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Dr. Boomer Asks...
ADD/ADHD – Is it Real?
The ADD/ADHD diagnosis is controversial at best, or a sham to get lots of kids on medication for typical childhood behaviors, at its worst!
The symptoms of ADD/ADHD include inattention, impulsivity, hyperactivity, and behaviors such as difficulty waiting one’s turn, easy distractibility, inability to focus, restlessness, difficulty following directions. Gee, these seem like relatively normal behaviors that most children display at different times during their childhood years or maybe even at different times every day!
Because of that fact, the definition has been further defined to say these behaviors must begin before the child is seven, last for longer than six months, and be far more pronounced or noticeable than in other children of the same age. And…these behaviors must seriously affect at least two major areas of the child’s life, such as school, home, friendships, and social settings.
So the question that begs answering is this…does ADD/ADHD really exist as a bona fide illness, or is it a behavioral issue that exists between the child and certain environments in which he/she interacts? Is medication really the answer for a child at the age of 3, 4, 5 or 6? And why does this diagnosis tend to magically disappear in approximately 70% of the diagnosed population when the child reaches adulthood? Hmmmmmmm…
For the record, many children exhibit these symptoms in environments where they are not stimulated or challenged enough or where they are over–stimulated and cannot filter out what isn’t important. On the other hand, ADD/ADHD children act quite normally when they are in a doctor’s office, when they are engaged in an activity they enjoy, when they are in self–paced learning environments or when they are in engaged one-on-one with an adult, usually the father!
Impressive changes have been reported in children diagnosed with ADD/ADHD following chiropractic care. The October 2004 issue of the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT) contained a case study about a five-year old child diagnosed with ADHD, who experienced a significant reduction in symptoms following regular chiropractic care. In fact the author of the case study was quoted as saying, “The patient experienced significant reduction in symptoms. Additionally, the medical doctor concluded that the reduction in symptoms was significant enough to discontinue the medication.”
Drugs, such as Addarall and Ritalin with unknown long-term side effects or chiropractic care? Doesn’t seem like much of a decision now, does it?
