According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), approximately 11% of children aged 4-17 have been diagnosed with ADHD.

That’s 6.4 million kids, and the numbers are rising. According to Web MD, two-thirds of the children diagnosed with ADHD take prescription medication.

Since medications such as Ritalin, Focalin, Concerta and Vyvanse being prescribed rather liberally, many of our children are on medications that are both addictive and often unnecessary. ADHD, while challenging, can be treated through natural modalities, including lifestyle, dietary and environmental changes.

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Try Prevention First!

We all know the saying that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and in the case of ADHD, this is definitely the case. Take the following nutrition and lifestyle actions to minimize your child’s chances of developing ADHD and to reduce symptoms:

• Practice self-care during pregnancy, including developing habits that help you remain calm and serene. Nap, meditate, engage in gentle exercise and take good care of yourself. By keeping yourself emotionally healthy, you will increase your child’s health.
• Avoid medication, nicotine, alcohol and other substances that may harm your baby while in utero.
• Breast milk contains essential nutrients and antibodies that support a healthy immune system.
• Eat as natural and organic a diet as possible, and feed your child healthful foods as well. Avoid pesticides and herbicides, and eat a diet of whole, unprocessed foods.
• Use natural alternatives to pesticides and cleaning products.
• Keep an eye out for symptoms of allergies.
• Establish a healthy sleep routine.
• Avoid food dyes, preservatives and additives in the diet. Limit sugar consumption.

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Natural ADHD Treatment Options

If your child has been diagnosed with ADHD, explore the following possibilities:

• Look into learning disabilities and other possible causes of the problems. ADHD is the “easy” diagnosis. In many cases, a learning disability such as dyslexia is the real problem. In other cases, unmanaged anxiety is the root cause. Ask a holistic doctor to examine your child for other possible contributing factors before putting your child on medication for ADHD.
• Look for classic ADHD symptoms. According to Dr. Robert Melillo, a chiropractic neurologist, “True ADHD patients have other symptoms: tics, tremors, balance or postural problems… or unusual sensitivity to touch, movement, sights or sounds.” Make sure the diagnosis is accurate before accepting medication as a possible solution.

Next explore natural treatment options, such as the following:

• Daily exercise, which helps your child release tension and learn to focus
• Chiropractic treatment of musculoskeletal imbalance. “Motor activity, especially development of the postural muscles, is the baseline of brain activity,” Dr. Melillo says. “Musculoskeletal imbalance will create imbalances of brain activity, and one part of the brain will develop faster than the other. That’s what’s happening in ADHD patients.”
• Timing therapies, such as clapping or tapping to a metronome, or spinning and balancing exercises.
• Acupuncture to increase focus, reduce anxiety and improve overall brain function.

Dr. Melillo tests his patients before starting treatment and then every three months after beginning treatment. He reports that the average patient experiences a two-grade increase in academic performance by the end of the first three months of treatment. In comparison, children taking prescription medications typically only test better while taking the meds and only experience short term improvement.

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Looking for a Huntersville Chiropractor for ADHD Treatments?

Doyle Chiropractic and Acupuncture can help!

Call 704-947-7272 to have your child evaluated for natural ADHD treatment options. We accept most insurance plans.