responsible at least for yourself. Too much TV and video games. No chores. Money for doing nothing. Instant rewards and success. Big expectations for doing nothing. The big
message to the youth is “say no to drugs,” yet, all over our
H ello S&S Off Roaders!
When I was a kid, if I was not paying attention in class, it was an entirely different deal than compared to nowadays. You could get a smack with a ruler or be sent to the principal’s office, stay after school or you had to sit in the corner for a hour, not to mention a call to your parents. I’m only 53 years of age and the older folks I know feared worse than that when and if they were able to attend grade school and were not paying attention in class. Well have times changed and not for the better in my humble opinion. Nowadays, if your kids are not paying attention in school, not performing within the “box” of current expectations, many but not all, teachers and medical doctors love to label those kids with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) or ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Fancy names made up to describe the nonconforming child. Those names (labels if you will) sure sound good and official don’t they? And everyone just eats it up and buys into it. I’ve seen this first hand. I’ve got
kids. Well, the problem is that there is really no evidence to back up these so- called disorders. But the drug companies just love it! If kids are not fitting in the box of expectations at school, they get sent for an “evaluation” by a psychologist. From there, depending on how the evaluation goes, they get sent to the pharmacy to get on certain drugs, like Ritalin. All the time, the schools are preaching “say no to drugs.” Yet, they put these nonconforming kids on drugs to change their behavior. To be fair, some kids seem to need and do benefit from this sort of treatment.
Here is the problem. There is simply no justification for calling any of this a “disorder.” Controversy surrounds the medical treatment, indeed the very existence of ADD and ADHD.
As Psychiatrist Peter Breggin wrote, “Hyperactivity is the most frequent justification for drugging children. The difficult-to-control child is not a new phenomenon but attempts to give him or her a medical diagnosis are the product of modern psychology and psychiatry. At first psychiatrists called hyperactivity a brain disease. When no brain disease could be found, they changed it to “minimal brain disease” or MBD. When no minimal brain disease could be found, the profession transformed the concept into “minimal brain dysfunction.” When no minimal brain dysfunction could be demonstrated, the label became attention deficit disorder. Now it is just assumed to be a real disease, regardless of the failure to prove it so. Biochemical imbalance is
the code word but there is no more evidence for that than there is for actual brain disease.
The use of psychotropic drugs in children (or should I say “on” children?) has exploded in recent years. The number of prescriptions written for
methylphenidate (Ritalin) has increased by a factor of five since 1991. The production of Adderall and Dexedrine, also used to treat ADHD, has risen 2,000% in nine years! The increased use of these drugs in the U.S. is at odds with the rest of the world. According to the U.N., the U.S. produces and consumes 85% of the world’s production of methylphenidate! Wow!
The use of Class II controlled substances to alter the behavior of children is disconcerting to many parents and chiropractors, as is the issue of whether ADD/ADHD can properly be considered a disease. While chiropractors do not “treat” ADD/ADHD, ( which can work well to relieve stress, tension and headaches) the effects of chiropractic treatment on children diagnosed with learning disorders and hyperactivity have been described in a growing body of scholarly publications. These studies suggest that chiropractic care is at least, if not more effective than drugs and does not have the possible side effects of taking such drugs. There are also case reports indicating good results, sometimes great results with chiropractic care. More research is needed in this area. However, the studies will not be funded by the big buck drug companies. Do you think the drug companies really want to hear about a type of treatment that does not use drugs? The commercials are all over your TV set. They even have drugs for “adult attention deficit disorder” now. When will it stop? If I was not paying attention to what my dad was saying to me, that was corrected quickly without the use of any drugs. Same went for the grandparents. They did not have to tell you twice. You older folks know what I mean. Perhaps with both folks working, many parents, if you even have two of them, do not get enough or make enough time to sit their kids down and really explain to them how the world works. Teach them the facts of being independent, being
lamestream media it is “take this drug or that drug
for this and that problem”. And, about 100,000 Americans die every year from preventable medical errors and legal drug side effects and allergic reactions. Not a single person died from seeing a chiropractor or an acupuncturist. Yet, everyday, I meet folks that are afraid to try a chiropractor. Well, now you know the real facts.
How about the sugar fed to the kids nowadays? How about all the TV and video games instead of getting outside and playing? How about the nature of our instant gratification society? How about the trauma to the neck during the birthing process? Did you know broken collar bones happen all the time during birth? Just look up common birth traumas. Some studies are linking traumatic birth to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. So, if your neck has been misaligned since birth, causing nerve interference, tension, soreness at the base of the skull, headaches, how would you know that might be the cause of a health issue associated with that area of the spine? How would you know that your kid has a cavity in a tooth? Well, you would get it examined by a dentist right? So, go to a chiropractor to check on your neck, or your kid’s neck. Same deal, for all the same reasons, to help prevent the little problems from becoming big ones. When the spine is misaligned and or locked in place and causing nerve interference it is called a subluxation. Everyone knows what a cavity in a tooth is and now you know what a subluxation is, for a real change! In the neck, these subluxations can cause tension, vision issues, dry mouth, ringing in the ears, balance problems, hearing problems, pain, tingling, headaches, just to name a
few symptoms. Do you think it is easy to concentrate, focus, pay attention, when you have a headache, neck tension, neck soreness or are off balance? And, if you have had that condition since you were born, you may not notice it much, if at all, as you have learned to live with it. You have accommodated it and may not even know it! Same goes for the kids. More research is needed to explore the relationship of cervical (neck) subluxation correction and brain function. Yet, the dramatic changes that have been reported in children medically diagnosed with ADD/ADHD following chiropractic treatments must not be ignored. Every child with vertebral subluxation (spinal misalignment with nerve interference) needs chiropractic care, regardless of whether or not symptoms are present.
Do you only go to the dentist when you or your kids mouth have pain? Nope, you go on a regular basis for a check up, right? Funny thing is, everyone can get teeth replaced, one way or another. Superman found out the hard way that you cannot replace your spine and nervous system, even with all his money, goodwill and research. So, if you or your kids saw a dentist twice last year for check ups, even though you had no mouth pain, you should have seen a chiropractor at least four times and for all the same reasons, prevention and maintenance, a “tune up” if you will. By correcting nerve interference, function is improved, with greater expression of the human potential. Many report terminating drug therapy and seeing the personality, will and soul of the child unfolding. Do not let the forces that be “label” you or your kids with ADD/ ADHD. Take the time to explore alternatives to drugs when possible. Don’t get this chiropractor wrong as I’m not against the use of medications when really needed. But I am against the AMA and the drug companies selling to the general public like candy! TV ads are a very powerful tool to sell products. The drug companies are very good at using this medium. Do your homework and read up. If you or your kids are having trouble concentrating at work or school, you might want to take a look at non- drug treatments first, instead of as a last resort. These non-drug treatments are very cost effective and safe when compared to medications. These treatments can include simple regular exercise, less TV and video, relaxation/ meditation classes, chiropractic, acupuncture and changes in diet with less sugar, more whole foods. Skip the dessert, enjoy the desert, ride and drive safe!
Dr. Gary De Forest is a San Diego based chiropractor for over 27 years with his clinic in Old Town. He is always happy to answer any questions you may have about your health. He can be reached at
deforest192@yahoo.com or 619-291- 2462. References to this article are extensive and can be sent to you via request. Dr. De Forest wants to give much of the credit in this article to Christopher Kent, D.C. of the Chiropractic Leadership Alliance (CLA) and this information can be accessed at
www.subluxation.com/resources/doctor- kent-library/children-addadhd-and- chiropractic.
www.SS-OffRoadMagazine.com - MAY 2011 - S&S OFF ROAD MAGAZINE 27
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