The use of controlled substances to alter the behavior in children is troubling to many parents. Even more troubling is the classification of behavioral issues as a "disease" that requires treatment.

Psychiatrist Peter Breggin wrote, "Hyperactivity is the most frequent justification for drugging children." The difficult to control male child is certainly not a new phenomenon, but attempts to give him a medical diagnosis are the product of modern medicine.

What was once considered "spirited" behavior became "hyperactivity" and more recently Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The transformation of classification has been accompanied by the aggressive use of psychotropic medications whose use has exploded in recent years. The number of prescriptions written for Ritalin has increased by a factor of five since 1991. The production of Adderall and Dexedrine has risen 2000% in nine years.

It is important to remember there are a number of natural solutions to this complex set of behaviors:

1. Nutritional analysis and food allergy testing. There are many studies that show a correlation between behavioral issues and food allergies. The body (including the brain) functions best when it gets what it needs.

2. Vision Therapy, Interactive Metronome Training, and Auditory Stimulation are various strategies for helping the hyperactive child perform tasks.

3. Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine; since the 1980s there have been numerous clinical trials using Chinese herbs alone to help ADHD children. Most of the trials reported encouraging results.

4. Chiropractic. There is ample research available to suggest a strong association between improvement in behavior and chiropractic care. Giesen et al. conducted a study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics wherein among children who exhibited ADD behavior, 71.4% showed a reduction in overt behavior activity, 57% showed improvement in level of autonomic activity, and 57% showed improvement in parental ratings of hyperactivity.

Dr. Daniel Weber owns The Joint, a chiropractic place located at 3016 Lake Washington Rd in Melbourne. Each visit is only $20 and no appointment is necessary. For more information call 321-254-2828, visit www.thejoint.com, or come to booth 609 at the Healthy Living Expo on Saturday, March 14th at BCC in Melbourne.