Drug-Free ADHD Program Yields 81% Success Rate
A recent study has demonstrated the effectiveness of a multi-modal, drug-free intervention program in treating children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Researchers recruited children diagnosed with ADHD who displayed inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and problems with academics and/ or behavior. Some participants served as a control group, while the rest completed a 12-week program at Brain Balance Achievement Centers. The intervention involved sensory motor exercises, cognitive exercises, and nutritional counseling. Professionals involved in the program were focused on achieving physiologic balance and temporal coherence in the brain, in addition to improving skills that would more closely match each child's age and grade level.
The 122 children in the experimental group attended the multi-modal program for three hour-long sessions each week, for a total of 36 hours of treatment. After the 12-week study, 81% of the kids who participated in the program no longer fit the criteria for ADHD. They improved in the areas of attention, focus, impulsivity, and behavior problems. In addition, 60% of the experimental group achieved an academic increase of at least two grade levels, and half of these achieved an increase of four grade levels.
As a controlled study, researchers compared the group who did not participate in the intervention program, and they found that these children experienced very little change academically and that their behavioral symptoms worsened slightly.
"The groundbreaking study proves that medication is not the only option to help eliminate the symptoms associated with ADHD, and it validates what we have been practicing at Brain Balance for 10 years," said Dr. Robert Melillo, founder of Brain Balance. "Drug-free, multi-modal programs, like the one offered at Brain Balance Achievement Centers, are ultimately more effective when it comes to achieving long-term results and eliminating symptoms both academically and behaviorally. This study shows that our program actually addresses the primary problem in the brain that is the root cause of ADHD and learning difficulty, and that it actually improves brain function."
The study was published in the peer-reviewed Frontiers, a fast-growing publication dedicated to more transparent and democratic processes in science.
Other research has highlighted additional natural treatments for ADHD, including exercise and chiropractic care.
References
Leisman G, Mualem R, Machado C. The integration of the neurosciences, child public health, and education practice: hemisphere-specific remediation strategies as a discipline partnered rehabilitation tool in ADD/ ADHD. Frontiers Public Health 2013. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2013.00022.
(2013, July 29). "New Control Study Finds Drug-Free Program is Successful for Eliminating ADHD Symptoms." The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved from http://www.sacbee.com/2013/07/29/5606019/new-control-study-finds-drug-free.html.
