An innovative approach to addressing todays most common pediatric health concerns, including inattentiveness, lack of focus, hyperactivity, and restlessness. "Kids’ Own" is more than just another "trial and error" approach to pediatric concerns. It is a systems approach that combines clinically-relevant neurotransmitter and hormone testing with highly effective neuromodulatory formulas designed to address the neuroendocrine biochemistry unique to each individual.In today’s society, there are a significant number of children struggling with focus issues, behavioral problems and developmental delays.
In 2005, approximately 7% of school age children suffered from attention and hyperactivity issues(1). Many of the children also have learning disabilities or other mood and behavioral problems. These children are also more likely to suffer from low self-esteem, develop emotional and social problems, and underachieve in school(2). As these children grow into adults, they have an increased risk for substance abuse and developing low mood, anxiousness, and other psychiatric disorders(3). With the healthcare cost estimated at $1.6 billion per year, this is a major public health concern(4). Many children who experience attention and hyperactivity issues may suffer from a neurotransmitter imbalance. Neurotransmitter imbalances have been linked to lack of focus, poor concentration, hyperactivity, and irregular sleep patterns. Neurotransmitters like norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine, and phenylethylamine (PEA) play key roles in maintaining normal attentiveness and behavior. Norepinephrine is normally involved in vigilance and wakefulness; however, high levels of norepinephrine can reduce the rate of information processing and reduce attentiveness(5). Epinephrine and norepinephrine enhance memory formation. Patients with attention issues display decreased urinary epinephrine levels which may contribute to difficulties in information retrieval(6,7,8). Dopamine is involved in the reward cascade, so low levels of dopamine may correlate with increased impulsivity and an increased reward threshold(9). PEA is an excitatory neurotransmitter that appears to be involved in the ability to focus and tends to be lower in patients struggling with attention issues(10). Not only are optimal levels of these neurotransmitters necessary to maintain focus, but an imbalance in one neurotransmitter is likely to affect other neurotransmitters. Addressing neurotransmitter balance can be the key to getting attention and hyperactivity issues under control.
Neurotransmitter testing allows the healthcare practitioner to assess whether over or under stimulation of the relevant neurotransmitters is contributing to a patient’s focus issues, behavioral problems or developmental delays. As such, clinical outcomes can be improved when therapies target specific neurotransmitters.
REFERENCE LIST
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2. Evaluating Prescription Drugs used to Treat: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Comparing Effectiveness, Safety, and Price. (2005) Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs. 1-24.
3. Anders, T. and Sharfstein, S. ADHD drugs and cardiovascular risk. (5-25-2006) N.Engl.J.Med. 354(21): 2296-2298.
4. Birnbaum, H. G., Kessler, R. C., Lowe, S. W., Secnik, K., Greenberg, P. E., Leong, S. A., and Swensen, A. R. Costs of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the US: excess costs of persons with ADHD and their family members in 2000. (2005) Curr.Med.Res.Opin. 21(2): 195-206.
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6. Hanna, G. L., Ornitz, E. M., and Hariharan, M. Urinary epinephrine excretion during intelligence testing in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and normal boys. (9-15-1996) Biol. Psychiatry. 40(6): 553-555.
7. Hanna, G. L., Ornitz, E. M., and Hariharan, M. Urinary catecholamine excretion and behavioral differences in ADHD and normal boys. (1996) J.Child Adolesc.Psychopharmacol. 6(1): 63-73.
8. Konrad, K., Gauggel, S., and Schurek, J. Catecholamine functioning in children with traumatic brain injuries and children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. (2003) Brain Res.Cogn Brain Res. 16(3): 425-433.
9. Williams, J. and Dayan, P. Dopamine, learning, and impulsivity: a biological account of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. (2005) J.Child Adolesc.Psychopharmacol. 15(2): 160-179.
10. Baker, G. B., Bornstein, R. A., Rouget, A. C., Ashton, S. E., Van Muyden, J. C., and Coutts, R. T. Phenylethylaminergic mechanisms in attention-deficit disorder. (1-1-1991) Biol.Psychiatry. 29(1): 15-22.