Ritalin is a common amphetamine stimulant drug prescribed to children by psychiatrists for the treatment of ADHD. On the street, these drugs are know as “speed” yet they are prescribed to young children to help them settle down and focus.

In a study funded by the FDA, researchers found a 500% increase in the risk of sudden death in kids who took drugs like Ritalin. And it’s not just a risk either. Kids like Matthew Hohmann who suddenly collapsed and died in 2004 who was taking these amphetamine stimulant drugs.

So, what does the FDA say about this? They claim that the “benefits are worth the risks” and continue to allow children all across the nation to take these hard drugs.
SSRIs Prescribed for Autistic Children Make Them Worse
· by S. L. Baker, features writer

In the past decade, prescriptions for Ritalin, a stimulant medication commonly used for attention deficit hyperactivity disorders(AD-HD), increased five-fold, with 90% of all prescriptions worldwide consumed in the United States.  As many parents grow leery of the traditional medical approach to AD-HD, here at the Hoogeveen Health Center in Frisco, TX we are offering promising results with non drug treatments that focus on postural muscles, nutrition and lifestyle changes that affect brain activity.

Our philosophy at the Hoogeveen Health Center is to TREAT THE CHILD NOT THE LABEL.

Some childern many simply have difficulty learning certain subjects, but the current system-in a sense- prompts school officials to encourage their parents to have the children diagnosed with AD-HD, says Dr. Scott Bautch, past president of the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) Council on Occupational Health.  “The higher the number of disabled kids in the school, the more funding the school can apply for”, says Dr. Bautch.

Some teachers might also have difficulty with students who have a different style of learning, according to Dr. Bautch.  If the child is visual learner and the teacher is not perhaps the child is not being taught in a way he or she can learn.  Before diagnosing the child with AD-HD, Dr. Bautch recommends doctors talk to the child and the parents. “Is the child to active? Bored? Has dyslexia or a different learning pattern? It can be a behavior problem, problems at home, or frustrations with the teacher’s style,” explains Dr. Bautch.  “If we went to a conference where the speakers taught in a way we can’t learn,we would be frustrated and would misbehave-we’d get up and leave or chat to the person sitting next to us.”

The traditional medical model, however,seems to follow the cookie-cutter principle. The diagnosis of AD-HD is based on a questionaire.  But this is not enough, says Dr. Robert Melillo, chiropractic neruologist.  True AD-HD patients havae other signs – tics, tremors, balance or postural problems,or unusual sensitivity to touch, movement, sights, sounds.”  Unfortunately, although medications can keep AD-HD under contol, they don’t cure it.  Of the children suffering from AD-DH, 80%  will have AD-DH features in adolescence, and 65% maintain them in aduthood.

Chiropractic Neurologist offer a non-drug and non-invasive treatment for AD-HD patients that targets the underlying problem, not the symtoms.  “Motor activity, especially developement of the postural muscles, is the baseline function of the brain.   Anything affecting postural muscles(child not able to hold up his or her head,  rolling over to soon or to late, crawling or walking to soon or to late is a good example)  all will influence brain develope. Musculoskeletal imbalance will create imbalance of brain activity,  and one part of the brain will develope faster then the other, and that’s what’s happening with AD-DH patients,”  says Dr. Melillo.

Treat the Child NOT the diagnosis!!!

In a study funded by the FDA, researchers found a 500% increase in the risk of SUDDEN DEATH in kids who took drugs like RITALIN. What parent would knowingly do this to their child?

I AM HERE TO TELL YOU THERE IS HOPE!

Chiropractic neurologist are trained to identify the underfunctioning part ot the brain and find treatments to correct the problem, to help that hemisphere grow.  “On every patient, we perform a BRAIN FUNCTION EXAM,”  says dr. Fred Carrick, president of the ACA  Council on Neurology.  “We test visual and auditory relexes through, for example flashing light in the eye, or asking patients to listen to music in one ear or the other.”

When the problem is identified, patients are placed on a treatment program-most of the therapies can be done at home.” Patients are ask to smell curtain things several time a day … or wear special glasses.  We also focus on their individual problems.  Some children, for example, have difficulty with plannng, organization, and coordination- sothe benefit form timing therapies.  They can learn to clap or tap to the interactive metronome (see side bar for information on the interactive metronome), perform spinning and balancing exercises.

Although currnetly no studies comparing chiropractic neurological and medical treatments for AD-HD are available, chiropractic neurologist are compiling the data. We test chidren before they start the treatment and then every three months.  Within the the first three months it is typical for a child to get a two grade improvement on aveage- which is pretty dramatic.  With children on medications, the improvement is academic performances is short term and lasts only as long as they take the medication.  Our programs,  at the Hoogeveen Health Center, change the brain function and the improvement doesn’t go away.