Alternative treatment for ADHD?

[warriormom]

One of my family members has a child who is 4 years old. The doctors suspect that he may have ADHD. Any advice? Encouragement? Websites or suggestions for alternative treatment? Any allergies or foods to avoid?

[Orthodox6]

/

Edited August 21, 2011 by Orthodox6
In public one may hold only select opinions.

[bbkaren]

I fussed and fretted about it too; my son (now 20) was diagnosed in Kindergarten with ADHD. He couldn't sit still and caused trouble in his classes; even as a small child, he was in trouble all the time because he just couldn't focus.

 

I tried all sorts of supplements and didn't want him to take ritalin.

 

I think it worked a little, although it's possible that it "worked" because I was being more attentive and working with him more, as I tried to determine if the supplements were helping...if you understand what I mean.

 

It was a real struggle.

 

Finally, I agreed to give him ritalin. I know it's the unpopular opinion, but for him, it really worked.

 

It took his thoughts and allowed him to sort them out and deal with them much better, rather than a flood of stimuli that overwhelmed him.

 

Yes, it stunted his growth somewhat. I'm 6'1" tall and his dad is about 5'11". My son was small for his age, and remained so until he stopped taking the ritalin around 9th grade.

 

He's now about 6'4" tall and doing well.

 

I know it's the popular thing to do, resisting taking medication for ADHD, but in some instances it really does help, and it's not worth the agony of struggling without a medication that might really help.

 

eta: I agree with the poster above, that really there should be no need for medicating a 4-year-old...

[Misty]

Give them the book "The Autism & ADHD Diet". It explains the hows and whys of food allergies being related to ADHD & Autism (specifically gluten, dairy, and soy) and it's packed full of recipes and ideas.

 

I also like "The Kid-Friendly ADHD & Autism Cookbook"

 

And if you think they are really receptive to this stuff, you might also give them "Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma, & Allergies".

 

Good luck! I have 4 kids, all with issues related to being on the spectrum and ADHD. Diet modification (removal of gluten and dairy, and even soy for one daughter with more severe issues) changed everything around for us.

[Misty]

I don't have a lot of support from board members for this, but I believe there is a huge amount of wishful fantasy regarding alternative measures out there.

 

Okay, I tried to ignore this, but can't.. Your lack of support is likely due to the overwhelming response that it works for so many kids. No wishful fantasies here. If you take the time to research HOW and WHY removal of food sensitivities and correction of gut flora is necessary for proper brain function, then you wouldn't be so quick to dismiss it. The evidence is overwhelming and even informed mainstream doctors are no longer denying the connection.

[ondreeuh]

My son began stimulant medication when he was 4 1/2 and I do not regret it. Our neuro actually prescribed it a year earlier but I held off. In the meantime, my son required full 1:1 support and was considered disabled enough that he qualified for SSI. After starting meds, he was no longer functionally disabled. He was able to plan out his thoughts and actions, and for the first time ever he was able to attend to what other people were saying and doing. This meant he could learn from experience, learn speech, learn social skills. This was huge.

 

We did try the brushing/joint compression protocol and it made things worse. Honestly, if the real problem is ADHD and not sensory integration disorder or food intolerances, then alternative treatments are not going to work.

[mandymom]

We added a magnesium supplement as well as a multivitamin to my son's prescription, and we have been able to significantly reduce the dosage of his prescribed medicine. We haven't found anything that has allowed us to completely take him off meds (not for lack of trying), but a small addition of magnesium has helped tremendously. And the combo of the two works better than just the med at the higher dose.

 

But I agree with the previous poster....4 is awfully young to start medication treatment of ADHD.

[Orthodox6]

/

Edited August 21, 2011 by Orthodox6
In public one may hold only select opinions.

[Gailmegan]

My oldest had all the symptoms of ADHD, which is actually the main reason we began homeschooling. After a few months of pulling my hair out we eliminated wheat and dairy (and avoided artificial colors and sweeteners) and supplemented with CLO and did epsom salt baths. That made all the difference in the world with helping him focus. He was still high energy - same personality, but when we sat down to do school, he really could sit still and listen and do his work. If it hadn't worked I would have asked the pediatrician for a formal diagnosis (she is very good at talking these things out with me) but it did work, so we never pursued the issue further. My opinion is that it can't hurt to try things like dietary changes before trying medications. They may not work for everyone, but if it works for you, it's worth it.

[LaxMom]

I'm curious how one diagnoses ADHD in a 4 year old. If I look at the symptoms, it seems pretty "4" to me. :confused:

[Renee in NC]

My son began stimulant medication when he was 4 1/2 and I do not regret it. Our neuro actually prescribed it a year earlier but I held off. In the meantime, my son required full 1:1 support and was considered disabled enough that he qualified for SSI. After starting meds, he was no longer functionally disabled. He was able to plan out his thoughts and actions, and for the first time ever he was able to attend to what other people were saying and doing. This meant he could learn from experience, learn speech, learn social skills. This was huge.

 

We did try the brushing/joint compression protocol and it made things worse. Honestly, if the real problem is ADHD and not sensory integration disorder or food intolerances, then alternative treatments are not going to work.

 

We had much the same result with my 10yo. Meds took him from mildly mentally retarded with significant language and motor delays to a child who is about to graduate speech therapy and no longer qualifies for OT. He was medicated last September, hit his ideal dose in February, has gained 2-3 years academically since then and FLYING forward.

 

He is finally able to LEARN!

[mandymom]

and did epsom salt baths

 

This is one way to supplement magnesium (although we use a pill form). Just FYI, because an epsom salt bath is an inexpensive, harmless thing to try and see if it works for your child.

[Lisa in Jax]

One of my family members has a child who is 4 years old. The doctors suspect that he may have ADHD. Any advice? Encouragement? Websites or suggestions for alternative treatment? Any allergies or foods to avoid?

 

As others have said, four is REALLY young to consider an ADHD diagnosis.

 

Some things that might help (and can't hurt):

 

1. Whole foods -- the less processed the food is, the better.

2. Eliminate FD&C food colors

3. Eliminate BHA, BHT, TBHQ and MSG

4. Minimize (or better, eliminate) high fructose corn syrup.

5. Give probiotics -- good, refrigerated ones, with no fillers, made by a reputable company.

6. Give essential fatty acids (fish oil, flax oil, etc.)

7. Give a multivitamin that contains no artificial colors, preservatives, sugar or artificial sweeteners.

8. Possibly, with doctor's approval, give melatonin, if sleep is an issue.

9. Serve protein for breakfast.

10. Consider an eval for sensory integration concerns

11. Consider an eval for nonverbal learning disabilities if the child fits the profile.

 

If none of these help enough, consider whether gluten intolerance or dairy intolerance (or both) might be a problem. Watch for the food groups the child *craves.* These might be the foods he needs to avoid, b/c kids are often "addicted" to the things they are sensitive to.

 

HIH,

 

Lisa

whose child got *much* worse on ADHD meds, but thrived on 1-9 above (and the gluten- and dairy-free diet). It's hard work, but worth trying, IMO, because if there's an intolerance, or the child is getting too many artificial chemicals (not enough whole foods) or lacks a mineral or essential fatty acid in his diet, it addresses the underlying cause of the hyperactivity rather than treating the symptoms.

[Lady Florida.]

My son began ADHD meds when he was 5 and we are not sorry. He's now at an age where he can tell me if he does or doesn't need his medicine, based on what our plans are for the day. When he was younger though, the meds were a blessing and truly helped him.

 

And yes, there are signs even that young. Ds was diagnosed at 5, but I started having concerns and wondering if he had it, at least a year before his DX. In fact, one criterion for diagnosis is that the symptoms presented before age 5.

Edited August 20, 2011 by floridamom

[Misty]

Honestly, if the real problem is ADHD and not sensory integration disorder or food intolerances, then alternative treatments are not going to work.

 

Absolutely NOT true.

Edited August 20, 2011 by Misty
Removed snarky comment

[Renee in NC]

My son began ADHD meds when he was 5 and we are not sorry. He's now at an age where he can tell me if he does or doesn't need his medicine, based on what our plans are for the day. When he was younger though, the meds were a blessing and truly helped him.

 

And yes, there are signs even that young. Ds was diagnosed at 5, but I started having concerns and wondering if he had it, at least a year before his DX.

 

Yes, true ADHD is apparent at very young ages. It may be that the previous poster is thinking about what gets diagnosed as ADHD too often:glare: but is often little boys being pushed too young. My dd is...intense.

 

Having said that, we are likely going to try the gluten/dairy-free avenue soon.

[Misty]

Absolutely NOT true.

 

Okay, I took a minute to try to see things from your point of view.. I suppose if you have a child who was born with ADHD due to some "bad wiring" then diet would not help. However, for the majority of American children, they are not born with ADHD. Our crappy food supply (specifically GMO's, preservatives, and all the rest of the CRAP in the American food supply) as well as overuse of antibiotics is contributing to inflammation, yeast overgrowth, etc. which in turn triggers autoimmune issues such as celiac, etc., which in turn causes malabsorption issues and starving brains.. This is the root cause of the MAJORITY of ADHD issues in America. And yes, it is TRUE ADHD. If you could meet my daughter, you would agree.. the teachers gave up on her and let her float around the room until we put her on Ritalin, which worked wonders for her.. But it didn't address the ROOT CAUSE.. It was just a bandaid.

 

Diet modification along with supplements has helped thousands and I would invite you to be more open minded and see if it might work for your child/ren.

[warriormom]

A few speech therapists, pediatrician and preschool teachers showed concern of markers of adhd

[Misty]

Yes, true ADHD is apparent at very young ages. My dd is...intense.

 

Yes, my dd's ADHD was apparent from very early on, as early as age 2. She was out of control and INTENSE. She was diagnosed at age 5 with Asperger's, ADHD-combined type, & severe OCD.

Edited August 20, 2011 by Misty

[Misty]

I have been reading and learning from all manner of resources about multiple special needs conditions and possible remedies since 1991.

 

A lot of this diet stuff is so new though. It's still sinking in with the medical community. So you would have to be reading stuff from the past 5 years or so to really get to the meaty science behind all of this. I will admit that diet mod does not work for everyone.. And maybe the people who don't believe in this stuff are the ones it doesn't work for.. But I would like to repectfully ask those people who do not support it or believe it to please allow those who are considering it to draw their own conclusions based on their own experiences.. Just because it does not work for you, it doesn't mean it won't work for them. If you have tried diet modification and have given it a 100% trial run, and it did not work for you.. Then great.. Please add your 2 cents on how it didn't work for you.. but if you have never tried it, I don't see how you can be so quick to dismiss it. I'm not speaking directly to you Orthodox6.. This is to everyone.

 

And I do agree that medication works wonders. I am not against medications for those who need them. But the OP was specifically asking about alternative treatments. My daughter was able to function on both Ritalin AND Zoloft after a nightmare situation of severe OCD and out of control ADHD. But when we removed gluten, dairy, and soy, a new child emerged and she was able to go off of these meds successfully. She is functioning quite well now.. She still has Asperger's, mild ADHD (mostly attention issues), & a little bit of anxiety/slight OCD.. But not near the intensity that we used to deal with. She is easily managed without meds today.

[TechWife]

One of my family members has a child who is 4 years old. The doctors suspect that he may have ADHD. Any advice? Encouragement? Websites or suggestions for alternative treatment? Any allergies or foods to avoid?

 

Has your input been requested in this situation? If not, why do you ask?

[Renee in NC]

Okay, I took a minute to try to see things from your point of view.. I suppose if you have a child who was born with ADHD due to some "bad wiring" then diet would not help. However, for the majority of American children, they are not born with ADHD. Our crappy food supply (specifically GMO's, preservatives, and all the rest of the CRAP in the American food supply) as well as overuse of antibiotics is contributing to inflammation, yeast overgrowth, etc. which in turn triggers autoimmune issues such as celiac, etc., which in turn causes malabsorption issues and starving brains.. This is the root cause of the MAJORITY of ADHD issues in America. And yes, it is TRUE ADHD. If you could meet my daughter, you would agree.. the teachers gave up on her and let her float around the room until we put her on Ritalin, which worked wonders for her.. But it didn't address the ROOT CAUSE.. It was just a bandaid.

 

Diet modification along with supplements has helped thousands and I would invite you to be more open minded and see if it might work for your child/ren.

 

Both of my parents have ADHD, I do, and at least 3 of my dc do. I will admit that there *are* issues with gluten and dairy all around, but please keep in mind that correlation does not equal causation. There is a theory that ADHD is so prevalent in America due to genetic loading - people with ADHD are more likely to travel 1000s of miles on an impulse to settle a wild new frontier.:tongue_smilie:

 

I realize that dietary changes do help many kids, but I am one who waited way too long to try meds. We could have avoided YEARS of pain and frustration for my ds if we had medicated him when he was young.

[TechWife]

A lot of this diet stuff is so new though. It's still sinking in with the medical community. So you would have to be reading stuff from the past 5 years or so to really get to the meaty science behind all of this

 

I have been reading and learning from all manner of resources about multiple special needs conditions and possible remedies since 1991

 

The bold font is mine. This statement was made in the present-perfect tense, indicating an action that began at some point in the past (in this case, 1991) and is continuing in the present. That's 20 years of research, which is more than enough to form an educated opinion.

[Lisa in Jax]

Please note that I said that four is young for an ADHD *diagnosis,* not that there were no symptoms at that young age. In general, docs and psychologists tend to avoid using an ADHD diagnosis in a child who's not yet in school, which is why I said what I said.

 

More importantly, the OP asked for "Encouragement? Websites or suggestions for alternative treatment? Any allergies or foods to avoid?"

 

My post was directed at her request, and attempted to provide encouragement that four is rather young for a *diagnosis* and information about what she asked for -- alternative treatment ideas.

 

Lisa

[Misty]

Both of my parents have ADHD, I do, and at least 3 of my dc do. .

 

Same here! It runs rampant in my family. My mother was just diagnosed with celiac earlier this year after a lifetime of mental and health issues. She never made it past 6th grade because she had so many LD's and severe ADHD. One must consider that the food sensitivities is what is actually inherited. I also have diagnosed celiac disease as well as one of my daughters.

 

I realize that dietary changes do help many kids, but I am one who waited way too long to try meds. We could have avoided YEARS of pain and frustration for my ds if we had medicated him when he was young.

 

Again, I am not against meds for those who need them. I could not have survived another day of my daughter without meds just a few short years ago. Her OCD was unbearable and her ADHD was INSANELY INTENSE. But for those who do not want to go the medication route, there is a lot to be said for alternative treatments, which is what the OP was specifically asking about!

Edited August 20, 2011 by Misty

[warriormom]

Has your input been requested in this situation? If not, why do you ask?

 

My family member is asking, searching and looking for help. She is desperate. Preschool is a nightmare right now for her ds. All pride has been put aside. I care a great deal about this child. I have helped my family member with things like sports for her child, nutrition info that I know and research that I have found. His mom and I are very close. LOL, don't assume that someone is just being nosey! :lol:

[deacongirl]

I believe that meds can be appropriate for ADHD, but I would consider the book Dual Diagnosis and Misdiagnosis of the Gifted. A kid with a high IQ and an inappropriate educational fit can look like he has ADHD.

[Ottakee]

You can head over to the special needs board as well.

 

Has he been evaluated for other things that can look like or go along with ADHD? Things like mood issues, sensory issues, thyroid problems, blood sugar issues, etc?

 

My girl started meds at just 3 and honestly, if I had known then what I know now, we would have started at age 1 1/2l HONESTLY. Her behavior severely limited her early learning and social skills.

 

That said, we did evaluate sleep (sleep apnea can cause ADHD like symptoms and removing tonsils/adenoids can help), did the gluten free, sugar free, dye free diets *(and REALLY did them), added supplements, etc. The supplements did help some but meds were what we needed.

 

At 4 it is worth trying other things and I am not one to say to medicate just any child but I have seen such huge results on the right meds for many kids.

[JZMom]

My son's ADHD has been off the charts for several years. He also has a few other issues that he's dealing with. We tried everything- every type of therapy, every type of eval, and the GFCF diet, with almost no results to show for any of it. We were just about to start meds when I decided to try the Feingold Diet as a last ditch effort, and I'm happy to say that so far, the results have been better than every other thing we've done combined. I kick myself for not trying it sooner, but I thought that b/c we were already eating mostly natural and organic foods, Feingold wouldn't be much different. Boy was I wrong! We're about to start our seventh week, and I'm so thrilled to finally see some progress. It hasn't been a cure-all, but his OCD issues have stopped totally, he's exhibiting far less sensory-seeking behavior, and when he gets frustrated, he's usually able to regain control rather quickly.

 

I really encourage anyone who is considering trying dietary changes to look at Feingold. It's MUCH easier to implement than GFCF, and it's all spelled out for you.

[TechWife]

My family member is asking, searching and looking for help. She is desperate. Preschool is a nightmare right now for her ds. All pride has been put aside. I care a great deal about this child. I have helped my family member with things like sports for her child, nutrition info that I know and research that I have found. His mom and I are very close. LOL, don't assume that someone is just being nosey! :lol:

 

I wasn't assuming. If I had been assuming, I wouldn't have asked. Really, I mean no harm :).

 

As the mom of a son w/ADHD, I have received a great deal of unsolicited advice from family members, friends and even from strangers. People make a great number of assumptions about the child, the parent and the family situation based upon very limited information - usually just after observing less than 5 minutes of an interaction, or hearing my ds make a comment about ADHD. Many people assume that I don't care about by child's behavior, that I am an indulgent parent, that I'm ignorant about treatment options, that I don't understand treatment options, etc. I just wanted to make sure you weren't on a fishing expedition, so to speak.

 

I think its fantastic that you are supporting your family member & hope you are able to maintain that friendship through the years.

 

There are so many different options out there, sifting through them can be mind-boggling. Things that helped my son at a young age included Occupational Therapy and a lot of outdoor activity. In retrospect, I think I kept up with the OT a little too long, I could have saved a lot of money by just doing the activities he had learned at OT at home. Spending time at the swimming pool was also helpful. Being in the water had a very calming effect on us both. Predictable daily routines helped a lot as well. Part of it was the time of day that things happen, but the most important part was that things happen in a predictable order, which isn't always a given when you're at home. Biking is the preferred exercise right now.

 

I found these books to be really helpful & it is good information for any aged child:

Smart Moves: Why Learning Isn't All in Your Head - this book has some information on how the brain works. It concentrates on how body movement affects how well we process the world around us and in turn, how that processing affects movement, emotions, attention. There are some practical exercises discussed that can be done at home. I really liked this book because it addressed the entire body & working to develop coordination between your body and your mind, in a way, helping the mind recognize where the body is in space (vestibular system). Figuring out things like this was fantastic. Even now, ds needs a great deal of concentrated exercise (like biking) that help him orient his body to his surroundings. The effects carry over long after the activity has been completed.

Late, Lost and Unprepared: A Parent's Guide to Executive Functioning - this is a book that I wish I had read years ago, but alas, I didn't find it until last year. Executive functioning is a process by which you manage yourself and your resources in order to achieve a goal. That goal can be anything from learning how to tie your shoes, ask for help, drive a car, make a presentation at work, succeed at an academic pursuit. People who have difficulties with executive functioning include those with ADHD related behaviors, among others. The executive functions are: inhibition (the ability to stop doing something at the appropriate time); shift (moving from one activity or thought to another); emotional control (modulating emotions so they are appropriate to the situation - think temper tantrums, etc.); initiation (the ability to begin a task or activity & to independently generate appropriate responses & solve problems); working memory (holding information in mind for the purpose of completing a task); planning & organization (managing current & future-oriented task demands); organization of materials (the ability to impose order on work, play and storage spaces); and self-monitoring (monitoring one's own performance and measuring it against a standard of what is needed or expected). The first half of the book explains executive functioning and the second half gives great, practical ideas on addressing executive functioning weaknesses.

 

A lot of the material that is generated surrounding managing ADHD behaviors directly relates to the school environment, which as you have seen w/your friend's experience, is difficult for people with attention issues. I had a tendency to brush some suggestions off because I was seeing issues in the home environment, not a school. I though that it wouldn't apply to the issues we were having at home. I eventually learned how to translate the school talk/behavior into home/family behavior, which helped me apply the information globally instead of just in an academic setting.

 

In regards to executive skills, it when something like this:

 

inhibition - the ability to stop playing in order to follow an instruction such as brush your teeth, come to dinner, stop aggravating your friend, tapping your pen on the table, etc.

 

shift - to think of more than one solution to a problem and not get stuck on one idea, repeating it endlessly even if it doesn't work, or to consider others preferences in play activities. Coping when expectations aren't met is part of this as well.

 

emotional control - not overreacting in situations such as having a temper tantrum because it's raining & you can't go outside, or not being able to regulate laughter in situations where it is not appropriate, such as being at a funeral or while in a serious discussion with someone. I found that having emotions appropriate to the situation is something that comes with maturity to most kids, but kids who have difficulty in this area often need to be explicitly told what is/isn't appropriated & given direct teaching on how to manage themselves (removing themselves from situation, deep breathing, etc.).

 

initiation - the ability to do chores as expected - at the right time and in the right manner; the ability to solve a problem related to a task on your own. For example, the trash & recycling go down to the curb on Tuesday night. It's on a chore chart, so eventually a child would mature enough to initiate this process w/out having to be told. On a particular day, the recycle bin is too heavy to carry, so child gets skateboard, places bin on skateboard and moves it down to the curb. Another way initiation comes into play is the ability to complete an activity with multiple parts without having to be given step by step instructions , such as moving from an instruction set (make your bed, put your clothes in the hamper, put your toys in the toy box, put your books on the shelf, dust the dresser) to a single instruction (clean your room).

 

working memory - forgetting to remember a message long enough to either write it down or relay it to someone else (Mom, Grandma called and said that she's coming over to take us out to dinner); forgetting homework assignments before they can be transferred to paper.

 

planning/organization - This comes out in many ways for us, most often in the way ds gets ready to leave the house. It has a sense of time piece (knowing how long it takes to do something like getting dressed) as well as being able to find things (realizing that if you took your shoes off by the front door, they are most likely still there, so look there first) and get out the door with what you need. This has a lot to do with motor planning - how to physically get from here to there at right time with the right materials. In order to have my son pack for a trip, now we give him a specific list of things that he has to take (4 shirts, 4 jeans, 5 pairs of socks, 5 underpants, 1 dress shirt, 1 dress pant, dress shoes, dress socks, belt, toiletries, etc.). He simply isn't to a place where we can say, pack for the week - that would end up in some frustrating trips for all of us!

 

organization of materials - "Mom, I'm out of underwear." "Did you look in your drawer?" "No - oh, wow, there it is!" Seriously, we have that conversation on a regular basis.

 

self-monitoring - picking up on environmental cues, such as being quiet in church, listening respectfully when someone is upset, realizing when & how you have upset someone else and adjusting behavior accordingly.

 

OK, I've typed a lot & need to give my fingers a rest. I may think of more tomorrow.

[cathmom]

There is a theory that ADHD is so prevalent in America due to genetic loading - people with ADHD are more likely to travel 1000s of miles on an impulse to settle a wild new frontier.:tongue_smilie:

 

 

You never told me that theory! It makes sense though, because I would never ever go settle a wild frontier and I'm the opposite of ADHD.

[ondreeuh]

Our neuro diagnosed ADHD in a THREE year old by:

 

1) physical exam - thorough! to rule out any signs of a metabolic or inflammatory cause

2) family history

3) MRI to rule out brain damage

4) EEG to rule out seizures

5) reports from developmental pediatrician who had done her own exams every 6 months prior

6) surveys from me and two preschool teachers

7) genetic tests for Fragile X and DiGeorge (indicated by his cardiac issues)

 

Four year olds are active. Some of them are waaaaay over the top active and stuck in a stimulus-driven behavior pattern.

[WishboneDawn]

One of my family members has a child who is 4 years old. The doctors suspect that he may have ADHD. Any advice? Encouragement? Websites or suggestions for alternative treatment? Any allergies or foods to avoid?

 

Research the heck out of it. Don't rely mainly on us or anecdotes from others on the internet or IRL. Try alternative treatments, keep a solid structure in the home and make sure there's a good stable diet but don't dismiss more conventional meds and don't wait years before giving them a try if your child is really having to struggle a lot.

 

Don't pick a side in the whole treatment debate and be unwilling or afraid to try methods outside it. All of it thankfully, from diet to the meds specific to ADD, offers little to no long-term side effects.

[Natalieclare]

I wasn't assuming. If I had been assuming, I wouldn't have asked. Really, I mean no harm :).

 

As the mom of a son w/ADHD, I have received a great deal of unsolicited advice from family members, friends and even from strangers. People make a great number of assumptions about the child, the parent and the family situation based upon very limited information - usually just after observing less than 5 minutes of an interaction, or hearing my ds make a comment about ADHD. Many people assume that I don't care about by child's behavior, that I am an indulgent parent, that I'm ignorant about treatment options, that I don't understand treatment options, etc. I just wanted to make sure you weren't on a fishing expedition, so to speak.

 

I think its fantastic that you are supporting your family member & hope you are able to maintain that friendship through the years.

 

There are so many different options out there, sifting through them can be mind-boggling. Things that helped my son at a young age included Occupational Therapy and a lot of outdoor activity. In retrospect, I think I kept up with the OT a little too long, I could have saved a lot of money by just doing the activities he had learned at OT at home. Spending time at the swimming pool was also helpful. Being in the water had a very calming effect on us both. Predictable daily routines helped a lot as well. Part of it was the time of day that things happen, but the most important part was that things happen in a predictable order, which isn't always a given when you're at home. Biking is the preferred exercise right now.

 

I found these books to be really helpful & it is good information for any aged child:

Smart Moves: Why Learning Isn't All in Your Head - this book has some information on how the brain works. It concentrates on how body movement affects how well we process the world around us and in turn, how that processing affects movement, emotions, attention. There are some practical exercises discussed that can be done at home. I really liked this book because it addressed the entire body & working to develop coordination between your body and your mind, in a way, helping the mind recognize where the body is in space (vestibular system). Figuring out things like this was fantastic. Even now, ds needs a great deal of concentrated exercise (like biking) that help him orient his body to his surroundings. The effects carry over long after the activity has been completed.

Late, Lost and Unprepared: A Parent's Guide to Executive Functioning - this is a book that I wish I had read years ago, but alas, I didn't find it until last year.

OK, I've typed a lot & need to give my fingers a rest. I may think of more tomorrow.

 

Thanks for the book rec. I'm buying it today. :001_smile:

[susankenny]

My son takes a supplement called Attentive Child (buy it at amazon or any health food store). It has worked wonders for him. He takes the pill, but they have chewable wafers for younger children.

 

Aside from that, I highly recommend the Feingold diet.

 

 

Susan

[amo_mea_filiis.]

Just commenting on the age thing- When my ds was 18-19 months old, he was diagnosed with disruptive behavior disorder which is ADHD for the very young (basically). He'll be 7 soon and ADHD could easiely be diagnosed in him. He could have ADHD, but we will not know until his sleep is fixed.

 

That would be my advice- Look into a sleep study, and occupational therapy for sensory integration therapy,

[Renee in NC]

You never told me that theory! It makes sense though, because I would never ever go settle a wild frontier and I'm the opposite of ADHD.

 

And I was trying to convince my dh to buy an RV and travel around the country as we could find work!:lol:

 

ETA: I meant dh, not ds! I wouldn't encourage ds to do anything of the sort!:lol:

Edited August 20, 2011 by Renee in FL

[cathmom]

And I was trying to convince my ds to buy an RV and travel around the country as we could find work!:lol:

 

 

:lol:

[MBM]

Another book you might like is John Ratey's Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. Ratey is a psychiatrist and clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. To sum up the book, exercise helps balance neurotransmitters in the brain making a kid more alert and calm. Boys do better with anaerobic exercise while girls can manage with aerobic. Ideally, you'd want an exercise that requires quick thinking while moving -- tennis, dance routines, soccer, etc., but some form of exercise is better than nothing.

 

Ratey does not pooh-pooh using meds, but he has found that some kids can get by without them if they add an exercise routine.

 

In one interesting example, the schools in Naperville, Illinois, developed exercise programs to improve both overall health (quite successfully) and academics, and the results have been astonishingly good. Other schools have had similar results once they began following the program.

 

Good luck. Hope you find something helpful.

[Spryte]

My doctor, not my son's doctor at the time, recommended this book: http://www.amazon.com/Healing-New-Childhood-Epidemics-Groundbreaking/dp/0345494504 (sorry, I don't know how to do the nice links). She attended an environmental health conference, and saw the author speak, and could not stop thinking of my son (he has severe allergies, asthma and some ADHD tendencies, so 3 of the "4 As").

 

We have been following the recommendations in the book for some time, and with the help of my doc (now my son's also), he is making huge progress. His asthma is under control with less meds, his ADHD tendencies are less noticeable, there are big behavioral changes afoot. There are other huge changes, but I don't want to highjack this post.

 

We've altered his diet (which was already pretty clean, since he has allergies to most processed foods), added excellent supplements (I can share a list, if you'd like), and we found out that he has high lead, mercury and cadmium - so we are chelating for those. With her help, we've learned that he has a high level of volatile organic compounds in his system, so any additional exposure makes his symptoms worse. He was exposed to very high levels of BPA prior to his birth (he is adopted) and that plays a role in all of this as well. All of this has meant a major lifestyle shift for all of us, but it has been well worth it.

 

Oh! Another big change happened when we investigated his allergy meds. We learned that Singulair, which he had been on since 2 years old, can cause significant symptoms as well. Removing that made a big difference as well. It helps to step back and look at *everything* with fresh eyes.

 

Hoping that you find some help to pass along.

[Ginger]

How long does it take to notice a difference with the Magnesium?

 

My 11 yo ds' ADHD has been really acting up since we started school Aug.1st.

In the past I've tried all kinds of alternative things, with varying success, tried a couple of meds but they made him psychotic and suicidal--put off trying any more meds when I realized that we have a strong family history of Tourettes and if the gene is present in him, the meds could trigger it--and I'd much rather deal with ADHD than what my brother has gone through with TS.

 

Anyway--yesterday when it took him over 10 seconds to answer 1+1, I knew I had to do something. I had given him a speed drill with all numbers 0-3. So all I could think of was to give him a Coke and see if the caffeine helped. Sure enough 45 min. later we tried math again--he flew through the problems--what had taken him almost 4 min. before with a score of 20/30 (all numbers 0-3), he completed in 1 1/2 min. and only missed one. He then did his math lesson which was several problems of multi-digit multiplication and finished it in about 10 min. with a perfect score.

 

I sure don't want to give him a sugary soda every morning and he doesn't like coffee, but I'd really like to try this for a week and see what happens.

[gardenmom5]

One of my family members has a child who is 4 years old. The doctors suspect that he may have ADHD. Any advice? Encouragement? Websites or suggestions for alternative treatment? Any allergies or foods to avoid?

 

one alternative is tomatis/listening therapy (sounds bizarre, but it can really help)

frequently food sensitivities and going gluten free/ casein free/soy free/ yeast free. you can actually test for the gluten with stool test (NOT the blood test for celiac) as it can takes months to get it totally out of the system. maybe one, maybe all, maybe none are sensitive. casein and soy have similar protein chains, so likelihood is sensitive to one, sensititve to the other as well.

food dyes - some kids are intolerant

nitrates - I noticed it with my son, and have pulled things with nitrates from his diet. definite improvement

Edited August 20, 2011 by gardenmom5