Improvement in ADHD Symptomatology Following Chiropractic

On May 2, 2022, the result of a case study was published in the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health documenting the improvement in symptoms of a young boy who was diagnosed with ADHD. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, "Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is marked by an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development."

The study begins by noting that ADHD is one of the most widely diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorders affecting children. It is estimated that 9.4% of children from the ages of 6 to 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD in the United States. They also point out that the rate of diagnosis of this condition is continuing to rise. The study reports that more parents are turning toward non-medication approaches to helping children with ADHD.

There is currently much debate on why ADHD is becoming more prevalent, but it is known that those with immediate family members who have ADHD are between two to eight times more likely to be also diagnosed with ADHD than those whose family members do not have this condition.

Medications are a common mode of treatment for ADHD but these medications come with much controversy and side effects. The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention do not recommend medication as a first line of treatment for younger children. "For preschool-aged children (4-5 years of age) with ADHD, behavior therapy, particularly training for parents, is recommended as the first line of treatment before medication is tried."

In this case, a 5-year-old boy was brought to the chiropractor by his mother. The boy was exhibiting behaviors of ADHD and his mother wanted to see if chiropractic could help without having to go the medical route and receive an official diagnosis of ADHD. She was looking to explore non-medical options for her son and was interested in seeing if a cause could be found for his, as she described, "out of control" behavior.

The boy’s history, as reported by his mother, included a continuous urge to bounce and jump. He also had a history of ear infections, and his mother reported that he skipped crawling during his developmental progression and currently exhibited toe walking.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included spinal range of motion, motion and static palpation, visual observation, paraspinal thermography, and a static EMG study. The results of the examination confirmed the presence of vertebral subluxation. Based on the finding of subluxation, and with the mother’s permission, a series of specific chiropractic adjustments were started to correct the subluxations.

Changes during care were measured both against the original exam findings as well as the perceived changes as noted by the boy’s mother. After 14 chiropractic adjustments, the boy’s mother reported that his teacher noticed that the boy exhibited behavioral changes and that he was becoming more focused with fewer disruptions in class. His mother also reported that, shortly thereafter, her son was able to be a part of family gatherings without being a disruptive factor.

Over time, the boy continued to improve as measured by both the examination procedures as well as his activity. At one point, his mother reported that her son wrote a letter by himself, a task that he was previously not been able to accomplish. The study authors stated, "The results of this case study reveal an overall positive outcome of ADHD symptomatology following chiropractic care."