6Yr. Old ADHD Anxiety

Try cutting out anything with red dye in it. I have a friend who says this worked miracles for her.

Good luck!

Children who are diagnosed with ADHD are usually so intelligent! You'll just have little challenge with behavior!
The most important thing is CONSISTENCY with discipline. It is important with all children, but it is so much more important with ADHD children. If she is diagnosed the pediatrician will probably try a medication. Stratera is so much better now than the old ritalin. It doesn't put them in a "zombie mode". You might also want to look into herbs. A friend raised her ADHD daughter on a particular her (can't remember what it was) and things worked out really well. Good luck!

I have a 6yr old in the 1st grade who was diagnose with ADHD when he was in kindergarten. He was evaluated by the school as well as by his doctor. They gave me pills for him to take on every day. This effected his appetite as well as his moods. I was instructed by a friend to take him to Health Food store and I did and they too did and evaluation and gave me advise on different types of health foods and natural supplements to help him and he is doing great now. I was told by the doctor that this is something that will not go away and that he will live with this for the rest of his life. My friend was told this too regarding her son. We chose to take different route and our children are fine. Best of luck to you.

Hi J.,
As a mom with a child that does suffer from ADHD, I can tell you that whatever the diagnosis, your daughter will be okay. That being said, I would implore you to get a second opinion if you are not 100% confident with the first. I see far too many children everyday that are walking around like zombies because they're being medicated when they don't need to be.
I think ADHD is being highly overdiagnosed and the criteria is far too broad and vague.
The difference between an active child, and a child with ADHD is that the ADHD child is incapable of contolling their impulses. If a child gets up and wanders around the classroom at school, that's not ADHD. If the child takes off her shoes and throws them at the teacher because she's bored and shows similar impulsive behavior at home, that's a different story.
Although my child is medicated, she is still very active and alert because the medicine is correcting a chemical imbalance in her brain. It gives her the ability to do things she was unable to do before rather than sedating her into not acting out. That's a very important difference.
If you read the "list of symptoms" for ADHD it could easily describe half the kids in America, and we know that's a ridiculous statistic. Teachers are overwhelmed, parents are overwhelmed, and far too many are resorting to unneccessary drugging of their children in order to deal with it. True ADHD is not nearly as common nor widespread as drug companies would like you to believe.
For my own child, in addition to medication, we also use a number of natural and environmental remedies.
1) No less than 10 hours of sleep EVERY night. I list that as number one because it is THE single most important thing a growing child needs. This affects their growth, their biochemistry, memory retention, energy levels, immune function, mood, etc. Sleep literally impacts every area of their overall health as well as future health.
2) Proper diet and nutrition. Get yourself educated about nutrition. There's too much information to list here, but it always worth while to consult a nutritionist. Even seemingly harmless foods, like bananas, can give a hyper child unwanted effects. And kids are naturaly vitamin deficient.
3) The freedom to be a kid. As I said before, teachers nowadays are overwhelmed and are looking to parents to solve classroom problems. How well would you be able to pay attention if you were stuck in a room all day with 30 fidgety people and only given two fifteen breaks and thirty minutes for lunch in a seven hour day? I know I wouldn't want to be there. As parents, we have simply got to advocate for our kids. This "No Child Left Behind Act" is ruining our schools. Stand up and speak out! It's ridiculous that elementary school children are coming home from a six or seven hour day, only to be expected to complete a mountain of homework. Free play and exercise is just as important to their cognitive ability as academics.
4) A diagnosis is not a substitute for discipline. A lot of people confuse the word discipline with punishment, but they have very different meanings. I'm talking about providing a consistent routine and predictabilty. My child LOVES her routine because it makes it easier for her to remember and meet expectations as well as knowing what will happen from one day to the next. You could almost set your clock to our routine, but you don't have to be fanatical about it. If it's an especially beautiful day and she's been stuck indoors most of the week, 15 or 20 minutes of extra tree climbing is not going to hurt anything. Sometimes when my daughter has had a really tough day at school, we toss the routine for the day, grab some ice cream at the creamery, take a walk on the beach, get take-out for dinner and just relax and unwind. But then we're back on schedule the next day. Use your own discretion.
5) Listen to your instincts. We all want to be good parents, so we are constantly educating ourselves via the internet, media, books, etc. Quite frankly, if we believed half of the hype that's out there, we wouldn't be talking now because the human race never would have made it this far. Our grandmothers and their mothers before them didn't have guide books to raise their children by, but somehow we made it and managed to be okay. We worry too much! My point is that no one on this earth knows your daughter and her needs as well as you do. Allow yourself the confidence to know what is in her best interest.
Good heavens, I write long posts, don't I? LOL If I can answer any questions for you, or you just need an "ear" to bend, feel free to contact me at my personal e-mail: ____@____.com Good luck to you both!

My daughter (now 13) was diagnosed at 8yrs old. Our pediatrician diagnosed her. At the time, he prescribed medication and said "If we see an improvement, we know what we are dealing with. If she has a condition OTHER than ADD/ADHD the medication will not work or show any change" I hate to say to just try a prescription and see what happens, but honestly, that may be the next step. I have learned it is not fair to let a young child have to deal with this disorder. My daughter at 13 is getting better at noticing the signs herself, but still needs the meds to get thru the school day. When she was 8-12 it was pitiful to see how upset she could get with herself because she was frustrated as well.

Hey J., first you should have her tested for allergies (nasal/seasonal). A lot of children that have allergies show the same signs as ADHD. Second, you can have her tested for ADHD by her pediatrician. My son has ADD and his teacher and I both completed the questionair from the doctor and the doctor reviews them and makes the diagnosis. We tried a couple of medications that left him a complete emotional wreck and finally we found Stratera. He has done so well on this medication. Just keep in mind that if she is diagnosed as ADHD and is put on medication, if may take trial and error. Medicines work differently on each person. Hope you find the right thing for you and your daughter.
~L.

My daughter is 11. She has been on med for ADHD since she was 7. I've tried several different approaches some work better than others. There is an herbal supplement - Synaptol (www.micronutra.com) that seems to help a little. Since your child has never taken any kind of medication it may have more of an effect for her since her body hasn't built up a tolerance to stimulants. The medications the Dr's perscribe for ADHD are just that stimulants. If you can get results with anything else I would certainly take that route. We have also tried given my daughter a Mountain Dew to drink in the morning (pure caffeine) this somethimes helps. If your child is ADHD any type of stimulant will have the reverse effect. Instead of hyping them up - it will calm them down. If she does end up on meds make sure she knows that the meds are to help her concentrate and focus, not to make her behave. She is still in charge of her behavior and responsible for her actions. Alot of these children try to use this as an excuse for bad behavior. Good luck.

HI J., I also have a daughter, whom just turned seven, with same issues. Her axiety was a huge problem, actually began pulling out her hair in Kindergarten because she was unsure in class. This year, first grade I chose a teacher whom had consistent limits and structure. I realized how important the right teacher is immediately as Grace is having such a great time in school. She still is relunctant to begin anything new and vary anxious in the beginning. She is seeing a psychologist and psychiatrist to learn coping skills and behavior modifications. She has been prescribed Lexipro for the aniety because it was so extreme and she would get hysterical. The lexipro helped amazingly well and although she still gets nervous and anxious she no longer gets hysterical and is able to let time pass, eventually become involved in the new thing and then participate with out any anxiety. Her dilema is that she has the need to know what to expect before she can become comfortable. She is very egocentric and thinks people are forming judgements about her. She is a bit of a perfectionist and worries that she will lose or not be as smart. She dislikes being wrong and loves to be right. She is also impulsive when she knows an answer in school and blurts out to show peolpe she had the correct answer, but in contrast when unsure of herself, does not talk at all. As far as ADHD, docs think she may have this too, but we tried medication and it was horrible. It tok away her bright spirit and turned her into an aggressive, angry, hyperstimulated, unsocial little girl who also had a few episodes of hallucinations and developed motor and facial tics. I removed her from the ADHD meds and she is fine. I went to an extreme all natural and organic diet for her. I found she was highly sensitive to Red dye #40, (read about it) MSG, BHT, BHA and preservatives. She got strep throat a lot so I had her tonisils taken out. She is a new child, no more temprer tantrums, no more strep throat and she is amazing in school. Smart kid. If your child is eating foods with chemical food dyes (you'll be amazed reading labels to find all the products which contain MSG and Red Dye) Clean her diet, if she was born with a sensitivity to chemicals and how they act on the neural transmitters you may find that an all natural diet will make a huge difference. Grace gets a gumball or eats Go-gurt, or another food with dye accidently and she turns into a manic, irritable, aggravated child. Off her lexipro she can barely stand to have any one look at her. Find out as much as you can about how her diet effects hger and reasearch everything the doctor tells you. Hope this helps, Vikster.

I would watch out for other sugar culprits such as juice and fruit snacks. If the hyperactivity comes and goes in spurts, try a food journal. Write down everything eaten or drank for a couple of weeks as well as peak hyperactivity. See if there are other triggers like wheat or juice etc. If there seems to be no relationship with the food she eats and behavior, and if she gets at least 10 hours of sleep, contact your doctor. They will be happy to know you tried to find natural causes before seeking medication. Sometimes medication is necessasary if nothing else works, and it may only be needed for a couple of years. If her behavior doesn't interfere with her school work, she may just be a happy 6 year old.

J.,
I have been where you are now with your child. I had to learn everything by trial and error, but here are couple things I learned. One: Have the school special ed/psychologist test your child for ADHD. Your pediatrician can recommend this also, as well as doing some of their own testing. I had my son tested by his doctor, the school, the pychologist and anyone else who was qualified! Two: Once you have a diagnosis offficailly you can request an IEP (individual education plan) from the school - this will be a godsend!!
I was very resistant to medication but I was totally convinced of its help when my son jumped 5 reading levels within 2 weeks of taking the lowest dose of Ritalin. His personality never changed, nor was he zombie-like, which people love to say about meds. If their children were zombies than they are on the wrong med and wrong dose, it shouldn't change anything except allowing them to concentrate in school and home; to think one step ahead when it comes to behavior;to listen long enough to get intruction. He has since been on different meds - found the one that worked the best for him at the lowest possible dose. He is 14 yrs. old now and doing incredibly well.
As for home behavior and homework etc...my best advice is try anything and everything, every strategy, and be as consistant as the day is long. I promise that it will pay off in the end. It has been a long, hard road and I thought at times that I might just strangle him, but we both made it.
Learn everything you can about ADHD there are wonderful resources out there! I hope I have been of some help, there is so much to know with ADHD and I would be happy to share any thing that I have learned with you.
C.

My kids are being tested for ADD/ADHD right now also. Something natural you can do is to put her on a Gluten Free/Kasen free diet. It is hard to do and I haven't brought myself to putting our family on that diet yet but I may try it and see how it goes. It means having to bake bread yourself. But it may be well worth it.

Hi J.. Just some "food for thought"... You mentioned that she doesn't eat "a lot" of sweets or soda, but studies have shown that there are tons of products in processed foods that can exacerbate ODD, ADD, and ADHD. My suggestion is to completely cut out any foods which contain the following: high fructose corn syrup (found in all sodas and many cereals and breads), caffeine, and Red 40 artificial dyes (found in almost anything red including some fruit juices). There are plenty of all-natural or organic breads, cereals, juices, etc. that do not necessarily cost more. I've converted our family over to all-natural foods in the past 6 months (also eliminating hydrogenated oils) and we've seen a great increase in energy, loosing unwanted pounds, and an overall healthier life. There are also studies out there that suggest that some chemicals that are commonly found in household cleaners such as Clorox and Windex can contribute to ODD, ADD, and ADHD. We've started to use up our old stuff and switch to Shakley (sp?) all-natural cleaning products... which also turn out to be less expensive in the long run because they're concentrated. Hope this helps.

I would talk to her teacher. Usually, you can get a Cahner's Behavior Scale from the psychologist that the teacher can fill out. This feedback provides good information to figure out if it is ADHD or perhaps something else. I teach children with emotional and behavioral disorders (including ADHD) and finding something that they LOVE allows them to focus their energy. For example, if she loves art, use this as a tool for her to get other things done (i.e., homework, chores, etc.). Once enthralled in art, you will see a focus. Good luck and seek out info on the internet regarding dietary changes.

A friend of mine also has a child who showed signs of ADHD but was never officially diagnosed. The phsycologist they saw suggested that they try organized sports. the theory is that the child will learn how to focus his/her attention and have fun at the same time. so she put him a taekwondo class that works with kids with ADHD. well it is working, her son is doing better in school and socially. Before the classes he could never sit still, now he sits still, doesn't yell and gets along with all the kids. I will email my friend and get the name of the taekwondo dojo. you could also ask your phsycologist about it. I hope I helped a little!

J.!
Congrats for looking for an alternative to the drug answer some of our doctors have for everything.

I have to suggestions for you to start with. On jonesboro Rd close to BJs, there is a vitamin shop. ProHealth is the name of the place and Anne is the owner. She is pretty good at coming up with good suggestions for these type of things and not at all judgemental. She is not way crazy either (when I got strep she had some stuff I could take but then suggested I go ahead and take the antibiotic and get on a good dose of probiotics). I really like the homeopathic remedies. I have kept my child healthy using these- and they are non-toxic. My daughter ate a whole bottle once and was fine.

The other thing that I know many people have had HUGE results with is a thing called EFT. here is a link to an intro:
http://www.emofree.com/splash/video_popup.asp

it is a little weird, but it works and NO DRUGS!

I am just around the corner, so if you want I we can always meet at that Starbucks on Jonesboro for a coffee and chat!

All the best,
C. Hiebel
www.braveheartwomen.com/kolohe

i have a co-worker who swears by the gluten/causin free diet. here's the web site. www.gfcfdiet.com i have the shopping guide and it's not so bad. you start off with one meal a day and work your way up to all meals and snacks. most items can be purchased from your local grocery store. bread items you can order on line, whole foods or your local health food store. this system says the diet is most important, then you add suppliments later. CHADD is also a resource for a lot of information. they support scientific only researched based treatments - meds with therapy. they do parenting classes which i took and found it to be wonderful. there is so much information out there and more opinions. do the research and decide what you feel is best for you and your family.

You asked about information to help ADHD and I hope I can help you. I also live in Sumter, SC and I am the parent of a 12 year old daughter that was diagnosed with ADHD when she was six years old. The doctors put her on many differnt medications for ADHD and even anti-depreesants! Nothing helped her. They just seemed to make matters worse wtih all the their side effects. Then, I changed from store bought to organic natural products for the home and body after I read an article about how Formaldehyde can cause ADHD. So, I switched my products when she was 7 year old and stopped all of the medication. Slowly, I started to see a differnece in her ability to pay attention and her school work improved. Well, I am thrilled to say that 5 years later she has made a great recovery! She is in the 6th grade and in the talented and gifted program and making the A-B honor roll! I also noticed a big difference in my other daughter's asthma.
Here is some information that you might find benificial about the products and the company that I loved so much that I became a member of!! I sincerely hope it helps you.
Formaldehyde is an inexpensive preservative that many companies use to prolong the shelf life of their products and is a cancer causing ingredient. It is in everything from baby shampoo to toothpaste and things such as soap and adult shampoo.
Now of course Formaldehyde is not on the label, instead you will see one of 30 trade names, one being Q15. You know many of us and our children have things like Asthma, ADD, ADHD and eczema. The products that we use in our homes attribute largely to that. The chemicals that we wash our clothes and sheets in, well we sleep in the sheets, we wear those clothes, so our skin is constantly in contact with that.
So, I have found a company that replaces those harsh chemicals and ingredients with more natural ingredients that are safer...safer for you to use, safer to use around our children and also safer for the environment.
The company is known as The Wellness Company because their focus is on helping people live healthier, be healthier...so all of their products focus on Wellness and Prevention. They have been in business since 1985 and are nationally known in the USA, Canada, and six other countries. They are an Inc 500 and Better Business associate.
They manufacture almost 400 everyday products. They have an eco-friendly cleaning and laundry line, and a bath and body line. They are also a registered Pharmaceutical company. Everything you would find in your medicine cabinet. Over the counter cough and cold medicines, allergy relief products....Any type of product that you would use for a cut, a burn, a scrape, or a bruise.
They have also partnered with a world renowned New York fashion Designer, Nicole Miller. She has an entire line of cosmetics and skin care that are made of natural ingredients.
Best of all, the company's top selling line that is called Vitality for Life. This line includes exclusive high-end Vitamin and Nutritional supplements, Weight Management products, Sports nutrition products, as well as supplements for things like Arthritis, High Blood Pressure, and High Cholesterol. They also have a line of organic cookies and crackers, Breakfast Cereals and Breakfast Bars.
And best of all when you join as a preferred customer; you are getting all of these products 40% off of their retail price!
And right now, we are offering a special enrollment price of only $1.00. That is a $28.00 savings, from now until March 20th. Plus you get an added bonus of $100.00 loyalty savings on products of your choice. That is getting $100.00 in FREE PRODUCTS just for trying us out. We offer a 100% guarantee and if you are not completely satisfied, call for a full refund and you may cancel at anytime!
Now, I ask you what could be better than that? No more harsh chemicals and a company that stands behind their eco-friendly products 100%. For more information or to join, simply log on to: www.enhanceyourlifeonline.com, click on "get more info" or call me at ###-###-####.

Hi J.,

I can imagine the frustration that you are having with this situation. ADHD can be a serious thing, however it is over diagnosed. It almost seems like a quick fix rather then digging deeper to find the real reason a child acts the way he/she does. Today 1 in 6 children are on some type of ADD/ADHD or anti-depressant meds. I refuse to believe that there are that many unhappy children in this world. I am a mother of two beautiful girls (5 and 2). I am also a chiropractic assistant for Atlantic Coast Family Chiropractic here in Summerville. Our biggest feeling is "the power that made the body, heals the body" With that being said, I am huge supporter of all natural. Although chiropractic does not specialized in ADHD, there have been huge advantages to children under care that have been diagnosed with ADHD. The fact is the sympathetic system is in a "fight or flight" state. It can not relax, it doesn't allow the body to heal. So a night when you child is trying to rest the body really isn't The only way to know for sure is with an x-ray. It never hurts to explore all the options out there to make sure you have all the knowledge needed to make the best decision for your daughter. Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have, and I will answer them to best of my ability. ____@____.com There is also tons of information on our website. acfamilychiro.com. I hope some of this information helps you.

In Health
V.

I know exactly what you are going through! I have been there myself with my daughter for years. Really listen to what Chris B said because it's very close to what I was going to tell you myself! Look, no-one "wants" their child on medication but there comes a time when nothing else works and you finally Have to research the idea of knowing that something has to give for all involved to survive. My daughters grades were 20's-60's and she was put on Adderall (30mg). With-in 2-3 weeks her grades were 88's and above and her attitude almost changed overnight! That's been about 3 years ago now and she's still doing great!!! She's 11 now but all the syptoms started in K-5! I knew that she was going to have to be put on medication but I fought it for years because I'm VERY cautious of all medication esp for my kids! I have to say that it's the best decision I have ever made! The main thing is to find a good doctor with years of experience in only this field! Any medication given is based on their weight also. So don't freak out if it's a high or very low mg dose. I hope things work out for you and your daughter! If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me. ____@____.com-Oh and she doesn't walk around like a zombie. She's very active but not overactive. She's wonderful!!!