Any mums out there have natural remedies to adhd rather than drugs like ritalin etc?
Question:
Answers:
My first degree is in psychology and I had the opportunity to do some specialized work with ADD and ADHD populations. I agree with you that drugs are not the answer. Especially in world where this one diagnosis is probably the most over misdiagnosed over medicated issue in our world today. Drugs are definitely not the answer. But with that said, if your son (I"m assuming) is legitimately dealing with this, drugs for a short time can help him work through it. The real issue comes down to behavior modification. This is something that he is going to have to deal with for the rest of his life and the earlier you start having him learn how to deal with it, the better off you are. This would seem fairly obvious, but you'd be surprised at how many parents just treat it as if it is something that is temporary and he'll grow out of it. That may have been true for the toddler years, but if your have a clinical diagnosis (which should be done with the help of a psychologist/psychiatrist not just a physician) then this obviously stems much further into his life than simply a phase. He has to learn new ways of dealing with his circumstances and life in general and it is going to take a lot of work to get that done. That being said, there has been quite a bit of information done on the benefits of supplementing the diet with foods and supplements high in Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. These are the fats that make up most of the brain and have been shown to be a key factor in being able to focus and follow through on tasks. I can recommend some great supplements if you are interested. Secondly, there are a number of household chemicals that could be contributing to behaviors that may be masked like ADHD. But even children with ADHD are affected by common daily household chemical that way too many people take for granted. Just because they make it to the market shelves, doesn't make them safe and healthy!! I would highly recommend converting your house to more non-toxic alternatives. Again, I can recommend some great products that I've found over the years that don't compromise your family's health. My wife and I have a healthy 22 month old son and while he doesn't display any distinct attention defecits at this point, we are taking all precautions possible to have a healthy non-toxic home for him. I hope this helps, feel free to contact me if you have more questions or want more info. I chose a career in the medical field rather than going into psychology, but I still work quite a bit with those special youngsters that deal with hyperactivity on a daily basis. And for you mum, a special prayer goes out to you. There's a special place in heaven for the parents of these children!!
As in the above answer, nature has been shown to help tremendously in helping these children learn to cope. Some studies have also shown that even a short period of time removed from the chemical laden environment of the indoors (which many times can by 5 to 10 times more toxic than outdoor air) has a tremendous effect of their overall wellbeing. But a word of caution: all children need to learn how to appreciate real life, not a created one. Children need time away from the television, video games, and other high input activities. The stimulation that a child receives being active outside and interacting with others is vital to their overall development. Unfortunately, in today's world much of that is being replaced by synthetic recreations of that. Much like "reality TV". Who's reality is it anyway? Too often people get stuck into living vicariously though a synthetic medium instead of living life itself. This is what "nature therapy" is all about. The more connected you can get a child to the world around him, not the one that happens in a box, the better able he will be to handle what life throws at him. Don't mean to sound like this is a soapbox for me, it's just something that seems to be a common current among families with ADHD children. Something to think about at least.
I feel for you and yours. My grandson has adhd and meds make little difference. I can only offer this,time, patience and love.
Researchers observed the positive effects spending time outdoors had on ADHD patients in different regions of the country. Participants, ages 5-18, spent time in "green" areas, which varied from big cities to rural settings. The results indicated a dramatic reduction in symptoms. Researchers believe that simply incorporating nature with regular after-school and weekend activities could be widely effective.
In the United States, ADHD affects one in every 14 children -- which is equivalent to one or two in each classroom. About 2 million school-aged children and as many as 4 percent of adults experience the symptoms of ADHD. Those with the neurological disorder usually have problems in school, work and relationships. They often suffer from depression and substance abuse.
Researchers recruited the parents of 322 boys and 84 girls, all diagnosed with ADHD, through ads in major newspapers and the Internet.
• Activities were conducted in a variety of areas, including indoors, parking lots, downtown areas, tree-lined streets, back yards and parks.
• Researchers then asked parents, through online interviews, how their children performed during a wide range of activities.
• Reports indicated that symptoms were reduced most in green outdoor settings, even when the same activities were compared across different settings.
• In 56 different comparisons, activities in "green areas" had more positive responses than activities in other settings. In 54 of the 56, the difference was significant, signaling that the findings were consistent.
Those involved with the study are excited with the results and hope they will lead to more research and potential treatment.
While medications for ADHD work for most kids, experts point out that they are expensive and can have serious side effects, including loss of appetite and trouble sleeping. Society often places negative labels upon children with ADHD. Even more disheartening, about 10 percent of ADHD children don't even respond to medication, which is the most popular form of conventional treatment.
Researchers said that exposing ADHD children to nature is an affordable, healthy method of controlling symptoms.
They suggest daily doses of "green time" can supplement medications and other traditional treatments of ADHD.
• Spending time in ordinary urban nature -- a tree-lined street, a green yard or neighborhood park may offer additional relief from ADHD symptoms when medications aren't enough.
• Some kids might be able to substitute a "green dose" for their afternoon pill, making it easier to get a good night's sleep.
Increasing "green time" can be done by:
• Choosing a greener route for the walk to school
• Doing classwork or homework outside or at a window with a relatively green view
• Playing in a green yard or ball field at recess and after school
Yes! There are many books etc on alternative medicines for adhd.
I believe that there are alot of additives in different foods, even Bread! that can set off outbursts and last.
Though I would deal with it the same way as you, There was a programme on TV, that had documented 3 children from a young age - boys- and now they are in their young 20's, they don't seem to be affected by the drugs they have taken, and 2 still take alot of meds.
More Questions & Answers...