Can Chiropractic Care Help Manage ADHD Symptoms?

The chiropractic techniques used, and goals of treatment vary greatly for each patient. Some methods may focus on addressing specific issues, such as lower back pain or headaches, while others may assist the patient achieve better overall health and wellness.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. It is a chronic condition including attention difficulty, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness.

The primary features of ADHD include inattention and hyperactive-impulsive behaviour.

A child who shows a pattern of inattention may:

• Fail to pay close attention to details or make avoidable mistakes in schoolwork.

• Have trouble focussing on tasks or play.

• Appear not to listen, even when spoken to directly.

• Dislike tasks that require focused mental effort, such as homework or chores

• Lose items needed for tasks or activities, such as stationary or toys.

A child who shows a pattern of hyperactive and impulsive symptoms may often:

• Fidget with their hands or feet.

• Have difficulty staying seated in the classroom or in other situations.

• Run around or climb in situations when it's not appropriate.

• Have trouble playing or doing an activity quietly.

• Interrupt or intrude on others' conversations, games, or activities.

ADHD can be challenging to manage, and while medications are often used to help control symptoms, there are also many benefits of managing ADHD with chiropractic care.

Goals of chiropractic care in the management of ADHD include:

• Reduce muscular and skeletal imbalances that affect brain function.

• Enhance communication between the brain, spine, and body.

• Support overall nervous system function.

• Alleviate symptoms associated with ADHD, such as hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention.

• Improve overall quality of life and well-being.

Chiropractic care does not necessarily treat ADHD, but it does have very positive effects on children who have been diagnosed with the condition. Treatment involves soft tissue work and chiropractic adjustments to enhance communication between the brain and body. This will:

• Alleviate physical discomfort or tension that can be distracting.

• Promote relaxation and stress reduction, which can positively affect concentration.

• Even influence brain function, including neurotransmitter activity and hormone regulation.

A child with ADHD is often described as having overwhelming input that is bombarding the brain. This can be in the form of internal or external input. With chiropractic treatment we can improve the quality of this input by relieving the unnecessary pressure from spinal and muscular unbalance and optimising proprioceptive input.

The proprioceptive nerves play a very important role in body awareness and motor planning.  This system is the link between our muscles and joints, and our brain. Proprioception can be organizing and calming in addition to being critical for motor planning and coordination.

This integral system of nerves is already targeted in other therapies, like occupational therapy. Aerial hammocks promote this system through crawling, climbing, and rolling. Pressure from the hammocks, traction from pulling and hanging all provide proprioceptive input to the muscles and joint of the body.

Spinal and extremity adjustments stimulate these nerves directly and reduce the bombardment of information to the brain from tight muscles and spinal misalignments which cause discomfort. This allows the child to have better adaptability to their external environment.

There have been several studies that support how chiropractic helps ADHD. It is a safe, natural treatment for the condition and helps treating the symptoms.

This topic is a fairly big meal to digest. Do you have more questions? Please ask us! We are happy to provide you with more information.