Need advise about treated ADD naturally.

[cheryl h]

I took my ds9 to the pediatrician yesterday, and after reviewing my observations and discussing it extensively with ds, she agreed that he probably has more than mild ADD. At this point she isn't sending us off to a psych for evaluation, as she thinks it will only make it that much longer to start treatment and he will slide further behind. She is a well respected DO, and does not readily prescribe meds of it's not necessary. She did recommend he start a very low dose med for the ADD, and assured me that it was very safe, in fact the dose wears off by noon if taken at breakfast. She also recommended an Omega 3-6-9.

 

My husband and I don't like the idea of meds, but if they will help him get back on track and feel successful, I would do it. We would rather use supplements, but if it only helps a little, than we would do both meds and supplements.

 

If you have tried supplements and had great results, please share your experience. If you have used other homeopathic remedies, what did you use and how effective was it?

 

Thanks so much for sharing your experience and wisdom.

 

[PeterPan]

Wow, without even giving you the CHANCE to decide if accommodations and the advice/information a neuropsych eval would give you, she wants you to go on meds FAST, immediately, like the world is going to END, for MILD ADD?!?! You did say MILD, right? Ok, I just realized you said *more* than mild. There's still a lot to sort through. It's winter and that he's probably been cooped up. MOST kids of that state are going a bit stir crazy. The neuropsych will give you more than just a label (if he's any good) and that info might change how you homeschool and that those changes MIGHT, just MIGHT change your whole perceived need for the meds.

 

So whatever. I'd get the neuropsych eval first. Is the world ending? How non-functional is he? Have you made environmental and structural changes and changes to your homeschooling? Have you done reading on adhd? Kids get misdiagnosed when all they've got is that profile questionaire. He could have something totally different going on (vision, CAPD), and you might find that you could make enough changes that you would decide you didn't need the meds at all. Get the eval.

 

And no, meds are more complicated than making him feel "back on track" and "successful". For some kids it does allow them to do school work, yes. And for some kids it's more like Tigger loses his bounce. I'm not anti-med. I'm just pointing out that they feed people lines like that it's normalizing brain function and that if you DON'T do it you're doing them a disservice, blah blah. Take your time and sort it out for yourself. Read, read, read. There's no need for a rushed decision, not in the middle of winter when people have been cooped up.

 

Come visit us over on the SN boards. Tons of book lists and advice, and actually I think we have a couple threads on this topic already. Flax oil, fish, yes it can make a radical difference for some kids.

 

BTW, you realize the inherent bias of all this? There's a sense in which these kids are totally NORMAL *for themselves*. There's a whole profile of brain dominance and how these kids work. Again, I'm not anti-meds. But it's just too extreme to look at them as broken and give them psych drugs to conform to a system for which they weren't BORN. The real trick is to understand who they ARE and work with them. Yes some kids need a lot more help, but that's a decision you make after you have full information and try the options. Sometimes you change the situation, and the disability goes away. He's not BROKEN, just different. Do you look at Ansel Adams and say he was broken? World famous photographer. He was so adhd his mother gave up, brought him home from school, and plunked him in the wild with a camera. He just really needed to be who he was, not some bad, chemically-induced version of someone else.

 

It's just something to think through, how far accommodations and getting in sync with who he is, changing YOUR methods, not him, can get him, sans meds. Doesn't always get the dc all the way, but you don't know till you try.

[Faithr]

You do not want to give these drugs without a neuro-pyschologist's testing. There are definite side effects. They can bring out tics in your child, affect appetite and sleep, affect mood, affect growth rate, etc. etc. No way. Get him evaluated by a neuropsychologist. Make sure he is getting lots and lots of exercise. Teach to his learning style. The whole reason I started homeschooling was because of my oldest son diagnosed very ADHD. This is your child's brain you are talking about. Make sure it is absolutely necessary before you start medicating him.

[PeterPan]

BTW, did she explain the insurance consequences of going on the meds? I'm not up on it, but apparently they are psych meds and have to be reported for insurance, can raise your rates (because of what it correlates to statistically), etc. I really don't know, just saying it's something to check. It's another reason some people use it as the last step, not the first.

[Alte Veste Academy]

What helps here...

 

Copious amounts of exercise. (Do not ignore this one, especially!)

 

A (near) perfect diet.

 

Perfect sleep. (Exercise will help with this.)

 

Fish oil.

 

School tailored 80% to strengths and 20% to shoring up weak areas, combining when possible.

 

A predictable but engaging schedule.

 

Recommended reading...

 

Superparenting for ADD http://www.amazon.com/Superparenting-ADD-Innovative-Approach-Distracted/dp/0345497775/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360262564&sr=8-1&keywords=superparenting+for+add

 

The Myth of ADD (Not what it sounds like; the behavior is real, of course.) http://www.amazon.com/Myth-D-D-Child-Behavior-Attention/dp/0452275474/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1360262775&sr=1-1&keywords=The+myth+of+add

 

Healing the New Childhood Epidemics http://www.amazon.com/Healing-New-Childhood-Epidemics-Groundbreaking/dp/0345494512/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1360262820&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=Hauling+the+new+childhood+epidemic

 

Also, any chance he is gifted? Lots of ADD kids are. In the Superparenting book, there is a side-by-side list of negatives and positives to ADD. They are correlated. For every weakness, there is a strength. The most helpful thing for me has been to completely reframe what ADD means.

[PeterPan]

Superparenting for ADD? Hahaha, that's the one I need!!! :lol:

 

PS. Just saw that it's a new (er) book by Hallowell that I didn't know about. Cool! He's great. Also No Mind Left Behind, any of the books on EF like Smart But Scattered, Right-Brained Normal by Gaddis (with reservations because I think she's too dismissive of proper diagnosis and treatment of certain issues), etc.

[Alte Veste Academy]

Superparenting for ADD? Hahaha, that's the one I need!!! :lol:

 

 

It is SO good!

[PeterPan]

It is SO good!

 

 

Well good, cuz it's coming! Our library can get it, but I have to stand in line. I'm not impatient, I'm not impatient.. :lol:

 

Now I will pry my butt from this chair and thread. Next year, those bio labs need to be more independent. This gets nuts. Well at least 1/2 of her biology will be independent. Sigh.

[cheryl h]

Wow, without even giving you the CHANCE to decide if accommodations and the advice/information a neuropsych eval would give you, she wants you to go on meds FAST, immediately, like the world is going to END, for MILD ADD?!?! You did say MILD, right? Ok, I just realized you said *more* than mild. There's still a lot to sort through. It's winter and that he's probably been cooped up. MOST kids of that state are going a bit stir crazy. The neuropsych will give you more than just a label (if he's any good) and that info might change how you homeschool and that those changes MIGHT, just MIGHT change your whole perceived need for the meds.

 

So whatever. I'd get the neuropsych eval first. Is the world ending? How non-functional is he? Have you made environmental and structural changes and changes to your homeschooling? Have you done reading on adhd? Kids get misdiagnosed when all they've got is that profile questionaire. He could have something totally different going on (vision, CAPD), and you might find that you could make enough changes that you would decide you didn't need the meds at all. Get the eval.

 

And no, meds are more complicated than making him feel "back on track" and "successful". For some kids it does allow them to do school work, yes. And for some kids it's more like Tigger loses his bounce. I'm not anti-med. I'm just pointing out that they feed people lines like that it's normalizing brain function and that if you DON'T do it you're doing them a disservice, blah blah. Take your time and sort it out for yourself. Read, read, read. There's no need for a rushed decision, not with what you're saying is mild, and not in the middle of winter when people have been cooped up.

 

Come visit us over on the SN boards. Tons of book lists and advice, and actually I think we have a couple threads on this topic already. Flax oil, fish, yes it can make a radical difference for some kids.

 

BTW, you realize the inherent bias of all this? You said mild adhd. There's a sense in which these kids are totally NORMAL *for themselves*. There's a whole profile of brain dominance and how these kids work. Again, I'm not anti-meds. But it's just too extreme to look at them as broken and give them psych drugs to conform to a system for which they weren't BORN. The real trick is to understand who they ARE and work with them. Yes some kids need a lot more help, but you said mild. You change the situation, and the disability goes away. He's not BROKEN, just different. Do you look at Ansel Adams and say he was broken? World famous photographer. He was so adhd his mother gave up, brought him home from school, and plunked him in the wild with a camera. He just really needed to be who he was, not some bad, chemically-induced version of someone else.

 

It's just something to think through, how far accommodations and getting in sync with who he is, changing YOUR methods, not him, can get him, sans meds. Doesn't always get the dc all the way, but you don't know till you try.

 

I did NOT say mild, I said more than mild. In fact, I personally would categorize him as more than moderate. My more than mild comment was meant to distinguish him from those that are just suffering cabin fever, which I assure you what he is experiencing is not that, as we get out of the house a lot, he plays sports and is involved with extracurricular activities. I have another kid who I would categorize as mild, but I have not pursued treatment for her because I think she can learn habits that will help her with it.

 

I have taken your advise from previous posts about environmental factors, and book recommendations, and I assure you I have done research on how to make accommodations and environmental changes to help him, and nothing has worked. He has always had this problem, always, but now that he is getting older and the work is getting harder, it is becoming very obvious that this is an attention issue, not a maturity issue. He has gone from being a B student, to a D student this year...not because he doesn't know the grammar of his subjects, but because he can't stay focused long enough to complete the multi-stepped tasks this level requires. He has had his hearing and sight checked, and gone through speech therapy testing twice, and not qualified. His brain is going quicker than he can "output", and he loses his way. He has no behavioral issues at all, it is simply lack of attention. It affects more than just his academics, it affects his ability to do multi step processes of any kind, which leads him to be in a position of having to be "babysat" while doing personal hygiene, making lunch for himself, whatever...he can get past step one, or even finish step one most times. He knows he's got an issue, and it is extremely discouraging to him that he isn't able to do what he should be able to at his age.

 

I am not against him seeing the neuropsych, and i am sure our ped would have referred him if she felt it necessary. But I also don't see any reason to have to spend thousands on testing, for them to tell me what I know, and presribe the same Rx as the ped.

 

I am looking for advise on natural treatments before we try the med. I have no desire to wait 6 months or more to get into the neuropsych if I can help him now.

 

 

[Faithr]

Hey, sorry if I jumped all over you. I guess a red flag went up for me because of my own experiences. I still say someone more qualified in this field should see him even if it winds up being the same prescription. Just because then you know you checked out everything first. My oldest son had a bizarre reaction to Adderall; like a bi-polar episode. My 14 yo suddenly developed tachycardia which we are trying to figure if this was started from the meds or not. Maybe it didn't but these drugs are real and have real side effects that are problematic. So it is a very serious step to take.

 

I personally have never seen an increase in focus via anything we've done naturally. We tried fish oil for a while but I saw no change. Maybe we didn't try long enough. The thing is often the natural methods take months to work anyway. You could try them while you are waiting for the neuro-pysch. We were able to get into a neuropsychologist pretty quickly (a couple of weeks). We didn't have to wait six months. Some people swear by Feingold but lots of professionals do not think it really works. So it is all questionable and there are people who argue both ways in whether these things work. I have a book on my tbr pile called Healing the New Childhood Epidemics. However, it seems to see autism, ADHD allergies and asthma as all of one piece and my kids do not have the last two.

 

Does your son ever overfocus on things? Where you can't get his attention at all because he's completely absorbed? Because ADD isn't really a lack of attention so much as poorly regulated attention. So it swings wildly from uberfocus to completely clueless.

[Alte Veste Academy]

I have a book on my tbr pile called Healing the New Childhood Epidemics. However, it seems to see autism, ADHD allergies and asthma as all of one piece and my kids do not have the last two.

 

The way I read this was that these four things are not necessarily occurring in the same kids, just that these four issues are the (now frighteningly common) manifestations of a larger problem. The solutions frequently overlap.

 

Does your son ever overfocus on things? Where you can't get his attention at all because he's completely absorbed? Because ADD isn't really a lack of attention so much as poorly regulated attention. So it swings wildly from uberfocus to completely clueless.

 

Right. And this is why we stick to the 80/20ish ratio here. In my experience, when kids spend the majority of their time in areas of strength instead of areas of weakness, self-esteem improves, followed by work ethic and a greater willingness and ability to focus on more challenging work. When they spend all day long being reminded of their deficits and distractibility, it becomes a self-perpetuating cycle. Sometimes it seems to me that most people here work more like 20/80 strength/weakness, almost constantly focusing on improving the weak areas, wagging the carrot of the child's favorite subject or activity. To be clear, I am not speaking about you, OP, as I don't know you at all. Just a consideration.

[cheryl h]

Hey, sorry if I jumped all over you. I guess a red flag went up for me because of my own experiences. I still say someone more qualified in this field should see him even if it winds up being the same prescription. Just because then you know you checked out everything first. My oldest son had a bizarre reaction to Adderall; like a bi-polar episode. My 14 yo suddenly developed tachycardia which we are trying to figure if this was started from the meds or not. Maybe it didn't but these drugs are real and have real side effects that are problematic. So it is a very serious step to take.

 

I personally have never seen an increase in focus via anything we've done naturally. We tried fish oil for a while but I saw no change. Maybe we didn't try long enough. The thing is often the natural methods take months to work anyway. You could try them while you are waiting for the neuro-pysch. We were able to get into a neuropsychologist pretty quickly (a couple of weeks). We didn't have to wait six months. Some people swear by Feingold but lots of professionals do not think it really works. So it is all questionable and there are people who argue both ways in whether these things work. I have a book on my tbr pile called Healing the New Childhood Epidemics. However, it seems to see autism, ADHD allergies and asthma as all of one piece and my kids do not have the last two.

 

Does your son ever overfocus on things? Where you can't get his attention at all because he's completely absorbed? Because ADD isn't really a lack of attention so much as poorly regulated attention. So it swings wildly from uberfocus to completely clueless.

 

Yes, he can hyper focus on Legos, video games on the wii or Minecraft (which are both highly regulated here), and sports. He's very kinesthetic. I am reading ADD-Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life by Kolberg and Nadeau and they discuss this attribute of ADD a lot.

 

[PeterPan]

Did you confirm that the np wait is indeed 6 months?

[morgan]

I am all for natural remedies, but from personal experience, my sd 17 was recently diagnosed with ADD (the inattentive type, not hyperactive) and meds have made a HUGE difference. I was very resistant to giving her meds and she didn't want to try them at all, but our whole family is so happy we finally gave them a try. It's taking a while to get the dosage just right, so be prepared that it might be take a while to get the meds right if you choose to go that route. She was fully evaluated, but she has some learning issues too, so we went that route. It was worth the time and cost for us to get a full evaluation.

 

Yes, there are some possible side effects (but your pediatrician should be able to discuss them with you), but the goal should be the most benefit with the least negative side effects.

[cheryl h]

I am all for natural remedies, but from personal experience, my sd 17 was recently diagnosed with ADD (the inattentive type, not hyperactive) and meds have made a HUGE difference. I was very resistant to giving her meds and she didn't want to try them at all, but our whole family is so happy we finally gave them a try. It's taking a while to get the dosage just right, so be prepared that it might be take a while to get the meds right if you choose to go that route. She was fully evaluated, but she has some learning issues too, so we went that route. It was worth the time and cost for us to get a full evaluation.

 

Yes, there are some possible side effects (but your pediatrician should be able to discuss them with you), but the goal should be the most benefit with the least negative side effects.

 

 

Yes, the ped did discuss with me the side effects, and he would be monitored in office every 2 weeks for some time until the dosage was right and to make sure his weight and blood pressure were acceptable. She also discuss the need to change his diet so that the appetite problem didn't get away from us.

[cheryl h]

Did you confirm that the np wait is indeed 6 months?

 

 

She said that had been the average wait lately.

[momacacia]

You might want to consider the GAPS diet or the body ecology diet.

[Crimson Wife]

I have a book on my tbr pile called Healing the New Childhood Epidemics. However, it seems to see autism, ADHD allergies and asthma as all of one piece and my kids do not have the last two.

 

I love the Kenneth Bock book. He's not saying that every kid who has ADHD or autism automatically has allergies or asthma. What he's saying is that very often these things will cluster in families. He says it's common for a parent to have allergies, the older child to have ADHD, and the younger child autism. Something in our environment is toxic and it's showing up as a dramatic increase in the rates of all these various disorders.

[PeterPan]

She said that had been the average wait lately.

 

Well I don't know where you live, but what if you look farther, or drive out of state? Seriously, around here the wait is 1 month for a good doc and 3-4 months for the most popular. There are docs who will do your intake and all the testing in one long day if you're driving a long way. Just might give you some options. I can see why you're feeling like you're in a pickle.

 

Has he had an OT eval for sensory? Have you tried caffeine? And do you already do the basics like eat clean, whole foods, a salad every day, etc.? People ask how flax oil does so much for us and didn't for them. It's because it was in a context. We already eat organic, with all fresh, homemade foods, a salad every dinner with poultry or fish, vegetables and grains for lunch, oatmeal/yogurt/fruit for breakfast, and fruit for snacks. I've seen diet changes like that make a huge difference with friends' kids too.

[Faithr]

Ok, I have spent the last two hours reading Bock's book. Now I am interested in trying the no gluten, no casein diet. Except I am not because my kids and husband will hate it. But Lent is starting next Wed which means we usually give something up. I think I may be able to sell this as something we can do for Lent and then we can see if it helps us. And that would give me a few days to get plan meals.

 

Cheryl b are you interested in trying? Or anybody else? Maybe we could have a support group? Anybody already do this? I need lots of ideas. My dd lives off cheese but I often worry about this because she is borderline anemic and I am sure all that cheese interferes with her iron absorption. But that is going to be the very toughest hurdle. My kids crave all the stuff that supposedly exacerbates/ cause autism/add.

[cheryl h]

 

 

Well I don't know where you live, but what if you look farther, or drive out of state? Seriously, around here the wait is 1 month for a good doc and 3-4 months for the most popular. There are docs who will do your intake and all the testing in one long day if you're driving a long way. Just might give you some options. I can see why you're feeling like you're in a pickle.

 

Has he had an OT eval for sensory? Have you tried caffeine? And do you already do the basics like eat clean, whole foods, a salad every day, etc.? People ask how flax oil does so much for us and didn't for them. It's because it was in a context. We already eat organic, with all fresh, homemade foods, a salad every dinner with poultry or fish, vegetables and grains for lunch, oatmeal/yogurt/fruit for breakfast, and fruit for snacks. I've seen diet changes like that make a huge difference with friends' kids too.

 

 

I am not excited about traveling that far for treatment as I am going through my own health issues as well. I am currently going through auto-immune testing and will here back about my labs on the 18th. That's one of the reasons why I wanted to pursue natural remedies for the ADD first, is depending on what my outcome is, I may have my kids tested as well if it is something with possible genetic origins, like celiac, which could if undiagnosed, affect a kid in this way. Once I get my results back, if it isn't something that could be genetic, than we possibly start his meds then. I am not hearing a lot of success with supplements alone, though we would do those as well as the meds. The ped explained that he should only have to take the meds on days he needs it for school, and hopefully the supplements would help enough that his non-school life would be improved also.

 

We do eat pretty clean here. I don't buy canned grocery items, either I can stuff from the garden or we eat fresh. We only eat game for red meat, lots of salmon caught in Alaska, though our chicken is not organic. We eat very little if any processed foods. As a general rule aspartame and red dye are not allowed, though they sneak in on occasion. The only thing I think we could do next that might have any benefits was eliminating what little refined sugar he does get or gluten.

 

Ugh. Why does life have to be so complicated?! I think I need a nap.

 

[Faithr]

Sorry I called you Cheryl b! Dim light, bad glasses! Cheryl h! I hear ya. It is overwhelming!

[reign]

Wow, without even giving you the CHANCE to decide if accommodations and the advice/information a neuropsych eval would give you, she wants you to go on meds FAST, immediately, like the world is going to END, for MILD ADD?!?! You did say MILD, right? Ok, I just realized you said *more* than mild. There's still a lot to sort through. It's winter and that he's probably been cooped up. MOST kids of that state are going a bit stir crazy. The neuropsych will give you more than just a label (if he's any good) and that info might change how you homeschool and that those changes MIGHT, just MIGHT change your whole perceived need for the meds.

 

So whatever. I'd get the neuropsych eval first. Is the world ending? How non-functional is he? Have you made environmental and structural changes and changes to your homeschooling? Have you done reading on adhd? Kids get misdiagnosed when all they've got is that profile questionaire. He could have something totally different going on (vision, CAPD), and you might find that you could make enough changes that you would decide you didn't need the meds at all. Get the eval.

 

And no, meds are more complicated than making him feel "back on track" and "successful". For some kids it does allow them to do school work, yes. And for some kids it's more like Tigger loses his bounce. I'm not anti-med. I'm just pointing out that they feed people lines like that it's normalizing brain function and that if you DON'T do it you're doing them a disservice, blah blah. Take your time and sort it out for yourself. Read, read, read. There's no need for a rushed decision, not in the middle of winter when people have been cooped up.

 

Come visit us over on the SN boards. Tons of book lists and advice, and actually I think we have a couple threads on this topic already. Flax oil, fish, yes it can make a radical difference for some kids.

 

BTW, you realize the inherent bias of all this? There's a sense in which these kids are totally NORMAL *for themselves*. There's a whole profile of brain dominance and how these kids work. Again, I'm not anti-meds. But it's just too extreme to look at them as broken and give them psych drugs to conform to a system for which they weren't BORN. The real trick is to understand who they ARE and work with them. Yes some kids need a lot more help, but that's a decision you make after you have full information and try the options. Sometimes you change the situation, and the disability goes away. He's not BROKEN, just different. Do you look at Ansel Adams and say he was broken? World famous photographer. He was so adhd his mother gave up, brought him home from school, and plunked him in the wild with a camera. He just really needed to be who he was, not some bad, chemically-induced version of someone else.

 

It's just something to think through, how far accommodations and getting in sync with who he is, changing YOUR methods, not him, can get him, sans meds. Doesn't always get the dc all the way, but you don't know till you try.

[brownie]

We only waited a month for a neuropsych appt. We get our results next Wed. However, we've had an Asp diagnosis for years and if it's ADD as well, it is inattentive type. What seems to help here, and certainly doesn't hurt, is a 2-egg omelette with flax seed and cheese + tea for breakfast. Caffeine is a stimulant just like the ADD drugs. Also, lots of exercise and getting enough sleep. We also do equilib, zinc, mg and probiotics BUT this was based on bloodwork indicating some deficiencies. I wouldn't just go buying supplements willy nilly. As far as school, he needs constant supervision (cyber school this year) to keep him on track, reminders, and training to re-read instructions prior to starting, mid-assignment and prior to turning in an assignment. He still drives me crazy :) but we are gradually improving his independence and efficiency with school work.

[Faithr]

We only waited a month for a neuropsych appt. We get our results next Wed. However, we've had an Asp diagnosis for years and if it's ADD as well, it is inattentive type. What seems to help here, and certainly doesn't hurt, is a 2-egg omelette with flax seed and cheese + tea for breakfast. Caffeine is a stimulant just like the ADD drugs. Also, lots of exercise and getting enough sleep. We also do equilib, zinc, mg and probiotics BUT this was based on bloodwork indicating some deficiencies. I wouldn't just go buying supplements willy nilly. As far as school, he needs constant supervision (cyber school this year) to keep him on track, reminders, and training to re-read instructions prior to starting, mid-assignment and prior to turning in an assignment. He still drives me crazy :) but we are gradually improving his independence and efficiency with school work.

 

 

How did you get your son tested for deficiencies? Is this something you just request from your pediatrician?

 

Thanks!

[Grantmom]

Have you looked into Vayarin? I know someone who has had good results with that. It's considered a medical food so can often be covered by insurance.

[cheryl h]

Have you looked into Vayarin? I know someone who has had good results with that. It's considered a medical food so can often be covered by insurance.

 

 

I have never heard of such a thing. Off to google it.

 

[cheryl h]

Have you looked into Vayarin? I know someone who has had good results with that. It's considered a medical food so can often be covered by insurance.

 

 

Googled it...it's for ADHD..kids with severe hyperactivity and uncontrolled impulsive behavior. This would not be for my ADD kid.

 

[lillybell]

Want to give my 2 cents on the subject. I have inattentive ADD and have 1 daughter with inattentive also and another with hyperactive ADD(ADHD). My oldest was the first to get diagnosed a few years back. She was put on meds and started doing better with focusing but she did diagnosed a few months later with depression and was put on another med for that. She continued progressing and doing well but would get panic attacks which the doctor said was probably something she had prior to the meds and we tried to deal with it. Seeing that my daughter was doing well in focusing we took my younger daughter in to the doctor and she to got diagnosed as well with ADD and put on the same meds. Meanwhile my older daughter started complaining and didn't want to take the med anymore so the doctor switched her from Concerta to focalin. Again she said it made her feel cloudy and she didn't like the feeling so the doctor switched her to vyvanse. My younger daughter was still on Concerta but started complaining that she could not take a deep breath. Took her to the pediatrician and they sent her for a heart workup. They said everything seemed fine but she kept complaining that she would have trouble breathing at times. During this time, I too got diagnosed and was placed on Concerta. It was great for the first few months. I focused really well and felt like wonder woman but that was short lived. I too developed the trouble breathing and ended up in the emergency room several times only to be told nothing was wrong. I showed tachycardia but nothing that would keep me in the hospital. My oldest daughter finally gave up on Vyvanse. She couldn't take the panic attacks and she also felt that while on the med she was meaner to everyone. My youngest daughter finally came off the meds also and hasn't had trouble breathing since. I got off the meds and have been doing better medically but not with focusing. I can honestly say that the feeling the meds gave me was horrible after a few months of taking them. I think the breathing problems might have been panic attacks. It probably raised our adrenaline levels and caused us to have fight or flight responses. That is what I figure was going on. Not to say that your son will have this type of a response but just make sure to ask him how he feels daily to make sure no new side effects develop. For me it was gradual until I started feeling horrible so it was hard to pinpoint the real cause. Funny because the doctors kept saying that the medication leaves her system daily. So please make sure to listen to your son and don't dismiss anything while on the medications. Right now we are trying Rhodiola. So far haven't noticed much of a difference but we just started on it recently.

[brownie]

A developmental ped. ordered the bloodwork, but he's a little unusual. He's an autism dr. so I don't know how willing most dr.'s are to order bloodwork. I recall one of the big things was looking at zinc to copper ratio and ds's was low. It affects the immune system.

[brla]

Well, what's working here: Firstly, I have 1 12 yo dd w/ ADHD/Tourettes and a 7.5 yo ds with ADHD/SPD.

 

So, they take flax oil, vitamin c, Natures Way EFA BLEND (the 7.5 yo takes kid formula), VAXA Attend (this is a homeopathic), and in the winter Vitamin D Drops. They also take, as needed, zinc and Magnesium (either as a spray or as a drink like Natural Calm). With the supplements, we've had to do a loading dose (which averaged out to 2 weeks of taking double of the EFA and the VAXA, but the directions were on the box).

 

A few more things that have helped TREMENDOUSLY here: no soda, reduce sugar to only natural sugars and stevia, parasite cleanse (this was a huge success with my son and made a major difference for him), no more than 20 minute's at a time for school subjects and interspersing the things he likes with things he doesn't like so much, physical reward systems (like for ever 2 weeks he completes in school, he gets a new leappad game,etc.). For some reason, chocolate helps too (I guess it's the magneseum). AND adding extra fiber in their diet

[Miss Cornelia Snook]

I've heard good things about using Vetiver essential oil. I have an armchair-diagnosed ADD husband and son, and my daughter may be ADHD. Vetiver has really helped ground my daughter. I haven't tried it consistently on my son, and I'm still talking my husband into it. My brother and nephew use Vetiver for ADD. I ordered my oil from Butterfly Express.

[PeterPan]

For some reason, chocolate helps too (I guess it's the magneseum).

 

Chocolate has caffeine and if they have the caffeine flip, yes it will affect them. My dd doesn't feel more focused with caffeine, just tired. She likes it before bed to help her sleep. Sometimes it leaves her more rested, and sometimes she gets too much and she's just groggy the next day.

[sbgrace]

The Vayarin improves attention in the studies. Maybe it won't work for someone who isn't a combined type. I don't know. But if what is prescribed for your son is the typical medications they are used for combined type/ADHD as well as ADHD--inattentive type. When you see studies they will call all types ADHD. The inattentive, combined, etc. are further designations.

 

We're starting Vayarin today with my son. It's a last ditch for us before the typical medications so I'm really hoping it helps enough.

 

My son is taking pycnogenol. Here is a study. I think it does help some but not enough. My son is on the severe end of symptoms though.

 

We, and the physician, are really concerned about appetite changes with the typical ADHD meds. We may need them anyway and they may be the best option for you too. They certainly do help kids. It's just a cost/benefit here. I don't know where we'll end up. I just hope it's not with me regretting we didn't start regular medication sooner for my son.

[morgan]

Ok, I have spent the last two hours reading Bock's book. Now I am interested in trying the no gluten, no casein diet. Except I am not because my kids and husband will hate it. But Lent is starting next Wed which means we usually give something up. I think I may be able to sell this as something we can do for Lent and then we can see if it helps us. And that would give me a few days to get plan meals.

 

Cheryl b are you interested in trying? Or anybody else? Maybe we could have a support group? Anybody already do this? I need lots of ideas. My dd lives off cheese but I often worry about this because she is borderline anemic and I am sure all that cheese interferes with her iron absorption. But that is going to be the very toughest hurdle. My kids crave all the stuff that supposedly exacerbates/ cause autism/add.

 

We eat gluten-free (because my husband has Celiac not due to ADHD) and part of the family is dairy free as well and it's definitely an adjustment, but doable. My kid with ADD does have a lot of food allergies, so maybe diet plays a bigger part than I give it credit. I know a lot of parents believe diet helps, but I have yet to meet a physician that thinks so :) My dd does think fish oil helps her mood and concentration.

 

If you do decide to go gf I would start out with naturally gf foods that you already eat, like rice dishes or potatoes and meat, things that the family won't get all freaked out about. Because honestly, most of the gf prepackaged food is gross and costs a fortune. I have a gf food blog www.floradawn.com with tons of recipes since we've been eating gf for several years now. Cooking for Isaiah is a great resource and the best cookbook (although not healthy) that I have found for gf/dairy free. But it really is a shock to the family and the food budget to go gf/cf so be prepared...just being honest.

[JumpyTheFrog]

Have you looked into Vayarin? I know someone who has had good results with that. It's considered a medical food so can often be covered by insurance.

 

Wikipedia lists the ingredients of Vayarin as this:

 

 

Two Vayarin capsules provide:

• Phosphatidylserine (PS): 150 mg
  
• Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA): 43 mg
  
• Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA): 17 mg
  

 

Taking 2 capsules of phosphotidyl serine (PS) and one fish oil capsule would supply more than this amount for about $25 per month (or less). I take PS to lower my high cortisol levels at night. It is amazing stuff.

[edit]

[elizsharp]

You have lots of good suggestions here but I didn't have time to read them all. I would recommend a good diet (paleo and organic if possible) without processed foods (no chance of preservatives, gluten issues, casein issues, food dyes, etc. if it's not processed), fish oils, maybe some supplements to calm such as gaba, glycine, etc. You can google all of these for more info. Also personally my son is much calmer if we focus on protein and keep out too many carbs. Apples for breakfast means he'll be crazy, eggs for breakfast makes for a perfect day.

[hunterhomeschool]

We had some results by removing FD&C Food dyes and flavorings from our 7 yr. old son's diet and also supplementing him with Omega 3/DHA Blend (naturally colored) gummies, multi-vitamin, and calcium/vit D plus a natural supplement called "Attentive Child". Our other son (9 yrs) is on the GF/CF Diet for Autism (we are attempting to remove corn as well, especially GMO corn and other GMO's from his diet as we keep getting behavior issues) and our 17 month old daughter is Dairy-Free/Soy-Free due to allergies. All 3 kids also get a probiotic supplement for gut health.

 

Have you considered talking to an allergist about food sensitivities and any other allergies? (and just because they are "within normal limits" for each don't just shrug your shoulders and give up... try an elimination diet on any food that gets the slightest tick of a reaction... my daughter came back as barely a response on soybeans and a week later she was breaking out in hives just from going between the car and the house while the neighbors combined their soybeans... our Ped had to put her on Benedryl until harvest was over and we had to be super careful with her diet. My son was test for celiac disease... that wasn't the issue... he has Leaky Gut Syndrome... he can't deal with gluten or casein.... they go partially digesting into his bloodstream and are carried to the brain as protein peptides instead of amino acids... just so happens those protein peptides fit the same brain receptors as OPIUM. When we put him on GF/CF Diet he was like a withdrawing Opium Junkie for about 4 1/2 months... now that we've been GF/CF for 2 years, he's a totally different and much better person... however, the slightest bit of contamination from gluten or casein and we have some behavioral issues.)

 

Try some various dietary strategies and supplements and see if you get a response of any kind. Doctors are notoriously bad in the area of diet (typically 25-40 years behind the curve of emerging research) and only get 1-2 weeks of training in diet at med school. If in doubt, either find a Doctor of Dietary Medicine, a DAN (Defeat Autism Now) Doctor... these doctors also work with ADD and ADHD patients typically or a chiropractor who also works with diet and supplements (many are nature-paths). Alternately, try removing a possibly reactive food for a month and then reintroduce it to test for reaction. There is no harm at all in removing things like kool-aid and other junk food from children's diets. And grains like wheat can be removed for a period of time, as long as the needed energy sources in the diet as still provided for. Casein (milk protein) is actually fairly easy to swap out for one of the plant-based milk substitutes. We had nice results from coconut, rice, soy and almond milk... but then had to remove the soy from our house because of the baby. (By the way, her allergies to soy, bananas and avocados all coincided with infant vaccines she received between 7 and 12 months and my 7 year old's ADD/ADHD symptoms mysteriously appeared several days after he was hit with 6 shots in 1 day for kindergarten.) My husband has a Master's in Nutrition... this advice is actually via him w/ me as the "middleman".

 

Anyway, a lot of behavior issues kids are having in these modern times are very much tried into diet and immune system. 90% of the immune system is actually in the gut. Diet is not only affecting people but pet animals and livestock too, veterinarians are looking into the diet/vaccination/antibiotic connection too.

[PeterPan]

Some of these things turn out to be rather complicated. For instance someone was once telling me that researchers are looking at multiple, multiple distinct causes of autism. So while people might have the same labels, you could have different presentations, causes, etc. Also, with some of these things, you're looking at people who not only may have allergies or this or that but that who ALSO have differences in brain wiring and dominance. The differences are pronounced and the kids appear to be BORN that way, not right-brain dominant as a result of damage or genetic mutations.

 

So I think it's only polite to sort out that there is a way people were born, a state that is in fact not a BROKEN-ness, and there are aggravating environmental factors that make people sick. You can be adhd and HEALTHY. You can be adhd and NEVER have had antibiotics, vaccines, etc. We can start to get into nitty-gritties (like whether the vaccines the mom received damaged the infant in utero or as s/he was born, as some contend can happen, blah blah). In general though, I think it's helpful to sort out where you're talking about what may actually be an honest genetic DIFFERENCE in people (how they were born, how they are) and what is environmental damage. They're not one in the same. Too many etiologies, too many ways people get to the same label, and too much variation under that grand, Campbell's soup label.

[Amy in KS]

Removing red dye from my child's diet completely changed my child's adhd symptoms. Truly, night and day. It's more common than you think. Research it. Red 40 is banned in Europe because of the side effects it has on kids. It's a petroleum based product and many kids are sensitive. If you try it, give it a week or two because it seems to last a while in your system. Look at all labels. It's in things you wouldn't imagine like lunch meat and blue lollipops. It makes my six year old feel so much better that he doesn't want anything red at all.

[Hedgehogs4]

I would look seriously into a GAPS diet and do research on how healing the gut can impact behavioral issues. I don't have a child with ADHD, but I have been learning so much about healing the gut and eating clean lately, and I am constantly running into this issue as I study about it.

[cheryl h]

Wow! So many things you all have given me to research and pray over. It is comforting to know that there are so many dealing with similar issues, and sad at the same time that there are so many other families dealing with a problem that takes so many forms and still has so much mystery in its causes and care. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and successes.

[knittingmama]

I haven't posted on here much, but I have a 9 yo with diagnosed AHDH combined type. (She also is diagnosed with anxiety and sensory issues.) We have not treated the ADHD medically yet, although I have been very close at times. Right now we are dealing with it using dietary changes such as proteins at every meal, especially breakfast, no artificial ingredients at all as we've found that even preservatives sprayed on cereal bags can contribute to symptoms, limited bread products, limited dairy (she still does eat yogurt and cheese). We also give her fish oil, probiotics, magnesium (Calm Child), Attend, and Juice Plus daily. She drinks a cup of coffee/tea in the morning before school, and if she has something special later in the day that she really needs to be able to concentrate on. We do try to buy largely organic items, but not completely. It has certainly helped. She still has her difficult days, so we have found that a very clear routine and limited toys, distractions, choices, and screen time helps. We use cards as our schedule for the day, and she has to turn them over after she completes each step. We used to have cards for almost every part of our day, but now that she is older and used to the routines, we've found that she is capable of us combining some steps. She also is able to provide input now on what would work for her. That being said, she is still just a different child to parent than my other 2 older kids, but I do think she feels more in control with all of these changes.

[hunterhomeschool]

check out a website called www.generationrescue.org regarding autism, adhd, add and other similar learning disabilities. It is very informative and the people on the forum there have lots of collective wisdom regarding dietary interventions.

[Orthodox6]

My mantra: I have no opposition to an appropriate medication given in an appropriate dose for an appropriate length of time.

 

OK. Got that out. :001_smile: . . .

 

I would not accept this kind of medication from other than a neuropsych or a psychiatrist with good track record of working with children. (specifically am ruling out a pediatrician, even though this is a popular avenue for some parents. It is NOT their area of expertise.)

 

We tried assorted supplements over the years, but never found any to be particularly helpful. Same for dietary exclusions of different types. (I tried more alternatives than my ds ever did, in fact.) I write that, however, with express acknowledgement that each human body is different and will respond to different substances in its own way. So try various approaches that seem plausible to you. As with any other scientific experiment, try only one new thing at a time, watching for side effects (both good and bad).

 

"Natural alternatives" are medicines, which is an important point to remember at all times. Cross-reactions occur with supplements, just as they do with pharmaceutical medications. (Watch also for interactions between supplements and Rx substances.)

 

If one Rx does not work, try an unrelated one. The first one my son tried sent him to Mars and back, repeatedly and rapidly. Changing to something else immediately eliminated that problem.

 

Fish oil has an excellent track record for a number of health conditions. It is, however, a blood thinner at high dosages. DS developed horrible nosebleeds until we scaled back.