Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) usually becomes evident in preschool
or early elementary years. The median age of onset is seven years, and the disorders usually persists into adolescence
and adulthood.
ADHD also affects an estimated 4.1% of adults, making it one of the most common psychiatric disorders. An accurate
diagnosis lays the foundation for the safe and effective treatments available for disorder management.
Despite years of research, the exact cause of ADHD is still not fully understood. There are numerous factors
that may contribute to the development of ADHD, including:
- Genetic factors
- History of head injury
- Infections of the brain and spinal cord
- Premature birth
- Exposure to tobacco, alcohol or other drugs while in the womb
- Lead, mercury or other heavy metal poisoning
- Food allergies and intolerances
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Auditory processing disorder
- Sensory integration dysfunction
The History of Medication for ADHD
Modern medicine has tried valiantly to find effective methods for treating ADHD. For almost two decades, Western medicine
embraced pharmaceutical drugs as the answer, but those days appear to be dwindling.
Since the 1990s, a series of studies have monitored the treatment of 600 children with ADHD across the U.S. A year
into their research, the scientists concluded that medication like Ritalin and Concerta worked better than psychotherapy
for ADHD. This proclamation influenced medical practices on both sides of the Atlantic, and prescription rates in the
U.S. and the U.K. sky-rocketed.
Then in 2007, the same researchers did a complete about-face.
After a longer-term analysis, they reversed their decision, saying that drug therapy does not work and can
stunt growth in children. After 3 years of Ritalin treatment, children are about an inch shorter and 6
pounds lighter than their peers who do not take the drug, according to a 2007 study in the Journal of the American
Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Because medication may no loner be a safe or effective option for children and adolescents, the use of complimentary
and alternative therapies is becoming increasingly prevalent.
Complementary and Alternative Therapies for ADHD
Fortunately, there are many complementary and alternative therapies that help to address the symptoms of ADHD. The following
represents recent research findings into some of the more useful methods.
