Adhd - San Francisco, CA

My son has had very good results with the Feingold Diet.
He has been eating off "the list" since Jan 2006 and his symptoms have improved greatly.
Good Luck!
K.

An old boyfriend of mine has ADHD and his mother (when he was younger) use to give him caffeine instead of medications. It acts the complete opposite in their brains as it does in those who do not have this type of chemical imbalance. I have also seen this work in children who have ADHD and have made visits to the hospital for one reason or another.
Just a thought.
Try it out!

My youngest son (age 10) has severe autism. Through his school, I have met and become friends with many other women whose children have special needs (autism, developmental delays, ADHD, cerebral palsy, combinations of those, other things all together.) Get five of us a room and we'll have five different treatment plans for our kids; get ten of us, and we'll have ten different treatment plans. Everyone of us has tried many, many, many different things. Some have worked for one of us, some have worked for a few of us, none have worked for ALL of us.

Kids are different. ADHD and other neurological issues aren't clearly understood. SOme kids make AMAZING improvement as a result of dietary intervention; I've known some kids that even make it off their IEP's and out of their labels as a result of dietary changes. However, it did nothing for my son and for some other kids I know; likewise, it had only a minimal effect of a few more.

Some families have tried the medication route. For some, the meds only made the child sleepy or constipated. For others, they helped maybe. Or maybe not. For us, medication made all growth possible. The medication made my son available to, focused on and interacting with the treatment modalities that we were using.

Ask about sensory integration training and you get the same answer. DOes brushing work? For some. . . what about behavioral therapy? for some kids . . .

The truth is, you don't really know what will make it possible for your son to control his behavior. Maybe diet changes will help . . . maybe biofeedback is the key . . . maybe he just needs a chance to mature . . . maybe it's medication that does the trick . . . maybe it is something else entirely . . .

Please don't discard any option just because you don't think it will work or you don't want to go that route or it's too much work. Do whatever it takes to get your son to be his best.

(When I first started down this road with a special needs child, I met another mother with a child with autism. She talked about all the treatments that she had tried, the ones she discarded and the ones she kept. She said, "I was afraid to NOT try something; I was afraid that I might miss THE cure. After all, if I knew it took 1 tsp of honey and 1 tsp of lime juice everyday to stop this autism monster, I'd make for damn sure that my kid got that -- every day. If I knew a bath in baking soda was THE answer, he'd take at least one a day. THE CURE could be anything. And I don't want to find out that I doomed my child to a less-than-perfect life because I didn't like honey or baths.")

There are diet changes that can be VERY helpful for ADHD. See Julie Matthews' web site info about autism and adhd here:

http://healthfulliving.org/autism/

She is an amazing resource in our community. I would strongly encourage you to contact her for her advice.

You first want a definitive diagnosis before you start any treatment. Your 7 year old is old enough to do some of the testing available. If you pediatrician wants to do drugs first, find one that will test first. We've been using neurofeedback on my 5 year-old daughter with some success. It's not a quick fix by any means, but it's helping. I also used a form letter from Parents Helping Parents to request IEP assessments from our school district. Many parents do not want to "label" their kids as special needs, but it's sometimes the only way to get the help they need if they're struggling in school.

Hi P.,

I really respect that you aren't taking this diagnosis passively. I had a friend who was part of the experimental generation of Ritalin-prescribed kids (back in the 80's) and he ended up a heroine addict. What they don't tell you is that teaching your kid to pop pills or medicate without addressing underlying issues is potent, they have learned to do it and later will fall back on it reflexively whether or not the drug of choice is prescribed. I've heard of successful treatment through holistic means, such as cognitive therapy and nutritional intervention. There is some clinical data about food additives and preservatives causing symptoms of ADHD, so cutting out processed foods is a start. I wonder if there are other nutritional remedies, the obvious being cutting down on sugar, but also possible food allergy or intolerance. I would advise a consultation with a reputable naturopath, depending on where you live this can be difficult. You might be able to manage a phone consultation but in person would be better. A regular MD will want to prescribe a pill and forget about it, but a really good naturopath will work with you until you have a real solution. Exersize is also so important!! Is there a soccer league to join or a swimming pool in your community? Kids naturally have energy, and when they can let it out it should help them focus when they need to. Best wishes.

Dear P., You're on the right track to question the doctor's medicine. It sounds like you are a very busy mom and you may not have time to read the book I am about to suggest, but it may make the difference to your child between lifelong struggle with life or being able to succeed. The book is "Ritalin Free Kids" by Robert Ullman and Judyth-Reichenberg Ullman http://www.amazon.com/Ritalin-Free-Kids-Effective-Homeopa...
Amazon has the book used for less than $2. Read the customer review from the mother with an ADHD child. It is a useful and inspiring book about using homeopathy to heal these kinds of imbalances. It might be best to take your child to a professional homeopath rather than try to monitor the treatment yourself. Best of luck, M. Rissman, Homeopathic Consultant ###-###-####

I have two suggestions for you. On is www.vaxa.com . This is a doctor's site who has many alternative "natural" supplements for a variety or disorders that are normally treated with psychopharmacology. My son takes the ADHD supplement three pack and it has worked really well and there are NONE of the side effects of regular ADHD meds. In a book that I read about ADHD( I can't find it at the moment, but I will look for it)a mother had weaned her entire family off of Ritalin and onto the supplements and was a very happy woman!!!! In fact my husband, who I have been trying to convince has ADD for years, started taking it and immediately felt a difference in mood, anxiety, ability to stay focused and on task and motivation. It was amazing!!!!

If you are questioning the diagnosis and your child seems to be gifted in some way I would recommend that you read and perhaps have your doctor and his teachers read a book called the "Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnosis of Gifted Children". Many kids who are very talented lack social skills and fall behind in emotional development. A thorough assessment from not only your doctor, but a trained psychologist might be in order. We discovered that my son had anxiety issues, but does not meet the full criteria for ADHD. The fact that I didn't have to wean him off of medications that had created their own set of problems was a relief! We are now putting him in gate and the teacher is working with him using techniques that work just as well with gifted and ADHD kids and he is happy as a clam.

Hope this helps!
M.

YES.... They have done new studies showing that organic food will help children who have ADHD... Plus stay away from junk food... They have found that dyes in food and drinks are a major problem with the whole thing... Try to go as organic as possible.. I hope this helps.. Plus give your child a good repetitive schedule and attention..

This solution may be challenging with everything on your plate, but I know someone whose child has severe ADHD and is a much different kid now without medication. They decided it was food allergies and took him down to a steak-only diet for several days, then began adding food in. Each time his behavior changed for the worst, they knew he was allergic to something in that food group.

When they finally figured it out, he was mostly sensitive to artificial flavorings and colors (leaving most candy, hotdogs and processed foods out of the question). His mom started stocking M&Ms and hotdogs from the health food store with no additives so he could have substitutes for these food when his friends were eating them.

Good luck...I hope this helps.

A.:-)

Try magnesium- its a natural sedative and relaxant. Check dosage for kids. Great for sleep too. Also Call 1800HOMEOPATHY and ask what they suggest.

Hi there. :)

Having a full plate and a child who needs extra attention can be very stressful indeed!

For the longest time we thought our (now 12 yr old) son had ADHD as we just could not (and still can't) figure out why he just seems to refuse to do his school work in class or at home, (prefers to draw or daydream), doesn't seem to retain instructions longer than 2 parts long, responds with 'what?' more often than we'd like, etc. But, alas, after getting him tested through the school district, and taking him to professional counseling, and being seen by his pediatrician, he does not have it - he is borderline ADD; according to the district and counselor.

HOWEVER - The first response from the pediatrician was medication. We also did not want him on medication. I would strongly recommend getting your child tested through the school district. It doesn't cost you anything. And it will lead you in a direction you will be more comfortable with. 'Should mention, the district will give you learning disability / or non-present, of course, results not a diagnosis.

I'm also a STRONG believer in diet. Keep it balanced with an emphasis on breakfast, protein and natural sugars only. Trust me, it makes a big difference.

Good luck to you, P..

Yes I do have a sugestion for you! I have a 10 year old son that was diagnosed with ADHD and was perscribed medication. I told the doctor that I wanted to try something all natural first and she was totally for it. I sell Herbalife products, so I started my son on health shakes in the morning and I added a tablespoon of instant coffee, coffee can have the same affect as rittalin (not sure if I spelled that right). I took out all food coloring in his diet, started giving him natural foods found at trader joe's. Limited his sugar intake. I just really watched his diet, higher protien, less sugar and food coloring. Food coloring has been linked to a lot of ADHD in many kids, in some eliminating just the food coloring alone will take care of the problem! If you are interested in trying the protien (health) shakes, they taste great, are very healthy and full of vitamins, I sell Herbalife, you can contact me at ____@____.com or call me at ###-###-####. It is worth a try, anything natural is better than medication. I am willing to help in any way I can.
I look forward to talking to you,
A. Smith

Homeopathy Center of Houston

7670 Woodway, Suite # 340

Houston , TX 77063

Office: ###-###-####

Fax: ###-###-####

www.HomeopathyHouston.com

This people help Autistic kids recover and ADHD is something they treat too!!! They are awesome, and worth looking in to!!! Love, G.. :0)
P.S. they do it all over the phone.. consultations and they send you all remedies by mail.

You could try natural treatments. I've heard that the boifeedback is good. I know that my mom used to buy some natural herbal koolaid for my brother when he was younger. My mom did not put him on medication until he got to be 13, and she couldn't physically control him, due to the hormonal changes. Then he went through the trial and error of each med. He ended up on Adderall, which he still swears by today. Good luck to you.

I totally feel for you and would do everything possible to stay away from medication. Even if i can totally understand that people go for medication, and I do not judge that ( I can understand it) I still would recommend to search out other alternatives and practitioners first. I have a daughter who still is very difficult and have been labeled many things; sensory integrations dysfunction, Aspberger's, dyslexia, ADHD, defiant disorders etc. I have done a lot of alternative therapies, and even if it hasn't totally worked yet, and right now i am planning to home- school her as I think it is the best option for her right now, I still think there is a lot more i can do.
We eliminated media, no TV or computers,very rarely videos. We have done Waldorf school and that has been very helpful ( now my daughter gets violent when she is forced in certain ways at school, so I think she is lacking some nutrients, and therefore i am thinking of home-schooling for now). We have also done cranio-sacral and other alternative therapies, homeopathy, vitamin supplements, herbs. No sugar diets and we pretty much eat mostly organic. Right now we are working with an occupational therapist, and are going to a neuro psychologists this week. something else to possibly look into is allergies too, and other psychologists. If you have questions, please send me a note. If there are others with comments feel free to share with me, I am also looking for the right solutions for my daughter too.

I am a teacher and have seen many cases of ADHD. It's a frustrating condition for parents because we never want to unnecessarily medicate our children. You can pick up material on other ways of dealing with this and try them first. I have seen firsthand how a change in diet can drastically improve a child's behavior with ADHD. Particularly staying away from red dye #40 and limiting dairy products. But the bottom line is: the ADHD is beyond your child's control and he would feel much better if it were being controlled, whether by diet or medication. There are many different meds you can try these days and they don't have the same stigma or effects that the old meds had. He is your child and no one knows better than you what is best for him. Do some research, try some non-medication techniques, and if they don't work CONSIDER medication for his well-being. Think how much better he would feel if he were in control of his own actions.

Hello, I was a single mom with 2 business, and 4 properties and 2 spirited children. I always knew my son had somthing missing and it turned out to be he processes things differently. He has ADHD with impulsivity. His brain is in high gear all the time. I am so happy I put him on Concerta 3 years ago. He is 10 and is very bright but he couldn't focus at school so he was loosing grade average. He is now excelling and has friends. I can see his brain work while he thinks about things and he can draw and create projects that he would never have been able to without medicine. I think that if parents do due diligence with their children it is not fair to the child to not give them medicine because of the hype. If I would not have given my son the medicine he would have been lost in school and social settings. I want to give him all the self esteem he can get before he has to hanlde things without me there. They do not understand why everyone doesn't think like them. And when your in a world that you feel like you don't fit you think there is something wrong with you. Having a child feeling like that is so much worse than medicine hype. And believe me I tried everything first, behaviroal therapy, Feingold diet, I mean I don't even have him eat food die's, ext,. But we take the magic pill every day that helps his brain slow down to relize the consequense. I hope that helps, it was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make and I have had to battle his Dad this whole time. I would never take it back. J.

The teachers use to say this about my son since 1st grade. They all were trying to tell me that medication is the best thing for him. I refused to give him any medications. I just worked with him real hard at home with his home work and focusing issues. Cut down on sugar and artificial flavoring. Now he is in 6th grade and an A student. I make sure in all his classes that he sits in the front of the class so he can stay focused. Keeping her on a schedule is real important. Hope this helps you.

I'm a pre-school teacher & know a couple of people with kids of ADHD. One thing you can do is monitor your child's diet. Some have problems with sugar while others (which from what I'm told is allergic) to a red dye (which is common in many juices..including some grape & other dark juices so it doesn't look red either). I know another parent who gave her foster child a herb, but didn't seem to help. I would try diet first if my child was ADHD. I also know that there are books that have some common diet problems that can help children with ADHD (a friend found out her son had a problem with the red dye found that info from a book).

I have heard that removing sugar and simple carbs from the diet can help and keeping a tight schedule. Keep learning a hands on thing too.

Hi, P.:

Although not often talked about in our society, ADHD is still a highly constroversial disorder (some researchers believe it does not exist, etc.). From my research, conversations with others, and personal family experience, ADHD is a ready diagnosis for children that don't fit the norm that schools and other institutions deem normal, and this is especially true for boys. I highly recommend that you seek a naturopathic or holistic doctor or therapist who can better determine if the ADHD-like symptoms your son is demonstrating are indeed ADHD, in which case he may need meds, or something altogether different like allergies to foods or environmental toxins, an ill-fit with his school, etc.

All in all, I recommend doing some pretty extensive research prior to accepting meds. let alone the ADHD diagnosis.

Good luck.

L.

Hi P.. I also do not like the medication route right away. An excellent book to read is called, "The ADD Solution" by Dr. Lawless. It's a wonderful book and has proven techniques. A lot of times children with behavior issues are misdiagnosed with ADHD. Now, "behavior" doesn't always mean bad behavior. It can mean making a strict routine and sticking to it. Finding things he's interested in to keep his learning attention focused. There are all kinds of ways to get your child on tract. I have had much experience with children with ADHD and have seen great change in many just with a few environmental changes. If you'd like to email me, feel free: ____@____.com. I work with children with ADHD all of the time.
Good luck.

Hi P. -

You're absolutely right not to just take this diagnosis lightly -- the first thing I would recommend is to get at least one more opinion. DO NOT let ANY pediatrician diagnose any disorder like this -- it is NOT their area of expertise. I don't know where you live, but I would recommend going to a children's clinic if one is available, and have a full work-up done by a trained psychologist or psychiatrist. This way, you will be getting a much better picture of what is actually going on with your child. Many doctors assume that any 'acting out' behavior is ADHD -- it could be absolutely nothing, or it could be something different. Asperger Syndrome, for example, is frequently misdiagnosed as ADHD up until ages 10 or 12.

ADHD can come in many forms, and in many levels of severity. Medication does help in some cases, but other cases don't require meds. It could be as simple as making some modifications to the classroom or homework. Once (and if!) you get a 'real' diagnosis of ADHD, do some research on the Internet -- there are tons of very good sites with lots of ideas and suggestions on how to handle this (very common) situation.

Also, please know that ADHD is not the end of the world -- it simply means that your child has a harder time focusing his energy in one place at one time. ADHD kids tend to be brilliant and very driven, and with early intervention go on to have perfectly 'normal' lives (whatever the heck that means! ;).

Good luck!

J.

Hi P.,
You may want to check out these pages:
http://www.indigochildrennow.com/
http://www.indigoworld.com/index.php?pr=ADHD

Best of luck!
S.