Mañé Center

Attention Deficit Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder

Learning Disabilities; Dyslexia and Dyscalculia

At the Mane Center we offer the knowledge and experience from Dr. Nelson Mane, a board certified chiropractic neurologist.  Our doctor has a subspecialty training in childhood neurobehavioral disorders.  Our doctor is dedicated to offer the proper screenings and treatment required when treating neurobehavioral disorder such as Attention Deficit Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, Learning Disabilities including Dyslexia and Dyscalculia, Sensory Integration Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder,Tourette’s Syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disorder and Autism.   Early intervention has been shown to provide the best outcomes.

Dr. Nelson Mane is a board certified chiropractic neurologist with specialty training in balance disorders, movement disorders and childhood neurobehavioral disorders.  His approach is that of a combination of functional neurology and functional medicine with biomedical interventions.

DR. NELSON MANE’S APPROACH TO ADHD AND LEARNING DISABILITIES

You can exercise your brain as you exercise the muscles in your body. This can be done through a concept called neuroplasticity. Using a functional neurological examination we can determine where the weak circuits and pathways in your nervous system are and derive a treatment program to strengthen those areas. This is a non pharmaceutical and non-invasive approach. Strengthening and integrating nerve function leads to optimal expression of our humanism. This can lead to improvements in attention, executive function, language (both verbal and nonverbal), social skills, behavioral issues and academic problems. Strengthening these neural circuits and pathways can lead to improved physiologic capacity and learning ability. We are not attempting to teach your child but to increase their ability to learn. Neuroplasticity makes this all possible.

Wikipedia defines Neuroplasticity as follows; neuroplasticity refers to the changes that occur in the organization of the brain as a result of experience. The concept of neuroplasticity pushes the boundaries of the brain areas that are still re-wiring in response to changes in environment. Neuroscientists are presently engaged in a relationship of critical period studies demonstrating the immutability of both structural and functional aspects.

In plain English, the brain is not hard wired and it’s structure and function can be changed.

Dr. Nelson Mane uses a combination of functional neurology including hemispheric integration therapy with functional medicine (biomedical interventions) to treat children with ADD, ADHD and the learning disabilities. All treatments are individualized to your child’s unique situation. The treatment regimen used will be determined after an in depth history and functional neurological evaluation to see what best fits your child’s specific needs. Additionally, standard and specialty laboratory testing may be required as indicated by the history and physical examination. The idea is to prescribe a functional neurological rehabilitation program to strengthen any deficiencies that are found upon examination. We also want to optimize your child’s health so that he obtains the greatest benefit from the neurological rehabilitation program in the least amount of time. This is done through the use of functional medicine. As with all conditions, there are some causes which tend to be probable than others and so we only perform laboratory testing when indicated appropriate for your child, based on the history and physical examination.

Our neurological approach is centered on the brain and is multifaceted. We will determine where the dysfunction is (all aspects will be addressed with emphasis on the primary functional lesion). Which side of the brain and at which levels? Negative factors such as allergies, nutrition and environmental toxins are addressed. Then a specific program individualized to the child’s need is developed to create positive changes based on the science of neuroplasticity and epigenetics to correct the dysfunction. Epigenetics refers to the ability to change the gene expression without changing genes. These conditions are epigenetic and not genetic. If they were genetic, treatment attempts would be pointless.

Wikipedia defines Epigenetics as changes in gene expression caused by mechanisms other than changes in the underlying DNA sequence. These changes may remain through cell divisions for the remainder of the cell’s life and may also last for multiple generations. However there is no change in the underlying DNA sequence of the organism, instead non-genetic factors cause the organism’s genes to behave differently. In plain English, ADHD is not genetic but epigenetic and therefore can be treated. If these conditions were genetic then there is no hope. But we believe they are not genetic but epigenetic and that there is hope.

This is all done without the use of global brain stimulants like Adderall, Ritalin, Vyvanse, Concerta, Daytrana, Focalin, Metadate CD. The progress is measured and periodic assessments are made. A deficiency in any functional area of sensory integration, i.e., sight, smell, taste, touch, balance, coordination or any combination can cause processing problems within the brain that may produce symptoms of ADHD and/or learning disabilities.

DAN! DOCTOR

First, please be aware that there is no DAN! (Defeat Autism Now!) certification. Thus, if a health care practitioner of any type says that they are DAN! certified beware. DAN! is a philosophy and that philosophy is listed below. The DAN! organization provides informational seminars to doctors and parents alike. However, there is no test or certification that takes place. If a doctor attends a weekend DAN! seminar, he can be listed on the web site. Also, as you will see below, there is no specific DAN! protocol, although it seems that methyl B12, fish oil and Super Nu Thera seemed to be ubiquitous. Plus, please beware some have made an effort to become fluent in what I call functional medicine but more commonly is known as biomedical treatments in the autism community and some have not. We pride ourselves in combining the best of functional medicine and functional neurology for the treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders.

The Defeat Autism Now! Philosophy:

We believe autism encompasses spectrum of disorders with multiple provoking stressors and multiple possible susceptibilities. The Defeat Autism Now! Philosophy does not endorse a set protocol for treating autism because our approach is based on paying careful attention to the unique symptoms, history, examinations and data of each child. We offer a process of choosing various options for biomedical intervention. Autism and related problems reflect dysfunction of the neural, metabolic, immune and/or digestive systems in individuals genetically predisposed to such problems as sub-optimal nutrition, food, intolerances, microbial overgrowth, metabolic abnormalities, immune deregulation and reduced ability to eliminate toxins. People with autism spectrum disorders have difficulty processing sensory, perceptual, cognitive, biochemical and immunologic messages and have faulty mechanisms for regulating, organizing, expressing, processing and detoxifying various inputs.

We believe that a combination of environmental factors may interact with genetic predispositions that are due to variations in the human genotype. Timing of the appropriate treatment is important because certain insults appear to occur at vulnerable times in human development when the brain’s neuronal network connectivity is being established.

Appropriate treatment involves identifying and alleviating the problems causing symptoms in a particular individual, rather than attempting to suppress symptoms through the use of psychoactive drugs. Our focus is on biomedical balance in the individual emphasizing two questions: Does he or she have a special unmet need that would advance healing if it were met? Does he or she have a special need to avoid or get rid of toxins, allergens or metabolic by-products?

The answers to these questions come by a careful sequential process in which the patient is recognized as the expert who, by his or her history, physical examinations, lab results and responses to therapy, helps practitioners choose the best options for each diagnostic and therapeutic step. With our patients and their parents, we conduct collaborative conversation with an abiding respect for the intelligence and intuition of parents and their children. We involve families as full participants in the search for answers and recognize that the child is often listening, even when he or she appears inattentive.

We reject one-size-fits-all strategies while including the broad range of diagnostic and treatment modalities that are appropriate to each patient. We look for ways to support nature’s strong impulse toward healing.

We also value relational, occupational, physical, speech, educational, and other external therapies, many of which become far more efficacious once underlying biomedical conditions are addressed. While our focus in on biomedical interventions, we look for opportunities to collaborate with our education, behavioral, physical, and speech therapies and colleagues.

We draw information and inspiration from the fact that autistic children are treatable by systematic means that address the need to restore deregulated biochemical and immunological processes to the virtuous pathways from which they descend. We believe that autism is also preventable by paying greater attention to environmental issues and parental health. We endorse Dr. Bernard Rimland’s position of trying to disregard our egos and remembering that most of the important elements in our understanding of the treatment options for autistic individuals have come from listening to parents.

Functional Neurology

Most people are aware that if you damage the brain, such as with a stroke, it affects the body. We have all seen people who have suffered strokes and have unique postures and gaits. But the system works both ways. There is feedback between the brain and the body and between the body and the brain. It is the receptors in the body that feed up to the brain. The receptors are the starting point of your nervous system. This may be something as familiar to you as light receptors in your eyes or sound receptors in your ears.

However, most input to your brain comes from less known proprioceptive receptors in your muscles and joints especially anti-gravity and postural muscles. The brain uses receptors to understand your environment for interpretation. If these receptors and the pathways leading up to the brain are not working because they were damaged or it did not develop properly, the activity level of the brain will be decreased and different areas of the brain may not communicate with each other properly.

The functional neurology approach is to evaluate the receptors and pathways to determine where the areas of dysfunction and miscommunication are occurring. We will then strengthen weak areas by exercising those pathways in the same way that one exercises their muscles. This may include visual stimulation, auditory stimulation, olfactory stimulation, vestibular stimulation, rhythm and timing exercises and cognitive exercises among others. In the end, this all has to be fused together in order to allow for multimodal processing so that the child can function at a high level. This approach addresses both processing disorders as well as sensory integration disorders. This targeted stimulation allows the neurons to become stronger by increasing their DNA activation which in turn allows each cell to produce all the cellular contents it needs to be healthy. This increases the connections between neurons. In functional neurology we find that we must correct problems from the receptors to the brain. In addition, the right and left sides of the brain must be balanced (Hemispheric Integration) in order to allow for proper communication to take place between the different areas involved in higher brain function.

In general, more neuron connections means better brain function. Although, there are some common areas of dysfunction, this treatment cannot be standardized as childrens’ developmental delay and sensory integration patterns are different and therefore their treatment plans must not only be different in the beginning but adapt and change as the child progresses.

What are the symptoms of ADHD in children? By NIMH

Inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are the key behaviors of ADHD. It is normal for all children to be inattentive, hyperactive, or impulsive sometimes, but for children with ADHD, these behaviors are more severe and occur more often. To be diagnosed with the disorder, a child must have symptoms for 6 or more months and to a degree that is greater than other children of the same age.

Children who have symptoms of inattention may:

• Be easily distracted, miss details, forget things, and frequently switch from one activity to another.
• Have difficulty focusing on one thing
• Become bored with a task after only a few minutes, unless they are doing something enjoyable.
• Have difficulty focusing attention on organizing and completing a task or learning something new.
• Have trouble completing or turning in homework assignments, often losing things (e.g., pencils, toys,

assignments) needed to complete tasks or activities.

• Not seem to listen when spoken to.
• Daydream, become easily confused, and move slowly.
• Have difficulty processing information as quickly and accurately as others.
• Struggle to follow instructions.

Children who have symptoms of hyperactivity may:

• Fidget and squirm in their seats.
• Talk nonstop.
• Dash around, touching or playing with anything and everything in sight.
• Have trouble sitting still during dinner, school, and story time.
• Be constantly in motion.
• Have difficulty doing quiet tasks or activities.

Children who have symptoms of impulsivity may:

• Be very impatient.
• Blurt out inappropriate comments, show their emotions without restraint, and act without regard

for consequences.

• Have difficulty waiting for things they want or waiting their turns in games.
• Often interrupt conversations or others’ activities.

ADHD Can Be Mistaken for Other Problems

Parents and teachers can miss the fact that children with symptoms of inattention have the disorder because they are often quiet and less likely to act out. They may sit quietly, seeming to work, but they are often not paying attention to what they are doing. They may get along well with other children, compared with those with the other subtypes, who tend to have social problems. But children with the inattentive kind of ADHD are not the only ones whose disorders can be missed. For example, adults may think that children with the hyperactive and impulsive subtypes just have emotional or disciplinary problems.

What causes ADHD?

Our model proposes that ADHD occurs when the areas of the brain that regulate hyperactivity, impulsivity and attention are underdeveloped, under functioning and/or not synchronized with the rest of the brain. This will cause behaviors associated with ADHD, i.e., fidgeting to occur. We believe that this is a neurological problem and not a behavioral problem. Thus, it is not that the child does not want to control his behavior but due to the under functioning regulatory areas he is not able to.