Nearly 9 percent of American children have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, claims one study but not enough are still treated. Doctors and therapists working in the medical framework define the symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity in about 10% of the US children “deficiencies” and mental illness. Then they proceed with advice on how to apply “comprehensive treatment” to them.

The recommended treatment nowadays includes medication (always), and then some supportive treatments, including special nutrition and food supplements, psychological counseling and support groups, academic adjustments, social skills counseling, etc., designed to overcome their deficiencies.

Commonly advised are also a number of lifestyle adjustments, among them:

• avoidance of overstimulation (TV, Video games)
• regular meals and sleep
• breathing exercises
• relaxation exercises (Yoga)
• wearing a protective helmet in sports

The majority of advice is to place children with ADHD in environments that promote the structure and routine that they lack internally. This is typically advised as a complement to drug treatment, which succeeds in temporarily altering the child’s neural pathways and makes him or her more obedient, while stimulating a greater sense of rules and inhibitory behavior. Other research, however, indicates that a high-energy personality should have “arousing, unstructured creative teaching to perform best”.

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