Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD) have been widely used labels since the early 1990s. They are considered catch-all diagnoses by many clinicians. Frankly, ADD/ADHD is poorly understood within the health care profession. Many clinicians have difficulty with classification of different behavior disorders, which are then lumped under the diagnosis of ADD/ADHD.

ADD and ADHD are caused by biochemical imbalances in the brain. In the brains of ADD/ADHD sufferers, chemicals known as neurotransmitters are not being adequately produced/processed. To stimulate the brain to cause alertness, these chemicals need to be in abundant supply. (ADD is specifically caused by too little norepinephrine production, and ADHD is linked to a decreased amount of dopamine). When norepinephrine and dopamine are in short supply, the brain essentially falls asleep. Information cannot be processed electrically and inappropriate messages will get transferred to the rest of the body. Without the correct stimulation, messages are interrupted and incorrect information gets processed. The message can be sent to or interpreted in the wrong location.

Clinically, patients with ADD/ADHD have difficulty focusing on one task. They can also miss messages from the environment. They appear to have a loss of memory and poor listening skills. Poor sleeping habits are common due to the brain's inability to shut down. Intervention strategies must address the specific areas of the brain. A specific evaluation must be done to correlate exam findings to provide strategies to maximize their full brain potential.

As a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist, I take a different approach to the treatment and prevention of attention deficit disorder. After a thorough neurological examination, I determine which part of the nervous system is not functioning properly.

To stimulate brain function, pathways must have neurological activation. Left-sided structural adjustments will stimulate pathways that fire to the right brain. Other effective modalities can also be utilized to stimulate brain function. One example is visual stimulation (watching black and red or blue and green checkerboards) in the left or right vision field. Auditory stimulation in one ear can also be utilized at different intensities and frequencies, based on the patient need. Metronome clicks, gentle ocean sounds, rain showers, or Mozart are a few examples of auditory stimulation. Continually monitoring the patient's blood pressure, respiration rate, pulse, pupillary reflex and V/A ratio are mandatory to avoid over-stimulating the brain.

To truly understand ADD/ADHD, we must address attention as a global process, not just an issue of being able to focus on and sustain attention to a task. Attention is required in both cognitive and behavioral processes. How the information is utilized by the individual's brain is critical to correct diagnosis and treatment.

Dr. Michael L. Johnson

Dr. Michael L. Johnson is a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist, one of only 700 in the country, with over twenty years of experience in private practice. He has completed over 850 hours of neurological studies and 3800 hours of postgraduate education. His book "What Do You Do When the Medications Don't Work? - A Non-Drug Treatment of Dizziness, Migraine Headaches, Fibromyalgia, and Other Chronic Conditions" outlines his groundbreaking work in the treatment of chronic pain and is a national best-seller. It is available wherever books are sold.