Natural Cures for ADHD

I agree with the person who posted about taking a B complex, that has always helped my son somewhat with focus issues.

The other thing that has helped recently is an Amino Acid supplement (google for Platinum Plus Essential Amino Acids for the one we tried that has helped tremendously) and a zinc supplement (chelated zinc, 15 mg) to help the Amino Acid supplement work. I am amazed at how much these two supplements have helped and I wish I had tried them earlier. He is getting better grades, has a better attitude, remembering his dreams, and having a better memory overall.

Also, we avoid red food coloring as it has made him hyper since he was 2. It is in so many things, but it can be avoided.

For several months now we are trying to avoid high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, additives, etc. as I heard they can cause ADHD symptoms. I do a lot of shopping at Whole Foods and Trader Joes.

Btw, I totally sympathize. We tried a very mild medication once (an antiviral that has a side effect of reducing impulsivity) and he seemed to tolerate it well. But he still wasn't able to focus well, so we were told to increase the dosage. It made me cry to see what it did to him. He held his head and said his brain was racing and it really upset him. We reduced the dosage and it took a week before he felt normal again.

Good luck!

Hi M., I do not have experience with this directly, but know several parents who have struggled with this. I have really found it amazing that many have had their kids on medications but have not tried major dietary changes first. I have to support those here that have emphasized diet.... not just 'sugars'... but processed foods in general. Some have mentioned wheat or gluten allergy, which might be a contributing factor, but I really suspect that processed foods (boxed foods and cereals, quick fix items, high carbs, fast foods, and of course the high processed sugar items and breads, rice, pasta, etc.), plus unnatural liquids (soft drinks, chocolate milks, full-on juices), are causing many children's systems and behaviors to react in an unnatural way. Certain preservatives, additives, etc. could be at fault. Try going completely natural (it's hard due to convenience issues, plus children's tastes, that we all are used to) and see if it helps. I really feel that this would make a huge difference. Good luck!

i notice that you mention watching his diet for sugar, but that is not the main food issue that can make adhd worse. preservatives and dyes are horrible. most people are not affected by these things, but for the children who are,it can cause so many problems. meat, dairy and eggs all contain hormones that can increase his adhd symptoms. it may be necessary to change to organic food. also many of your fruits and vegetables are covered in preservatives, pesticides and chemicals. make sure they are also organic. there are a lot of foods that you may not realize are high in sugar also. a lot of soups and sauces (like ketchup) are almost pure sugar. read your labels. and any juice drinks or jello type deserts can contain artificial red dyes that can also make his adhd worse.

The diet was my first thought, not only sugar, but also white foods, like wheat I think is a big one. The only other thing I can think, is to make sure he is getting lots of excersize and less T.V./comp./videos, etc. Oh, and something else I have tried with students is a type of hand stimulant, like with babies they love the feeling of different textures, it works for kids too. Hope that helps! :)

dear M., i completely understand about the meds.... my son will be eight this year... but we have him on adderal right now....most of the time foods have no effect on his behavior... i think it all depends on the doctor you have too.. we have tried a couple of other meds..but one decreased his appetite and the other made him mean and angry.. he does well with the adderal...sometimes its difficult to find the right meds or methods for your child.... his doctor is really great and he works with us... my point is what is right for one child may not be right for another... its basically like this... lets try this and if it doesnt work we'll try something else... and thats what you do until you find what works for your child... because what else can you do .... we cant just sit back and watch them suffer... our son was diagnosed with adhd in 2005 it was so bad that he couldnt hardly communicate with us... we had to get help...the hardest thing to decide was should we put him on meds or not... but as i said you will do whatever you have to to make your childs life easier. as to natural cures a lot of people have told me to use coffee also, but my son refuses to touch it. but other than that all i can say is dont give up.... you will find something that works.. it just might take longer than you would like.... good luck and the best wishes for you and your family.

Hi M.,
You should look into a product called "metal free" online. A lot of times heavy metals from metal fillings can pass in utero and cause ADD. I am 30 and have had mild ADD all my life (and lots of metal fillings). My son is four and I am watching him very closely. He definitely gets distracted very easily, as I do, and I think I am going to order the product just as a precautionary measure for the both of us.

L.

Hi M.

I can understand the concern and frustration that you are feeling. We had the same problem with our daughter. We tried several medications, all had side affects and the one with the least side affect began to increase her heart rate. Her heart pounded so hard that she said it hurt her chest. It was very scary so we took her off of it right away. We where advised by a doctor to try an advanced B complex formula that he knows college students use to help them stay calm and focused during their exams.We are amazed at how much it has help her. She is able to focus better in school and complete her homework. We give it to her daily in the Am before breakfast and after school if she has alot of homework. There are no side affects at all. It has worked wonderful for her. It is called Isotonix, you can purchase it at www.marketamerica.com/csparsons I have made a wed portal just click Isotonix then scroll down to find the product. I hope this helps. We will keep using this product unless we find something else because it is expensive. But we considered the cost
of the meds and the docs without any good results and the meds actually could be dangerous to our daughter that the cost of the vitamin is worth every penny.

I just read a few good books on this. I cannot remember the exact names of some of them. Look for: The Yeast Connection, Food Allergy Cure, and the third one was something and then Homeopathic. They are all in the same section of the library. If you go there just browse through all the other books on the shelf to see if they cover ADHD. Other common culprits in diets are wheat and gluten.

M.,

I have friends who have followed the advice in this link

content.nhiondemand.com/shp/HC3.asp?objID=100211&cType=hc

and had good results.

You will have to register (real easy) then go to the Tools and resources section, coditions and diseases, search database, ADHD, Treatment Options.

Make sure you buy good quality suppliments if you try this approach. The purity is very important. My business was reviewed recently if you would like to start there to gather more info. Shaklee Independent Distributor www.shaklee.net/lthigpen

No pressure. I taught high school and dealt with many students on meds. I wish I could have recommended some of these things to my parents then that I know now. I just want to try to help.

Boy do I understand about the ADHD and meds. I have a 5 yr old he is also Asperger's. I am weary of giving my child something that isn't regulated through the FDA so I haven't tried any natural remedies but I can say that if you have a good psychiatrist that has alot of knowledge in medicine management maybe you can find the righ medicine for your little boy. I have tried three different medications for my son and I like the Daytrona patch he puts it on before he goes to school and takes it off when he gets home. during the weekends we don't put it on at all. just like you I don't like medicating my child but have decided that his best chance at school would be to do so. Also maybe you already know this but if not look into getting him a 504 plan through the school so he gets extra time on testing and extra one on one time so he can get the education he needs.

Good luck to you

A.

Try chiropractic. I have had really good success with my patients with ADD/ADHD. You can do some research online at www.ipca4kids.org. They have alot of great information and you can find a doctor in your area that works with kids with ADD. Best of luck.

My seven year old daughter has ADD (not ADHD). The pediatrician I work for put her on Strattera. My husband and I like it because it's a NONstimulant. Before we chose to go the medicine route, we gave her an herb called Attentive Child. I got it from www.iherb.com We didn't really see that much of a change in her, but I will be honest with you. It was hard to get to her take a chewable pill three times a day. They were kind of big and not so good tasting. Then I found out they had capsules. She still did not like having to take them more than one time. So to save myself the trouble of fighting with her every day, I spoke to my doctor. We did the evaluation and she diagnosed her with ADD. She's been on Strattera since October and has adjusted beyond our expectations! It does not have any weird side affects and her focus is terrific now! God bless you :-)

HI M.,

I recently started shopping with a company with which all their products are naturally based (no chemicals what-so-ever). The main ingredient is a teatree oil called melaleuca oil. I have absolutely fell in love with this company and its products. If you will give me your email I will send you some information and testimonials on their products and ADHD. The research has proven that their vitamins are an excellent aid for ADHD. I know this will really help you. You can contact me at ____@____.com or you can call me at ###-###-####. You can also visit www.homeofficemamma.com for my information as well. Good Luck Look forward to hearing from you.

M.:
I have a 12 year old son who was diagnosed with ADHD in kindergarten! He is a great kid, academically gifted and now wants to be a cardiac surgeon. He was on medications for years, has had counseling, therapies, etc with no success. He just lost his appetite and seemed to have more behavioral issues! We have finally found a regimen that has saved us - it is all natural and he is no longer on any medications!

A friend of mine shared what her 16 year old son is doing - he is Bipolar and has other issues too. I tried the same regimen he uses with my son and people started noticing changes within 4 days! My son even noticed the changes too!
THe products are safe, all natural nutritional products that are 100% guaranteed! So much is beling linked to the processed foods and toxic environment we live in today - for a quick 8 minute video on that you can see www.DrSpeaksOut.com. But if you would like more info on the regimen our sons are using, feel free to contact me. It has totally given me my son back! He is happy, making friends and doing well for the first time in a long time!

Best of luck!
E., RN

Hi M. G-
I recently became involved with the mangosteen fruit and the company, Xango. I cannot recommend anything more than suggesting that you do some research on the fruit. A great website to go to is: www.insidemangosteen.com/judy0114 and www.mymangosteen.com/judy0114.

Good luck with your children and their health issues.

J. H

I haven't had a child with ADHD, but my cousin and my brother had it as a child. My mom and my aunt gave them a cup of black coffee before school. Caffine has a paradoxycal effect on children and settles them down. This enabled my cousin and my brother to go medication free to school. They didn't get the coffee on weekends or holidays because their body can become tolerant to the caffine. Both my cousin and my brother are fairly well adjusted adults now, but my cousin does have other attention problems that she did not grow out of. I hope this helps.