Advice on 6 Yr Old Diagnosed with ADD

C., Hi this is S. B I had the same problem and drugs were never an option for me. Look into his diet, fish oil vitamins can help with concentration. Good luck

Please forward the response you get.... I'm having a similar problem with my 8 year old. I already held him back once.

My 10 yr old was diagnosed at 5yrs old. He is on meds and it has made a world of difference. His made it very clear that he is one meds for him and not for us, school or any one else.
We have had to mess with the dose to get the right one. I have forgotton to give it to him and his teachers have noticed. Good luck, I hope this has helped

L.

I used behavioral methods for about 2.5 years with my daughter until we started to see any results toward the end of second grade. We tried all the things you mentioned. One of the more successful tries was letting her earn poker chips to earn the right to select a prize from a treasure chest. We tried everything, and her teachers always had to work with us. In high school she finally couldn't take it anymore because no matter how hard she tried she just couldn't focus her attention. Now I realize how hard it must have been for her all those years without medication. I would really recommend you work with a psychiatrist who specializes in children his age. Medication is not some bad thing you should fear, but it does need careful monitoring by someone who knows their stuff. Think about how it might benefit your child. They do have to be monitored, but the ADD drugs out there can make a big difference in your child's life. Good luck. Many of us will be wishing you well!

Please dont let them get your child started on one of the add drugs. thats what all the teachers want to do with the kids who arent little robots like they want. they are so quick to do that. sometimes its the foods theyre eating that makes it hard to pay attention. sometimes its just the style of teaching. not all kids are the kind that can sit still, listen, do whats expected. who made up these expectations anyway. it doesntmean theres anything wrong with the child or your ability to parent. usually the children diagnosed arent add theyre board out of there mind. theyre the creative thinkers. the dreamers, the ones who in life get things done. theyre not the 9 to 5ers we grew up being. and its a good thing because the world is changing and 9to5 is over. and you need to be an independent thinker if your going to make it. dont be so hard on yourself or your child. and dont let what some teacher said become a label your child will have to bear theyre whole school life. yes it will take more work on your part and on the teachers part but in the end that will be the child that goes far. unless stopped with drugs,that the school system started them on. labels that make for poor self esteem just to make it easier on the teacher. i have children and grand children and have gone thru this road before. watch the sugar and caffiene,and food addities. msg red dye etc. these have been known to cause behavior problems in children. most of all try to relax enjoy this time it goes so quickly. i know you dont believe it while your pulling your hair out thinking they will never grow up. its true none the less. another note. if the father left for drugs you definetly dont want to get the kid on drugs generational....

Please go to this website:
http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content2/add.html

I had to raise my son (who is now 16) with ADD. He is still in special education (modified with an aide) and he is doing well. Hang in there, they are very special children. They need our love and understanding and NOT drugs!
XOXO Lee

have you thought about trying to change his diet? there is a mom who started a company b/c her child had adhd and couldn't take the meds b/c of a heart condition - so she dealt with it nutritionally. the company is called wildtree (www.jenwarr.mywildtree.com) and here is some more info -

Wildtree received national recognition in the October 9, 2007 edition of Women’s World magazine (article: “Foods that cure
ADHD”) which told the touching story of an Ohio mother who was able to get her young son off ADHD medication that was
making him depressed and borderline suicidal, by eliminating the food dyes and chemicals from his diet by using Wildtree, and returning him to the sweet, functional, controllable child that she knew he could be—drug free!

let me know if you want some more info!
take care
J.

This sounds really frustrating for you! You might want to consider how frustrating it is for your son. If there is a drug that can help him concentrate and focus you should probably give it a try. You can always stop taking the medication if it is not improving the situation. We all want our children to be happy and healthy. You know what life is like without medication, I would not want to pass up an opportunity to improve my childs life because of????? Think about the reasons why you don't want to try the medication. Research and talk to your doctor about your concerns and then make your decision. Remember it's probably not just you and the teacher tired of the same routine every day.

Hi C.,
I also have a 6yr old Son. He had a rough time in Kinder, but his teacher encouraged me to stay away from the ADD and ADHD diagnosis. She had a child who was also being coralled into those catagories. The first week of 1st grade, my son didn't fit in. He didn't do ANY work and his self esteem was seriously suffering. We decided to put him back in kinder and he did okay. After a few months of continued low self esteem and negative behavioural evaluations, and meeting with the psychologists and resources group at his school, I finally decided to take him for an evaluation and sure enough, he was diagnosed with ADHD. He was put on meds right away. I was very reluctant. But, honestly I had tried changing our diet to an organic, low processed foods, high fiber diet. We first tried all of the homeopathic things, and supplements in the healthfood store. The medicine worked, instantly. Now he still battles low selfesteem, but it is progressivly getting better. He is happier. He is at the top of his kinder class. We do not medicate on the weekends and only the lowest dose. It is not a miracle drug, but it has helped, a lot.

C., I completely relate to your issue. I have five kids and my third one - a boy - had the very same issues. We did try medications for a little while, but they made him angry and worse. After a few years of trying meds and therapists, etc., we found a nutritional product that did the trick. Who knew! I don't think I can tell you about it here in this kind of forum, but if you would like to try it too - I will help you get it at my cost. I think you can send me an e-mail?

It has been amazing for my son, he is now 11 years old and having his best year ever in school. He is still not perfect (middle child) but it is noticeably better - at home AND school. The miracle we had prayed for.

I understand your frustration, My 6 year old was starting to experience the same thing,. I thought that I would hire a tutor. I called the teacher to ask what we should concentrate on. The teacher responded and also suggested that we make learning fun. Often kids look at home work as punishment. I know that that is how my daughter and I both perceived it. When I help her with her home work, I lose my patience. She wants to screw around , and it ticked me off. I worked all day and didn’t need anymore stress., and it was stressful when things did not go smooth. We can’t show our kids we are upset., because they lose interest .
Well, lets just say the tutor comes over Friday after school for 1.5 hours and again on Sunday , the home work is fun, and she challenges her self with the harder options now. And most of all, she has built self confidence. I may have been the one who broke her confidence by my reactions when we did homework together. My daughter, has received outstanding marks on her past 2 spelling test and has improved greatly. Now she shows off what she has learned to me and we enjoy reading together. The tutor I hired was a high School student , and I pay her $12 an hour.

My son, who is now 13, was diagnosed with A.D.H.D. while in Kindergarten. I also tried behavior modification but his grades were poor and he was always pulling cards for either talking or disrupting other students. You have to first make sure you get your child in an I.E.P. program. This program will protect your child now and in the fuure from those teachers who do not understand his condition and will just continue to punish him for a behavior he cannot control. I have my child on Concerta time release - it releases a little in the morning, a little mid-morning, and a little in the afternoon - his grades and behavior have improved tremendously. Read up on ADD becuase it will help you understand how he sees things - if you need any other advice, let me know.

I had the same problem when my son was in first grade last year, but I wasn't taking him to a dr. At this age, it's very normal for a young boy to be easily distracted and a little hyper and not want to sit and do a lot of work. I took him out of school and I homeschool because I didn't know what else to do. I know some children need medication, but if the only problem is him doing the work for right now, I don't really see a need. I'd sit with him at home when he does his work and try to keep him on task for now because he's young and this could just be a phase. I had a friend who had the exact same problem and her son got better by the 3rd grade, but it was a lot of headache stress and calls from the teacher (she helped me get through with her advice and she had kept her son in school). Another friend had the same issue and put him through KUMON (?) and said it's really helped him. He's in 5th grade now and hes still the same, but with Kumon and after school homework club, he gets the work done. I know I can't afford Kumon, but I'd continue to encourage and praise my child and stick by his side when he does his work to make sure he gets it done. I mean they're only 6 (well, mine is 7). Gosh what did they do a long, long time ago when there was no ADD or ADHD to rely on and the medications for them? My poor friend (another one) keeps going back and forth on medicating her 4 yr old son because he can be pretty challenging, but the medication makes him another person and not her son.

Do some research on diet! Cut out sugars, simple carbs, etc. Have your daughter tested for food allergies. Also, be aware of additives in food. All of these diagnosis' of ADD, etc., seem to have been creeping up in numbers for years. It makes sense that for years our typical food sources have become more and more "tainted" with hidden chemicals and sugars and preservatives and our children are paying the price.

My son has ADHD and I had him put on medication. I like yourself was reluctant at first but he is on Adderall and it last long enough for my son to concentrate and focus at school. He is still very active and a busy body. If monitored closely by the doctor and given the correct dose it does work.

C., I know exactly how you feel. My 5 year old daughter couldn't sit still or follow the work in Kindergarten, she has been diagnosed with ADHD and is taking Medidate no at 20 mg. It has made a world of difference and the side effects are very minimal. We tried rewards, punishment talking until we are blue in the face...I am also single mom of 2 girls, my youngest is 2, my ex left when I was pregnant cause he wasn't a "family" guy...
We went to a psychiatrist who explained lots of things to me and to my dtr, I asked her about the "natural" remedies for this and one of the main ingrediants is nicotine! I couldn't believe it, plus since these natural remedies aren't regulated you can't be gauranteed to get the same thing everytime.
Most Dr's start the dose out very small, then you watch for reactions, etc and then you watch for improvement, many say it is like night and day when their child starts medicine and I can vouch for that.
I'll be praying for you!
J.

Hi, I had a very hyperactive daughter. I took her off all sugars, not even honey, or jam and jellies. I limited anything with red dye or yellow dye. It took a few months to show major progress, but to me she was better in just a few days. I also took her to a chiropractor who was into gentle manipulation and diet and naturopathy. You might also look into a Bowen practitioner who can help create a more peaceful feeling in his body. It could also trigger any problems he had at birth or old hurts and bruises. Also, allow at least one hour of heavy exercise before homework is started. That could be a problem. Sitting for 6 hours and then doing homework is difficult for that age. Hope it helps. Drugs are not always the answer, and can make things worse. Try as natural as possible first. Good luck, I will be thinking of you. Patti

Give into the drugs needed for ADD. My son had to be kicked out of school for his ADD behaviors. It doesn't affect just the learning, it will also take a toll on the self esteem as he gets older. Ido understand the fear of drugs, my uncle died of an overdose when he was 18. I am a paraeducator, and when I finally allowed my son the medication he needed, his teacher at the time said..."he is a different child". S.

My son is now 14 years old and when my son was in elememtary I was having the same problems as you are now. Some teachers told me that my son might be ADD/ADHD but I did not know what it was so I ignored it and yes my son was worse cause he would get up from his desk and walk around class and would make toys out of his pencil and erasers. In 7th grade is when I really started having problems due to him going from class to class and his teachers had no time for him or cared about him. He started failing every class to the point where they wanted to put him in continuation school. I seeked medical help and when I found out he did have ADD/ADHD, I advised the school and told them to start testing him, (I found out more because one of his teachers took me aside and told me she was talking to me as a parent and I needed to know my rights)he stated taking medication which is working for him very well, futhermore the school had to put him in a special ed program which totally helped my son and will help your son. Every school has this program but wont tell you about it. Believe me I fought for this program for my son because the school tend to ignore you the parent. I only give my son his meds Monday thru Friday and on weekend he does not take them, my son was failing or getting low grades in every subject except for Art. Now my son is in 9th grade and he is bring me home A's and B's and not getting in trouble for silly things. I strongly suggest you have your son tested at school and insist to be put on their special ed program as this is going to help very very much. Look in the website for more information. I just wish I would of known about this when he was in elementary school and he would be more advanced. These children are so smart that their mind is going a hundred miles an hour. My son would say he was alway bored in school until he got the help he needed, now he loves school. These are two of the website that were given to me by his doctor. ADHD.COM and CHAD.COM
Believe me I thank that teacher for helping me out and talking to me parent to parent otherwise I dont know how my son would be doing right now. I hope this helps you

I wouldn't do drugs. At the health food store there's a product called Pedia Calm. I got that for Grandson and it helped. It's a ammino acid..so it won't hurt him. Just make sure that he get plenty of protein.It helped my grandson slow down. The teachers there wanted to put him on drugs too. So I got the Pedia Calm..it worked for him.

First remember, God won't give you more than you can handle. I know that one is a hard one, but it is true. Secondly, my nephew is the same way. He sometimes forgets what you just instructed him because his mind races so much - someone along the way told my sister that the effects of coffee caffeine has adverse affects on a child with ADD or HDADD. She tried it. It works for my nephew. We found a shortcut too. The chocolate covered espresso beans. He takes a few in the morning before school(once in a while after too if he needs them) and they help his mind not to race and be able to focus. He too is an inteligent boy who gets wonderful grades easily - so it is scary when they don't want to do their work or be a distraction in the class. Try it. God Bless You and Good luck with this and everything!

I am a 62 year old x pre-school teacher. I worked with a lot of children in all different level. Have you ever just sat down with him and told him you need his help as you don't know what to do and could he help you solve your problem.Explain to him that you really love him so much but you really need his help. Give him some responable things to do,and praise him in front of others on how much help he is to you ,and what a good job he is doing. Sometimes if you punish them for not learning they just go negative on you. And you have to have a lot of patiece with him. I hope I have given you some good advice. Good Luck C. M

There is this method called the "chewing gum" method. Some children can concentrate better on a task when chewing gum (sugarless of course). Whenever his focus begins to waiver remind him to chew his gum. I think you can find it on the net. Give it a try, better than drugs.

as a working single mom, i feel you, C.. all i can say is... go with your instincts. drugs are the last resort. my friend had the exact same issues with her 7 year old, and she put him on a strict diet (no processed sugars, no grains, no artificial anything -- essentially fruits, vegetables, and raw nuts and seeds) and the situation DRAMATICALLY improved. check out this book: http://www.amazon.com/Living-Live-Food-Alissa-Cohen/dp/09... she also lets/makes him run around the block after each couple of homework problems, makes lots of flashcards for him that he can practice things while walking (good for kinesthetic learners, who often get "diagnosed" ADHD) and makes sure he gets LOTS of physical activity.

more on this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PufWoT8pceo

http://www.rawcuisine.co.uk/consciousness-and-our-changin...

http://www.brigittemars.com/attention_deficit_hyperactivi...

this is a great article about traditional western and alternative treatments for ADHD. note the study that took 100 kids and randomly separated them into two groups, one treated with ritalin and the other with traditional chinese herbs. the chinese herb group showed far greater improvements and virtually no side effects. http://www.healing-arts.org/children/ADHD/herbal.htm#wethink

where i live there is a local chiropractor who has a radio show where he rants and raves about western medicine treatments for ADHD, and claims to be able to treat it effectively with chiropractic. he has families come on his show to testify to this. i have no personal experience with it, but i find it interesting. if my daughter showed signs of ADHD i would definitely check it out.

i offer this in the hopes that it might help you find the right solution for YOU and your son. maybe some of these things would work for you, mabe none of them, but the point is there are LOTS and LOTS of options that can be explored before medicating our kids with (imo) dangerous psychotropic drugs.

I am not directly affected with this, but I have a friend who's son had ADD and I'm always finding things on the web for her.
Here is a great article.. http://www.bodyecology.com/08/03/06/should_parents_of_chi...

Also, after doing some research a lot of the symptoms of ADD can be affected by diet and chemicals in your home. You've gotten a lot of advise on diet in these responses... however you can switch to healthier safer non-toxic cleaners and personal care products to help alliviate some of those symptoms too.

http://www.TotalWellnessInfo.com

Best wishes,
C.~

Hi C.,
I definitely feel your pain. I have a son who is in the 4th grade and this year was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrom. There are a lot of the same symptoms that children with ADD have. He also has a hard time with concentration and focus. These problems led to problems with sleeping, getting homework done and many more issues. I did have some doctors that were quick to want to put him on meds but that is not something I am willing to do for a quick fix. It was my OBGYN that turned me onto a website that doctors use to order or refer patients to for vitamins. She told me about a liquid vitamin for children called Omega 3-6-9 Junior. It contains fish oils and other natural ingredients that help with mood, focus, learning ability and overall well-being. You could probably find something like it in your local health food store but the problem with buying locally is that you don't know if the fish oil is contaminated or not which will reduce its effectiveness. She said that this fish oil comes from Alaska and is guaranteed to be pure. After just a few days of being on it I saw huge changes in my son. He doesn't lay awake for hours at night anymore and is usually asleep within 20 minutes, he can focus so much better at home and school and his overall all mood has improved by leaps and bounds. He has also made comments that his mind feels calm and not so crazy. He still has his moments but overall he is happier, more focused and well-balanced. Even other people have made comments to me about how they have seen huge positive changes in him. It is definitely worth a try. The website is www.omega-direct.com or 800-595-2714. I hope this helps!

R. D

Dear C.,

This is just one mom's experience and I in no way want to say this is the only option. I just want to share what we went through.

We have the same dilema with my son. He is 11 now. When he was 9 he was diagnosed with ADD. He is not hyperactive, but can not concentrate. We did not want to do drugs either. We tried changing his diet, supplements,more sleep, reduced distractions, homeschooling, biofeedback (very expensive!). He is a very intelligent child, but you put a worksheet in front of him and a fly flies by and all concentration is gone.

I finally relented and he is now on an ADD medication. The first we tried turned him into a zombie. The doctor told us that every child reacts differently to medications and it was all about finding the right one. We did. He is now doing so much better and feels better about himself.

I still don't like the idea of him being on medication, but it is helping him more than anything else we tried.

Again, all children are different and the other things that we tried might work for your son. We are finding, even with medication, our son does so much better when he stays away from sugar, soft drinks, processed foods.

My heart is with you and your son. I know how hard this is!

hi, i have a adhd child who is on stratter. i find it helpful. do you give him anything w/ red in it? if so remove it from his diet. no red dye. also if you do not want to try meds then go to your natural health store and see what they offer. goodluck, as i am a single mom of 4.. husband passed in sept/07.

thx
tammy

I wouldn't be too worried because he is still young, but something I did with my third grader really helped. I put her on a timer. First I figured out how long it took her to do homework when she was trying. Then, I gave her a time limit. If she was not finished in the alotted time she got some sort of discipline(extra chores,sent to room etc.). I also mixed it up and gave a reward for finishing on time. You could keep a weekly chart. Every time he finishes on time he gets a sticker on his homework chart, and at the end of the week he gets a special prize. He only gets a prize at the end of the week if he finishes on time every week. I hope that at least helps with some ideas. Jenn

Have you had his eyes and hearing checked? I was a "poor student" until one of my teachers realized that I had a hearing problem and couldn't even see the paper unless I was about three inches from the paper. Hope it helps.

C.,
Speaking as a teacher, I don't think our educational system deals well with boys and their energy. Most teachers are women and in a crowded classroom they reward quiet, submissive behaviors. I would recommend exhausting all options before putting him on drugs. Drugs mask the problem, have lots of side effects and don't teach him how to control his own behaviors. I suggest that you research dietary changes that could help him such a wheat free diet. Also, other medical conditions can cause behavior problems such as sleep deprivation or sleep apnea. Make sure he is getting enough sleep and check his sleep patterns. If you think he is sleeping restlessly have your pediatrictian give you a referral to an ENT. Often enlarged tonsils and adenoids can cause sleep problems which show up as behavior problems during the day becuase children are tired. There is research to back this up.
Make sure he is getting enough excersize. I would recommend putting him martial arts which also teach self discipline and control.
Hope you find some helpful ideas out there. Good luck.

Schools, teachers, and many doctors over-prescribe drugs for ADD. In fact, too many children that should be handled with discipline and love are being handled with drugs, even in primary schools. Talk to your doctor about your sons needs, but be careful. Drugs change a lot for your child, some of those changes may be positive but leave negative side effects that far outweigh the positive.
Have you tried changing your sons eating habits and daily patterns? Many children with ADD have a hard time focusing on their school work when they return from school because they simply are too tired to concentrate for any length of time. Offer him a nap or playtime rather than asking him to work immediately after school. Once playtime is over, however, you need to be prepared (by preparing him mentally) to get back to work. You can do this by reminding him at regular intervals that he will be switching tasks. Also, turn off the TV, this isn't an appropriate rest or play activity. Eating habits are also the cause of a lot of problems with young children and especially with children with ADD. Make sure you carefully monitor his sugar intake. I know that sounds silly, but less white/refined sugars will help his body in general, and that will help improve his behavior and his concentration.
ADD is not something that can be easily controlled at any time. Your son will need more one on one attention than other children his age. It will take work and a lot of heartache, but in the end your son is worth the effort. I also have a 6-year old son with special needs and ADHD.
Additionally: I read about some other people talking about chemicals in the air and exercise. I neglected to mention that exercise will definitely help your son to develop not only discipline but concentration. It seems silly that using concentration to learn something like martial arts will help his concentration, but it is kind of like a muscle that gets stronger with use. Also, the chemicals in our household cleaners is very dangerous. I have taken all of those cleaners out of my home and started using some really great vitamins too. If you are interested in more information about this type of product and what it can do for your child, I found this website helpful for my son. http://healthychild.org/ and http://www.saferforyourhome.com/

Hi C.,

I truly understand what you are saying here! My son who is now 17, was exactly like this in elementary school. I was so worried about him, and the teachers kept hinting that he may have ADHD or ADD. Well, I told them that my son didn't have either of those because when he was doing something that truly interested him, like drawing and watching his favorite TV show, he would sit still for hours. He just hated school, and unfortunately he still does!

However, I didn't learn until just a few years ago that clinical studies show that, reduced attention span and a variable pattern of behavioral challenges have been linked to dietary and environmental factors. Synthetic substances in our cleaning, laundry and personal care products are now being linked to health issues, and at the center of those illnesses are our children. Their metabolism's are faster than an adults, they breathe more air than us so they inhale more chemical vapors than we adults do.

Did you know that right now in your home, you may have something called outgassing going on? That means that your favorite store brands are sitting under your sink, in your laundry room, and in your bathroom all sealed tightly, but the chemical vapors are still escaping into your breathable air. That's why when you're at the store, you can always smell the cleaning and laundry products a few aisles away.

I would also recommend reducing any fried foods, sugar and food colorings from his diet. High fructose corn syrup and MSG have also been found to be a major health risk, but be careful because the manufacturers are hiding these two ingredients under different trade names now to make consumers think they aren't in the food any more. I would check out the ingredients in your household laundry, cleaning, and personal care items used. Many of the ingredients like bleach, ammonia, Quaternium-15 a formaldehyde releaser, butyl cellosolve a neurotoxin, can have profound effects on the central nervous system, kidneys, liver and behavioral issues with kids.

Does your son take a good childrens multi-vitamin? This would help to strengthen his immune system and help him get the nutrients that are being depleted by foods that may not give his brain what it needs.

I don't want to scare you with this information, but I found all this out to late for myself, I have suffered with Fibromyalgia for 7 years now, and only 3 years ago found out my illness has been linked to chemical exposure since the exposures can deplete your immune system and make you even more vulnerable to illness when you become stressed out (which at the time my job was so very stressful).

All of our children have been an experiment for the manufacturers of chemical laden products and I think as parents, it's time we all took a stand and said we aren't going to take it anymore! Medicating our kids just so Big Pharma can profit is not the answer! The answer starts in our own homes.

I now work from home with a wellness company who's products have helped my health tremendously and has been helping many other families with their children's asthma, ADD, etc., just by getting all the bad chemicals out of their homes and taking good supplements. I can help you or anyone interested get more info about the types of products and vitamins we have available if you'd like. I am a Marketing Executive for the company and I don't sell anything. My job is to educate consumers on better, safer ways to care for their home and their families health. Please visit the link below and read a little about the health issues prominent in today's society and then if you'd like, you can request more info about our company from me.

Best wishes in helping your son and for your whole family.

T.
www.livetotalwellness.com/T.

Hi C.,My 8 year-old stopped doing most school work halfway through kindergarten. He would do arts & crafts but would not do any worksheets, or if the assignment was to color purple all the pictures that started with the sound "p" he'd put a purple slash through the picture and not color nicely. The teacher got into a real power struggle with him and several parents talked to me about the way my son was treated in class (singled out unfairly, they thought, when they were working as teacher's aids), so I pulled him out for another school with a wonderful K/1 classroom. He pulled through and then the problem resurfaced. It would get better, then resurface again. He's in 3rd grade now - I think we are mostly past this problem. I hope. I read "They Can But they Don't" by Jerome Bruns and found it very helpful. It's not a new book, so check at a used book store or at half.com. In my search for information, talking to various teachers. it seems this extreme stubborn problem was unusual. He could do the work, but didn't want to. He's not ADD - just not interested. Punishment was not effective. The book helped us to be encouraging and build on success. I think it even helped in how we relate to our older child, who's very successful with school work. My younger son can still get overwhelmed with a large project - like a school report. But we break it down, do a little a day and together create something great, that he's proud to take to school and talk about in front of the class. I wish you all the best.

I have a 7 year old daughter and she has symptoms of a mild case of AD/HD. She has never been diagnosed--but we live with her. I recently had a friend recommend a "natural" medication that includes pure fish oils and evening primrose oil, the site is Equazen.com, there is information, resource and products to help a child. They are in England--our country promotes pharmacutical companies for financial gain --I found something close with similar ingredients at our natural Clark's Nutritional Store. I have ordered from the company and hope for some help. The product I have been giving her from the nutritinal store seems to give us results--I thought it may be in my mind--a placebo, but yesterday I received an encouraging letter from her after-school teacher that she has improved behavior in the program--I am encouraged! Good luck!

My daughter does not have ADD, but she does have a hard time focusing on homework as well. I stay with her while she does homework and keep her focussed. Sometimes I'll say "after you do the next problem, eat a grape" and she can have a grape after each problem. Or I'll comment on each little milestone on the page and encourage her to keep going "I can't wait to see what vocabulary word you use in the next sentence!!"

One day a week, her best friend spends the afternoon and they egg each other on "I wonder who can finish the page first" and stuff like that. Sometimes, it is a good thing.

It really is excruciating, but this is when those habits are formed, so I think it is work the effort. You can make dinner while he does his work in the kitchen with you looking over his shoulder.

Hi C.,

I so feel your pain! My 7 year old is diagnosed with ADHD, and has some pretty severe symptoms like your son. I recently sent an e-mail to all the moms out there for some advise on natural/homeopathic rememdies, and was given SO much helpful information. Feel free to go into my profile & see my question/responses - there's too much to share in my e-mail here.
Diet is definitely a key factor. Our boys are more difficult to manage because of their "disability", but they are special, unique and have more potential than we even realize at this stage. I'm sure your son will amaze you as he grows and matures. With diligence, I'm sure you will find the right combination of things that will help your child succeed.

God bless you and your family!

I also have a six year old with adhd and in the first grade and he might not pass to second everything you said you go through with your son thats my life.i'am also going through a divorce and for some reason dad has forgotten he had kids in every way.but to help you a little i got advice from the school pshycoligist and from a personal friend that is also a pshycoligist and they both recommended med's because ilf i don't do it know by the time he is ten i lost him i haven't started him yet because i was waiting for my insurance to go through but once i have it i'am going to give it a try.

I wouldn't suggest the drugs they want to give you. First of all I would get rid of anything with food additives and colorings, especially the Red. That triggers more reactions in children. Also, food allergies can make the ADD worse. So you might want to have the Elisa Act done for those to see what he is allergic to.
I worked for a chiropractic internist and she treated a few children with ADD and ADHD with great success... she's in Glendora. Give her a call and see what she can do for you.
Dr. Richards ###-###-####

Okay I am 28 years old and was diagnosed with ADD as a child. I know that many parents are reluctant to try medications. It is totally understandable. My parents really didn't want to go the medication route either. Eventually they did and school life became a lot better. I only took the medication when they knew it would be taking effect during school or study periods (ie homework time) during the weekends and breaks/vacations they felt no real need to put me on. My aunty did the same for my cousin. It was a real improvement for everyone. Because the medications helped me concentrate I realized that my grades weren't low because I wasn't good enough in school, but because I wasn't focused. Once I was focused I normally graded very high.

On the other hand my friends 7 yr old daughter has a very hard time concentrating on her school work. The school counselor has recommended my friend talk to a doctor and try and put her daughter on medication. I advised her against it. Why, even though it worked so well for me? Because I found a way to help her focus on her work. The trick w/ her was not to take away distractions or use rewards/punishments (although they did help somewhat) the trick was to make the school work entertaining yet challenging. This means that unlike me (it was impossible to get me to focus), my friend's daughter could be focused and really didn't need the medication.

So what is the point of my response. Well, I understand that you are hesitant to use drugs and I totally agree that you should try other solutions before turning to medications. But, I also want you to know that not all children who use medications have a turned into a horror story and I don't want you to dismiss the idea of using drugs altogether.

If you do try drugs give the medication a time frame to show improvement on your child. My parents did this. They (parents/doctors/teachers) agreed to a realistic time frame. If I showed no improvement before then, I would be taken off and a new method used.

Good luck