Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is thought to be a neurologically based disorder caused by genetic based factors. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder comes in various forms. The various forms are grouped under the category of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). From there the forms are subdivided into ADHD Inattentive Type, ADHD Impulsive-Hyperactive Type or ADHD Combined Type. 

A recent study brain mapping with computerized electroencephalography before and after a treatment with the blocks demonstrated how effective the treatment is on a patient with a history of hyperactivity, respiratory problems and migraines. To read the study click on the blocks.

Researchers from the Center for Pediatric Research in Virginia report that doctors appear to be overprescribing drugs to grade-school children (American Journal of Public Health, September 1999). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is thought to affect only three percent of children to the extent that medication is prescribed. However, this study finds that between 8-10 percent of children in second through fifth grades routinely take medication for ADHD. Among fifth graders, one of every five white males is taking ADHD medication. Most experts seem to think that doctors are misdiagnosing these children.
Various medical groups interested in pediatric and adolescent medicine are starting to formulate guidelines to help doctors evaluate patients for attention deficit disorder, which they say is a popular but often mistaken diagnosis. A spokesman for the National Attention Deficit Disorder Association says that many doctors use Ritalin as a diagnostic tool: they prescribe it, and if it works the patient is diagnosed with ADD. Most organizations developing guidelines will be urging doctors to consider psychological factors and consider alternatives to drug therapy.

Causes of ADHD
There are many theories of the causes of ADHD with each being formed from the perspective of the healthcare specialty espousing the theory. A genetic specialist observes the condition runs in families and that there is a strong genetic component. A nutritionist will observe a nutritional component. A chiropractor will observe a structural component. If one is into heavy metal toxicity, they will observe heavy metal toxicity. No one knows for sure what causes ADHD, but each observation is valid and contributes a part in this condition. Each healthcare specialist has developed their own treatment for ADD/ADHD. Each has had some success, looking at the parts individually and attempting to create a change in the ADHD behavior.

A study published in Pediatrics (Pediatrics, April 2004) reports a strong correlation between attention deficit disorder and television viewing early in life. The study concludes that the risk of being diagnosed with ADHD at age 7 increases nearly 10 percent for each hour children watch television per day between the ages of 1 and 3. A report in the journal Pediatrics suggests that many children diagnosed with ADHD may just be suffering from a lack of sleep. This study found that about one fourth of 5- to 7-year-old children with mild symptoms of ADHD snored , suggesting a disturbed sleep pattern. 

A smaller percentage of cases of ADHD are due to environmental causes, including prenatal use of alcohol, tobacco and cocaine, and exposure to lead, which can alter brain development in the fetus. Additionally, some postnatal problems, such as meningitis, encephalitis, chronic high levels of lead or anemia during the first two years, or severe head trauma, can result in ADHD.
Another biological component of ADHD has to do with levels of two key neurotransmitters in the brain: dopamine and norepinephrine . Dopamine is one of the major neurochemicals responsible for transmission of nerve impulses throughout the brain, and is the precursor to norepinephrine, thought to be essential in regulating impulse control, organization and attention. Those with ADHD generally have higher levels of a transporter protein that decrease the level of dopamine transmitted between neurons, resulting in a dopamine (and thus norepinephrine) deficiency. Medications like methylphenidate HCL (Ritalin and Concerta) and other stimulants work directly on this mechanism, making more dopamine available for transmission by blocking those proteins, while the newest ADHD drug, atomoxetine (Strattera), works only on the norepinephrine pathway.

A child with a severally distorted head was brought in to this office. The child would not let his head be touched, covered or even his hair cut. If the child ate anything harder than cooked carrots, he would have projectile vomiting. The nerves of the dura mater were in such an alarm state that any pressure on the head would cause a reaction of vomiting to reduce the pressure in the head. The child could only grunt in the way of speech. The sides of his head were compressed inward from birth trauma changing the speech centers of the brain. But he was very clever in thinking things out. The forehead was expanded allowing for advanced development of his pre-cognition area of the brain. His head was so sensitized that it was difficult to work on him. After three or four treatment the grunts turned into words and words into sentences. Due to the severity of the distortion and the need to build trust that cranial correction would make him feel better, changes took time but eventually the problem was corrected. 

Functional Healthcare perspective of ADHD
Functional Healthcare asks the question: what must occur in the body – physiologically, neurologically and anatomically - for the things observed to be a contributing factor in ADHD? The Functional Healthcare model is to act locally but think globally. Functional Healthcare recognizes that no part of the body can be separate from the whole, allowing us to lay out the information for you as it applies to ADHD. There are several reoccurring theories associated with ADHD:
1. Environmental triggers
2. Head trauma
3. Neurotransmitter deficiency
4. Brain abnormality
5. Anatomic differences in the brain
6. Food allergies/sensitivities
7. Lack of sleep, snoring, grinding teeth
8. Onset at about 7 to 8 years of age
Each individual may have some or all of the theories. Each of these can be viewed separately or we can look for common links between this small list of symptoms. 
ADHD and Environmental Triggers
ADHD is not caused by environmental triggers as commonly believed to be associated with the disorder. ADHD is complicated and compounded by environmental triggers such as:
· too much TV
· food allergies
· eating too much sugar
· poor home life
· poor teaching and/or schools
· permissive parenting
Some of the external triggers listed are within a parents control and other are not. However, the internal triggers are not and require careful evaluation and examination of what must happen in the ADHD person for the internal triggers to occur.

ADHD and Altered Brain Waves
For years, ADHD was thought to be a disruptive behavior disorder that most experts intuitively believed involved some brain abnormality. With the development of more sophisticated brain scanning techniques, it is now known that people with ADHD do have anatomical differences in their brains, as well as differences in the biochemical balance that controls everything from mood to impulses. Some areas of the brain are smaller, or have structural abnormalities compared to those without ADHD. And, it appears, the brains of girls with ADHD may be different than the brains of boys with the disorder. Children with ADHD may also have differences in their brain wave activity; with one study finding those with ADHD had slower brain waves than those without, but that the brain waves of girls with ADHD were just half as slow as boys' brain waves.

Brain waves are electrical activity produced by the cells in the brain, called neurons, as they communicate with each other, somewhat like the electrical activity which takes place in a computer. Brain waves are measured in frequency, expressed waves per second, or Hertz (Hz). Brain waves are grouped together in frequency bands, based upon different states of consciousness or types of mental functioning. Theta band (4 to 8 Hz) tends to predominate in lighter phases of sleep. Delta band (0 to 4 Hz) deep, dreamless sleep, Alpha band (8 to 13 Hz) brain awake but on idle, and Beta band (13 and above) focused attention. A predominance of delta and theta activity in the brain is considered abnormal and indicative of direct trauma or physical pressure. 

People with ADHD produce more theta waves than non-ADHD people, while producing fewer Beta Waves. ADHD people often have problems with alpha-blocking, tending to produce an excessive amount of alpha activity while on task. This abnormal brain wave pattern becomes more pronounced when a person with ADHD tries to do some intellectual task, such as reading or math.

When the child is being formed in the mother’s womb, two cells join to form one. They begin dividing – one into two, two into four, etc, on and on until the child is formed with the brain and spinal cord being formed first. On day twenty seven after conception, the brain begins pumping cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The heart begins beating at day forty. Cerebrospinal fluid bathes the brain with nutrition - removing waste products and serving as added protection from bumps and knocks on the head. The CSF flows down the dura mater, covering the spinal cord to the tailbone. Ebbing and flowing like ocean tides, breathing in moves the CSF into the head. Women wearing a head band may notice the ends pressing into their head when they breathe in. This is the head bones expanding from the pressure of the CSF moving into the head. Breathing out moves CSF into the spinal cord and out into the nerve roots, pooling in the sacral well located just above the tailbone. 
If this CSF movement doesn’t occur, the nerves and brain aren’t fed and waste products accumulate. Any twist in the dura mater, from the pelvis to the head, can block proper CSF movement. A study using Sacro Occipital Pelvic Blocking procedures done on a student with ADHD showed remarkable changes in brain wave patterns. This study revealed that even a remote disturbance in the flow of CSF causing abnormal brain waves can be corrected once the pelvic problem is removed. The immediate results were decreases in delta and theta waves and increases in alpha waves. The increase in alpha waves after the correction is an indication of the return of normal brain function. 
ADHD and Head Trauma

If we know there are altered brain wave patterns occurring with people with ADHD, we must ask why they are occurring. Since ADHD is thought to be a genetic, neurologically based disorder, we would expect that outside of acquiring the symptoms from a head injury, the ADHD individual was born with the disorder. Even though the disorder might not become a problem until the second or third grade when school work becomes more demanding, one would expect to see at least some of the symptoms before age seven. There must be a logical explanation for this observation.

The answer is the head injury occurred during the birth process. The brain being mostly liquid conforms to the shape of the cranial bones. There is a membrane called the Falx Tentorum and Cerebri that separates the lobes of the brain attached to the inside of the cranium. The membrane is much like the membrane that separates the meat of a walnut. Thus the distorted bones change the shape, chemistry and brain wave activity of the brain. Early signs can be childhood development that is delayed or advanced due to certain areas of the brain being compressed or enlarged due to the abnormal cranial molding as shown in the examples below. 

During the normal birth process, the cranium of the fetus molds to allow it to accommodate the shape of the birth canal. The frontal and occipital bones telescope under the parietal bones and the parietal bones lock together at the sagittal suture. This locking of the parietal bones probably protects the infant’s brain and prevents excessive molding and subsequent neurological damage. [link to Marc Pick’s book]

The dura mater, a membrane which is attached to the inside of the cranial bones, forming the falx cerebri and tentorum, which make up the reciprocal tension membranes separating the lobes of the brain passes through to sutures to become the outer covering of the cranial bones. This serves to protect excessive cranial molding with stress bands within the membranes. To alert your brain of possible injury, these membranes contain pain sensing nerve endings that carry messages very quickly, warning of any possible danger. Arbuckle (Arbuckle BE. The Selected Writings of Beryl E. Arbuckle. Indianapolis: American Academy of Osteopathy 1994) notes that while the membranes serve to resist and protect the brain from excessive molding, they can transfer the distortion to the vault when distortion of the skull base occurs.

The distortion in the skull base occurs during the delivery process. Prolonged labors alone will cause head distortions but more often than not other interventions such as forceps, suction and C-section will worsen the distortion. Fast short labor (Precipitate labor) can cause some of the most challenging issues to be corrected due to the excessively rapid cranial compression and expansion creating stress on the dura mater and nervous system.

Even normal childbirth is traumatic for the child. Childbirth has become a surgical procedure. Drugs are used to induce labor, increasing the contractile force of the uterus using the baby’s head as a battering ram to force open the cervix. The forced labor and/or cesarean delivery will cause cranial distortion. This results in a cranial sutural lesion, which is a part of the weight bearing system of the body. The weight bearing system of the body includes the pelvis and specific muscles which assist us in walking up right. A classic sign of pelvic involvement is when the baby cries when its hips are flexed and legs moved out to the side when their diapers are changed.

Induction of labor may be necessary for the well being of the mother and child. Proper management of birthing often eliminates the need for labor induction. Dulas and mid-wives are very successful in child delivery management. Dr. Peterson recently completed a course in Pregnancy and Pediatrics’ – A Chiropractic Approach developed by Dr. Stephen Williams, D.C., F.C.C. (paed), F.C.C. (cranio). [Link to Amazon to purchase Steve’s book]

Delivering the baby while lying on the back decreases the diameter of the birth canal, which means the baby’s head is forced through a smaller opening. Brow and face presentations result in the excessive extension of the neck and stress the upper spine and base of the skull. These children will have significant facial swelling and bruising as their face is jammed against the mother’s pubic bone.

If the baby’s head is not properly engaged in the birth canal, it often results in difficult labor and operative interventions being used. These babies' are at higher risk of low oxygen levels. The mother can help herself and her baby by lying on the same side as the baby’s spine during the last few weeks of pregnancy. Your doctor, doula, midwife or chiropractor trained in pediatrics should be able to tell you which side the baby’s spine is on. Operative delivery tools such as forceps are often used often causing facial and arm nerve damage. These children as adults more frequently have bruxism (teeth grinding), TMJ and orthodontic problems. Caesarean section deliveries are becoming more common. There are major differences in the level of trauma and symptoms that develop in these children. C-section is often used after all other attempts at delivery have failed and is used in response to fetal distress. Babies born by elective C-section do not have the trauma of labor to stress their systems. While having less birth trauma, they have greater incidence of ear infections and dental cavities from not have been inoculated by the bacterial flora in the mother’s birth canal and have higher retention of the birth reflexes that are not extinguished during the birth process. 

Molding should normalize within 24 hours of birth and the infants head should regain its shape. Molding that exists longer than this will cause the anatomic differences and brain abnormalities observed in ADHD children. Molding that persists for longer than this is an indication for cranial examination and care by a SOT/Cranial Doctor.

ADHD and Impaired Sleep, Snoring, Bruxism
ASTRONAUTS have to put up with many inconveniences, but snoring bunkmates is not one of them. A new study shows that the microgravity aboard an orbiting craft virtually eliminates snoring and greatly reduces other breathing problems during sleep. Researchers monitored five space shuttle astronauts. When asleep on Earth, they snored about 16 per cent of the time. In space, it was less than 1 per cent of the time. The orbiting astronauts also experienced only half as much apnea and hypopnea, two common breathing disruptions that can interrupt sleep (American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, vol 164, p 478). They were able to cause a slight vibration detectable by the voice microphone when the astronauts wore a EEG cap (think old fashioned bathing cap). 

What does this information tell us? Many of you may be thinking about sending your kid into space but that is not the answer. Earlier, we discussed how the cranial sutural lesion caused a weight bearing lesion of the body. What is the one thing missing in space? Gravity. In the absence of gravity, there is no weight bearing lesion present resulting in a significant decrease in snoring, apnea and disruptions of sleep patterns. The EEG cap compressed the cranium mimicking gravity to a very slight degree.

The cranial sutural lesion causes the masseter muscle used in chewing to contract during the day when a person is standing upright. The clenching of the jaw is used to stabilize the cranial sutural lesion. This also tightens the soft palate at the back of the throat, which causes the membranes to vibrate as air passes over them at night, causing the noise associated with snoring. Then at night, the person will grind their teeth to loosen this muscle to allow circulation of cerebro-spinal fluid and blood supply to the brain. This grinding will flatten the teeth, causing the bite to change, creating orthodontic problems and TMJ dysfunction.

ADHD and Food Allergies/Sensitivities
What must happen for food allergies or sensitivities to occur? Is food the problem? The answer is yes, if you are thinking of junk food. In regards to other food the answer is No. Aside from the pesticide/herbicide/hormone issues, food isn’t bad. If it was everyone would have major allergies. This brings us back to the original question – what must happen for food allergies and sensitivities to occur in our body? In order to know what is not working, you must know how it is supposed to work. What must happen for food to be broken down properly? To find out the answer go to [link to GI page].

As we have discussed earlier, the cranial distortion causes a change in the bite. The change in the bite through the grinding down of the teeth and TMJ combined with the changes in the shape of the head will activate the pain sensing nerve ending in the dural membranes. Every time the child bites on a piece of food that requires chewing, it will send pain signals to the brain. The child will sense pain and associate it with the food, creating a dislike for the food.

The problem lies in that chewing stimulates the digestive juices production. Without chewing the digestive juices will not be able to chemically break-down the food. The food will stay in the digestive tract and the fermentation, putrification, malabsorption and sensitization associated with Dysbiosis will begin. [Link to Dysbiosis page.]

The food stays in the gut longer, causing the Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue (GALT) immune system to begin recognizing the food as an invader creating an allergic reaction to the food. The longer the inflammation of the GALT reaction remains active, the greater the chance of environmental triggers becoming problems. Elimination/avoidance diets will help temporarily. But the GALT reaction will cause a sensitization to whatever the current diet is. The child could eat the most organic vegan diet possible and would still become sensitized to food and environmental triggers. Only restoration of five priorities of Functional Healthcare will have long lasting correction of Dysbiotic Sensitization.

ADHD and Neurotransmitter Deficiency
Any adverse antigen that interacts with the GALT will trigger an inflammatory response that will create a vicious cycle which includes inflammation, pain, free radical damage and cause decreased blood supply to the gut. Earlier it was noted that there is a deficiency in the neurotransmitters Norepinephrine and Dopamine associated with ADHD. Norepinephrine is a transmitter substance of the peripheral sympathetic nervous system. Research has shown that digestive organs produce about one-half of the norepinephrine formed in the body. There are also studies to show that digestive organs produce close to half of the dopamine formed in the body, most of which is unlikely to be derived from sympathetic nerves. The sympathetic nervous system is the flight or fight system of your body. Anytime there is any stress, this system will be activated. The cranial lesion puts the body in a chronic state of stress.

The GALT reaction causes a decrease in the amount of Norepinephrine and Dopamine because the cells that produce these neurotransmitters are being affected by the inflammatory processes. The birth trauma sets off a series of vicious destructive cycles in the body as it attempts to compensate by using what available resources it has, leaving the person with little hope of feeling better. 

ADHD and Permanent Teeth appearing at age 7-8
At age 7 the central incisors and at 8 the lateral incisors are erupting. This changes the cranial dynamics by increasing the strain into the cranial lesion as the baby teeth are pushed out and the permanent teeth grow in. The strain introduced into the body causes instability just when the child is being required to sit for long periods of time. 

Every movement is monitored by the nerve endings in the dural membranes, stimulating the sympathetic nervous system, making it almost impossible for them to sit still and remain focused. Remember the sympathetic nervous system is the flight or fight system. What happens when you are preparing for fight or flight? You get focused on looking around for possible avenues of escape or easily agitated. 

The smallness of the face at birth is mainly accounted for by the under-development of the facial bones and jaw, the lack of teeth and the small size of the sinuses. With the eruption of the baby teeth there is growth of the face and jaw. The skull grows rapidly from birth to the seventh year, by which time the bones that for the base of the skull have reached their full size and the orbits of the eyes are only a little smaller than those of an adult. Growth is slow from the seventh year until the approach of puberty, when a second period of activity occurs: this results in an increased growth in all directions, especially in the face.

If the distortion from the birth trauma is not corrected by this age, the distortion may become difficult to correct by chiropractic craniopathy and may become permanent. Another consequence of the uncorrected distortion is extensive orthodontic work will be required. SOT/Craniopathy has specific non-traumatic procedures to unlock the distortion allowing the cranial bones to re-balance. The distortion often causes one side of the face to grow more than the other side, contributing to uneven tooth wear, bruxism and grinding. SOT Chiropractors work closely with Functional Orthodontists to restore the proper bite.

An unrecognized influence in ADD/ADHD
Have you ever had your reflexes tested by a Doctor? Even when you saw the hammer swing, you were unable to stop your leg from kicking. There are many reflexes that occur on our body. Some reflexes remain active throughout our life and others occur at specific times as we grow from infant to adult. The first reflex to occur and the first to leave are the birth reflexes. These birth reflexes assist the mother in the birth process by stimulating muscle contraction in the infant. This causes the infant to essentially crawl down the birth canal. I can imagine many mothers saying, "Not my kid" right now. These reflexes are a part of a normal exam for an infant but are never checked after the child can walk because they are supposed to extinguish shortly after birth. Health care education tells us they are gone so why bother looking for them.

Now imagine a child with retained birth reflexes. Goddard, in her book Reflexes, Learning and Behavior (2002), discusses how primitive or neonatal reflex retention may play a role in ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia. These reflexes should stop with the development of standing posture and walking because they are no longer needed, but when this inhibition fails, the child may be left with physical and psychological consequences.

Children diagnosed with ADHD will often show some degree of birth reflex retention. The long term effects can include:

• poor balance and coordination
• physical timidity
• bed wetting
• an inability to ignore extraneous and irrelevant visual material (peripheral movement)
• light sensitivity, reactions to fluorescent lighting and difficulty reading print on white paper
• hypersensitive hearing, difficulty in screening out extraneous noise
• allergies, decreased immunity and recurrent infections
• adverse drug reactions
• easily fatigued
• dislike of change
• hypoglycemic

A child with a retained birth reflex will find it very difficult to sit still in class for a couple of reasons. These reflexes can be stimulated by a simple touch on the back, i.e. leaning back on the chair. Sitting stimulates not only the birth reflexes but also the proprioceptors (position sensors) in the unstable sacroiliac joints. This causes the brain to be bombarded with stimuli. Being unable to filter out physical sensations, extraneous sight and sound stimulus all at the same time, concentration will lapse. The child will be tired and irritable from the constant stimulus resulting in adrenal exhaustion and hypoglycemia. This will make them cranky, fussy and demanding sugar.

Some would say their child is hard of hearing rather than having extra sensitive hearing but look at it from another perspective. Looking at it from another perspective, their hearing is extra sensitive and they must turn up the television volume to drown out the other sound they hear.

After recently completing a Pediatrics course on the diagnosis and treatment of ADD/ADHD children currently taught and used in Britain, I have begun utilizing a series of reflex tests on Attention Deficit children to determine their degree of retained birth reflexes. The results are astounding in the degree of retention. I was asked to assist in the instruction and demonstration of treatment portion of the class because I am certified and have been utilizing the procedures for over ten years. In addition to the diagnostic testing and Sacro Occipital Therapy and Craniopathy, Kinetic exercises are now added to the existing treatment protocol. These exercises are designed to extinguish the retained reflexes while reintegrating right/left brain function. The Doctors in Britain are reporting the reflexes can be stopped in about a month with treatment and if the exercises are done consistently on a daily basis. We understand the busy life you have and making an ADD child do these exercises at home isn't the way you want to spend time with your child. We are seeing these exercises not being done, resulting in the child not responding as those who are diligent about the exercises.

If you would like more information please call Dr. Dave for an appointment.  


An unrecognized influence in ADD/ADHD 

Have you ever had your reflexes tested by a Doctor? Even when you saw the hammer swing, you were unable to stop your leg from kicking. There are many reflexes that occur on our body. Some reflexes remain active throughout our life and others occur at specific times as we grow from infant to adult. The first reflex to occur and the first to leave are the birth reflexes. These birth reflexes assist the mother in the birth process by stimulating muscle contraction in the infant. This causes the infant to essentially crawl down the birth canal. I can imagine many mothers saying, "Not my kid" right now. These reflexes are a part of a normal exam for an infant but are never checked after the child can walk. 

Now imagine a child with retained birth reflexes. Goddard, in her book Reflexes, Learning and Behavior (2002), discusses how primitive or neonatal reflex retention may play a role in ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia. These reflexes should stop with the development of standing posture and walking because they are no longer needed, but when this inhibition fails, the child may be left with physical and psychological consequences. 

Children diagnosed with ADHD will often show some degree of birth reflex retention. The long term effects can include: 
· poor balance and coordination 
· physical timidity 
· bed wetting 
· an inability to ignore extraneous and irrelevant visual material (peripheral movement) 
· light sensitivity, reactions to fluorescent lighting and difficulty reading print on white paper 
· hypersensitive hearing, difficulty in screening out extraneous noise 
· allergies, decreased immunity and recurrent infections 
· adverse drug reactions 
· easily fatigued 
· dislike of change 
· hypoglycemic 

Night Time Bedwetting
These reflexes are also a contributing factor in night time bed wetting. This reflex occurs naturally during the birth process by stimulation of the baby’s back as it moves down the birth canal, causing the bladder to void to reduce the size of the baby. As the child lies in bed at night, the bed clothes cause stimulation of this retained birth reflex causing the bladder to void in the middle of the night. 
A child with a retained birth reflex will find it very difficult to sit still in class for a couple of reasons. These reflexes can be stimulated by a simple touch on the back, i.e. leaning back on the chair. Sitting stimulates not only the birth reflexes but also the proprioceptors (position sensing nerve endings) in their unstable sacroiliac joints. This causes the brain to be bombarded with stimulus. Being unable to filter out physical sensations, extraneous sight and sound stimulus, concentration will lapse.

The child will be tired and irritable from the constant stimulus resulting in adrenal exhaustion and hypoglycemia. Some would say their child is hard of hearing rather than having extra sensitive hearing but look at it from another perspective. Their hearing is extra sensitive and they must turn up the television volume to drown out the other sound they hear. 

A Chiropractic Pediatrics course on the diagnosis and treatment of ADD/ADHD children currently taught by Stephen Williams, D.C., stresses the importance of utilizing a series of reflex tests on Attention Deficit children to determine their degree of retained birth reflexes. The results are astounding in the degree of birth reflex retention. In addition to the diagnostic testing, Kinetic Movement exercises are now added to the existing treatment protocol of correcting the cranial/pelvic problem. These exercises are designed to extinguish the retained reflexes while reintegrating right/left brain function. The Doctors in Britain are reporting the reflexes can be stopped in about a month with treatment and if the exercises are done consistently on a daily basis. 

Discussion
Dr. M.B. DeJarnette, developer of Sacro Occipital Technic and Craniopathy wrote in his 1940 “The Science, Art and Philosophy of Sacro Occipital Technique” – “The only true subluxation you ever see must be in a child prior to that age of seven years. If this subluxation goes uncorrected, it becomes a primary source of stimulus through life, but the tombs of distortion, which form from one traumatic experience to the other, soon bury this primary subluxation under that ‘tomb of distortions.’ The subluxation that all of us worry about occurred some time between birth and the seventh year of life, and the remedy would of course be careful chiropractic care from birth through the seventh year of life.”

As you can see the various theories associated with ADHD are related, one compounding the next. Until the root cause is corrected the chances of correction are limited. Yes, a person may see benefit from the various interventions but they often don’t last long before the body accommodates to the therapy and symptoms return. Functional Medicine and Sacro Occipital Technique/Craniopathy offers long lasting correction by getting to root of the problem. If you would like more information please call Dr. Dave for an appointment.

This program is recommended for every member of the family. It's not just an ADD diet. It's the same program that we put professional athletes and business executives on for optimized performance, with only minor changes. For the first two weeks do the following: 

1) NO DAIRY PRODUCTS, especially cow's milk. This is the single most important restriction. Instead try Almond milk, Rice milk, or Better Than Milk. Drink water instead of milk. In fact, drink lots of water. The brain is about 80% water, and increasing your water intake to 7 to 10 glasses per day might be helpful all by itself. Sodas, Gatorade, teas, Icees, etc., do not count as water. Water counts as water.

2) NO YELLOW FOODS. Especially Corn or Squash. Bananas are white. (Don't eat the peel.) 

3) NO JUNK FOODS. If it comes in a cellophane wrapper, don't eat it.

4) NO FRUIT JUICES. Fruit juices have a high sugar content. One small glass of apple juice has the sugar content of eight apples. Later on you can have juice, but dilute it with water 50/50.

5) CUT SUGAR INTAKE BY 90%. If you can, cut it down to zero. Sugar is in just about everything, but give it a try. Do your best without going crazy.

6) CUT CHOCOLATE BY 90%. No more than a single piece, once a week.

7) NO NUTRASWEET. None. Period.

8) NO PROCESSED MEATS and NO MSG. Only get meats with labels that say, “Turkey and Water,” etc. If the meat has chemicals listed that you can't pronounce, don't buy it. 

9) CUT FRIED FOODS BY 90%. 

10) AVOID FOOD COLORINGS WHENEVER POSSIBLE. See if your child is sensitive to any particular colors, such as Reds, Yellows, etc. For now, though, avoid all color additives if possible. 

SUMMARY: Just eat foods that God made for a while. Eat like people did in the 1940's. Go to a used book store and get a Betty Crocker's Cook Book for recipe ideas. There really are about 10,000 meals that you CAN eat. Do not eat “fast foods” or “convenience” foods. 

AFTER TWO WEEKS begin adding these foods back into your child’s diet, one food every other day. Eat A LOT of that food every day for four days. If you have a problem with one of the foods, you will see some kind of a “reaction” within four days. The reaction can vary from big red splotches on the body, ears turning bright red to irritability or explosive temper outbursts. If there's a problem, you'll be able to quickly identify the food causing the problem. Then avoid it for at least 90 days before reintroducing the offending food slowly. 

For more information on allergens and food sensitivities see Attention Deficit and Retained Birth Relexes

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