Pediatric Services

Chiropractic treatment for ADHD in Orange County

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD is a common disorder in mostly young male children and is characterized by developmentally inappropriate inattention, restlessness, and impulsivity – with or without hyperactivity. Many children are inadvertently diagnosed as having ADHD simply because of hyperactivity and are unnecessarily placed on Ritalin (methylphenidate) as a means of controlling the child. Unfortunately, Ritalin is associated with many common side effects including:

• sleep disturbances
• depression and sadness
• headache
• stomachache
• appetite suppression
• elevated blood pressure
• reduction of growth

The cause of ADHD is unknown to date but a group of chiropractic researchers has hypothesized that this condition may be caused by or worsened by vertebral fixations and misalignments (subluxations) which result in autonomic nervous system hyperactivity. The researchers performed a small scale study and found chiropractic treatment beneficial in children with hyperactivity disorders.

1. The Merck Manual. 16th ed. 1992.
2. Giesen JM, Center DB, Leach RA. An evaluation of chiropractic manipulation as a treatment of hyperactivity in children. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1989;12:353-363.