In the time that I was making my way through middle school and high school, I heard very little about ADD or ADHD. Now that I am older and in touch with many teachers, it seems that this diagnosis has become commonplace among our nation's children and teens.

Along with the medication that often accompanies such a diagnosis also comes the propensity for abuse. On Aug. 24, 2009, the journal Pediatrics reported that abuse of stimulants prescribed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - particularly amphetamines - is on the rise among teens. Lead researcher Jennifer Setlik, MD, of the University of Cincinnati in Ohio said calls to poison centers about teen victims of prescription ADHD drugs jumped 76 percent between 1998 and 2005.

What may come as a surprise to many parents faced with the dilemma of medicating for ADD/ADHD is the option not to medicate at all. Why face another worry when help for your child may be found at your local chiropractor's office?

"The June 23, 2008, issue of the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research reports on a case study involving a 7 1/2-year-old girl diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. After a three-month course of chiropractic care, she improved to the point of being able to avoid taking the dangerous stimulant medications commonly used to treat ADD/ADHD.

The girl was brought to the chiropractor after teachers recommended psychological testing for what they called "subtle ADHD findings." The girl's mother did not want to put her on drugs, ignored the recommendations and instead, sought chiropractic care.

Initially, it was noted that the girl was active in gymnastics, falling several times a week. Her mother listed "short attention span, lack of perseverance, failure to finish projects, action before thought and poor organization" on her Behavioral Assessment.

The child was placed under a care program that continued for 90 days. Each week, the mother rated the child's attention span, irritability, aggression, withdrawn moods, nervousness, depression, memory retention, energy level, listening ability, project completion and organization skills, as well as sleeping and appetite patterns.

At the end of the first three weeks of care, the mother noted improvement in listening ability, project completion and organization skills. She also noted a decrease in irritability, aggressive behaviors and nervousness."

For more information or to attend a wellness class on chiropractic care, contact Spoelstra Family Chiropractic at (208) 667-7434 or go to www.CDAHealth.com.