What Most Doctors Miss About Your Child's ADHD (And How to Find Real Answers)

Let’s be honest—if you’re here, chances are your child doesn’t have just one speed.

One minute they’re bouncing off the walls—talking non-stop, climbing furniture, melting down over the smallest thing.

The next minute? They’re completely checked out. Zoned out. Blank stare. Like they’re in the room with you… but not really there.

Maybe you’ve read the parenting books. Tried the behavior charts, the reward systems, maybe even medications—and still you’re left wondering:

Looking Past the Labels: Where Traditional Approaches Fall Short

Here’s something most doctors miss: what we often label as ADHD or ADD is really just the surface of something much deeper.

At Rooted Wellness Chiropractic, we help parents see beyond those labels. Because underneath the behaviors are two distinct nervous system patterns—what we call the:

• “Raging Bull”
• “Drunken Bull”

Understanding these patterns gives us a clearer picture of what’s actually going on inside your child’s brain and body—and that’s where true healing begins.

The “Raging Bull” vs. the “Drunken Bull”

(Two Sides of the Same Coin)

The Raging Bull

This is the child stuck in high gear—constantly on the move, impulsive, emotional, unable to slow down. They’re the ones bouncing from one thing to the next, talking a mile a minute, with big feelings that come out in big ways.

Most traditional approaches focus on managing these behaviors with behavior plans or medications—but they rarely stop to ask why this child is stuck in overdrive in the first place.

The Drunken Bull

This is the child who seems shut down—foggy, disconnected, slow to process, overwhelmed. They might look “lazy” or “unmotivated,” but in reality, their nervous system is struggling to engage.

This type used to be called ADD—now it’s known as predominantly inattentive ADHD. But here’s the twist: these two patterns often evolve into each other over time.

The hyperactive child gets frustrated with the constant struggle to focus and may shut down emotionally. Meanwhile, the inattentive child, feeling overwhelmed, may act out with hyperactivity or anxiety. It’s a cycle, and traditional methods rarely break it.

The True Neurological Roots of ADHD

At the heart of ADHD and attention struggles lies a neurological imbalance. Through our work at Rooted Wellness Chiropractic, we’ve found that three main factors play a role:

1. Subluxation & Sympathetic Dominance
   Tension, misalignments, or restricted movement in the spine (especially the upper neck and brainstem) interfere with how the brain and body communicate. This “noise” in the nervous system keeps the body stuck in fight-or-flight mode.
2. Nervous System Dysregulation & Dysautonomia
   When subluxations persist, they keep the autonomic nervous system out of balance—making it hard for kids to shift from that “on” state into calm, focused rest-and-restore mode.
3. Vagus Nerve Dysfunction
   The vagus nerve is the body’s main pathway to activate the parasympathetic system (the brake pedal). If it’s underactive, your child struggles to regulate emotions, attention, digestion, sleep—you name it.

Real Answers, Real Hope

Your child isn’t broken. They don’t need more labels—they need someone to look deeper and find what’s really going on.

That’s exactly what we do at Rooted Wellness Chiropractic. Through our Neurological INSiGHT Scans, we can measure how your child’s nervous system is functioning.

These scans help us:

• Identify areas of stress and tension
• Understand how well the brain and body are communicating
• Create a personalized care plan to help their nervous system reset

This approach doesn’t just manage symptoms—it helps restore balance so your child’s brain can calm, focus, and thrive.

From Struggle to Superpower

So many kids today are stuck—caught between diagnoses, medications, and symptoms that never seem to truly improve.

But when we address the root neurological cause, everything changes.

• Meltdowns lessen
• Focus improves
• Sleep stabilizes
• And what was once labeled a “disorder” can become a superpower

When the nervous system is balanced, your child’s unique brain can shine. 💡