diagnoses typically require symptoms lasting six months or more, symptoms that affect work, school, or home life, and behavior that’s not typical for others of the same age without these conditions.
Isn’t Ritalin an effective treatment for these disorders?
Although Ritalin may prove effective in some cases, it’s not a universally effective treatment, and dosage varies widely, so it may take time to find the ideal amount. Ritalin is a Schedule II controlled substance, the same class as drugs such as methadone, oxycodone, and fentanyl.
Ritalin use in the United States has grown to consume 90% of the entire world’s supply of the drug. This highly addictive medication is being prescribed to children as young as three years of age, despite warnings from the manufacturer that use should be restricted to ages six and up. Chiropractic care represents a gentle, drug-free way to ease the symptoms of ADHD in children and ADD in adults.
How does chiropractic care treat ADHD and ADD?
The key principle of chiropractic care restores function and efficiency of the nervous system. Since ADHD represents a disorder of the nervous system, any improvements to the way the nervous system works can only prove beneficial for those functions controlled by it.