Duke Chriropractic in Exeter focuses on children

 

Dr. Duke Lovetere rids 11-year-old boy of seizures

By Lara Bricker

newsletter@seeacoastonline.com

September 01, 2009 2:00 AM

GREENLAND — Anita Jordan never imagined that a chance meeting at an Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce event would change her son's life.

Her son Brandan, 11, started having seizures when he was three days old and they never stopped. At one point he was having about 100 seizures and was taking more than 1,000 milligrams of medication every day. Along with the seizures, Brandan had challenges with his speech, as well as reading and writing. He was in the school nurse's office constantly. Jordan said she had tried what seemed like everything to help him over the years.

At a glance

Duke Chiropractic

Who: Dr. Duke Lovetere

Office hours: 8 a.m. to noon, 3 to 5:45 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; 3 to 5:45 p.m. on Tuesday and the office is closed Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Where:

More: Call 603-422-0432 or visit www.familybackdoc.com

"I spent thousands of dollars trying to get him better," she said.

So, she admits that she was skeptical when Dr. Duke Lovetere approached her during a small business showcase hosted by the Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce last April, and told her he could help Brandan. Jordan was there because of her business, Jordan's Signature Heating, while Lovetere was there to showcase his business, Duke Chiropractic.

Lovetere did a quick check the boy during the business event and immediately saw some issues he felt could be helped through chiropractic treatment. He noticed that one of Brandan's shoulders was lower than the other when he was standing.

"He said, 'I'd really like you to bring him in because I can help him,"' Jordan recalled.

The Exeter woman who had never been to a chiropractor before decided to give it a chance.

Brandan went in to Lovetere's office in Greenland and had a series of X-rays done before treatment. Lovetere saw multiple spinal misalignments and issues that were causing pressure on Brandan's nerves, which he felt could be responsible for some of his health problems. Treating misalignments in a person's spine takes care of the cause of the problem and allows the body to heal itself, Lovetere said, rather than just medicating the symptoms.

"It's a waste of time, it's a waste of money," Lovetere said of what he feels is a tendency to overmedicate people in today's society.

Lovetere said he believes the current health care system focuses on treating diseases, rather than pro-actively supporting treatments that can promote good health. Good nutrition and chiropractic treatment can go a long way toward prevention of more serious problems, Lovetere said.

Jordan, who had no prior experience with chiropractic adjustments, said she was scared out of her mind when she heard the cracking associated with the treatment that first day.

"Dr. Duke's like a Kung Fu master on this kid's neck," she said, adding she heard some loud cracks before Brandan got up and said, "I feel good."

After the first two visits, Brandon stopped having dizzy spells. He had more energy and stopped going to the nurse's office all the time. The physical therapist who worked with Brandan three to four times a week during the school year saw improvements as well. His speech improved. His handwriting started to get better.

But most amazing to his mother was that he stopped having seizures.

"You wouldn't believe it unless you saw it yourself," Jordan said. "He's been seizure free since April."

Jordan took her son to his regular pediatric neurologist at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center after the seizures stopped to find out about cutting back on the amount of medications he took. The neurologist told her he couldn't explain what had happened with Brandan, but that whatever they were doing was working and to keep it up.

Brandan's medications were slowly decreased and he now takes only 150 milligrams per day.

Lovetere treats other children in his practice as well and said chiropractic treatment can help with ear infections, sinus issues, and digestive problems and especially in children with autism.

"Chiropractic's almost too simple for people; it works almost too well," Lovetere said.

As a result of Brandan's amazing improvement, Jordan has become an ardent supporter of chiropractic treatment.

"If you have a child with a disability, it is worth trying, it's worth checking into," she said. "It might not be a miracle for everybody, but, wow, the changes in Brandan have made it worthwhile."

To encourage other parents to try chiropractic, Jordan and Lovetere have teamed up with a special program that will also benefit the Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce Children's Fund. For every child who gets a chiropractic evaluation with Lovetere in the next two weeks, they will donate $10 toward the Chamber Children's Fund.