Managing Attention Deficit Disorder W/o Medication

Well good for you for not wanting to take the 'easy way' out. A friend of mine was on Ritalin for a total of four months. Her parents realized that it MIGHT NOT be good for her and took her off. She was never on any other medications (good diet, no more vaccines, simple behavior modifications) and when she joined the Navy at 19 she was shocked to get a medical discharge. When the base DR was reviewing her medical records he discovered the short stint of Ritalin and said she couldn't be in the Navy!

For my children, we stay away from artificial everything and have recently gone on a gluten free diet. I haven't noticed the GF diet affecting my other children but my 5 year old is much better. She has problems with huge meltdowns and while on the diet for a month she was much better- no meltdowns the entire month. We went off it for a week and she was HORRIBLE the whole week. Today is the third day back on the diet and she's definitely getting better!

We are also not vaccinating. I have seen some obvious correlations between vaccinations and regression in my children. I finally decided I wasn't going to be pressured into them any longer by my pediatrician.

We homeschool, but if your children go to school you can sign a waiver in regards to the vaccination requirement. Homeschooling has helped a lot- I can tailor the educational needs to each individual child. Since a big reason why parents put their children on meds is because of school, we avoid that problem all together. A teacher isn't able to make sure the child is paying attention and the child WILL get 'left behind.'

S., mom to four lovely little girls

I see good advice here regarding dietary changes, including the elimination of certain dyes and additives. But one thing that isn't being mentioned is the effect of vaccines, their additives and their cumulative effect on the developing nervous system. One very effective move is to consider postponing any "scheduled" vaccines until the nervous system has had time to re-adjust to the assult. Another is to have a qualified chiropractor assess the child's nervous system function for its efficiency in metabolizing these toxins. For more detailed information, check out the website for the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association and investigate research findings related to ADD and ADHD and chiropractic treatment. I have seen many children benefit greatly after their spine and nervous system function are improved. It's safe, non-toxic, and carries ZERO negative side-effects!

I just started reading this book "Healing the Childhood Epidemics" by Dr. Bock and it addresses biomedical ways to treat ADD (and ADHD, Autism, Allergies and Asthma! Yes, they're all related!). I highly recommend reading this.
My son's been on a gluten-free/casein-free diet for over a year as well as going to acupuncture and taking supplements (Glutathione, Melatonin, Omega 3s, and chinese herbs from the acupuncturist). He was recently diagnosed with Sensory Integration disorder, so he's also in OT, and it seems like everything together is really helping. I think you have to approach these things from many angles. Best of luck to you and your son!

look at the book The Yeast Connection and ADHD also check out the "blood type diet" books (Eating Right 4 Your Type) they might have something about this.

It is amazing how much diet and innoculous food allergies/intolerances can affect every aspect of our personalities. I have taught adaptive behavior/special ed for coming up on 15 years. Diet and adequate sleep - (sleep deprivation mimics ADHD)are so overwhelmingly related to all aspects of behavior.

As an aside - I was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder took medication for about 10 years and then found out that what I have is in fact a pervasive allergy to yeast. Please "visit" a naturopath before you try western meds. If you want a referral to a great doctor let me know. I will email you the link to the doctor I use. He found my problems after a one hour phone intake and a lab - it took western doctors $5000 and me riding the brink of a malnourished death to find nothing except that SOMETHING was clearly wrong. Also, the Wellness Center on Oakridge in The Woodlands (at Rayford Sawdust off the 45)might be a good option...

Good luck. Prayers and blessings ~ J.

I am a 33 yr old mom of an almost 2yr girl. I had ADHD as a child. You can change behavior significantly w/ diet. I never was allowed to have anything w/ artificial color or flavor. I couldn't have anything high in sugar. Stay away from certain juices too. Orange juice in particular made me mean. The other thing is making sure the student to teacher ratio is low. ADD and ADHD children seem to do better if they have more one on one time. Lot's of different activities that are very challenging also help. ADD children tend to be very smart. I also used to sell a health product through a company called Advocare. They have a product called spark that helps with giving normal people energy and focus. It has been proven to have quite a different affect for ADD. It gives children more focus w/ out the extra energy. As a child, I took ridalin which is actually an upper for normal people. Still to this day, some drugs that would be an upper or down will have an opposite affect on me. Caffeine is one of them. It tends to calm me down. I would do some dietary research on the internet if I were you.

Be proud of yourself for choosing to look into natural solutions. I work with children with behavior problems, according to the school district, (whom all have been diagnosed with either ADD or ADHD) and I have seen so many children over medicated by pediatricians and psychiatrist. Research shows that 4 out of every 10 boys need a more stimulating hands on approach to learning - so it is sad that our society still chooses to act as though there is something wrong with these children.

I've witnessed so many situations where doctors prescribe anti-psychotics, mood stabilizers, anti-depressants, and even anti-seizure meds, etc… just because a child has more energy than his peers. I rarely (and I mean rarely) see a child who does not suffer from the side effects of pharmaceutical drugs. Doctors will usually end up prescribing more than one drug because when children take stimulates they have a hard time sleeping and eating and usually become irritable and have mood swings, so they will prescribe another drug to counter act the side effects.

I am not just ranting, I work with these children every day and I have witnessed this scenario time and time again. I work with parents who are at their wits end with pharmaceutical drugs after several years of med changes and increased dosages.

My advice, you can help him direct his energy with behavior modifications. There is a great deal of literature and alternative methods online. Most websites will justify parents' using these toxic pharmaceutical drugs, and most sites are funded by the multi-billion dollar drug companies, so, you have to dig deep to find those who actually take the time and energy to research and explain how diet and behavior modification will benefit him for a lifetime. It saddens me that some parents choose to put these toxic drugs, like Strattera, in their child’s tiny little developing brain.

Again, be proud of yourself for seeking alternative methods and deciding not to create a 9-year-old drug addict.

I would also explore food allergies and look into an occupational therapy/sensory integration assessment. ADD/ADHD can often be a secondary symptom of a deeper issue. I have a student with ADD who was tested for food allergies. He's gluten, wheat, dairy, and citrus intolerant. While the changes haven't been huge, they are certainly noticeable since his family put him on a strict diet. OT/SI can benefit the children significantly. Good luck on your journey--they are such special children!!

Hi V.,

Have you tried mangosteen juice specifically by Xango? Check out my website....www.freedomfrommeds.com My son also had ADD and took meds, he is now drug free and just taking the juice. All you can do is try and see what it does for your child. My son is now 13 and hasn't been on drugs for 2 years. I am grateful I decided to try it and I wouldn't be without it. You can also go to www.cplpub.com and click on testimonials. Call me if you have questions, my number is on the first website.

In 1999, Texas Tech did a double blind study concerning ADD/ADHD. Students taking Advocare Spark did better than those on placebos and those on medication.

www.advocare.com

I have a 8 year old daughter who was diagnoised with ADD when she was 51/2 i have tried everthing possible to avoid putting her on medication, We were worried about the side effects from the meds. We tried a homeopathic remedies ie; Brightspark and Focus you can get these on Native remedies.com
and the seem to work only for a short time and my peditrian was totally against it.
She was concerned that they were not FDA approved and inturn said i could be putting her in danger.
I did alot of research on Add and found that you would be surprised what they link this condition too. The one that was most surprising was Lice treatments that you get over the counter and precription formulas.
The ironic thing is that my daughter got lice at a church camp in the summer of kinder and we treated and 3 weeks later started having alot of problems at school.
I didnt link these two together until i read a article in the JMA (Journal of American Meds) 2 weeks ago and was completly floored, I know as a parent i felt totally responsible for her condition.
We finally tried a couple of medications and found that Concerta was the one that work the best for her.
She doesnt lose her appetite or any sleep when she's on this and now has a grade point average of 96 in school. At one time we took her off of the medication and tried to eat Organic food only and found that she wasnot doing as well in school as she does on her medication. My daughter was the one that said that the medication works to help her concentrate and would like us to put her back on it. So we did.
We tried Adderal And Ritalyn and she had real bad side effects from those two med and found that Concerta was the only one that did not affect her sweet loving personality.
You should talk to your daughters doctor and see if Concerta is a option.
You as a parent have to deceide what is best for your family and weigh out the pros and cons.
I know it seemed to be the hardest thing i had to do at the time. And I hope i helped,good luck with your daughter.

Look up the website for BrainwavesNIC.com
The Dr. is a Nurological Psychiatrist. She does brainwave testing and you get a true diagnose. Dr. Routh prescribes along with medication, vitamins. She is very health concious My girls are taking multi vitamins, Vitamin E, C and fish oil. She does have recomendations for natural, besides medication. Even with medication she tells you it is fixable and you wont have to take the medication forever (depending on your diagnose). It's a process. My girls are adopted and were born very premature due to drug and alcohol exposure. One needs ADHD mediication probably for life because of her other issues. The other one is diagnosed with mild ADHD and does not need medication. just the vitamins.
It's a very interesting website and you will love talking to the Dr. She has a very impressive background.
Good Luck!

Hi V., I don't have any personal experience dealing with homeopathic treatments for ADD, but I go to a wonderful nutritionist (PH.D) in Northwest Houston who deals with a wide spectrum of issues in children. He treats children with autism and has seen their symptoms cut in half by homeopathic treatment/ nutrition. I can give you his info if you'd like. Good luck in dealing with this and I applaud you for not jumping to resort to medication!

V.,
Try the National Library of Medicine www.pub.gov, enter xanthones or mangosteen in the search box, and read about the science of this wonderful fruit.

Here are a couple of testimonies:
This is not a drug it is a fruit, a juice with xanthones. I don't make medical claims, I just TELL people how to do the research

ADHD
I give 1 oz to my 4 year old granddaughter who seems to have ADHD (her mom is diagnosed & on meds) but is not officially diagnosed. I find that the juice calms her down (tendency toward hysterics and temper tantrums) and increases her attention span. Before the juice, all guided activities were limited to 2-3 minutes and that was a challenge. When she's on the juice consistently, she has an excellent appetite, visits (conversational), she can sit and color for 15 minutes, plays with building blocks and erector sets (before she'd simply run laps through the house pushing a doll stroller or jump off the couch, stairs, etc.). She even takes naps! Mom couldn't believe it, until she started on the juice for herself. Mom needs about 4oz/day, but it helps her be able to 'ride' a train of thought to a conclusion, plus reduces Mom's anxiety. Mom loves not having bad side effects. Good stuff -- try it, but be consistent.
Lesley K.

ADHD
For many years my youngest son was on ritalin just to maintain some focus in school. Results included severe depression after many years of use. About 20 months ago he was introduced to mangosteen juice and within a half hour (and that may be stretching it) he was feeling uplifted, more like himself and as a 17 year old, admitted it actually helped. He started a regular regime of mangosteen and we have not filled a ritalin perscription since! As long he maintains his juice intake he remains even tempered and is able to manage all of his other things in life. We are relieved he has ended the ritalin cycle and he is relieved to have a natural assit with mangosteen. I would urge anyone who medicates ADHD to give this a try, along with anyone dealing with depression.
Cathie A.

ADHD
I have a child who is a long-term ADHD Ritalin user that is now totally into taking Mangosteen with good results. While an adolescent, keeping him on meds has been a challenge to say the least. The good part is he doesn't like to take meds. The bad part is he needs something to assist him with focus and emotional upheavals associated with the disorder. For the past month he has been using Mangosteen and been especially leveled out, and has found he is maintaining attention in school. He is exhibiting less frustration in his life and is not experiencing the highs and lows associated with Ritalin use. My son is a big guy, 6' and 210, so he starts his day with about 2 ounces of Mangosteen on an empty stomach. It appears that he is also taking another ounce or two later in the afternoon some days. Additional benefits for this adolescent include improved moods following quite a bout of depression and improving sleeping patterns. Huge bonus at this time in his life…. BTW, we've been dealing with this now for 10 years. I don't know how this will work for you, but suggest you try it— you may like the results!

It helped my grandson, 10 yrs young, without drugs. I found these on a website someone gave me. Hope this helps

thanks,
Oly

I do not know if you are scared that the medicine will turn your child into a zombie or not, but I have a 9 year old little girl that has ADHD, it took me forever to take her to the doctor. When I got there I told him my fears of being afraid that she was going to turn into a zombie, so her prescribed her a non-stimulant medicine called Strattera. She started out taking 10 miligrams(sp) and this year he had to up it to 25 miligrams(sp). The only thing the medicine does for her is make her focus more, she is still the same lovely, outgoing sweet girl that she was before she started taking the medicine. Her appetite is still good, also. She is already tiny so I needed to be sure she was still going to eat. I would highly recommend Strattera over any of the other medicines out there to treat this problem.

hi V.! good for you for not medicating your son! if he's in public school, he will be labeled unfortunately, and you may be pressured to drug him.
an alternative school that i advocate strongly for their beautiful hands on, lots of outside activities, loosely structured approach is austin discovery school. its a charter school, so its free of charge, its in s.e. austin, on webberville road, and the staff and teachers are absolutely wonderful. he needs lots of activity, and plenty of things to keep him occupied, so that he isnt expected to sit like a good little soldier for 8 hours and conform to an artificial regimen. (artificial for a kid like him!)
these kids have nothing wrong with them, they are strong, healthy, active kids, and the drugs that they are being given to suppress their inherent energy levels are devastating. the drugs are for the teachers, so their jobs are easier. they are so damaging to our kids.
read "teaching the restless" and "in defense of childhood" by chris mercogliano, and "the wildest colts make the best horses" by john breeding. you will be inspired and you will defend your kids against the onslaught of bio-psyche drugs that the big pharma is pushing on our innocent children and us. be strong for your kids, advocate for them, and we will all be rewarded for it!!
thanks for listening. C.

Hello,

I am a Speech Pathologist specializing in Dyslexia. Dyslexia and add coexisit about 50% of the time, so I have researched some about this condition. One of the Developmental Pediatrician's recommended taking a natural herb formula you can buy in the health food store. It is called Attend or Focus Factor. You have to give it with a kid's flavored fish oil for it to be effective. Many of my clients have tried it and their children have gotten some relief. Go to www.brightsolutions.us to read some current research about ad/hd and dyslexia. So interesting! L.

children are not born with "self discipline" and it is worse with children with ADD - and it must be taught. My method was to create a reasonable family schedule and STICK TO IT!!! i find this is easier for working moms because they have to keep a schedule. Also - when disciplining or instructing for anything - mean it the FIRST TIME and FOLLOW THRU. Kids are soo smart these days - and i find that ADD kids are even smarter.

first of all - explain the schedule to your child and allow him to have some input. Then explain the consequences for things that are not carried out.

My husband taught me many years ago that very smart dogs (ie: german shepherds) - if not put to use - become troublesome. I believe it works the same with kids. i also have found that kids who have some element of control over "their world" are more content.

i suggest giving your child some reasonable responibilities to keep their mind busy. Some of the things i had my kids do at age five were...
1. purchase a new alarm clock - let them set it for the time they need to get up to go to school - and then let them get up on their own! This gives them control over their world.
2. give them some simple chores to prepare for dinner and "daddy coming home" - such as setting the table at the same time every night. they can set their alarm clock to remind themselves!
3. if you hvae to discipline them about something - get down on their level and look them in the eye and give warning the first time and explain the consequences. If the undesired behavior occurs a secind time during that interval - immediately execute the consequence - whatever it may be. ADD kids have to know that you will follow thru on your promises.

although my kids never appeared to be ADD as children, (my son is Obsessive compulsive as an adult) my nephew is an extreme ADD case. Before he was put on meds - he was out of control at home (my sister never followed thru on discipline) - but when he came to our house - he was never a problem because he knew we would follow thru on discipline. consistent discipline does not get rid of ADD - but it can make it easier to manage - and maybe allow you to avoid meds if the ADD is not an extreme case.

Also go to webmd and RX.com - i have read about many natural vitamins that help ADD. i agree with you that you should try these first before going to meds. then if it does not work - do not feel guilty - just do what you have to do.

Hang in there.

The health food stores sell something called "Attentive Child". It is a supplement. I don't have any personal experience with it, but I've heard that it works well. Good luck.

I too suffer from ADD. I am 30 yrs old. I do not use meds to help me. However it is a challenge. Its extremely hard to focus but, you learn to adapt. Your child will have to find what works for them. I have to have lots of background noise and if i sit too long i will be asleep. But, i have learned to do different things to help. It has interfered with my job some. My boss thinks i really think he's boring i think. But, he knows i have a problem and he is extremely monotone...

Consider two things - one high fructose corn syrup - it is in almost everything premade or preprocessed. It takes quite a lot of time to get it out of your home, but I think it is the devils own food - and may contribute to some of the issues we see nowadays. (For example, i thought I was picking a nice 100% whole wheat bread - orowheat brand - it had HFCS in it - costco has HFCS free bread, and pepperidge farm 100% whole wheat only is HFCS free).

Also, get him a lot of physical activity. In schools today they have almost no physical activity in their days. So after school if you can run him like a race horse (so to speak).

Good luck - the methamphetamine option is easy and works, but at what cost?

I have a ten year old boy that has been struggling with focusing. I have been called into school every year and have decided to do something about it, now that his grades are starting to suffer. My husband and I both agree that we don't want to medicate. I started our son on "brightspark" natural remedy from nativeremedies.com. My son and I have both noticed a difference. His grades are definately improving.
I definately recommend this product along with diet control.

Hi V.! A couple of websites that I have been viewing are www.borntoexplore.org and www.christianadhd.com . They have interesting and helpful information. I have a son who is 10 and has a mild ADD. Routines and monitoring sugar intake has helped us. And how can I forget lots and lots of prayer and faith. Hope this helps.

T.

Growing up my younger sister was diagnosed with severe ADHD and we managed it for many years with diet alone. My mom is a nurse and did some research and found that cutting out artificial colors, flavors and any fruits that contain salicilates (sp?) worked really well. We ate all natural peanut butter, no soda or juice with anything artificial. All natural candy etc. So we were not deprived! Some all natural foods can be more expensive but there is still a lot you can buy on a budget. (Organic foods ae good too!!)

We could really tell if my sister ate something that had artificial anything in it. So we know it worked. She is now a health pretty well adjusted adult! (And was only on medication for a very short time!)

Good luck!

I am an adult that has been diagnosed at 5 of adhd. Medication they give kids for this is basically legal speed, and can make things worse. I find a healthy diet, lots of excersize, and I know it sounds weird, but regular massages, even just the shoulders and neck, help me to control myself. I help my son, by doing the same thing. The first two are kind of a given, but the massage helps to calm everything. it clears the mind even for a minute. If you don't have add, you may not realize that your child may be going a million miles an hour, but his mind is going WAY faster. it helps to teach focus. Also, I tap my foot or fingers constantly. If you can teach your child to keep that going, it helps to still everything else. As long as something is moving and wiggling. I hope these things help, or at least give you a glimpse into your kiddo's head. If you have any more questions, you can let me know. I'd be glad to help.

V., I applaud you loudly for going the no-meds route. More parents should take your lead. And you've gotten great advice thus far. I would also like to add that keeping ADD and ADHD kids active can help trementously. See if your child as well as the rest of the family may be interested in taking up running. There are several RUNS held all over the city that encourages kids. Make it a goal for the entire family. 3 miles, 5 miles, ect. Running really helps them calm their milds and bodies.

Good luck

There are many children out there that are being misdiagnosed. I as a child was one of them. I have a 7 year old myself and I noticed that diet and exorcise changes allot! And She never carried these "ADD" traits that I supposedly had myself.
Later on as an adult I searched for a second opinion and realized what I had on my shoulders was post traumatic stress syndrome.
I found more answers doing my own research than all the money my poor parents spent on seeking an answer through Dr.s and mri's..

Our 8-year-old was diagnosed with ADD as well. Seriously, we tried changing foods,counseling, implementing behavioral modifications, etc. Sadly, all that worked was medication. He is currently on Adderall which seems to really work for him. I can understand your frustration because we did not want to go down the medication route either but then his pediatrician said something quite profound to us, "this is not about you, your parenting. It is about your child who is struggling with every day situations. Put your bias aside and decide what is best for him."

Just a little FYI: we recently learned that plastic baby bottles and sippy cups are made with the chemical Bisphenol-A which leaches into the formula, milk, juice etc, once the bottle is exposed to high heats, (sterilization, dishwashers). One of the side effects...HYPERACTIVITY. It makes one wonder considering the increase in ADD/ADHD in the last 30 years, when we stopped using glass bottles.

By the way, we have a lot in common. I am currently working as an at-home medical transcriptionist as well. Do you live in the Friendswood area? I am new here and really looking to meet people. Good Luck with your son. I hope you do find something that works and if so I would love to hear about it.

I read an excellent book called How to Reach and Teach Kids with ADD/ADHD when I was a teacher.

It gives great strategies and would help in educating his teachers about any impulse control issues.

Hey V.,

I know someone who can help you and it is all done naturally. Her website is northtexasdynamichealth.com. Information how to contact her office is on her website. She is quite successful getting positive results therefore it can take 2-3 months to get in as a new client. However, if you call them to get on the schedule they may be able to tell you some things you can do in the meantime in order for your child to remain drug-free.

TS

Have you ever heard of the juice "Mona Vie"? It's a super healthy pure juice, it's kinda pricey, but really good for you.
Anyways, I drink it myself, but I have a friend of a friend who's child also has ADD & now drinks the juice. It's loaded w/ the Omegas, plus a ton of other healthy nutrients w/out a lot of sugar or carbohydrates. It only has like 2grams of sugar. I guess it has really helped control her childs ADD.
She says she can't really afford the drink, but w/ her child feeling & acting better, it's well worth it.
It might be something you could look into. Good luck!

I know this is a late response. My son was diagnosed with ADD/ADHD a fe years ago and I read many books on the subject, determined not to use medication. Here are a few thoughts. First, many kids are diagnosed with this because they simply don't fit in to what the teacher wants in the classroom, teachers tend to want all students to learn the way they want to teach, and obey without question. In a perfect world this would be great, but who lives there? Some of these children benefit highly by routine. If the routine must change, it is good to forwarn them.

Secondly, we have used Coromega (an omega fatty acid produced especially for cildren). We have been able to get it at Texas Best Nutrition (Sugar Land) and the GNC store in New Territory. It really does have a calming effect on them.

Diet is definitely another thing to try. Our son in on a Gluten-free/Casein-free diet. Although it sometimes takes up to 6 months for some people to know if it is working, we could see results in our son in only 3 days! We took our son to a natural medicine doctor who did blood testing and hair analysis. This is where we found he was highly sensitive to gluten, wheat, dairy/casein.

Something else you may want to consider. Often times, children are misdiagnosed with ADD/ADHD when there is really something else going on. Doctors often won't diagnose other things because parents don't want to hear it and the old addage of why "label" a child. My theory is "how can I help my child if I don't know what is wrong with him". Our son has Asperger's Syndrome. This has not changed who he is, just how handle things. We have been able to be knowledgeable about his individual problems and have the ability to help him learn to function as the world does.

Another thing we have just recently done. We have taken him to a clinic in Mississippi that helps with many things, ADD/ADHD being among them.

Hi V.. My son was diagnosed with ADD when he was at the end of first grade. This was 20 yrs ago. He took medication only during school hrs. Not on weekends, holidays or during the summer. I controled all aspects of his meds. From how much he recieved to when he got it, to the dosage amount. By the time he got to the fourth grade. I still wasnt getting the answers I wanted. No doctor could tell me when the medication was going to go from helping him to hurting him. So I took him off of it myself. I explained this to his fourth grade teacher. He was wonderful. He helped us make sure that my son stayed on task. A little extra tap on the desk to bring him back to reality. (He was a daydreamer) From that point, I was a constant throne in his teachers side. Every year, the first thing I did was hold a parent/teacher conference. I explained the situation to everyone of them, and told them what I expected of them. I wanted to be informed as soon as he started to get behind. Its a long, hard journey. But we did it. I stayed by his side till he graduated. He never repeated a grade. And we made it without medication. Something his first grade teacher pushed for. It can be done, you just have to stay on top of it. Whatever method you decide. I hope it works out for you. Take care.

Special Diets for Special Kids by Dr. Lisa Lewis AND check out the feingold diet.

We do both and have avoided meds now after our ADHD son being on meds for years and years. It was interfering in sleep, grow, and having him learn how to reign in his impulsiveness himself.

I can guide you through if you'd like help.

S.

please email my daughter at ____@____.com, her son has add and can help you a lot. D. lopez. ____@____.com

I am an occupational therapist who works with children with the same problems. Alot of the wiggling in his seat and being easily distracted comes from the fact that his body is "craving" movement and pressure more than other children. Unfortunately, as he seeks this at inapproriate times, it is mistaken as bad behavior which he is punished for, which then leads to aggressive and "acting out" behaviors. At home, make sure to give him lots of activities that will prvide this movement and pressure for his body in fun ways (making a sandwich out of him with pillows or cushions, walking on his hands as you hold his ankles, deep hugs, pushing and pulling activities...) In therapy terms, this is called a sensory diet. Hopefully, being consistent with this will allow your son to focus more and decrease his aggression. Feel free to consult an occupational therapist if you have questions!

my sister-in-law was diagnosed with add and my mother in law refused to put her on meds. thought it was probably something else going on. it was. she is on the feingold diet. she had to remove a lot of foods at the beginning but as she's gotten older, she had been able to add a lot back. some she still has to keep in moderation and she cannot do anything artificial (colors or flavors). it will take some work at the beginning, but once you get into the rhythm, it's so worth it. my sister in law is 19 now. she's been on the diet since she was about 4 or 5 i think...maybe a little younger. the website is www.feingold.org. good luck and let me know if you need any more info.

I know of a homeopathic doctor that is off of I-10 and Gessner. She has really helped my daughter with allergies and asthma, all naturally. If you say I referred you, your first visit is free and your follow-up is only $20. She will do a full examination and help you know what exactly is going on with your son.

Her name is Dr. Paula Howell or if your son would rather see a male doctor, her son is Dr. Shane Howell. I heard a lot of children like him. Their office phone number is:
###-###-####.

Anyways, let me know if you have anymore questions about it.

My name is E. Bacon.

God bless!

I've known two people now that have treated their ADD children by simply removing the red food dye from their diet. A lot of children's bodies cannot handle red food dye for some reason and it hypes them up in unbelievable ways. One child that I see weekly has become almost a different person just because she does not get any red food dye at all anymore. It's in hot dogs, everything so you really have to become educated about it. My oldest daughter also stopped throwing tantrums (she's almost 3 now) when we pulled her off of it a year ago.

Well, everyone seems to have weighed in on this topic for you. However, I didn't see any mention of Melaleuca, Inc. The Wellness Company! I am shocked! My son is taking the vitamins and supplements and is doing remarkable at school and home. I just had a school meeting about his ADD and they were amazed at how well he is doing. It was funny because he started doing so much better in school around the same time I started using Melaleuca's vitamins and supplements. Diet is great and we do watch his diet, but he doesn't feel as though he is on any strict diet thing - he would hate that. I do try to reduce gluten and that helps. But, the difference in Melaleuca's vitamins is fructose compounding, which allows for a greater absorption rate. One of the things about ADD is that they don't seem to get enough of the vitamins and nutrients they need. Having really high absorption of vitamins really makes a difference.

If you would like more information, just email me at ____@____.com. I even get some of my son's vitamins for free as a customer of Melaleuca's. Saves me a ton!

Good luck. You don't have to give your child ADD meds, but I would recommend getting a formal diagnosis.

J.
www.livetotalwellness.com/janislanz

There are so many customers of Melaleuca using these vitamins for their ADD kids!

V.,
You say you recently realized your son most likely has add. Was he diagnosed through doctor/medical professional observations, or are his teachers telling you he is not sitting still & acting out during the school day?
I ask because 2 years ago my second child, an 11yo boy, had problems in the classroom starting about mid-morning and lasting through the rest of the school day. The teacher was calling, emailing, and sending notes home everyday. She even started hinting add as the cause. A friend of mine gave a suggestion of fixing a high protein breakfast and sending a high protein snack. So, I woke up an extra 15 minutes early and scrambled eggs and fried bacon. I found protein bars for snacks which contain 14-19 grams of protein. One week of this and the teacher called to ask what I had changed at home! My son was able to sit through the day and behaved like a typical child. We continue this eating routine. However, I have found a High Protein Crunch cereal which 1/2 cup has 15 grams of protein so he can have cold cereal some mornings. And, his friends at school are jealous because he gets a "chocolate bar" everyday for snack and the teachers let him eat it! Now when he misbehaves, it is because he is choosing to misbehave. I wish you the best on your endeavors to do the best for your son. You can do it. Trust your instincts. Remember, you know your son better than anyone!

V.,
I was a teacher before I became a stay at home mom. A lot of things that are affecting our children these days are diet and the things we use in our home. Studies have found that our homes are more polluted than the outdoors just by all the things we bring in. Such as cleaners, shampoos, mouth wash, make up. I would suggest, along with changing his diet, you detox your home. I would love to tell you how to do that. Contact me and I will share with you how to get toxins out of your home. Others who have done this have had success.

B.
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____@____.com

First and foremost, have a brain scan. Most children that are diagnosed with ADD do NOT actually need medications. Most children that take the medications are forced to take them by parents or teachers that are too lazy to handle a typical child. Now then, if a brain scan does show a chemical embalance in the brain, then you know that your child is truely ADD, and I would suggest a schedule, and consistant rules. Most children that are ADD don't really need the medication. They need strict boundries that do not change. I raised my brother that is ADHD and I refused to put him on anything. Once I laid down the law, it was final. I did not change his diet, I did not make him eat things he didn't want to eat. Most ADD and ADHD children know they have done wrong AFTER they have done it, and when you medicate them. Well in most cases you make that child feel like they are worthless unless they have medication. I made my brother part of everything and let him know that we would handle and deal with everything that needed to be doen. I never made him feel like he was "special". Just part of the family. Granted, we would go through his episodes, and we dealt with them (maybe once a week). I NEVER put him on medication for being a child!!

I have a very good friend who is trained in all kinds of ways (yoga, aryuvedic medicine, homeopathic) who might have some good ideas. His name is Bekir Algan, ###-###-####.

Good luck! M.

Ritalin-free kids : safe and effective homeopathic medicine for ADD and other behavioral and learning problems / Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman, Robert Ullman.

Our library carries it - you can try it out before you buy it to see if you like it.

I have discovered the product that I believe God providesd and intended for this. E-mail me and we can exchange phone numbers. ____@____.com

Blessings,

N.

I do cranial sacral for children and it can help tremendously with ADHD. My son is a touch hyperactive and it's helped him tremendously! Checkout my website at www.vidaluna.com

I have a 20 year old who was diagnosed with ADD at age 5. We managed it for several years with just diet. Watch out for items that contain red dye or high fructose corn syrup. I also found lots of information in a great book titled "Is This Your Child?" by Doris Rapp, MD. Good luck, but with a little patience and perserverence, you can get thru this.

L.

Dear V.,

I understand that you have observed that your 9 year old is not paying attention to things in the way that you think he/she should or that is optimum.

The ability to pay attention is an ABILITY that needs to improved, NOT a DIS-ability that needs to be treated (with drugs).

You are very wise to refuse to put your precious child on psychiatric drugs just based on someone's opinion that he/she should pay attention more. Look at the Black Box Warnings on those medications your cousins are on! Those drugs are very dangerous and they create ideas of suicide and cause antagonism toward others. So went the way of the Columbine teens, the Virginia Tech shooter and all the others that have killed people in the schools. All those kids were on those drugs for years. What a shame.

Do you know that the "diagnosis" of ADD and ADHD is NOT based on any physical test but totally based on someone's opinion.
Read the book by neurologist Fred Baughman: The ADHD FRAUD-How Psychiatry makes patients out of normal people. It was a real eye opener for me.

Sincerely,
B.