- Inattention
- Hyperactivity
- Impulsive Behavior
- Difficulty Concentrating
It
is estimated that between 3 and 5 percent of children have ADHD -
approximately 2 million children in the United States - and is much
more common in boys than girls. This means that in a classroom of 25
to 30 children, it is likely that at least one will have ADHD.
However, because many normal children may show some of these same
behaviors as well, it is important that a child receive a thorough
examination and appropriate diagnosis before any treatment is
considered.
It is not entirely certain what causes ADHD, but the current
thought is that it is a combination of an overactive nervous system,
coupled with a decrease in the brain's ability to filter out extraneous
sights, sounds, thoughts and emotions. There are a number of things that your acupuncturist can do to help eliminate things that stress a child's
nervous system, such as:
- Remove muscle tension that may irritate the nervous system
- Suggest dietary changes to avoid common problem foods
- Test for allergies that may be stressing the nervous system
- Suggest changes to the home to help reduce exposure to toxic chemicals
The
most common medical treatment is the use of the drug methylphenidate,
also known as Ritalin. Ritalin is actually a stimulant drug that
normally speeds up the activity of the nervous system. But for reasons
that are not entirely clear, it tends to have a calming effect on those
who suffer from ADHD; possibly by increasing the activity in the area
of the brain responsible for filtering out extraneous sensation.The
problem with taking Ritalin is that is does not do anything to resolve
the cause of the ADHD, it only masks the symptoms. Continued use of
Ritalin over long periods of time has also been shown to have
detrimental effects on the brain itself, as well as leading to addictive behaviors. It is important as a parent
to look at all treatment options before placing your child on Ritalin
and Nutrition and Chinese medicine is a great place to start. Contact us today!