Children are a source of happiness, laughter and love. Yet in 1975, 150,000 American children were being drugged to treat a little known condition called Hyperactivity Disorder. By 1997, that number had skyrocketed to 4.4 million. Today, it is estimated that more than 6 million children in the U.S., diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), are taking powerful, psychiatric drugs.

Some quiet symptoms of this disorder are: making frequent mistakes, failing to pay attention to details, not listening when spoken to, losing things, forgetfulness, easy distractibility, etc. Types of active symptoms are: fidgeting, squirming, talking incessantly, blurting out answers, etc.

Is Attention Deficit a chemical imbalance? Enthusiasts for drug treatment claim hyperactivity in children is a biochemical imbalance. However, the National Institute of Mental Health admitted at their 1998 Consensus Development Conference on the Diagnosis and Treatment of ADHD: "We don’t have an independent, valid test for ADHD; there is no data to indicate that ADHD is due to a brain malfunction; existing studies come to conflicting conclusions."

There are two possible approaches to treating a child with ADD/ADHD: First, drugs such as Ritalin®, Adderall®, Cylert®, Dexedrine®, Syban®,Luvox®, and Zoloft®. Or, a drug-free approach which would include removing chemical irritants such as chlorine in water, chemicals in furnishings, decorating products, cleaning products, insect repellents and pesticides. The diet must be changed from refined carbohydrates, processed foods (which contain Salicylates), dairy products, artificial colors, flavors and preservatives to one of whole, natural foods. Acupuncture and Chiropractic treatments can help desensitize the body to all these irritants.

Sylvie Morin is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine with a specialty in nutrition. To schedule a free consultation, contact Health For Life, 402 N. Babcock, Suite 101, Melbourne, 321-259-0555.