Hello everyone! Glad to finally see some sun!! I want to share with you a story that was on CBS news. The link is:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/06/15/earlyshow/health/main5088835.shtml?tag=cbsnewsLeadStoriesArea;cbsnewsLeadStoriesArea.1

The story discusses new research that demonstrates that children who take amphetamine medications have an increased chance of sudden death. Most children who are prescribed such medications are suffering from symptomatology associated with ADHD. There are currently 2.5 million children on these kinds of medications. The doctor giving the report mentioned chiropractic care and dietary changes as alternatives or concurrent treatments. Finally, what so many of you in our practice already know!

Having a child with ADHD can certainly have its challenges, but who would risk sudden death over changing diet and neurological therapy? Obviously, not many of us. Giving medications is a quick fix for some, but the possible side effects are not worth the risk! For me, even ONE child is too much to lose!

So, what can you do? Remember the brain needs two things to reach optimal health; fuel and activation. Fuel is oxygen and nutrition, activation is all the stimulation that our environment give us.

Start with looking at your child's diet. Do they eats fruits and vegetables, are they junk food junkies? Do they only eat certain foods over and over? Eating fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, good fats are all great ideas. Limiting garbage like processed foods, artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, lots of refined sugars, white flours, and any food where you can't spell (or pronounce) the ingredients is always a good rule to follow. Experiment with what you give your child and check out specialized diets like the Feingold diet and the Gluten Free/Casein Free diet. Not one diet is good for everyone, but trying one and seeing if there are changes is the best way to know if your child will benefit.

Activation comes from our environment. How much activation does your child get in front of their computer, or on their video games? Not much. This is the season to get outside, go to the parks, bike ride, hiking, swimming, etc.. The LI greenbelt is beginning some family fun hikes all over LI. (go to http://www.ligreenbelt.org/ for more info) The hikes are FREE!! Go to the beach, smell the salt water, feel the sand between your toes, swim, or just walk up and down and check out the sea shells!

So remember, to help your children, clean up their diets and get them outside.....it's good for EVERYONE!

Be Well,

Dr. Chiappino