Children with ADHD: Medical vs. Chiropractic Perspective and Theory - Chiropractic Treatment Attention Deficit Disorder

Children with ADHD: Medical vs. Chiropractic Perspective and Theory
July 2002
NATALIYA V. SCHETCHIKOVA, PHD
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHIROPRACTIC ASSOCIATION

Drug abuse is a horrifying subject for many
American parents. But it has a special meaning
for the parents of about 8 million children
who are labeled with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,
or ADHD. Government officials, schoolteachers
and medical doctors say that if the children do not
take Ritalin now, they will Ïself-medicateÓ with illegal
substances later in life.1,2 But many parents are worried
because Ritalin itself is an addictive substance that produces
pharmacological effects similar to those of
cocaine and amphetamine,3 and their children may
have to take it all their lives, gradually increasing the
dosage.
Ritalin is the No. 1 physiciansÌ choice for ADHD
treatment. The troubling fact is that in the past
decade, doctors have seen a massive increase in Ritalin
prescriptions, says Robert Melillo, DC, DABCN,
whose multidisciplinary clinic specializes in treatment
of neurological disorders. ÏFrom 1990 to 2000, worldwide
use of Ritalin increased five-fold, and 90 percent
of it is consumed in the U.S. When I learned this, my
first reaction was that doctors are over-prescribing the
drug, that this is the latest fad, and that pharmaceutical
companies are pushing the medication.Ó
But when Dr. Melillo started interviewing schoolteachers,
he learned the situation is more complicated:
ÏTeachers told me that all children are now more
impulsive, have shorter attention spans and more language
problems, and demand quick gratification.Ó
More objectively, a comparison of the standardized
fourth-grade tests of the Ì60s and Ì80s showed the tests
have become easier, which should predict better
grades. But the opposite is true.

Typical Diagnostic Scenario
When a childÌs behavior or academic performance
starts troubling teachers, they usually make the preliminary
ADHD diagnosis and report it to the parents.
The parents take the child to a general practitioner or a
pediatrician who ...