ADHD And Mountain Dew

(I'm taking a deep breath and hoping I don't offend anyone...)

I think I have to comment on the soda issue before I can address the ADD/ADHD diagnosis issue. NO soda is good for kids. No matter what the symtoms. EVER.

High Fructose Corn Syrup- no matter what you see from the corn industry, it is not good stuff. WHY? The commercials glaze over why "we" hear it's bad don't they? Here is a list if you're curious: It is digested by the liver instead of the stomach, it is often made from genetically modified corn, it is NOT natural and made through a very weird enzymatic process, it is overly sweet and fools our brains into thinking we need MORE sugar... that is just the tip of the iceberg.

Caffeine- can cause increased blood sugar levels, ringing in ears, high blood pressure, decreased sleep times, insomnia, headaches, possibly cancers, heart and breathing problems, addiction... and again, there is more.

Vanillin/Arificial Flavors- Vanillin is the waste from paper mills and the other stuff? Some of it is code for MSG and the other is who knows what... the FDA won't release it. It's ARTIFICIAL though, which means it's not natural and wasn't originally meant to be consumed. This can cause everything from cancer, to your brain chemistry TOTALLY changing. Scary stuff. And sometimes people just immediately go into respiratory distress with no warning.

Artificial colors- things like Red #40, Yellow #5. These are made from petroleum- which you might know as gasoline. They, also, aren't made to really EAT. But they are in most foods now, so they must be safe right? NOPE. Most countries have now banned these nasty chemicals in their foods. America has not. Both Red #40 and Yellow #5, SPECIFICALLY, are linked with CAUSING or contributing to, or worsening ADD/ADHD. In fact, studies in every country show that taking artificial additives OUT of your kids' diets can actually improve their grades, their attention, and their moods, as well as their health and things like energy and decrease obesity rates.

Diet sodas- contain all of this and more, because they also have ARTIFICIAL sweeteners. Even tiny doses in rats can cause seizures, tumors, cancers.. on and on... and in humans, dizziness and all of the above.

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Now a word about diagnosing, since I already have preached :(

Sorry, this is just a subject I am passionate about and have spent many hours researching for my own child.

If you or your teacher thinks your son has a problem, then find a therapist you like. You can have him tested. You can take first steps OTHER than medication to help him. Have problems with getting distracted doing huge worksheets? Cut it up into smaller worksheets or cover the rest of the page with a blank paper, etc. A good teacher will be helping you (and herself) know how he is teachable. She will give you specific testing she has seen help, and tell you what the school has resources for. ALL public schools are required to form an IEP (Individualized Learning Plan) for children.

Allergy testing is a good way to go. There is traditional testing by bloodwork, scratch testing, and then there is Meridian Stress Testing (MSA) testing using something like accupressure. HomeFirst does this and it really got to the bottom of some things for my daughter that traditional testing wasn't showing.

Chiropractic work can help. Practically everything in your body is nerves. Once your spine is balanced and adjusted, you feel and function better. I thought this was woo-woo until I was struggling with a specific pain in my back and just happened to have heartburn at the same time- and chiro fixed both (I didn't mention the heartburn, and she asked- I was floored!!)

Adjusting diet- this was a biggie for us. We are on the Feingold diet, which cuts out all of the additives I mentioned above and cuts out certain foods at first until you see if they are "triggers" that create aggression, lack of attention, etc.

Using massage, yoga, meditation, lots of outside play... all these things can help with focus.

Epsom salt baths can help too- start w/half a tablespoon and work up to 1/4 cup.

And lastly, if you do get a diagnosis, and a second opinion, etc and you come to the conclusion that it is ADHD, don't panic. You don't HAVE to medicate. And if you do medicate, you can go to a compounding pharmacy and have them alter the medication so you get only a PURE medication without a lot of added chemicals, etc. You are part of the team you will work with, and you are his mom above all. My daughter is medicated after much much soul searching and me NOT wanting to. It was only after things got really out of control that I decided to medicate her, and she was BEGGING for help. Our circumstances include a lot more diagnoses than your potential one though too. We started her off on what was literally a drop of medicine and worked up until it was working but not making her a zombie. A good psychiatrist will do that too.

I hope this helps and I didn't come off as too much of a know-it-all. I have TONS of info, hours of research saved on my computer and on actual paper. If you are interested in any of it, or want a list of books to read, etc etc. Just message me and I can give you more info.

Hang in there. It sounds like it's nothing. His grades are great! You should be proud. He's probably just a kid being a daydreaming, creative, little kid- they way they are meant to be :)

Hugs,
M.

I see you have lots of awesome advice...I just wanted to comment on your comment about drugging your child....I was a special education teacher before having children. My kids that were diagnosed with ADD or ADHD truly benefitted from their medications. Saying you do not want to drug your child puts a very negative stigma to those kids who truly need it. If a child was diabetic you would not deny them insulin. The medications these kids use is needed for them. Do all kids with ADD or ADHD need to have medication, no...it is a decision based on an individals needs.
Not trying to attack...parents have such a hard decision to make in regard to their kids...putting it in such a negative way makes it even harder.

Good luck with your little guy
K.

Hi S.,
I am glad for the advice that you received, you did receive some valuable information. I particularly liked the last comment from Karin K. Please do not assume that "drugging" your child is ALWAYS a bad thing. Please remember that ADHD is a chemical imbalance in a persons body (brain) and that is the way some were "created". ADHD is not an insult on parenting or the result of a child's personality, it is a part of who some children and adults are. Secondly understand that ADHD, in part, is the inability to stay focused in a controlled environment or situation...your childs teacher is seeing him in exactly that situation. Maybe she is noticing things at school that you don't notice at home because he is in a far more structured environment while at school. Remember that the teacher did not ask you this question as a general guideline for a "conference"...she is seeing something at school that lead her to ask the question. Rather than assume it could not be an issue because you don't see it at home, keep an open mind that there is the possibility. TONS of children diagnosed with ADHD pull good grades in school, just because a kid is good in school doesn't mean there can't be other things going on in school. No one wants to have to "drug" or medicate their child, but ultimately it is the parents responsibility to ensure their child has the best life they can offer. And for some parents that does include the help of an outside source. Just another way to look at it!! Best of Luck to you!!

First of all you need to figure out WHY the teacher asked about you medicating your son. Is he disruptive? Has he had troubles? with his grades it doesnt seem as if there is a learning issue here, so im not understanding the problem.

when my daughter was in 1st grade, she had some learning issues. i took her in and had her tested, and she has ADHD, innitentive type. what that means, is she lacks the focus unless its something she likes. she also had reading comprehension issues, which caused her delays. of course medication was brought up, and i said NO!

we did several things, such as moving her next to kids who were not disruptive to her, covering her paper, daily sheets from the teacher on what was helping, what was not.
she then moved to 2nd grade, and things got worse. the teacher, knowing her AHDH was in her school records, was awful. told me i needed ot medicate her. i of course told her i would not. she wouldnt do as her 1st grade teacher had done, and she got way behind. i menioned the Mt dew thing and told her we wouldbe trying it. BIG MISTAKE. she told me she was 'all over the place" ...which was funny, becasue we did it at home over a long weekend, and she was fine. (heres a link to that: http://www.come-over.to/FAS/MtnDew.htm)
well, i stopped telling her, and lo and behold, things improved. she asked if i had her medicated LOL
well, i didnt want to continue the mt dew therapy, because it was not the most healthy way to go.
we found a natural supplment with the help of our doctor, its called PED-Active...and it worked wonderfully! because she had to take it at school, the doctor had to send a note....many doctors do not agree with a natural remedy. we got lucky!
i would recomned first having your son tested, then trying anything and everything other than medication. my husband was on ritilin and he said no way he would ever allow any of our kids to go throught that.
*My daughter is now almost 13. she repeted 3rd grade due to her learning issues, and has been a striat A student ever since.
there are so many other options out there. id say look into all of them before you make a decision.

Don't be upset with the teacher's observation. They may see things that we don't because they are with them for long periods of time. True, there are teachers who don't always "click" with your child. I would accept the advise of the teacher and get your child tested, then follow the advise of your pediatrician. In your post, you're suggesting that "there are symptoms" so don't be so defensive. You are seeing it too.

If your pediatrician believes that he falls in the guidelines of ADD/ADHD, either try medications or even determine if there are dietary measures that need to be taken.

Caffeine is the world's most popular drug so, why would this be less of a concern than giving him the proper medication for ADD/ADHD to help him focus and function in school, should he be ADD/ADHD??? My one friend has three children - one is ADHD and the other is ADD. She was so against ANY kind of medication - her doctor asked her "if her child had any kind of illness that people could relate to, like cancer or asthma, would she withhold medications????" Three years later, her once, "C- child (ADD), is now enjoying school, she's focused, has raised her grades and is doing so much better. She is a normal child on medication.

No person WANTS to take medication or to have to administer medication to their child! Sometimes we just have to do this to be healthy. And, at some point, that child may come off of their medication. You just shouldn't medicate your child with caffeine thinking it's the medically right thing to do, without consulting a physician - it's still medicating your child. Medicate him with the proper one - whatever that may be -if any is needed.

I'm responding late, but didn't see www.feingold.org in the responses. Feingold informs about how the chemicals in foods can react in the body and how taking out chemicals and artificials, it has helped with so many of those symptoms. The diet is actually good for ALL of us, as natural foods are so much better than artificials that were never really intended to provide nutrition. So his "plan" is to buy natural food choices, like Breyer's all natural ice cream instead of other brands, Dannon all natural yogurt instead of other brands that have artificials, things like that. This elimination diet has really helped my niece who is now 10 years old. The symptoms usually seem to show up in focus and socially as opposed to grades. I wouldn't discount what the teacher says immediately as the teacher sees how your child acts in a controlled environment, as well as socially with other children, though probe maybe into what exactly are the struggles she thinks your son has. Best wishes to you!

I was diagnosed with ADHD in college. It was discovered through my very slow reaction times and fear of driving. I did use Adderall for a few years, but really hated the idea of taking this mediacation in my mid 20s. I DID self medicate with caffeine as a transition to going off the meds, WITH THE BLESSING OF MY DOCTOR. That being said, I hate the idea that you would put all of the high fructose corn syrup and preservatives into a young child. IF your doctor approves of trying caffeine, I would highly recommend something like Water Joe instead of chemical-filled soda. By the way, I gave up caffeine completely a few years ago and am doing great.

There are so many things you can do instead of meds. In college I had a little sand filled frog (silly, I know, but maybe better for a 9 year old!) that was filled with sand. During class I could hold the frog in one hand and still take notes with the other. I would massage all of the sand out of one leg of the frog, then back in and just rotate the frog around. Things like this occupy the part of your brain that needs physical movement and allows the rest of your brain to focus on the task it should be following.

PLEASE look for alternative therapies and tips before turning to meds!

Kirk Martin, Celebrate calm. He gives great advice on how to handle things with children and how they are all wired differently. It helped our family alot. He does have free workshops where he gives a lecture and answers questions. He also sells a CD set, but you can look at his site for free and go see him when in your area for free. You can always try to organize a free workshop in your area if there isn't one, such as with your schools PTO or a church group.

Why would something with high sugar, caffine, dyes, and who knows what else is in Mountain Dew, help with ADD or ADHD? If it does anything, it is going to make it worse! I would do some research about how our diet can change our behaviors, and there is definately no quick fix, it is going to have to be a lifestyle change.

Thank You for opening the dialogue. I have been dealing with the same issue with my 9yr old son. He has a great teacher this year who is well trained, and has many methods to work with him. Most of these things help him, but he still has focusing problems. I was also told in am IEP meeting Diet Coke.....for the caffine..because the caffine helps focus. Well my husband gave him a cappachino and he was very calm and focused, but that also could have him feeling like a grown-up drinking coffee with his dad??? UUUUGGGGG! Medication is our last resort, we're both opposed to it, but my decisions are weakening... I am told by many teachers that he will be rich and famous one day, the next President...but we stillvneed to find a way to focus because he has so much potential.
Anyway....Thanks for listening, you're not the only one. Best wishes! I hope you will find something that works for you. God Bless your family.

I had a friend that used mountain dew to medicate herself....of course anything that would make me hyper, calmed her. If she took Benedryl she would bounce off the walls. Mountain Dew actually had a calming effect for her. She also smoked, but I wouldn't recommend that for your son...

I worked with middle school children for nine years, almost ten. And children often behave differently at home than they do at school. At home they don't have to sit for hours on end and do what others tell them to do. At home they can go from one activity to the next at will. They can entertain themselves with what they enjoy. They can move at will and fidget or whatever it is that they do. ADHD and ADD kids often can't concentrate unless there is something very animated to attract and keep their attention. Television has created a visual stimulus that teachers can't compete with.

I've often had to work with kids that are and are not on medication. Some kids were on medication because they did know anything about consequences for bad behavior and thus did what they pleased and got into trouble. Everyone was ready to label them and medicate them so they wouldn't be a problem anymore.

Then some kids truely couldn't sit still or concentrate. They lost interest in things easily and found it very hard to complete anything that took too long to do. They often dumped information they didn't deem interesting. They found television to be fascinating and often are couch potatoes or computer game junkies.

I would be very careful in labeling your child. I would really try to handle any behavior problems with strict discipline and make your son understand that if he gets in trouble at school, then he will suffer double the consequences at home. Check up on him and keep a close reign on him until you can determine if he really has a disorder or he's just testing limits because he's away from home.

And please, please, please work with the teacher and make you child understand that the teacher is the adult and you will work with him/her to solve these issues. Never allow your child to believe that mommy will put that teacher in their place. You will undermind the teacher's authority and he/she needs that to run a classroom where learning it taking place. It only takes one child that can't sit still or be quiet to ruin it for everyone else. He might not be a horrible child, but if he's even a little disruptive a few times in class each day....he's wrecked the learning environment for everyone.

Every time a teacher has to stop and address disruptions...no matter how minor it will take time to get back on course. When I was in college it was taught to us that it takes 20 minutes to get a point across. It takes 20 minutes of uninterrupted teaching time to get the point across. The typical class time is 50 minutes in 5th grade on...at least it was then. If a teacher has to stop even once during that 50 minutes period, the point he/she is trying to get across may have been lost. If he/she has to address disruptions more than once...then the whole class time was wasted. Only a sample few of the students will be able to grasp much in that kind of environment and maybe that would explain why children in the United States fall behind their peers throughout the world starting in 4th grade. We lead the world until 4th grade and then we start to lag way behind. By highschool our children rank so far at the bottom compared to other nations in the world it is embarrassing.

One of the biggest problems is not funding, not the teachers, not the curriculum...it's the attitude and behavior of the kids.

Kids today are preoccupied with soooo many things: their clothes, their video games, movies, tv shows, peer pressure, drugs, sex, violence. By the time they get to 4th grade they don't know how to sit still anymore or pay attention. And that is because they do not fear authority figures anymore. They have figured out just how helpless most teachers are to control them.

I'm not saying your son is bad...I'm not saying he is ADHD, but I think if you were able to visit his classroom without his knowledge, you might see something that would shock you. I found many parents that I asked to visit were very shocked.

Hope some of that helps and good luck!

S....I only looked over a few posts but felt compelled to respond, since I too have a 9 yr old boy. My son is not the "hyper" type, but has always struggled a little in school and seemed unable to focus on the task at hand. I too, am not fond of meds, however, it is not helping your child if there is a true need and you are not addressing it. We finally got our son into a therapist to assess what we might be dealing w/ (this is the only person that can truly tell you what you are dealing w/...not the school and not the internet.) He has given us LOADS of very useful information and ways to deal w/ what is going on w/ our son and also helped us understand what he may be going through when he is unable to complete simple tasks.

It is not that he is avoiding doing what is asked of him or doesn't want to, it's that he truly can't do it. And yes, caffeine is helpful...the way it helps is that it stimulates the frontal lobe to communicate better w/ the rest of the brain and function better so that concentration is easier. Our therapist even said, if we are having a bad day, give him a soda and it would calm him down...totally the opposite of what I always thought. I hate the sugar content, but we don't do it all the time. And yes, I have my child on meds. He has had NO personality changes and is doing so much better academically. I still struggle w/ it, but know that it was the right thing when his grades are better and teacher notices how much more focused he is.

I know what a hard decision this is...I really do. We struggled w/ it for a long time before we even consulted the doctors. I recommend you talk to the school psychologist first (in IL, state law mandates that the school try different tactics in the classroom before you resort to medication. It's called RTI (return to intervention) We tried it and got NO where! But you may have better luck. I highly recommend seeing a therapist too, even if you don't want to medicate, they can educate you more on whether or not you are dealing w/ ADHD and what steps you can take. Best of luck. I know how hard this is...you want the best for your child!

Cafeine helps ADD symptoms because it makes kids focus better. It seems weird but it works. My son drinks coffe or matte tea every day (am only). Especialy before tests. If you are interested I can share some strategies about ADD.

S.,
My name is T. and I have a son that was diagnosed with ADHD AND ODD. They gave me a prescription for him to take. Well needless to say he never took the medication. He now is a wonderful 22 year old man with no symptoms of the disease at all. I also found out tho that Mountain Dew is not the way to do it if your son is caffeine sensitive. But do watch his sugar intake, and artificial colors. After cutting these things out we were able to control it without meds. He was an A and B student after we took him off the sugars and such, Hope this info has been some what helpful.

Mountain Dew has caffeine, artificial colors, and artificial preservatives in it. I'm not sure if I'd want to be putting that into my child either. It's basically junk food with no nutritional value.

Also, just because the teacher asked if he was on medication for add/adhd does not necessarily mean that she thinks your kid is a hellion! I have taught for over 10 years and have had many students who legitimately had add/adhd who were not 'out of control'. How could I tell? They had problems focusing when other kids were making noise, they had problems taking tests because their mind would race and they'd skip ahead and back in the questions (until I suggested that they keep two sheets of paper on their desk to cover and 'block out' anything that is not related to the current question), they could articulate their thoughts brilliantly during class discussion but had problems doing so when writing them down, and then some of them just improved by having their seat moved closer to the board/teacher so that distractions were limited and focusing was improved.

A good teacher knows that a kid with add/adhd doesn't always manifest the symptoms as being 'uncontrollable' or a 'behavior problem'. Perhaps you may wish to ask the teacher to fully describe what she meant by her comments?

S., You sound like a great Mom! although Mountain Dew sounds like a terrible idea to me. I would not give your child any sugar or caffeine (lots of both in Mountain Dew). You know your child better than anyone -- trust yourself. I'm so glad you are against medicating a child unless there is a very clear reason to be doing so. So many children are drugged up these days -- seems terrible to me. I can't imagine all the kids need it -- seems that their parents need counseling, babysitters, sleep and nutrition parenting tips instead!!

Hi S.,
I have not heard of using Mountain Dew to off set the symptoms of ADHD. I would think that the caffiene and HUGE amounts of sugar would not be healthy for any 9 year old.

I do know that a nutritional program can help with kids who have ADHD. While my son does not have ADHD (and I too would not be in favor of those types of medications), we did find that certain foods affected his concentration and behavior.

I would be very happy to share more with you of what we did and maybe offer some other suggestions for your son.
B.

S.,
First of all, no teacher has the right to diagnose any child with ADD or ADHD, unless they have their professional credentials! Please allow me to apologize for her. I know being a mom we don't want anything wrong with our children even with the most common things. I'm sure it was hard to hear such information from your child's teacher. She should have encouraged you to take your child to a professional for an evaluation.

I teach in a Montessori school & have 13 years of being with children to know what's typicial behavior & what's not. I know that a change in a child's diet might just be the answer. I have a stepson who was found to have Celiac Disease & his concentration in school is MUCH better. I know for some children eliminating food coloring, other artificial additives, sugar & caffeine can help. I had one child who actually had a food allergy that would affect his behavior, but not show up in the more typicial signs food allergies do. As soon as his parents changed his diet, his behavior changed & actually "wowed" the teachers in his learning. Some kids act out because of other reasons, issues at home, issues with their friends, etc. that maybe they can't express in words.

I agree with the other moms here in taking your child to the doctor. I would suggest to get a second, or even a third, opinion though. I've had parents bring their children to their peditrician, only to have the doctor disagree that the child had anything like ADD/ADHD & it wasn't until years later when they finally got another opinion that their child was diagnosed properly & given the treatment he needed. This story is so sad because of all those years these children could have been progressing more, instead of struggling & acting up in school.

Almost every parent of mine that has gone through this same thing, was offended or hurt by the news, didn't want to put their child on meds, & when they finally completed this journey & found the right treatment for their child, then they started to feel guilty for not being a better parent or for dening any issues with their child causing the treatment to come much later. Don't do this to yourself. We're parents, we weren't given a handbook when we gave birth to our babies. Places like Mamasource are great for moms & to help us be informed.

Take Care & God Bless!
S.

mountain dew really? i have not and i cannot think of anything positive that mountain dew could do for a child or anyone for that matter. it is loaded with sugar and caffiene the opposites of what you'd want a child with adhd symptoms to have. see your child's dr. if you have questions re. medications.

Good for you for questioning the use of medication. I have worked with a lot of parents who just want to medicate there kids to make life easier. If you son is pulling A's and B's and an occasional C he is doing better than most. And if you aren't having any problems at home then he isn't in need of the medication. There are a lot of other methods that you can use to help him with his ADHD symptoms. I would not use the Mountain Dew as an alternative to medication. The idea there is that it is a stimulant and stimulant's help kids with ADHD balance out. But it is not a good option. I would ask the teacher what exactly it is he or she is worried about in the classroom, what behaviors since it's obviously not grades and see what you can do to work on the specific issues the teacher raises.

Mountain Dew is the worst thing you can give a child. It has more sugar and caffeine than any other drink out there. Now, I have ADHD kids not on medications and there are things you can do. ADHD kids need limited sugar intake, the less sugar, the less highs and lows. I have found for my boys, they need controlled movement. I allow them to get up to do specific things, like they can do to the pencil sharpener or throw out their garbage across the room instead of at the can closer to them. They also get stress balls to keep their hands busy as long as they are not toys.I will tell you, as a teacher, I would never boldly ask if a parent medicates a child. I will say this, I have children who are on Medication and are great kids who are completely normal, if a parent over drugs or uses the wrong meds, it has a negative effect. My niece is on meds for ADHD and since she went on them, she has made honor roll, the basketball team and now band, doors opened for her that were previously closed. It is a tough decision, but you have to think about what will make your child most successful. Start by modifying the diet, getting more exercise and offering controled movement, if that does not work, then you might want to explore medications, but start with the little things first, often it works very well!

Yes a friend of mine was told by a doc, that DIET Mt. Dew would help calm her son. They don't need the sugar from the regular pop. I was a teacher in the class at tthat time & she would send a can into me & i would give him half a can at lunch & she would give him half a can in the morning. Some schools donot allow pop to be given to kids.
Keep in mind also that I think some teacher's are to apt to say a kid is ADD or ADHD becasue they are either young teachers or have no patients. And they are not doctors & are not qualified to diagnose. Boys are sometimes a bit more hyper than girls. I think, and just me, not all kids need drugs. I have had teachers who have said the same thing about my son, I think they mature at a slower rate then girls, give him time he will mature & he will change. If not then have him looked at

The reason the dew works is because her nervous system is different than ours. If you are tired it wakes them up and if it gets you going it calms them down. I have a friend who gives out FREE information and this is one of her passions and if you would like her phone number I will give it to you. She is awesome. But I don't want to put her number on line. email me at ____@____.com and I will give it to you.

She is an advocate for children and this is her passion there is no charge or no "quick fix" if you want it let me know.

I have heard of this but I am going threw the same thing, however, if you stop and think about it, Mountain Dew is a drug also. They can become addicted to it just like anything else and if they don't have it for a while they get severe headaches so really what is the best solution. My 3 yr old isn't going to be put on Mountain Dew but I really don't want him to be medicated either. So Is there anything out there that will help them focus and calm their brains down enough so they can function well... who really knows?

This would make symptoms worse with the chemicals etc. Try a supplement from the Pain and Stress Center in Texas. It has amino acids that the brain needes. My grandaughter was very hyper in school and they wanted her medicated. My daughter gave her this supplement and it calmed her down and she even asked to have it. The school asked if she was put on Ritalin because it made such a difference. There are no side effects because its naturally occuring in the body. T here are supplements there that can be used for depression - any type of brain malfunction problems. You can also go to a good health food store. They would probably have something also but you are right - dont medicate

S.-

I just wanted to point out that many highly intelligent children have "symptoms" of ADD and ADHD. I believe that the "Mountain Dew" treatment is about the caffine. There are several other sodas, teas, etc. that have caffine as well.
Has ADD or ADHD ever been brought up in the past? Does he have behavior issues at school, or is he merely inquisitive? What are the "consequences" that the teacher uses?
Teachers, like parents, need to be consistant. I am wondering if other parents have had similar conversations with this particular teacher.
I guess, I'd have to ask one last question:
If you do not see a problem at home, why are you considering ANY sort of treatment? You know your child better than anyone else does. I would suggest "dropping in" and observing class one day. Talk to some of the other parents.

My daughter is ADHD and we don't have ANY high fructose corn syrup, which Mountain Dew is full of, along with refined sugar and caffeine.

I chose a more alternative path for my daughter. I read up on the Feingold Diet, and there's a book by Dr. Marcia Zimmerman called the ADD Solution. I did elimination diets and discovered she was highly sensitive to artificial food dyes (esp. blue and red). We also noticed that she was gluten-sensitive. We eliminated all artificial ingredients and most processed foods from her diet.

I also switched my cleaning brands to non-toxic cleaners. People don't always realize what a huge difference this can make, but it does! I started using Shaklee's Get Clean products: http://www.shaklee.net/healthbynature/prodHou

I also took her to a clinic that specializes in using nutrient therapy and diet as an approach to managing ADHD. The problem with the drug approach is that it masks the symptoms, but doesn't correct the root cause. With this method, she takes a series of vitamins and supplements that put her chemistry back in line, instead of simply suppressing symptoms.

I'd be happy to share more info on the clinic we use and what has worked for us. Feel free to send me a message.

Moutain Dew is horrible!! It rots your teeth (highest acidity) and high in caffene. Google GMA's report on Mountain Dew....should be banned from the food supply.

Secondly, perhaps your son is BORED in class?? There is such little movement in classes these days, esp. with boys who need to move. Make sure he is challenged and intellectually stimulated.

Have him tested with a Naturpathic Doc or the Pfieffer Institute for food intolerances, sensitivities, missing vitamins/minerals from his body, etc.

Seeing a Homepathic Doctor is also a wonderful tool you can add to help your situation.

I am going to try the Mountain Dew. I have hard it several times from several people. And as far as the sugar and caffine go, Adderral is basically just speed, so the Mountain Dew will not hurt anything.

On what basis is this teacher saying something like that? I have been working in the field of education for many years and unless there is a basis I feel that is out of line from what you describe. All children have their good days and bad days and some can be quite spunky and do not need medication or need to be labeled anything at all. I am older therefore I have a different tolerance level. Meaning I still have it whereas ...It appears that some of the thinking nowadays is to medicate medicate.Teachers themselves are under a lot of pressure to perform and at times want their classrooms perfect. About medication: Do not go there unless you have to as it really can change who your child is. I am working as a teacher's aide with special children and I am not so certain all of them are medicated. In addition I see some teachers, one in particular who expects her regular classes to be perfectly quiet and well mannered despite the fact that these are normal average children who get fidgety, and conversational. I would first try to find out why she said that and secondly go over her head to someone you trust be it the school social worker, principal, old teachers whomever. It is also dangerous to start looking up things all the time everytime we hear something is related to a particular label. Find out what she meant first. She could have been having a bad day. It sounds rude and inappropriate to be truthful. But check it out. I am not saying medication is bad for areas where it is really necessary it just doesn't sound like your little sweetheart falls under that category. Perhaps teacher has a few of her own issues.Plus I'd leave the mountain dew at the store myself. I can't imagine how something as stimulating as that would help if there was a need. If you are really worried perhaps you just try a few dietary changes like more green things. As the mother of two boys I guess I'd like to say he sounds like a pretty wonderful guy to me...

Dont medicate your child because a teacher suggested it. If your child is thriving and causing no trouble then why would you need to worry. I would not think adding a highly caffeinated high sugar beverage would help anyone in any way positive. Caffeine and sugar are no good for behavior and concentration. It seems to me that there was no problem until the teacher said something. The school year is over and lets hope next year your child has a proper teacher! I would also consider talking to the principal about the way she brought this up. On a side note I just read a wonderful article in Mothering magazine (may be able to read ____@____.com) It was about a mother discussing raising her ADHD child who is now an adult. It was amazing to read how she resisted medication and helped channel her childs energy into positive things and now he is a successful adult. There is nothing wrong with these kids its just that they dont "fit in" to our theory that children should sit in a desk all day to learn...good luck and be strong!!!

If the child is doing well in school, why is the teacher concerned? Plus teachers are not allowed to suject medication. My daughter has it and we tried two kinds of meds. All I found out was my daughter lost some personality and her good grades were the same. Her Dr and I took her off. She just needs to sit in the front of the class and have a teacher understand that you might have to repeat her name before she realizes she was spoken to. Teachers make a huge difference, but first you need to find out if your child has it. The tests are not cheap, but then you will have helpful info. I actually had to get an advocate one year to get the teacher from getting angry with my child not focusing and responding immediately to her. Needless to say accondemations were made and the principal makes sure that never happened again. There are groups such as CHADD that are very supportive. Nutrition is essential and we advoid sugar and pop. She does get treats but within reason. She loves veggies and fish. We tend to stay away from fast foods. A good exercise regim through sports helps a lot. Sometimes turning her one way and back the other helps. There are all kinds of helpful hints, but meds is not a solve all for all kids. I have not heard of using dew. I know it is a stimulant with the high caffeine, but the sugar combo. I would speak to your doc first, I know why you think it might work based on what the meds do, but a phone call would not hurt. Good Luck!

You need a diagnosis first. If he does have Add/adhd there are natural drug alternatives to the drugs they give. I would try that route first before giving Mountain dew to your son. Mountain Dew has tons of sugar and will rot his teeth. Also, my orthopedic surgeon said pop is horrible for your bones. He said kids are drinking so much pop he is seeing osteoporosis in really young people. He told me to not give my children pop at all. But we do let them have some when we go out to dinner. My son always did great in school in spite of his ADD. But when he got into 7th grade his grades started slipping. We put him on the ADD meds and his grades went back to A's and B's on the meds. My son seems to be doing great on the medication. My son is a freshman in high school now and still takes the meds. I plan to try and see if he is OK without them this summer.

Hi S.!
I highly recommend NOT doing the Mountain Dew. For many reasons from sugar content to a whole host of other ingredients that don't belong in anyone's body. There is a chiropractor in Chicago that specializes in treatment of children with ADHD/ADD. It's worth checking him out. His name is Dr. Titus Chui and he is located at 945 W. George St. Suite 206. His practice is called "All in Good Health". http://www.allingoodhealth.com/home.html
Good luck and best wishes!

My nephew was tested and diagnosed with ADHD and is taking meds. of course, his case is very difficult. There are times he can be so sweet but then..wow. I could not handle him. I had my daughter checked since she can be so incredibly difficult. It came up as not. The teacher may have assumed this if your son has trouble focusing with so many around him. That is my d's problem. I have worked with her teachers to help her. When she sits closer the the teacher, she improves tremendously. Also she cannot sit between 2 other kids, she has to be the end desk. If the teacher is truly on board with helping your son improve, she should be willing to try different things. One thing you may want to do is talk to his doctor and maybe have him evaluated. It is very true that kids are over diagnosed but if you have a good doctor that does not like to throw out Rx, talking to him would definitely benefit. I have not heard about Mtn Dew but my nephew is not allowed to have any caffiene because it does not come out well. If your son is getting fantastic grades, it may be that the work in class is too slow and he is able t ogo at his own pace at home so you have no problems.

I have never heard of using mountain dew for this! you should talk things over with your doctor. and don't let a teacher push your buttons this way. also, if you decide to seek medical intervention, unless your child has to take the medication at school, keep the situation private. schools put labels on kids and that is the last thing you need to have happen to your child. I volunteered at our high school and the teachers told me in advance about "certain kids". just be cautious, but don't rule out medication if your child needs it.

Hi my son has ADD with out the H we found out is middle school when he started changing classes he had been in a gifted class and was in a
SWAS program that was for gifted kids so it didn't affect his intellegence but he was struggling and wanted to quit and go to a regular program the teachers nurse and social worker sat down with my husband and i and they said he belonged there only he was not bring a pencil forgetting his books that kind of thing long story short the nurse had a daughter with Add that was not found till later and she wished she would have gotten help for her sooner she said if he were diabetic would you give him insullin if it will help don't just let him struggle do some research we took our son to Dr. Blair in Aurora and they check for hearing problems and other things before medication my son is on a low dose of contrex and is in no way a zombie as and he is not getting straight a's but he is not as overwhelmed so my opinion is if something can help you need to do it just be smart about it.

I would talk to your pediatrician about this. Could your child just be bored at school and this is why he is acting out or has the recent drop in grades? I hate to see a child medicated unless it is truly needed. I am a former special ed teacher, and saw many kids medicated who did not have to be. I have not heard anyhting about Mt. Dew but I would think that it might make it worse because of all the caffeine and sugar in it. Maybe try talking to your child and see if they are having a problem with another student or feel that the work is not challenging enough first. Hope this helps and good luck to you.
J.

Not sure about the mountain dew BUT my child is also adhd and she is on meds (concerta) it does not make her act like a zommie and her grades are good when on her meds....She is 14 in high school.The only side effect I see is she is a little skinny but we are workin on that. Eating a big breakfast will help her..

I have a grandson with ADHD. and we refused to drug him. We searched different methods to help him until one lady told us about the mountain dew.At first we thought she was crazy, but when the school could not handle him we tried it. It was Saturday morning and he had just had breakfast when we gave him half of the small can of Mountain Dew. Not sure if they sell it at your local market but they sell it here. i think its an 8 oz can. It was a change! I kept asking him if he was alright cuz he was so still and he kept saying yes. He asked to watch a movie and for the first time sat down and watched it. Don't get me wrong, he is still active, he plays with his cars, outside in the playground, loves to run, but is not being extremely hyper to where he could not sit down, always talking or making noises and having fits. We gave his 4 oz before going to school the next day and he got a smiley face instead of his regular sad face. It might not be the best cure, but i dont want him drugged. I just have to make sure he brushes his teeth often and drinks his 8 glasses of water.

First of all, you need a diagnosis before even considering medicating. If you are against medication there are lots of studies on how food additives and sugar and caffeine can affect an ADHD child. Why anyone would treat a child who is hyperactive with high doses of caffeine such as is contained in Mountain Dew is beyond me. I've never heard of it. It would be more beneficial to research a more natural diet geared towards less additives, food colorings and other items that have been known to exacerbate ADHD symptoms. I have 2 children with ADD and keep caffeiene products out of their diets. On the other hand, if your child does receive a diagnosis of ADHD and needs a low dose of medication to maintain focus in school you might want to try it and see if it helps him. I have one child who is not on meds (used to be but no longer needs them) and one who needs the meds to maintain focus and function in school. You can't tell my child is on meds at all, but I can tell when he is NOT on them so I'm not sure what you mean about kids who don't act like children on meds. I would suggest finding a good doctor who deals with ADHD a lot and see if your child has ADHD first and then go from there. Ultimately, you are the parent and have the last say about medicating your child or not but if a child would benefit from it and doesn't receive it that's not beneficial to the child either.

Caffeine and sugar are the WORST things to give a child that may or may/not have ADD OR ADHD. In fact many people opt to try changing their child's diet before tryine medicine, which is a parent's choice, and one of the changes is to cut sugar intake by 90%!!!!!! Talk with your ped. I agree with another post that the teacher is most lilely seeing something different because a classroom is a more structured enviorment. But if his grades are okay and he is not distrupting class, what is the problem exactly? Just becareful becuase a lot of ADD/ADHD kids are gifted and school comes very easy to them, they don't really even have to try, then eventuall, and it will happen at some point they will hit a rut and don't know how to actually work hard on something that may be challenging to them becuase they have never had to do that before. At this time more signs of ADD/ADHS may come out becuase they have hit a wall whereas before they were able to get by.

I wouldn't do anything without talking to your pediatrician. Mountain Dew is nasty stuff, health wise, and I don't think it should be used in an attempt to control symptoms that may or may not be due to adhd. You mention that your child is fine at home, but that he does seem to have some behaviors that are associated with adhd and the teacher is concerned though your child has good grades. Again, schedule an appointment with the doctor. You said that you are against medication, and as a parent it is your right to decide if your child is medicated for adhd. But just as a side note, I've seen some already great children become even more successful in the classroom with the right adhd medication. I've also worked with children that seemed like they were adhd, but when we looked more closely it turned out to be an anxiety disorder. Once we implemented modifications and student strategies the behaviors were less frequent. Hope this helps!

Just today I was introduced to this juice called Mona Vie that is supposed to help with this. My husband has ADHD and none of the medications are working for him so we are going to try the juice. We have also tried something called the Sensory Belt which does help if I can get him to remember to wear it. Perhaps also looking into some behavioral therapy may also help. Because that will teach your son how to curb some of these ADHD behaviors. I also have a son with special needs and sometimes a strict schedule helps to keep kids like this calm. There are a lot of resources. A lot of it is internet research. I don't medicate my son and as I said before the medications are not working for my husband and one medication actually started giving him mini seizures. Once he got off the medication they stopped thank goodness. I hope that this helps and that you find some answers. Good Luck.

Hi S.,

I'm an AD/HD coach, a parent and a grandparent. It must have been difficult to have heard this - in this way.

There are other alternatives to medication. I encourage you to educate yourself as much as possible about AD/HD.

I have never heard of using Mountain Dew and I'm not sure why it would work - except possibly the caffeine. I'm concerned that now you have a child wired on sugar and caffeine. It is true that caffeine is believed to help with concentration - personally, I would wonder about the other effects it might have - especially on a 9 year old.

I would be happy to speak to you more about your son if you'd like. Just let me know.

Mindfully,

L. Purpura
Mindful Living Coach

Good for you!!! I feel too many teachers can't control their classrooms and resort to telling parents to drug their kids. I myself was a "ritalin" kid. I must tell you that the year they took me off I suffered severe drug withdrawal symptoms. I had vertigo, paranoia and mood swings. It was awful.

It is true that many times caffine has a reverse effect on ADHD kids....when I use caffine ..instead of it making me more alert, it makes me drowsy. It won't hurt your child to give this a try, but remember, what works for one, may not work on another individual, and of course, how would you be able to do this while he is at school??? You can't give him caffine often enough for this to stay constant throughout a school day. But that doesn't mean you can't watch his food intake for signs of what could be triggering behavior issues. IE: sugar content, artificial sweetners and colors, preservatives (lunchmeats are bad), processed white flour found in sandwich bread.....some cheeses. By changing his diet, you may help his overall health and improve his behavior also. Food allergies and sensitivities can mimic ADD and ADHD behaviors

Of my 4 kids only my daughter demonstrated the hyper activity levels associated with ADHD
I chose not to drug her. Instead, I opted to keep her busy busy busy. She will be graduating from college in May and has maintained an A average (yeah, I'm proud of her).....but she is what most people would describe as overbooked most of the time. When she was a child, I made sure she had plenty of physical activity times and enough "open" projects to keep her interest. She learned to "multi-task" and use her ability to jump from one thing to another back and forth to her advantage.

Many children do not get the physical activity they need. Without a recess break in which to run around and play, a normal child has pent up energy they will need to expend, and afternoons can be difficult. Look carefully at all the conditions. I'm sure you will find the answers you need.

Good LUCK!

My daughter's diagnoses is severe ADHD, meaning she can't control her outbursts, stop fussing, or focus on her own. I suggest talking to your pediatrician first. Many ADHD sites have cook books for foods that help. Keep to a tight sleep routine. It's important that ADHD kids get the right amount of sleep and are kept on schedule. There are also exercises and relaxation games that you can play together which definetly help. My child is on meds now, but only because despite all the above, she was unable to focus and not fuss at school. I wouldn't recommend any high sugar products as a source of control the ADHD kids have enough energy on their own (I've seen my duaghter on MT. Dew). There is a checklist that you and the teacher can fill out which may help you decide if you need to seek a doctor's assessment. You are your child's best advocate when dealing with school, don't be afraid to say I'm not ready to turn to meds and seek the other avenues first. There is a fine line between where the ADHD of my child ends and where her personality begins, she's naturally stubborn and independent, so I've had to tell the teacher's and counselors before, if she's focusing and not fussing then the meds are working and no pill works miracles, she's just a strong willed little girl so deal. She's 8 now and I'm proud to say doing well in school and her personality shines through.

Please don't listen to the teacher. ADAD and ADD are terms that are overused, leading to lots of over-diagnosis. Children aren't meant to sit still for hours on end. They should be full of beans, and should be so curious their attention strays!

I would have a chat with your son about how he feels about his teacher, the classroom, etc. in comparison to the year before, and see if there isn't something going on in there that is making him a bit over the top. Maybe he doesn't find the classroom a warm and safe enough place? We all get a bit stressed and hyper in environments that don't feel right, maybe something like that is going on?