ADD advice?meds/no meds supplements, books, anything!

[Kendall]

We are investigating the option that one of our older children(8th grade) has ADD. I'm really resistent to the idea of medication. Any information that you can give would be great.

 

Are there supplements that really help?

 

Are there techniques for dealing with an ADD child that really work? Especially as relates to staying on task for schoolwork and chores.

 

What are your top book recommendations?

 

I'm overwhelmed with all of the information out there and need to narrow my initial research by hearing from real parents who have dealt with this.

 

Thanks in advance

[Laura in STL]

Our ds 7 has ADHD. It was pretty apparent since he was a toddler that there was something different with him. I wanted to try an unmedicated approach as well, so in Kindergarten we did yoga, relaxation techniques, lots of physical activity, etc.

 

We decided to try medication when he turned six ( around the beginning of 1st grade for us). The other techniques helped, but it was still such a struggle for him. It took a while to find a med we like without the side effects. He takes a low dose, but it's enough to help him focus and stay on task.

 

I would definitely recommend reading Driven to Distraction and Delivered from Distraction by Drs. Hallowell and Ratey. These books were very helpful and explore both sides of the medication debate. They also discuss some non-medical treatments/supplements commonly used.

 

I know many people use the Omega 3 supplements, but we haven't tried that.

 

One thing that is very important for our son is routine. He does much better when he knows what to expect ahead of time. We have to do our subjects in the same order every day or he can't focus. I also try to warn him ahead of time if there is a special activity, etc. We keep a detailed schedule and chore chart posted, because kids with ADHD do forget what they are supposed to do more often. Sometimes using a timer helps him realize that a task needs to be done in a certain period of time.

 

It is a difficult road sometimes with an ADHD child, but I am just so glad to live in a time with so many options and resources. HTH and good luck!

 

Laura

[Lisa in Jax]

My 8-yr-old ds has rampant ADHD. Here's what worked for us:

 

1. Eliminate all artificial colors and as many preservatives as possible.

2. Make sure he gets enough zinc. (If your son is in puberty, it's VERY likely his zinc is low. This will make ADHD worse.)

3. Try a supplement with essential fatty acids in it -- be sure he gets DHA/EPA and GLA. My son takes high-dose DHA with medium-dose EPA, and a high-GLA formula. Some kids need higher EPA and less DHA, but many ADHD kids need GLA (look for borage oil, flax oil or evening primrose oil).

4. Try adding some magnesium daily.

 

Watch for food triggers. Keep a food diary for a couple of weeks. If he's more hyper after eating dairy, for example, try eliminating dairy. If red foods make him nutty, eliminate those.

 

Rhodiola can help, though we haven't tried it. Also, there's a brand of supplements named from Vaxa that has been good for some kids. They may be worth a try.

 

http://www.add-adhd-help-center.com/extress_formula_analysis.htm

 

HIH,

 

Lisa

[Storm Bay]

Another option is to see a wholistic MD and get some testing done such as the Elisa test for difficult to find food sensitivities. My dd had so many that no elimination diet was ever going to help us figure it out. Plus reactions can take up to 72 hours to occur.

 

The other thing is to decide how much of this is really something that is hindering and how much of this is simply being bright in different areas than is socially acceptable in the school system. While I think many foods, additives and things mentioned by the other posters can be big triggers, I think many kids are just hardwired to be farmers, labourers, inventors, athletes etc. I just had a great discussion of this with a mother of a boy with ADHD last night. Sometimes rethinking curricula and even entire teaching methods can help a great deal, too. I think that medication is far too quickly prescribed and should be a last resort. I'm not opposed to it in every case, but think it's too often a knee-jerk reaction.

 

You may also wish to post on the Special Needs board as some parents there with a great deal of experience don't post here often.

[Kendall]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. We do have a regular schedule and I have figured out over the years how much he needs that. If we have a day that it is disturbed by an appointment he has a really hard time getting back on track. We just started magnesium, I'm going to check into the other supplements.

 

I, too, have wondered how much of this is just the way he is rather than a disorder.

 

Thanks again

[elizam]

There are some really helpful articles in the magazine Additude and also on the website http://www.additudemag.com. I also really like the book Delivered From Distraction. You might also want to read some others that don't necessarily say meds are all bad. I read those type of books for years and now wish I had taken a more balanced approach, because my oldest ds actually wishes I had gotten him help when he was younger, rather than waiting till he was an adolescent.

[Elaine]

We have an 8 year old son who was diagnosed with ADD last summer. He takes Adderall everyday, but I can't say that that is where the biggest change occured.

 

Since he was diagnosed, by someone that we really trust, I have changed my attitude toward his behavior and the way that I deal with him. He really can't deal with too many commands or directions. He needs more frequent breaks during school and his hands must be occupied. I stopped taking his misbehavior personally and saw that he was just as frustrated with his own behavior as I was.

 

Try not to be overwhelmed, you will figure it out.:)

[ELaurie]

is that there are a myriad of theories about what it is, what causes it, how to treat it, etc. Much of the information is contradictory, and it can be very confusing to sort it all out.

 

One source I like for basic information is the Amen Clinic site. Dr. Amen is a neuropsychiatrist, who offers practical advice about parenting, the role of diet and exercise, supplements, herbal therapies, vitamins and more, all based upon fairly solid research. You may find that his book Healing ADD book is a good starting point.

 

For issues related to behavior / parenting, I like a book called Transforming the Difficult Child by Howie Glasser.

 

If you suspect underlying neurodevelopmental issues, you may find the following websites helpful: HANDLE, and McNatt Learning Center.

 

Three very different approaches, but each substantive and helpful in its own way. I hope one of these sources will guide you in the right direction for your dc.

[Kathy in MD]

neuro-psych for a full exam. There are at least 4 other problems that display most if not every single ADHD symptom - Sensory Integration Dysfunction, food allergies and sensitivities, dev. vision problems and auditory problems. My ds suffers from each one of them. And none of them call for meds (unless my ds wants to eat a dairy product and then he needs a digestive enzyme)

 

A couple of books you might look at are The Out-of-Sync Child(SID) and Is This Your Child?(Food Allergies). A couple of sites are http://www.childrensvision.com/symptoms.htm and http://auditoryprocessing.com.au/

 

Unraveling the underlying causes of attention problems can be a lengthy process. Seeing a specialist in pediatric developmental problems can speed up the process and make it less confusing.

[Mama Bear]

a book rec: The ADD Answer. He's not anti-meds but like other options better when they'll work. There's lots to know, the book was helpful for me.

[Natalieclare]

I have an 11yods who is extememly distractable, impulsive and inattentive. We have spent the last 7 years trying various methods to resolve some of these problems. I was very resistant to medicine (even though my dh is a pediatrician, but not one who thinks meds are always the answer). Recently, however, things have gotten to such a state that we need to do something more.

 

We are in the process of beginning to medicate our son. It feels very weird to me, but at the same time I *KNOW* it's the right thing at the right time. My son has begun to be disappointed in himself; *he* is the one who is frustrated that he can't keep his focus. We have been very flexible with his schooling, chores, etc and it still isn't enough flex to compensate for his inattentiveness. He is good-hearted and wants to do well. He just CAN'T. So, more intrusive measures are called for.

 

We tried eating gluten-free, casein-free, gluten and casein free. We only noticed a difference with dye and high fructose corn syrup--and those things make him sky-rocket with hyperness/nervousness but removing those things don't change his baseline impulsivity.

 

We've tried fish oils (good quality), zinc, and protein powder (my dh read some research about this but I can't remember what it was). I'd have to say I think of all the supplements, I actually do notice a difference when we are faithful with the zinc. But not enough difference.

 

I'll report back in the next few weeks and tell you about our journey with the drugs. It's not a journey I expected to take, but I dont' mind unexpected trips.

 

One of the most helpful things I ever heard was from Bev Bradley, wife of author Reb Bradley. She said she was praying about her ADD son, asking God what He was trying to teach her through such a difficult trial or what character trait her was trying to instill in her. The Lord responded, "Gee, Bev, I just thought he was a good idea." So that's how I try to look at my son, as a good idea. Though at this point in time he's going to be a medicated good idea!!!!!

 

Big hugs to you as you figure out what's best for your son!

[Kendall]

Thanks so much everyone! I feel I have a starting point for boosk to read and options to consider.

 

My son really isn't as extreme as what I hear from other moms, or am I just use to it?LOL

 

I feel encouraged by all of the responses!

 

Thanks again