Help with ADD

I recently read an eye opening book and highly recommend it: The Edison Gene by Thom Hartmann. Shortly after I started reading I realized I fit the description of someone with ADD, although in the 1960's when I was in elementary school that was not a thing. Regardless of what anyone tells you, the medication is not to help the child, it is to drug the child and make it easier to "herd" the child with the rest of those who conform to the 'one size fits all' education system.
He is clearly bored and therefore needs alternative stimulation, probably a hands on, outdoor lab experience every day will keep him motivated.
Chris C

Dear E. ,

Don't know too much about ADD . My nephew was diagnosed a few years ago and he is on meds !! From what i see it stops his appetite ! Then when he is off his meds he eats lots and is very hyperactive . I did here that there are some fantastic books out there and pretty much they say that diet pays a big part in ADD and i lot can be done by kids eating certain foods !!! Try to google this and see what comes up .
Take care , J. D.

I've heard that there are some excellent books written about altering an ADD (or a similar disorder), by altering a child's nutritional intake diet (food intake). Research books at the book store or online.

Please, please have your son tested for food allergies. Many pediatricians discount food allergies; however, I know of two cases personally where the boys were diagnosed with ADD, bi-polar and all sorts of things. Both were taken off gluten and casein and are now perfectly normal boys. My one friend lived for 9 years battling the problems with his boy and now he is fine. If only he knew. Get a few opinions. Good luck.

i think that many children (usually boys) are labeled with add or adhd as we are expecting more of them than is developmentally appropriate. 5 year old children should not be expected to sit for long periods of time - as a teacher who has studied child development - it just isn't right! some kids can handle this - but some cannot and that doesn't mean there is anything wrong with them - they just aren't ready for it yet!

i do not have a child with adhd - but we have dealt with other things!!! and i am a true believer in a healthy, organic diet. i also think that there are way too many 'things' in our foods that are greatly affecting us - young and old alike!!! i have been using products from wildtree b/c as much as i would like to have everything fresh - it's just not possible everyday!! but instead of reaching for crockpot ingredients like campbell's soup or lipton dried onion soup (which contain msg among other things) i have been using alternative products. some are from wildtree - some are from whole foods or other natural food stores.

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!

please check out www.jenwarr.mywildtree.com for more info - or send me an email. there was also a piece done on the today show - A recent study covered by The Today Show on September 7, 2007. links hyperactivity (such as ADHD) with artificial food dyes and preservatives.

J.
www.jenwarr.mywildtree.com

E. C,

How is your son's diet? You might try cutting out sugar etc. Sometimes kids exhibit ADD tendencies due to sensitivities with sugar or dairy. Has he ever had any food allergies? I have three boys too! Mine are 8,6, and 16 months. I would be very careful about putting him on medication. Best of luck!

A.

How is his diet is he eating foods with lots of additives sugars etc?
I found many of these behavioral concerns have a direct connection to a nutritional deficit also.

Hi. I am a teacher and had a child a few years back that showed similar signs. His mother found an herbal liquid "remedy" at Henry's grocery store. It was called "The Attentive Child" and she put a few drops in some water twice a day. It really did wonders for that child. Like I said it is herbal so it is natural. You might be able to find it or something similar at any health food store.
I would also recommend keeping a food journal to keep track of what foods your child responds well to and not well to.
Food for Thought,
J.

I think it is quite common for 6 year old boys to be like this. Mine was, and he is soooooo intelligent. It could be that he idoesn't need to pay attention. Also may think about acupuncture if you feel there is a problem. They've got it for kids too. If he watches television or video games, it may help to limit them. Sorry, just throwing out suggestions. Good luck. I think you are right to question putting a child that young on biochemical drugs!

N.

Hi my name is M. and I have a 4 almost 5 year old boy and I believe he has ADHD. I will not medicate my boy and have found a book called "The Kid Friendly ADHD and Autism cookbook". The whole idea is that diet can help to improve the brain's functioning. (I found it on Amazon.com less than $20) It is a Gluten and Casein (Dairy) Free diet. I won't lie to you it is hard to keep my son on this diet but it is so worth the effert.
The book talks about why kids get ADHD and how differnt foods may aggerivate the the problem. I love the book and would recommend the book to anyone. It has great recipes and good information for you to take to your child's doctor.

As a teacher, I congratulate you on being willing to have your son tested. If he does indeed have ADD there are things the teacher/school can do to help him. As to medication, I am sure you will get very opinionated answers on both side of issue. In the end you have to decide but let me say that I have seen kids in my class for whom the medication has made all the difference in the world.

One other thought: you can always try medication for awhile and see if it makes any difference. If not, then quit it. Good luck!

Hi--Looks like you have LOTS of responses. Not sure if you need anymore advice, but here is my two cents in case you needed more! :)
My 10 year old daughter has many signs of ADD. We don't medicate, instead we do lots of flax oil and fish oils (EFA's are a MUST for proper brain function). We do lots of protein and make sure her blood sugar does not get low (lots of healthy snacks). we limit her sugar/dyes/junk food and do organic food as much as we can. we try to do lots of physical activity (swin team is GREAT), we encourage crative thinkign and do LOTS of behavior modification we learned out of books like "raising your spirited child" and "strong willed child" (there are TONS of books about ADD and tips for parents out there) and one of the BEST things we ever did for her was take her to a chiropractor!!! it may sound strange--but it works! she is like a diff person after an adjustment. find one who specializes in kids/add (we go to one in cardiff who i cannot say enough about--if you want his info contact me through mamasource!). last but not least is during circle time and quiet time in school give your son a "koosh" ball or squishy ball to help keep his hands busy. it is a type of sensory therapy and it works to help him pay attention (there are lots and lots of sensory type therapies you can do to help--the library will have info). God bless and good luck and you have lots of advice to read and I am sure you will find the right combo that works for you and your family. if natural/alternative methods do not work...do not beat yourself up about meds--i know they can change lives and personally know kids who meds have been a miracle for!
take care!

Don't take this personally, but as a teacher and a mother of two toddlers (with #3 on the way), every child I've known with ADD or ADHD needs more attention from home, constantly. I realize it's exhausting, but he needs more.
I don't condone medication in these cases at all. It's always an issue that can be cured at home. It's especially helpful when both parents participate, every day and consistently.
I realize you have two older boys, but it seems your younger son needs you now. It'll change as he grows older, but now is his time.
Good luck

ADD is soooo over diagnosed. It seems to be an easy way for (now I am going to sound politically incorrect) teachers to absolve themselves of the responsiblity of a child in their class. I was frequently told by teachers that my son probably had ADD. I didn't believe them but had him tested by our local school district psychologists. And, I asked our doctor about my son as well. Well, nothing was wrong; he is just really smart. He is now 10 and a straight A honor student! Your son probably is really smart too! With boys, especially it is just a maturity issue; they can grow out of it. Our society is lazy and wants to cure everything with drugs. It was not so long ago that children climbing trees, jumping and running around was "normal". Now it is considered "a condition". Sad. Just make sure he has lots of physical activity in his day.

I had to arrange with teachers to just give my son a break from the classroom every now and then. Sometimes it was a class chore he was assigned, sometimes it was a run around the playground (supervised, of course).

On the natural supplements side I give my children foods rich in Omegas 3 and 6 (sources: omega eggs, flax seed/oil, walnuts, almonds, fish). But one thing I have found (and my son says he notices a difference now too) to be effective is Attentive Child by Source Naturals. You can get it at Whole Foods. It has an ingredient, phosphatidylserine, that I read about to help with concentration. Give it a few weeks to kick in. Good luck and congratulations on having an extraordinary child!

Hi E., I would recommend going to see a naturopathic physician who has experience with kids with ADD. He can evaluate and prescribe natural supplements that will help so you can avoid unnecessary medications.

I also have a 6 year old who has some adhd behaviors, I am very opposed to medicating children and have decided to try food elimination such as artificial flavors and colors ( red dye, blue dye, etc. high fructose corn syrup and sugar. I only shop at whole foods now. Also chinese medicine has crossed my thoughts but I am still researching this idea. I hope I could help.

Hi E., First of all my heart goes out to you, I really do know what you are going through.
My daughter (now 7years)my husband and I have been going through tests, doctors appointments, meds, more tests more doctors, etc for the past 3 years. We did finally have some good luck with a pediatric neurologist in woodland hills, very expensive and does not take insurance. Things were going along ok but we still had alot of troubles with focus, attention and behavior.
Then I began to see more and more about diet and finally decided to put her on a gluten free cassein free diet, the difference is remarkable!! She is finally starting to read and homework is no longer a battle in school she is a new girl. Some family members from out of town recently came to visit and said they could not believe the change.
I did a lot of research and learned the most from the books children with starving brains and the impossible cure. Also the Taca web site has alot of information and we have a wonderful homeopath who is also helping us.
Please feel free to pm me if you'd like to talk more.
A.

If your son is very bright or creative it may just be that he is a little bored. You said he is getting the material, even when not paying full attention to the teacher. When my daughter was younger we went through a series of amateur ADD diagnoses -- usually by teachers who were not accommodating her quick intelligence and preferred to blame her for "not paying attention." Is your son always in his own world, or just in certain classroom situations? Our daughter was able to focus easily when her interest was engaged, but when teachers were boring or teaching too slowly for her she would appear to be unable to "focus" and then the ADD buzzwords would be trotted out. If I were going through this again I would be much more aggressive in demanding that teachers fully engage her intelligence. By the way, she is now in high school and one of the best students in her class. She also has a strong creative intelligence and her teachers are very complimentary about her ability to make connections that some of the more passive students have trouble with. Before you buy in to the ADD diagnosis, why not see if you can find some activity that is truly challenging for your son, that he enjoys, and see if his attention still wanders?

I am a Marriage family therapist intern and can tell you that behavioural modification is the best way to go first. I would see meds as a last resort for such a young child, (that's what I would do if it were my own child having had some training in ADD treatment). Research shows no evidence that meds work better than behavioral treatments, but behavioral treatments are more work. On the other hand you learn techniques that are helpful with all your children. School may not be in favor because it's more work for the teachers, but they have to be on board too. I recommend finding a therapist who has experience working with children with this issue and having them work with you, the teachers and dad or other close caregivers so you're all using the same methods.
Hope it goes well.

ADD or ADHD is extremely over diagnosed today. I agree with you - I would try a more holistic approach before medicating your son. My brother took an ounce of noni juice in the morning and it helped him focus. A classmate of mine in my counseling program bought fish oil from Mother's Market because it came in ketchup like packets and had a orange and cream flavor (delicious - I tried one). She said it worked wonders on her son. Also, a little caffeine helps as well. I've heard all of these things work - it is way better than having a zombie for a son or even the stomach upset that many of those meds cause. Good luck!

Unfortunately I think that a lot of grade school programs are not taylored to most children's attention spans, which I think is part of the reason the disease is so over-diagnosed. However, this isn't something you can remedy unless you have a really open minded teacher. However, if her only complaint is that he is "spacing out" in class and he is getting everything, I would get him evaluated, but avoid meds- there is a lot more to ADHD than just not being able to pay attention- when he is at home is he able to sit and attend to any one task for longer than a minute or so? If so, then ADHD is probably not the problem. He's probably just bored. Maybe his is gifted, or maybe he has a boring teacher who expects 6 year olds to pay attention for longer than they are able too. Check into all these other causes as well.

Hi E.,

My son (who is now in high school) had the same challenges and sounds a lot like your son. He is bright and not hyper-active, but focusing is really difficult for him. I also felt the same way about putting him on medication. Here's what helped me to feel better about it: first, be sure you go to a specialist, not just your pediatrician. The support, education and specialized attention to your son will be well worth the time and cost. Also, the meds don't stay in their body too long - sort of like a cup of strong coffee - and then they process out. What my son does is take a small does of Aderall in the morning before school, and then if he needs to an even smaller dose as a booster in the afternoon (if he has a lot of homework and needs to focus). I can see a slight shift in his personality when he is on his meds - he is more 'tapped in' and focused and HAPPIER. The only side effect of the meds is a loss of appetite. I've found that providing smaller high-protein meals more often works very well and keeps the weight from slipping. There is a ton you can do with diet, vitamins and your environment (making it really functional for someone with add). My son also gets educational 'therapy' from Dr. Hoskins in Pasadena (who was also one of the doctors who diagnosed him) - she's wonderful and helps my son organize his homework and break it down into managable chunks. One of the things that has been so helpful for my son is working with doctors who completely normalize his condition, and focus on his strengths and gifts. Some of the most brilliant and successful people out there have add! As I said, we went to Drs. Hoskins & Hickle in Pasadena for his testing (and stayed with Dr. Hoskins for his educational therapy), and then went to Dr. Skip Baker in La Canada for his meds. All these doctors are so incredible - I can't say enough good things about them. I encourage you to look into it and get on their waiting lists. Good luck! I know it's hard, but if I had it to do all over again, I would have gotten my son to the doctor's sooner. It would have made his whole educational experience much more positive.
Hope this was helpful!

Ugh!!! Be very careful about how much control you give the school. I am a former teacher. Once your child is in the "system," it can get ugly. If you're willing to do the work, unless he has an obvious physical disorder, I would highly recommend trying things on your own. A good book that's kinda weird, but has a lot of good advice is, "the indigo children: the new kids have arrived." There's a lot of funky stuff in there, but the overall gist is good. I used to teach a fully self containted sped of 12 boys. I also had a regular classroom with 5 kids they wanted me to test for sped. I was pregnant at the time who wasn't going to be teaching after baby came and there was a teacher shortage, so I basically disregarded their advice since I knew they couldn't fire me. My general practices included a lot of hands on learning and a lot of "real life" learning. Anyway, all 5 of those students were ON GRADE LEVEL by the end of the year. As a mom of a 5 year old boy who is literally bouncing off the walls...also does well in school. I went through a period of wondering the same things. I realized that the more I did to keep his mind and body moving, the more he improved. We got rid of the TV (he's outside a ton more) and we don't own video games. I put him in Tae Kwon Do and t-ball (we just finished soccer). All that with tons of positive reinforcement (and discipline when necessary...and not a big fan of doing what "feels good." just because), he is a completely different child. I realize that being a boy at this age just looks like ADD. BUT, if we as parent's don't advocate for our children, someone else will. I also experienced a meeting at school where teachers were told to find SPED potentials in their classroom. (more sped kids = more money for the school). I know that there are a lot of parent's who feel good about using the meds, and and labeling their child, and I'm not saying that what they're doing doesn't work for them. I've just had a lot of experience with "these kids" and have had a ton of success with the ideas i've shared. The only kids that were more difficult were those whose home lives were in shambles. Good luck. Be careful of the school system. Have fun with your exciting 5 year old!

Hi E.,

I was a teacher for 8 years before staying home with my 2 year old. I worked with many bright students who had ADD, and I've seen both the good and the bad with meds in students. I would definitely try limiting sugar in his diet. Getting rid of processed foods, fruit juice, fried foods, junk food and even a lot of dairy can help. Trying to eat fresh veggies and fruits is important. There are many good diets available that will help a lot, but it can be time consuming to implement them. Try looking on the internet or checking with your doctor.

E., I can so sympathize with you! My son was also in K and exhibiting signs of ADHD. I also did not want to medicate, so we tried a lot of things - I read the book The Spirited Child, we gave him fish oil and flax seed oil, sleeping facing certain directions, avoiding certain foods, etc; but nothing helped enough. I do believe nutrition can factor in, but it is very hard to control, and my son is soooooo picky it was impossible to do the special diets. Finally in 2nd grade I relented because he was doing so poorly; we had him clinically tested and his scores were really high - meaning he had it & bad! One strong trait was impulsivity - I was afraid he would hurt himself or someone by not thinking before he acted. So, we tried meds - all of them, with varying degrees of success and side effects. We have finally settled on Concerta and all is well. He is 12 now and on honor roll. He says he feels more in control of himself when he takes his meds. Your son is still young, and he may just be immature, so don't jump to conclusions yet. And, do what works for your family. Good luck!

Is your son playing sports or in karate?
If not, he does need regular physical activity.

I knew of a teacher whose child couldn't focus on getting ready in the morning. She ended up making a photo checklist on her door to ensure she had everything before she left the house (i.e. pictures of a toothbrush, shoes, backpack etc).

Talk to your dr. and ask his opinion about the severity of the possible ADHD. Don't be afraid of medication. It does make life easier for everyone (the family, child, teacher and classmates)I am telling you this as a primary teacher.

Hi,

I am a mom of a new 2 month old and saw your note about the possibility of your child having ADD. I'm sorry to hear of your problem.

I have not had a personal experience with a child with it, but I wanted to share that I represent a nutritional juice called Monavie and received a testimonial from a mom that it helped their child. I just had another mom friend contact me yesterday who wanted to try it with their child as well, whom they think has ADD. If you are interested to learn more, you are welcome to contact at ____@____.com or my phone ###-###-####.

I have also read that gluten free diets can help.

Best,
A.

I have a daughter that has attention deficit as well, and recently discovered she also has auditory processing disorder with brain processing speed slow and low working memory. This affects reading comprehension, as well as understanding the spoken word. She is now in 7th grade and it has been a struggle since she was in kindergarten. Homework that should take half hour was taken her 2-3 hours. Terrible! A lot of frustration on her part and mine.

You are doing the right thing by having him tested for any potential problems. You are better off knowing now than waiting several years later to find out. With my daughter, I knew inside me there was something wrong, but could not tell exactly what was wrong. Now that she took two main tests: psycho educational and the auditory processing, I know now what to address, all makes sense to me. The school district may adminsiter at least the psycho educational. In my case, I took my daughter to a behavioral medicine institute called Drake Institute (check their website) and she has been receiving intense treatment for the auditory processing and attention. My daugher has actually told me that she is now able to keep up with what the teachers are saying. She says it has helped her. I am very hopeful that this will help her, since I don't want to give her medication. Let me know if you have any other questions. Good luck! A.

I'm with you, I would do anything and everything to check and make sure my child really has ADD. Food allergies, processed foods, dyes, etc.. have been linked to ADD and ADHD so that is another place I would look. His diet. My friend in WA state went through the same thing when her son was 6. The school insisted he had ADD and insisted that he be put on meds. She wouldn't. She researched the heck out of it, changed his diet and he was/is a new kid. I'm sorry I don't have any more info than that. But I'm sure there is a lot of support online on the topic and books.
Good luck!
M.

I'm a working mom with an 8 month old girl, also an elementary school counselor. I have worked with lots of kids that have ADD/ADHD- both "labeled" and "unlabeled", and medicated and unmedicated. 5-6 years old is about the age that you would start noticing signs. It is on the young side but if you and the teachers who work with your son already have suspicions, it is time to evaluate so you can rule it out or identify it and start working on strategies.

Meds work for lots of kids. Especially for when they are in the classroom environment and have to focus for long periods of time. Be prepared to monitor it for a long time, it takes awhile to figure out the dosage, weigh the side effects etc.

That said, as a parent I completely understand the hesitancy to put your kid on a medication. If you are skipping that route, or putting it as a last resort, you are going to need lots of strategies to get your guy focused (read up, ask professionals, try things). The hardest part can be working with the teacher. Be upfront about his diagnosis and tell him/her what you know works, and be willing to take suggestions from them as well. If he is not disruptive to the class and still gets all the material, it may just be a matter of minimizing distractions around where he sits, and giving him frequent "back to earth" signals (code words, non-verbal hand signals etc). Kids with ADD/ADHD usually do best in very structured environment where things are routine and predictable. This goes for home and school. Schedules and timers might help during the day, with lots of breaks. For example, work on homework for 7 minutes, then a break to do something specific like get a drink or kick a ball for a few minutes, then 7 minutes more of homework, etc. Getting the right teacher for him is important (strict, encouraging, willing to work with you and be non-judgemental about how you choose to manage ADD/ADHD) so make sure the school knows him and knows what he needs.

Good luck! An ADD/ADHD diagnosis is not a bad thing! It will just help you to understand you son better and figure out how he can best learn.

I suggest looking at the CHADD website http://www.chadd.org/

I am a professor of special education and a mother of 2 active little boys. Medication can be very helpful when used correctly and in conjunction with behavioral therapy. I suggest trying behavioral techniques prior to medication. The school psychologist or special education teacher should be available to help his general education teacher set up a plan. Good Luck

I read all about ADD and ADHA and is rampant. The rise in these diagnosis can be correlated to the increase of toxins used to clean our homes over the past several decades. Yes, get you child tested for food allergies, but consider switching from toxic cleaning products to enviornmentally friendly, non-caustic, safer products like the ones I use. I had a granddaughter who had all the signs and while she leaved in my household, her symptoms went away. Now that she lives with her parents, all her old problems have started up. Her mother won't listen. She wants her toxic products and is sentencing her daughter to a world of hurt.

You are welcome to contact me about learning what toxic chemicals can do to our kids, pets, elderly, and ourselves.

Good Luck,
F.

____@____.com

Hi E.!

I just wanted to recommend a book that would surely help and may solve the challenges that are facing your son. "Healing the New Childhood Epidemics" by Kenneth Bock, M.D. is an easy to read source with tons of success cases for ADHD, Asthma, Allergies & Autism. This can be a guide to help you use diet and supplementation(vitamins) to help your sons body balance itself. I firmly believe that if a person just doesn't quite feel right or their body is not functioning properly to abtain the right functioning balance - that it shows in what you described. Whether he has a severe or slight case, I think this book would definitely help. Take Care!

Aloha E.-

Are you sure it's ADD and not just a very active, maybe imaginative boy who is bored. It seems nowadays teachers all want kids to be exactly the same to make it easier to control the class. If one child is different or marches to a different drummer, they are diagnosed with ADD. Not all kids are the same, some may be stimulated by music, or some by art, or building activity. Maybe he is just not getting enough stimulation for his active little mind. If he is doing well in class, then he is certainly able to retain what is being taught even if he appears to be "wandering". I would talk with the teacher, then a doctor if needed and drugs would be a very last resort for me. Doctors seems to resort to medication for everything before trying any sort of alternative, creative solution.

Does you son play outdoors, play games, dance? Maybe he just needs some really hi-activity play.

I am the mother of two boys, now grown, but they both loved the outdoors and active play. Neither particularly liked TV or GameBoys, etc. preferring to play outdoors. They were very bright and need a lot of stimulating education and play. When older the honors or gifted classes helped a lot. I wish you luck.

C.

Dear E.,Hi !I feel for you and your son.My son was also diagnosed ADD when he was in kindergarden.He is 10 years old now ,never took the meds.After he was dianosed by one Doctor,I took him to a child psychiatrist.She believed in alternitive ways of heiping children with ADD,rather than medicating them.Programs like art,sports,and yoga and meditation are helpful.I know it's tough,but usually kids with ADD are very bright and just bored .My God Daughter was also diagnosed with ADD,Her mom did alot of yoga and meditation with her.She is 11 now ,a honorable student.I hope I was of some help to you.Just hang in there ,I believe your son will be fine.I suggest getting more than one opinion from a Doctor,before,and if you decide to use the meds.You know best,he "gets" all the information.He is a very bright boy!Warmly,L.

Hi E.
I had the same thing happen with my stepdaughter, she was struggling in school and "zoning" all the time. So the school recommended the test. So glad that it was done. She is doing alot better. She has a high protein breakfast. As for medication, it definitely made a difference in her concentration - that is something that the doctor needs to recommend for him. Every child is different.
Hang in there, patience is key.

Aloha E.,
My oldest son was "diagnosied" with ADHD when he was 5 and in kindergarden. I went with the perscriptions, but found it did little to nothing to help. I changed his diet and found that helped the most. I used real fruit juices instead of refined sugar for cooking. When sugar was neccessary I used raw sugar. I put him on a high protien diet with very limited carbs (they turn to sugar so fast with him). This helped him more than anything.
Medicine can be helpful but only as an absolute last resort in my opinion.
My oldest is now 15 years old and at the top of his class academically.

wow. so i don't know if i can help you, but my son has several issues that sometimes add up to adhd and sometimes don't, so i do not drug him, though he was appraised by his pediatrician at the time as having signs of adhd.

my opinion is that at that age, who can really tell? esp. with boys? maybe he needs a smaller classroom size.

my son's issues directly correlate with stress he suffered while i was very sick. he seems to have turned things around (he's 10 now), but his reading is still off, and so i am requesting testing for dyslexia.

if i were you, i would do what i did before, no drugs, more settled routine for bed and wake up, and some biofeedback and lots of talking with his teacher. i tried this herbal preparation called Focus. it seemed to get him to do that a bit, but it was hard for me to get it in him at the right time in relation to food and bus schedule in the morning.

the drugs are just too hard to get OFF not on. i did not want him suffering at age 17 when it was time to switch to something else. esp. since i have reason to believe he has something else.

just let your son do his day dreaming and ask his teacher not to take it personally. i was a complete dreamer type, understood everything, was constantly in my "own world," clearly did not listen to what the teacher was saying, got good to excellent grades and am now a college professor. you just can't always tell at 6 what is happening in a kid's brain.

good luck in your choice. whatever you choose, you gotta stick with it.
peace,
-A.

According to what you're saying, it sounds like it might not be ADD, but rather his learning style. If he gets all the information, and is not behind academically, he just might not look like he is paying attention..when the teacher asks him topic relad questions, can he answer them?
In terms of meds, they can do wonders, but if it is mild, I would try other strategies first, such as coaching, Occupational tehrapy, behavioral therapy, Omega 3 supplements.

I am very, very happy to share other options available for your ADD/ADHD child. I worked for a compounding pharmacy for over 7 years & when my son was having a VERY difficult time focusing and controlling his impulses & bahaviors, his teacher proceeded to e-mail us daily and try to convince us that we were harming our son by NOT putting him on meds. She even went as far as to build a cardboard "corrall" that she forced our son to work behind.

The pharmacist I worked for told me to NEVER put my children on meds for ADD/ADHD. The drugs currently available to treat ADD/ADHD have the same ingrediants as methamphetamine. So, after the child has grown up and is supposed to go off of the meds, they are forced with an addiction and no tools other than to medicate when things get out of hand.

Both my husband and I found a place called The Drake Institute in Irvine, CA that changed our child's and our family's lives forever! Instead of medicating and failing to give your child tools to deal with stresses and difficult times, it taught our child how to deal with these things. We had over 20+ people working with our son and with our family. We as parents had private sessions to come up with solutions and our son was so well taken care of! He became a totally different person right in front of our eyes! Instead of throwing a fit and acting out, he sat down, worked with the tools that he learned at Drake, and diffused the situation right then and there.

Our son still has his days, but I can tell you that Drake has empowered and taught him personal responsibility and gave him tools to know what to do with his impulses and behaviors.

I am a school teacher with 19 years experience. I am 100% against labeling a child ADD. There is none drug help for him. Talk to the doctors about his diet and certain vitamin supplements that he can take. I have been told from a medical professional that he personally had this experience and by changing the child's diet and giving him supplements the ADD label disappeared. I still would go ahead and you my parental rights and let the school test him for any learning disablitities. I personally have a 7th grade boy that is GATE identified, but also has and IEP (sp.ed.) for a learning disability. It is possible that there may be something minor , then again you might find out your child is very bright. If nothing else, the battery of tests the psychologist does will be very informative. Also, make sure to ask alot of questions and document everything and get copies of everything. Good Luck!!

Hi E.,
My wife and I have found that puting our son on a swim team where they work out repeatativly during there work outs and swiming daily helps. It is good that he be evaluated as soon as possible as there will be programs that the school has in place that he can qualify for with an IEP. However if he is up to the standards of his class it is best to keep him in that class with some additionsl accomodations. Ultimately Meds do help. We give our 12 yr. old the min. amount during school days and none during weekends holidays or summer unless he is in a class situation. I have been told that the majority of kids grow out of it by the time they are 15 or so. Good luck and you must be your sons advocate to make sure you are doing the best you can with this. Don't assume anything. The schools drop the ball alot on this. John

i have personal issues with this, that i'd like to share-my brother was diagnosed with ADD when he was 7- and then put on ritalin, then he was diagnosed a year later with adhd (the ritalin was not working as they had hoped)-and put on another cocktail of meds...then when these meds were not working- at 10-he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and has been on meds for over 10 years now-going through various cocktails of meds every 6 months to a year-changing meds, doses, adding more meds. he cannot function off of his meds at all. throughout his journey-at a young age, it was discovered that he was allergic to a slough of foods-wheat, high fructose corn syrup, a bunch of additives and preservatives that are found in many processed foods....however, that's all he ate! morning, noon, and nite. if you can imagine-someone being allergic to foods they are constantly ingesting-how it would affect their mood, their behavior, etc.
i've always been an advocate for changing up nutrition-due to the things that are put in processed foods, as they can be quite toxic to the body.
additionally, in looking back on my childhood-i was sooooo super hyper. i did not sit still, i would not pay attention in class, i would not listen to the teachers, my parents, etc. i was a trouble maker-to the point that if i had a child like me-i don't know what i'd do! lol. however, i'm so grateful that my mom sought to put me in counseling, changed my diet, etc. because that helped greatly. i was just being a very rowdy kid-as kids are really high energy.
i'm also not trying to downplay your son's behavior-as i'm sure with three boys-it can tend towards difficulty-as i experienced with my brother. i'm merely suggesting to look at alternatives to meds-while you are figuring this stuff out and do the extensive research that is necessary to help your child.

Hello E.!
I would just like to assure you that your son is a 6 year old boy & while I don't know all the details I do know that far too many kids are diagnosed w/ ADD and on meds these days.
I have a daughter in Kindergarten as well, now I don't remember too much about my kindergarten days, but I do remember they involved a lot less structure than todays version.
My daughter has HOMEWORK every night, along with a reading log and all of this is on top of the 6 hours she spent at school! It is so overwhelming for kids, I think it's so absolutely normal to be distracted and out of your seat! I can give you one suggestion that might benefit your son and that is to cut back on sugar. It is literally in everything from bread to ketchup, etc. Sugar can sometimes be the culprit when kids are not as focused as they could be.
Anyhow, I hope you will not let the doctors and teachers get to you too much if infact your son is just being a kid! All the Best,
M.

This meds have caused heart trouble for children. Even if you get him diagnosed, i'd seek more than one opinion.This are psichiatric drugs and if you get him hooked on them this soon, it can backfire.Often schools and teachers expect quick problem solving techniques, or better said, they expect microwave results. They are NOT qualified in the medical/psichiatric field. The child's lack of attention, lack of interest and/or focus in school activities is not unusual. Sometimes can be due to inmaturity of the brain(brain age versus physical age).Also, I noticed your child is the middle child. Middle child is usually more needy whether he voices his needs or not.Some children are often more sensitive, absorbing and internalizing the household problems, or disputes,tension and lack of affection between the parents. They will display that frustration by withdrawing, acting up,not being able to concentrate, etc.
So, if you get your child evaluated, make sure you also evaluate the surrounding circumstances for possible outside factors disturbing his learning ability and mood. Fondly, M. D.

http://www.drakeinstitute.com/?gclid=CPT1hLKRnZECFQVbgwod...

Try the Drake Institute. They specialize in non-drug treatments for things like that.

check the nutritional treatments first. i've seen remarkable changes. normal boys, kinetic learners, are so often diagnosed add when they are just BOYS.

I have a brother who is now 19 but he was diagnosed with ADD when he was very young and throughout his life everyone used his diagnosis as an excuse for him failing in every subject. We are from San Diego and down there they take all the kids with these type of learning disorders and put them in classes together and set them up on individual learning programs so they can go at their own pace. Which sounds like a great idea, but it actually held him back. I really think that being in a class with kids who do a little better job of paying attention so maybe they can benefit from the good example is a better idea. In his case however it just became a constant excuse for doing things however he wanted and now he is an adult and still acts like he's 15 years old...it's really unfortunate that everyone looked at him differently and allowed him to have lower standards for himself because of a "label". So looking back, I think getting him tested was a good idea but maybe having a tutor to work with him one on one might have been a better idea rather than separating him into a group with kids who negatively influenced him. Also different isn't necessarily a bad thing. A lot of people have a negative view of ADD but if you love your son unconditionally and treat him just like his brothers he will have much more success in life and higher self esteem.

Hi E.,

I've had a read of all the responses and applaud them. I too believe ADD and ADHD is overrated. Usually behavioural problems are diet related. Before you go down the path of drugs, I suggest you check out www.resultsproject.net.

The founder, Steve Plog, wasn't diagnosed he had ADD until he was about 37! He believes (as I do) that children who are diagnosed with ADD or ADHD are extremely intelligent, think very quickly and have trouble sitting still because their brain is so active. Unfortunately the school system is geared toward the opposite.

He will recommend you take a look at your son's diet, have his hair evaluated for heavy metals, etc. He takes a much more analytical (physical) approach than a school counselor or a psychiatrist would.

Diet plays a very important part in our behavour. And unfortunately most of the food we buy is sugar-laden, contains MSG and aspertame, all of which will effect our behaviour and physical condition.

Do have a look at www.resultsproject.net. Steve's CD is well worth getting.

S.
www.mannaworld.org

Get the evaluation and go from there. My son is 11 and he was diagnosed in the 2nd grade, but showed symptoms in kindergarten as well. We were afraid of medicating him as well but our doctors assured us that he would suffer at school if we did not. He is doing better, but we still do not have the dosage right, so be prepared for it to take a while to get the right meds/dosage. Don't let your docs keep him on meds that you do not feel are helping/doing the trick..I have found that some doctors favor certain meds and don't want to change.

I think ADD is way overdiagnosed in our country. Six is VERY young to be expected to "sit still" and "pay attention" and is difficult for many children. I know a few 2nd grade boys that are still having the same problem, and are not ADD. Teachers have it difficult these days too with having to teach to "standards" and get through more material in less time especially with the younger grades, but I think suggesting medicating a child because they have to spend extra time trying to get them to "pay attention" in their classroom is just laziness. Maybe I'm a little biased on the subject right now because a good friend of mine is going through this with her son, but I would try to work out other solutions before even considering medication; moving his desk closer to the teacher? Your son just could not be developmentally ready to sit still and pay attention; does not mean he is ADD. I hope your son's teacher is open to discussing other possible solutions.

E.,

I'm a teacher and a mother of a very active 9 year old. My son's 2nd grade teacher insisted he was ADHD and pushed to have me test him. His 3rd grade teacher did as well. However -- I don't like the outcome of having the schools test him because then he is forever labeled and can be put in RSP (special ed) type classes based on this diagnosis with kids who are very severe in their learning disabilities.

The full truth is -- he is likely tooo young to diagnose. However, I'm not a doctor. My advice, take him to a private doctor and have him tested if you think it is that severe.

Another question -- If he is getting all the information and successful there -- then I would not put him on meds. I see kids on meds and they are like zombies. Meds should be used as a last resource -- not the first. THere are several books on tending to children that seem this way. There are many kids who I feel would be more successful without meds and more structure (consistent structure and rules works best with kids with ADD or ADHD).

Best of luck -- and one last thing - if you do decide on meds, remember you are not tied to them once you start.

Good Luck
C.

I take this whole thing so seriously! I think that your resistance is a good thing! I am 26 now and when I was 4 I was diagnosed with Dyslexia and ADD and Discalculia! Back then they automatically put kids on Ridilin! I then went on an antidepressant because of the effects of the Ridilin! It really was not a good thing for me to be on them! I grew so dependent on them, so when they finally took me off at 16, I started using speed! That lasted for about 5 years! I look back and realize that my parents didn't know any better! They were just trying to help me and do what the doctors told them to do!
My parents and I agree that we would never do medication again! It just turns your child into something that they naturally aren't! Good luck, i know that this is all very hard for you! You can only make the best decisions for you and your son!

I was working at a preschool when I saw first hand that changing diet and finding allergies can prevail over meds. There are a couple different methods out there to see if something is "triggering" him. This child in particular used Dr. Feingold's diet, avoiding synthetic items, food colorings, additives, etc. Even good foods can trigger something. You could also do NAET testing for the allergies. Its just a matter of education and consistency on your part in order to avoid meds. It sounds as if you might like to try to avoid those if at all possible. You can send me a personal message if you want more info.
C.

The same thing is going on with my daughter, who is in Kindergarten. We've been trying something that has been helping a lot. Every day after she has had a few hours break from school we do a ten-twenty minute reading lesson, then a ten minute writing lesson, give her a thirty minute break, then we do an activity together, usually a game that requires concentration. At first it was really hard to keep it fun because she was frustratted and all over the place, but after time I could see her improving so much. It also helps if I take her out to the park or someplace she can run around and get her energy out after school. I've learned that kids with ADD can learn to manage well in a classroom, it just takes a lot more coaching. We have had to do a lot of coaching:) but it has been worth it.

I am a child and family therapist. If a child has mild symptoms of ADD we have been able to help w/ just therapy. Usually an evaluation is conducted, and if it seems medication would benefit, we then refer to one of our psychiatrists for an evaluation. If you are referred to a psychiatrist for meds, I recommend you go, and hear what they have to say. You can ask questions and discuss your concerns. There are several medications that can be used. And typically they start w/ a very small dosage. As I talk to many parents I hear their concerns. I'm not one to promote meds. However, I can tell you in my years of experience as a therapist, I have seen meds work wonders for some kids. Good Luck.

Hi E.,

I glanced through some of your responses to make sure I wouldn't repeat any advice and find I have even more to give you. I don't have an ADHD child and I'm not a child psychiatrist, but before having my child I taught at Park Century School in west LA-a school for high functioning LD students which means many of them are ADHD.

First, don't do the Drake Institute, no neurofeedback. That's for extreme situations and kindergarten teachers requesting an eval isn't an extreme situation. (Besides, we never saw tremendous results in former students who went to the Drake Institute. Not worth the expense.)

Second, diet can impact behavior tremendously. There are several avoidance diets you can try. Google them, or use the suggestions here, and try one until you find you are getting the desired results and it's a diet you and your family can stick to.

Third, don't let your pediatrician do the eval. See a child psychiatrist who specializes in ADHD evaluations in very young children. Pediatricians are very quick to prescribe meds.

Finally, unless you are suspect your son's behavior at home to indicate ADHD, the school is probably reacting to an active 6 year old boy not ready for the school system. This doesn't mean he isn't smart enough for school, it just means he's not ready to be in a classroom learning in a traditional school manner.

An eval is non-evasive; so if you can afford it and the time it will take to do a complete one, you may find it helpful. Hold off on meds as long as you can. While he may test in the ADHD range, his behaviors may not improve with medication. If you do end up introducing meds, work very closely with your doctor to ensure the dose is at the optimum level-as low as possible-that you don't get bounce back (highs and lows as the med level amps up and comes down), and that your son has periods of trying to come off the medication. Body chemistry and the ability to self control ADHD changes as a person grows. Children grow so fast that meds should be monitored very closely.

Good luck.

E., I am 51 yrs. old .. have a 30 yr. old son, and twins 25 yrs. old. Back when they were little, ADD was barely in dialogue. These days, doctors are too quick to give meds to "active" children .. and, these days our diets have been filled with so many additives, etc. Please, have your son tested for food allergies before medicating. (I saw a special on t.v. about too many ADD diagnoses!) When my twins were about 7, we knew a little girl who was on seizure meds .. I advised her mother to take her off sugar & white flour products. The mom was amazed and the girl was slowly taken off her meds. She went on to do very well in school, etc. I am not a physician, or medical expert, but checking for food allergies will do NO harm and omitting certain foods will also do NO harm. Meds have side effects. Also, when my youngest son was about 9, he was fidgity and tapped his pencil a lot, the school wanted me to have him checked, the doctor said it might be a mild case of Turretts ... turned out, he was "playing" drums in his mind ... when we got him a set, he KNEW how to play. He was just that kind of kid. Very intelligent even now. I've seen so many be helped with problems with a change of diet.

E.,
I know nothing of your home life, but always before evaluating if a child needs meds, you need to remove all chemicals from his diet and add sleep. It sounds easy until you look at what our kids are eating. Remove all fast foods, all packaged foods, anything with food coloring. (I would also remove all soy unless it is organic because it is made with vast amounts of chemicals since it has become so popular.) Then, make sure he has time everyday to run and play outside and is in bed before 8 p.m. I know this is hard with 3 kids, but it will pay off. Also, a huge factor in boys' inability to focus is how much they see and interact with their fathers. No joke. Boys who just needed more time with dad have been diagnosed with ADD. It is new and cutting edge. Even if Dad lives with all of you as a family, it can still happen. Boys feel edgy without positive male attention. I hope any of this helps. N.

You probably have tons of responses on your question, E., but has it been ruled out that he might be bored? perhaps he isn't being challenged in the class he's in and might do better in the next class up. I only suggest this because a neighbor of mine had a 13 yr old boy who was being medicated for ADHD due to misbehavior in class yet he could sit for hours and tinker with models and build remote control toys. Once he was taken off the medication and put in the right class, he began bringing home certificates of achievement and his behavior in school changed dramatically. I'm no doctor, but I've heard and seen cases where kids are mis-diagnosed and mis-medicated. Honestly, if your son is "getting" the information at school and is not behind academically, maybe he's simply not being stimulated by his current studies. You may just have a gifted little tyke on your hands.

First thing I would do is take him ALL sugar for about a week and see if that makes difference. I thought my child might have ADD or ADHD but after her pediatrician recommended no sugar it was a total turn around. Some kids are really sensitive to sugar. If you dont see a signicant difference with the no sugar then I would recommend the Drake Institute before going on meds. You find them on the web.
Good luck!
N.

I highly suggest the Feingold diet. The school called me and said they thought my son was retarded since he was so far behind the rest of the class. They wanted him on drugs to help him concentrate but we decided NO. The diet helped so much I cannot possibly describe it all. Look it up: www.ADHD diet.com
Best of luck, T.

HELLO,
My son had ADD when he was a child, he is now 23. We didn't use medication for his ADD. I had an allergy test done to find out if he was allergic to anything and if this was the cause for some of his behavior issues. He was allergic to tomatoes, oranges, certain grasses and other things. When we took these things out of his diet he had a significant improvement. We then made changes to his diet and used other methods. Back then Holistic methods were not as accepted as they are now but I am glad we didn't use drugs to work through his ADD. I would say do your research and really understand what your son is going through. Hope that helps.
Thanks S.

Hi E.,
Does your son focous on anything? Can he sit through a movie or sit and play legos or color? If he can focous on things that he is interested in its probably not ADD.ADD is always present if you have it.MY son is similer in school but he can focous on things that he is interested in for long periods of time.WE have to really get on him about school work.
good luck

Here are some non-drug resources for you:
I've heard about the Drake Institute through radio commercials:
http://www.drakeinstitute.com/
Brain gym type exercises might help. You might find a practitioner through their list.
http://www.braingym.org/

"Barbara Schwartz (Encino) is the founder of Equilibrium and a pioneer in the education and development of effective techniques for overcoming symptoms of autism, dyslexia, ADD, ADHD, and other related physical, emotional, learning and/or behavioral conditions that affect both children and adults .
She has had over 25 years of credentialed classroom experience and is an Educational Kinesiologist, Developmental Specialist, a certified Brain Gym instructor, Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome Evaluator and Holistic Health practitioner". Call ###-###-#### or 800-257-0743 (She spoke at Conejo Valley Mothers & More a few years ago and I kept her info to help anybody else.) She works with children AND adults.
http://www.EquilibriumHealing.com/

There is also a Brain Balance Center in Westlake Village (east Ventura County).
"A new drug-free program is available for children with AD/HD, OCD, dyslexia, tics and high-functioning autism at Brain Balance Achievement Center of Westlake Village, 650 Hampshire Road, Ste. 102. This is the first location in the western states to help families with this program. Developed over 15 years by New York neurologist Dr. Robert Melillo, Brain Balance deals with the weakness in most existing protocols that further strengthen the already strong hemisphere of the brain at the expense of the weaker side, which is the root of the problem.
Brain Balance isolates the weakest point in the weaker brain hemisphere and then concentrates on strengthening that link and connected links to work toward a more balanced brain. Children find academics improve, negative behavior decreases and communication/social interaction skills are enhanced."
http://www.brainbalancecenters.com/
That office has Dr. Gary Erkfritz, a chiropractor that also treats people with NAET. I highly suggest looking at that also. He is great. We've had success with NAET to treat allergies. I heard the BB is expensive though. I would still choose over any meds. They give free seminars all the time.

medicine is probably the only answer. the reason people have ADD (or ADHD) is because of a chemical imbalance in the brain, that can only be brought back to balance by adding the chemical in a pill that is not being produced by the body (that is should have been).

Now for meds, there are different ones. You DEFFINANTLY need to see a doctor about this. Some pills are slightly different from each other. I think its because some people are different, and also side effects can be different.

******** Also, a temp-fix, is to have your kid jump on a trampaline. Yes, the jumping motion brings a soothing action to them, much the same way stroking the back soothes a baby.
Also caffeine can help the AD*H*D, but I don't think it will have any effect on the ADD.

Again, see a doctor. And the Dr. will schedule follow up visits to see how it is working.

I have heard alot about food allergies causing ADD symptoms. Perhaps you can search online for info. My husband has a gluten intolerance and the list I joined has many parents with children that no longer have ADD. I think take things one step at a time. Just because your son is evaluated, it doesn't mean he will go on medication. Perhaps you will learn some tools to work with your child. If you want to talk to someone on the subject, my husband is a family therapist and used to work with ADD/ADHD children. His website is http://www.georgecastromft.com .

www.wiseworldseminars.com

Find a doctor in your area. I may be able to recommend one.

Peace & Blessings,
D.

I have a son with autism and have been through a lot of evals, etc. We had an at-home teacher with ADHD, who always gave this advice to families: get an eval from a clinical psychologist as well as the school psych, get help from the advocacy group CHAD (I'm not sure where you live, so I'd google them to find out the closest chapter), and the meds really helped her, without them she would not be able to pursue her PhD, as she's doing now. Personally, I think you may want to try other things and get a good ed plan in place before trying meds. In the mean time, there's been several studies recommending Omega 3 and 6, I lile Nordic Naturals. You might also look into BrainGym activites. In Encinitas, Brain Highways does similar work, but they are expensive. You can google them both. Good luck!!!

Ok E.. i am not a doctor or anything like that , but here is what i have to say . My younger girl was and is a very hyper active child. She was into every thing and still is like that . She went to a school that had wonderful teachers and she was very lucky that she had this one teacher who adored her . So for 3 yrs of her life she was fine. Nobody complained about anything. Then she goes into the same class that her older sister was. The same teacher who adorred my older child now tells me that my younger kid is a disruption in the class and she needs to be tested for ADD.....well guess what, I had the chance to take her out of that school and home school my kids. And till today i do the same. She does not show me that she needs any kind of meds or anything at all. When i spoke to the teacher that adored her, all she told me was that i had a very , and highly intellegent kid on my hands. And to keep her from being disruptive in calss ,all she did was give her more work than all the others kids in there. So now you tell me what is wrong here ? . More over now that i am home schooling them , she in perticular is doing so well that even though being in the 4th grade she has tested being a 7th grade student. More over i have spoken to many docs about this ADD testing and this is all what i have been told. The testing depends on the Docs . If the doc u go to, feels that the child has to sit down for 15 mims without moving and if the kids does not do just that , then they are considered to be ADD kids. i dont like that at all. So i woudl say if ever the school district gets to know that you went for a testing of this sort , your kid will be branded to be an ADD kids all of his life. So all i say is be careful as to, what you do with your kid. if u need to talk to me futher then here is my email addy .

____@____.com

L.

Hi E.:

Because ADD and ADHD are allergy related, my suggestion is that you visit NAET.com, order and read the book "Say Good-Bye to ADD and ADHD." Through this technique, allergies can be eliminated. If you want to do more research on the subject, you may also want to go to narfnet.org (Nambudripad Allergy Research Foundatin). There are now over 9000 NAET certified practitioners world wide. I go to Dr. David Karaba in Fullerton and absolutely love him. His phone number is ###-###-####. One of the wonderful things about NAET is that for children or the infirm, they can be treated through a surrogate, i.e., you. Two of my grand daughters are treating with him for their allergies as well. Here is the description paragraph from the book information.

Say Goodbye to ADD and ADHD
By - Devi S. Nambudripad, D.C., L.Ac., R.N., Ph.D.
Paperback-1st Edition 1999
263 pages, 8.5’ X5.5’X.5"
ISBN: 0-965824-4-1

This book explains how ADD and ADHD are related to food, chemical, environmental factors, vaccinations, drugs, and other factors. In Say Good-bye ADD and ADHD, Dr. Nambudripad, the developer of NAET® (Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Techniques), provides an innovative and natural solution to ADD and ADHD, the most common problem plaguing many children and adults today. This book will provide guidelines to help selfevaluate and recognize the symptoms of ADD and ADHD or educate the parents to observe and evaluate the child’s behaviors from a very young age by guiding through a list of abnormal behaviors or patterns in the child. If any abnormality is suspected, then the parent could seek appropriate medical help at an early age. This book show you how certain commonly used foods and environmental substances can cause attention deficit and hyperactive disorders in your child; how you can test your child and detect the culprit causing the child’s sudden abnormal behaviors in your privacy of your own home using the Nambudripad’s Testing Techniques described in the book. This book will educate you how your child’s health problems can relate to allergy and, how allergies can manifest in myriad symptoms that might seem unrelated. The author also provides a few effective home-help procedures that might temporarily get your child out of trouble. The book also helps you find the help in assisting your child find the help he needs to reduce ADD or ADHD or even eliminate permanently and help the child lead a normal life. The book is supported by case studies from NAET® practitioners, and testimonials from patients who have been treated successfully by NAET®.

hey E.

well honestly he is 6 and in kindergarten he is young still my daughter is 5 and the past 3 years schools have wanted to test her as well so i talked to my mother n law cause my husband is adhd and she said it will be a waste of time cause they are young wait til like 3rd or 4th grade to test them when they start to mature more he is in kindergarten really he is being a kindergartener i wouldnt stress especially if he is doing good with work at school and learning he is obviously not as out of tune as they say he is huh?

i would not stress really i wouldnt but if it will put your mind at ease go private doctor not school doctor

please keep me posted i might gain some knowledge based on your out come for my own child

good luck and try not to stress

oh yeah like the other moms said change his diet more organic and try a little coffee it might just work

L.

Check out the Drake Institute. They have a website. They use neurofeedback to retrain the brain, versus using medication. Medication will only mask the problem, Drake acctually will help solve it. Good luck.

M.

I worked with some Special Ed teachers years ago who started the kids off daily with a little bit of coffee. A stimulant like Ritalin, but none of the messy side effects. I give it to my 6 year old occasionally who is very squirmy and it really helps. Good luck!