Excerpt from the book: Indifference: Why Our Children Are So Sick
It is my professional opinion, as a functional neurologist, that ADHD is not a disease or a disorder. It is an imbalance of the nervous system that affects children who are meant to be warriors, but unfortunately society does not have a place for them.
The autonomic nervous system is broken down into two branches. On one side you have the sympathetic, fight/flight, protective and survival and on the other side is the parasympathetic, rest, relax, growth, development and digestive branch.
ADHD is an Imbalanced Nervous System
Symptoms associated with the label ADHD, such as a lack of focus or hyperactivity are caused by a condition called Subluxation. A Subluxation locks the sympathetic nervous system (fight/flight) on. Keep in mind that the sympathetic branch is stimulated when we are stressed, so the more stress we perceive or encounter, the more it gets turned on.
Unfortunately, children these days are being overstressed at an earlier age than ever before. They are encountering birth trauma and chemical stressors such as, vaccines and antibiotics. They are also experiencing emotional stress before their nervous systems are in a place to adapt and handle the high amount of stress.
These stressors and the Subluxation that results cause the pendulum to shift away from the growth and development side of the parasympathetic nervous system where they should be most of the time. The pendulum gets stuck in sympathetic (protection) dominance.
An analogy I like to use is that I picture a child with a Ferrari engine and bicycle brakes. The gas pedal is down on the Ferrari engine and the poor brakes do not allow the nervous system to ever rest or relax. In this state children will express themselves with a lack of focus.
Furthermore, with the nervous system stuck in protection and sympathetic dominance looked on it causes the body to want to release and it does that with motion, which is seen and labeled as hyperactivity.
How would you respond if you were getting chased by a bear?
Just imagine you were getting chased by a bear your entire life (which is NO different to the stress and Subluxation children are encountering). Your gas pedal would be stuck on as well, your brakes would not be used, you wouldn’t focus on anything but getting away. You would be described as overexcited or overactive.
Because many children have a nervous system that is stuck in survival mode they just needs their brakes turned on with specific and safe chiropractic adjustments. They also need their environment reevaluated to make sure they have less stress coming in then they can handle.
Chiropractic Adjustments help to remove Subluxation and balance the nervous system.
We need to understand that these children should be supported and put into a place or into situations that will allow them to succeed. Innately, these children are better hunters than they are a gatherers. So stimulate them with activities and hands-on learning. Allow them to be creative and imaginative and encourage them to think critically instead of making them focus on memorization. Standardized testing is very difficult for a child stuck in protection who gets bored and focuses their attention elsewhere.
Allow education to be tailored to the individual and not the other way around. I never could understand why a coach would try to instill his way on certain players and make a team change their style to fit his. Instead, let the players decide what system works best so that you can maximize their gifts and talents.
Now many doctors will continue to push medication for children labeled with ADD or ADHD because they claim there is a chemical imbalance. The funny thing is, I couldn’t agree more. There is a chemical imbalance, but the question is: what controls the chemicals?
Chemical distribution is activated and controlled by the nervous system. I think you are all starting to see a trend here. The nervous system is very important and we live our lives through it, so we better take care of it.
So, if the nervous system is suffering from a condition called Subluxation it will affect the distribution of hormones and chemicals, which will alter a child’s ability to focus and be calm. Trying to cover up the symptoms by using drugs to alter chemical balance is simply a short-term, ineffective and very dangerous option. It confuses the body and it will never allow the body to find balance and regulate on its own.
The side effects of the medication are also very debilitating.
Get your child checked for Subluxation today
Quite simply, children with Ferrari engines stuck in protection along with bicycle brakes need their brakes pumped. They need the stress on the nervous system cleared out through safe and specific chiropractic adjustments. This will help them to find balance and optimal function, which allows them to finally meet their full potential.
Much Love~
Dr Derek