ADHD in Children
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder that affects an individual’s behavior, attention and learning. ADHD is one of the most researched conditions found in kids, and the number of children who are getting treated for it is rising each year.
Over 6% of school-age children have been diagnosed with ADHD. Many children with this disorder have reading disabilities, learning problems, tendencies of being distracted, impulsiveness, and a degree of unpredictability in their behavior.
Potential Causes of ADHD
While experts can’t pinpoint one specific cause for ADHD, the disorder may be caused by a number of things.
Research shows that:
ADHD is a neurobiological condition with symptoms that are also dependent on a child’s environment
A lower level of activity in the part of the brain that controls attention and activity level might be associated with ADHD
ADHD often runs in the family
Toxins in a child’s environment may lead to ADHD, though this is very rare
In some cases, significant head injuries might lead to ADHD
Prenatal substance abuse (i.e. alcohol, nicotine, etc.) increase a child’s risk of developing ADHD
What Challenges Do Children with ADHD Face?
The most obvious problems that children with ADHD will face are reading and learning difficulties. School performances will most likely suffer, which results in daily challenges for the student, their parents, and even their teachers.
Children with ADHD also tend to be overwhelmed by their environment, deal with strong feelings of anger and resentment, low self-esteem, and other problems that follow them into adulthood.
Perhaps the most debilitating challenge that kids with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder face is the heavy reliance on stimulant medication.
Stimulant medication can cause fluctuations in a child’s attention, problems exerting control over their behavior throughout the day, behavioral rebound (a short period of irritability or moodiness as medication wears off) and appetite suppression.
Chiropractic Care for Treating ADHD
With the number of complications that arise from stimulant medication alone, more and more parents are looking to complementary and alternative medicine like chiropractic care.
Chiropractic medicine focuses on manipulating the spine and nervous system in order to bring alignment, pain relief and healing without the use of medication.
So here’s the big question: can chiropractic care help children with ADHD; and if so, how?
ADHD is a neurological condition that affects the behavior, focus and mood; but because it is a brain-based condition, many people have reported that chiropractic adjustments have helped them or their children with managing ADHD and its symptoms.
If you or your child is searching for an alternative ADHD treatment, chiropractic care might be for you!
Children are a primary focus for us at Living Hope Chiropractic. If you live in the Greenwood area and are interested in pursuing chiropractic treatment for you or your child, contact us today to set up an initial evaluation and scans!