ADHD Help & Advice

Boy! Do I know where you are coming from! I still have scars from the know-it-alls on childrearing. My daughter was diagnosed at age two and a half. She was put on Atterax for 4 years, then Ritalin. Then we found out about vision therapy. The attention span was affected because she got no meaning out of what she was seeing. She was hyperkenectic, had to touch in order to get meaning. After VT, she was no longer ADHD. Only when she got older did we see the damage the meds did. She has no memory of the years she was on the meds.
You might also explore food allergies. This made a huge impact on her as well. Some have had positive response to the Feingold diet. Vision therapy is a specialty of some, but not all, optometrists. It's non-invasive, non-med, and my daughter loved going to her sessions. Within only a matter of 6 weeks, her Sunday school teacher asked me what we had done because she would actually sit and listen to the story. Before she'd be under the table, on the table, just driving the poor woman crazy.
You may be able to find an optometrist who specializes in Vision Therapy through the American Optical Association. The only one I am acquainted with is in Longview, TX.
Hope this helps.

My son is 9 years old he have been taking Adderall, 15mg, it seems to work great. I can not tell if it suppresses his appetite or not because he is a very picky eater.

J., thank you for asking a great question. I too am going thru the same thing with my 6 year old. I too have the same questions, and ran into the same thing you did with everyone saying, "don't do meds" to "do meds", etc. I am going to try different things and study up. Good Luck! Thank you!

My husband's 9 year old lives in another state, but he is usually with us every summer for 4-6 weeks. His mother was really being nasty about his ADHD for years with us. She wouldn't send his medication, and told us she didn't want him medicated, but he would always come and tell us that his mom FORGOT to pack his medicine. Well, a few years back, my husband and I were both working, and I had to leave him in the care of others during the day. I didn't want his actions to get him or someone else hurt, so I researched every possible alternative, and decided to try ATTEND. It is supposedly an all-natural supplement, but I use the word lightly, since for me, all natural means something I can go dig out of the ground, and this product still has LOTS of ingredients that I can't pronounce - LOL. Anyways, it doesn't have the side-effects of the pharmaceutical drugs, and it REALLY did work for us. I never told anyone we were using it, but we started getting positive calls after about 3 days!

Now, I keep some on hand, even when he is coming just to visit for the weekend. His mother has since admitted to medicating him, so she usually sends medication with him. I have sent the information to her, and she said she would read it, but since he is with her more than 90% of the time, there is nothing I can do about that. Their website offers lots of information on ADD and ADHD. They have combined information on diet, parenting activities, and social activities that may also help.

http://www.vaxa.com/add-childhood.cfm

I searched for local places, because I needed it quickly, and I ended up getting it for MUCH less than the $39 it costs on their website, but if you order it from their website, There is also a 1-year money back guarantee, so you may want to consider that route, so then there is really nothing to lose.

There are other websites that focus solely on things YOU can do without medication, but I know the testimonials are the kind that are written up to get top-posted when you do searches and stuff, so I don't lend a lot of credence to that piece, but they also offer a 1-year money back guarantee, so even if there is ONE thing in there that may help your daughter, I think it would be worth taking a look.

http://3stepsadd.com/

Please let me know how the ATTEND works for you, if you decide to use it. I have recommended it for a few other moms, but I think they ended up going the medication route, so I haven't gotten any other feedback.

Thanks, and good luck!

God Bless You! I know this is very difficult. I have an 11 yr old that I spent years fighting my husband on whether we medicate or not. We finally aligned 6 months ago and he is on Focalin. We tried Concerta and Adderall but we have had our best results with Focalin. All that being said, my son is not hyperactive, he cannot focus and does not know how to filter unnecessary information and noise so Focalin may not be right for her.

One thing about MEDs, you may have to try a few types of drugs before you get it right. We had to up our meds due to a growth spurt recently.

Not sure if you are working with your Peditrician or a Dr. that specializes administering these types of medication. My husband bought into the whole MED idea once we had my son's brain scanned and validated he needed the medication. We visit The Mech Center in Plano. The test we conducted (not covered by insurance and costs around $375) will help better determine the drug family that is best for your daughter.

Back to the medication...We do take Focalin but found it zaps his appetite during the day so he does not eat lunch. I tend to give him lots of food in the morning and by dinner he eats well. Many days, he wants a snack before bed. I have learned this is pretty normal many of the meds and have accepted this side effect. He sleeps well at night, which was another major concern of mine.

I hope this helps. Disregard the people that are giving you a hard time about this.

First of all, no you're not a bad mom. Don't let those people get to you.
That said, however, I do believe prescription meds should be avoided whenever possible. But they do have their place and you are the best judge of what's best for your daughter and her particular situation.
When, and if, you would like to research alternatives please call the Dead Doctors Don't Lie radio program and talk to "Doc" Joel Wallach and see what he recommends for your daughter. 1-888-379-2552 from 2 - 3 pm weekdays.
C.

J.,

I am so sorry that people have been rude and insensitive to you. I have faced the same thing on here, and have even thought of just not using this site any more beucase of the pushy and judgemental mothers on here. But I am glad I stayed.

My child does not have ADHD however, he is autistic, so I have recieved a lot of redicule as it seemes you have as well.

What I can offer is that I was medicated as a child for my ADD and they tried taking sugar out of my diet, and different diet changes and things like that and none of it helped. We just had to figure out what medication and what ammount helped for me. I think you are on the right track and that you will eventualy find the right medication and the right dose that works. You are a great mom, and if you were "lazy" you would not be trying to find find ways to help your little girl.

I will pray for you that you find something that works and you get your sweet girl back.

Good luck!

My husband and 6 year old son both have ADHD; my 8 year old daughter deals with anxiety and dyslexia. My 2 year old has severe peanut allergy. I know where you are coming from. Life is complicated.

We just finished a series of neurotherapy for my son's ADHD. The brain map (QEEG) shows you exactly what is going on in the brain - as another post mentionned, this might indicate one med over another based on which part of the brain needs support. My son's brain map confirmed the results of educational testing done in our admissions process at Shelton (school for kids with dyslexia/ADHD/related processing issues). www.neurotherapydallas.com Dr. Walker is a neurologist. The therapy was covered by insurance. It's not painful or invasive. My son was sad when it ended, because all he realized was happenning was that he got to watch a movie twice a week with a few wires on his head. Our biofeedback therapist also does neurofeedback, but our insurance wouldn't cover as much if we had gone through him. www.online-biofeedback.com Neurotherapy isn't magic - nothing is. But, we have noticed improvment in his behavior, his ability to pay attention to directions and less interesting tasks, and his interest in learning to read and write. I've met many parents who report reducing medication dosages by half, or eliminating meds if the starting dose was small. If the brain map indicates other processing issues (like dyslexia, or slow processing speed overall, or short-term memory issues), then you might expand your search into tutors or special schools to address those issues directly. Some of the behavior that looks like ADHD might be excessive frustration that she can't learn as fast or in the same way as her friends at school. She is smart enough to notice this, but doesn't understand why, and needs to be reassured that she isn't dumb. Learning it differently might make more sense to her brain. Two of my 3 will be at Shelton next year, and we LOVE it! A building full of highly-educated professionals who all understand the particular challenges our kids face is an amazing support structure for the whole family. There are a lot of schools in the metroplex specifically for kids with learning issues. We're lucky to live here where we have these options.

A chiropractor might help. Ours did. Dr. Melissa Shelton in Frisco is so sweet and gentle. She sees me and all 3 of my kids, and we all feel better.

We eat all natural, mostly organic food. No toxic cleaners in the house. 100% cotton clothing and sheets (because poly-cotton blend fabric has to be coated with formaldehyde to maintain its integrity). We dechlorinate bathwater. We supplement omega-3 oils. We use homeopathic medicine for colds and allergies.

Excercise is essential for both my husband and my son. You don't outgrow ADHD, you just learn to manage it, and the environment of most schools is extraordinarily difficult for ADHD kids. As a self-employed financial advisor with an assistant, my husband is happy and very successful. He failed 1st grade twice. He also has a PhD, and has published 3 books. Success is very possible...hang in there. My husband works out about 2 hours a day to maintain his ability to focus. My son runs sprints on the playground before going into his classroom. During the day, he can go outside to hammer nails into a tree stump to work off some of that excess energy. Shelton keeps mini trampolines in the halls for the kids to use any time during the day they need to.

We do not allow any TV, computer or video games during the week. On the weekend, "screen time" is limited to a movie and about an hour of video games each day.

You're doing a great job supporting your daughter. Each child is unique, so the best collection of supportive therapies for your daughter is going to be just as unique as she is.

Good luck,
S.

Honestly I don't know about the meds but sometimes if you find the right one it will be helpful. For an alternative you can read Dr. Kenneth Bock's book call Healing the New CHildhood Epedemics: Autsim, Asthma, ADHD and Allergies. I found a copy in the library

Hi there...I do not have a child with ADHD but I do have 4 nephews on meds. My sisters are about to start gluten-free diets to see if that helps. There is a lot of research linking the two together. If you google ADHD and gluten you will see tons of sights.

Good Luck!

My husband was on ritilan and now metadate(for adults). I am sorry to hear you have been ridiculed. I am amazed at how mean people can be. They have no idea! I deal with that regarding my hubby's mental illness. STay strong and don't let others change your mind unless they give you facts not feelings.

Have you considered a diet change. Try the organic route. I know my hubby's behavior has gotten better since we got off some of the chemicals in processed foods. Whole Food market is a great place to start. They will help you with ideas and such.

Hope this helps!

Hey there! I get the same reaction from people about medicating my son. My son was diagnosed when he was 3yrs old. He was on ritulin at first it made him into a zombie. I wasnt happy with that, so my doctor told me at that time(1998)there was another medicine out there that we could try. It was a time release medicine. It was called concerta. I thought it worked perfectly on my child. It was the right dose and he was doing fantastic on the medicine. When my son turned 9yrs of age, I took him off medicine to see how he would do. He is now 13yrs old and he has been doing fine off of the medicine. I personally would do what you are doing and find the right medicine for your child. Down the road if you want to take the child off of the medicine then its fine. Dont worry about what other people say. I went through the same thing. To this day my mother thinks that my son should go back on his medicine. Good Luck!

Good Morning J.,
I know how difficult it is when you want to help your child but are not sure what to do!
When my daughter was around the same age, (she is 21 now) she had some of the same problems. I tried different things and finally found what worked for her.
First we went to a chiropractor that was amazing. She would literally walk in grumpy and mean than turn around after an adjustment and be happy! Now I would find one that works great with children and uses the"Best" method.
Second, Diet plays a major role! Sugar contributes to there behavior. I took my daughter off all sugar, sodas, etc. I tried to go as close to natural as I could. Juices that are 100% juice, snacks like apples cut up with natural peanut butter. People do not realize how important diet is in a child. I let my 9 year old have sodas when we go out to a restaurant and he is bouncing off the walls afterwards. Alot of our foods have so much caffenine that a childs body is overloaded and stimulated so much they can not sit still or concentrate.
The last thing I would offer is there is a great doctor in Hurst, she deals directly with children in this area. Dr.Block has been highly regarded in this area,written some best sellers on this subject and helped so many children. I never was able to take my daughter to her because almost 16 years ago she cost to much. But not anymore, she is very affordable and even offers payment plans. I would encourage you above all else to take your daughter to her.
The Block Center
1750 Norwood
Hurst, Texas 76054
###-###-#### -- Metro ###-###-####

Best Wishes!
T.

My boys were diagnosed with ADHD since they were age 4. My grandmother started the trend and has scizofrania now cus she was never medicated back in those days. My mother was medicated a bit but they didnt have much knowledge back then about the different meds that they do now. I myself have it as well. So I am a for sure example of how it is in the genes. So with all that said. I take Straterra myself 80 mg a day and that works for me to help me stay focused and I am an Assistant manager of a pizza buffet. Trust me hard work every other day working 15 hr shifts on your feet and staying focused is a big must. My one son takes a cocktail (Straterra 80mg and Concerta 54 mg) This works for him because he has it severly and the concerta just wasnt enough. He still eats like a horse and oh he is 14 now and 6ft 130 lbs. Very healthy. With his loss of apetite I taught them to eat even when they didnt think they wanted to around meal times and snack times. It was hard at first but they learned they had to so they wouldnt feel so tired all the time and not want to play. Once they did my boys flourished in school and home with family. My youngest who is 12 he only takes concerta 34mg and that works for him. It keeps him focused and not talking a mile a minute so teachers can teach the class. The trick to finding a happy medium is just letting the drug work. It takes a few weeks for it to work properly and get into the system. If at first it makes them groggy then that is too high a dose or the wrong type. Talk to your doctor about all this. I have the best doctor and he knows so much. I live in Granbury and his name is Robert Lee. ###-###-#### I have recommended him to so many friends that have kids like ours and they have seen miracles with their kids too. He takes care of the big picture and doesnt want to drug your kid up. Just wants him to function like a (normal) kid I guess you could say if we even know what normal is these days. Good luck I hope I have shed some light on the subject for you.

My husband is a counselor and he gave me this feedback. "Vivance is the latest version of Adderall and pharm reps may be pushing it hard, but I've heard quite a few complaints about Adderall from my clients and have heard almost no firsthand complaints at all about Ritalin (also marketed as Concerta). Strattera is about the only non-stimulant used for ADD - haven't heard much about it from clients yet. You also want to be alert to the possibility of other causes such food allergies or trauma which can affect a child's ability to sustain attention or cause behavioral changes. If you can, get a copy of Daniel Amen's book "Healing ADD" and see if you recognize any of the patterns in your daughter. He identifies 6 subtypes of ADD and recommends very different treatments for each."

Hope some of that helps!

I don't believe you're a bad mom, you have to do what's best for your child in your opinion. You are the best judge because you are there everyday. You're not a lazy mom. I have a just four year old that has been exhibiting classic ADHD symptoms for over a year. I don't know how many parents have told me that it's just normal for a boy his age to be active, disobedient, distracted, and aggressive. They say I am overly sensitive to his behavior and that he's a delightful child. Ha, true though that is now a year after we started diet modification. Many of those who comment never knew him before. I mean how many kids are threatened to be kicked out of Sunday school at age three unless mom can come help him control himself? There were only about 8 kids in the class with two adults. That should have been enough to control him, but he wouldn't take it. To this day I still attend Sunday school with him. Hopefully by age five I'll be able to leave him on his own.

I almost hit a breaking point with exhaustion dealing with him before we modified his diet. (prego SAHM with a husband in full time MBA program and on night shift, left me with very little away time or rest from the struggles of an ADHD child.)

We've decided to will medicate my son one day if his behavior affects his academics. That may never come, though. He's just turned four and has been reading for almost six months. He's begging me to start math, too, as he can count to 100 four different ways. He loves numbers and spends church time counting through the Hymnal.

However, we tried the Feingold Diet, and it has done wonders! His whole personality shifted within a week. He's still active, but not overly aggressive or angry. He can also process correction now instead of giving me that blank lightly confused look. He also for the first time in his life showed stranger anxiety, thank goodness! All within a week! I haven't tried any supplements yet, but will if need be.

Also, we're about to start (this morning) a program called Train the Brain. A friend started it a month ago with her 1st grader and even the teacher called to comment on the change in her child. She called me two weeks in raving about the changes in her son. It is a music/motor therapy. So, we'll let you know how it goes.

Good luck.

P.S. We were already Gluten Free before the behavior problems spiked! He had allergy problems at 18 months. I don't even want to know what the last three years would have been like if we hadn't caught the gluten early.

People who have called you a lazy or bad mother obviously does not have a child with ADHD. My son was diagnosed when he was 6, and I tried the alternative from teas (catnip) to changing his diet to yoga. I eventually had to go the medication route. He started on Adderall which worked ok, but I felt a lot of his personality was missing, and he lost a lot of weight. His doctor switched him to Focalin, which has been working quite well. He is now 10 and takes 15 mg. I did notice the same symptoms you noticed, when it wears off, he starts bouncing off the walls and couldn't control himself. I started giving him (with doctor's approval) a good multi-vitamin with no iron (they get enough in their diet) and fish oil. I've noticed that that helps considerably, he does not have that crash when the meds wear off, and it balances him more. In fact, I have wanted the doctor to lower his dose and see how he does.
I know this is hard for you. No one has a right to judge you, especially when you are trying to help your child. I too, heard things when I put my son on medication, but a little more subtly than you have. Oddly enough, the people with the biggest problem did not want to babysit him if he was off his meds. Go figure.
Good luck, and don't worry about other people. You are helping your child and raising your child the best you can, that's more than those that criticize are doing.

You should radically change your daughters diet. No sugar, preservatives, artificial ingredients and most of all NO FOOD COLOR. Food color in fake drinks can cause your child to require medication. An all natural diet-organic, and Chiropractic therapy could be your natural way out. My Chiropractor is Dr. Robert Vasquez ###-###-#### They do babies and kids too.

I have a friend that has a son and he is ADD/ADHD; she controls it by giving him 6 B complex a day. If he runs out; he ends up straight in the principals office. If he has his daily supply of B Complex; he is a straight A student!

you amy want to give it a try; visit:

http://www.shaklee.net/Choice-Wellness/product/20186

Visit the following for more information on childrens health:
http://www.shaklee.net/Choice-Wellness/prodNutChild

Hope this helps; you are not a bad parent you are simple attempting to help your child and your family!

Health and Prosperity Always,

J.,
I absolutely understand your hesitance to give your little one ADHD medicine. I was the same way. My daughter is 6 (almost 7) and was diagnosed with "clinically significant" ADHD. We have taken a 3 way approach to help her and one of them is medication. She takes Concerta. It's a long acting once a day pill that has to be taken in the morning. The first week she had a few side affects but we just kept an eye on her and sure enough they subsided. We re-evaluated after 1 month with the Pediatrician and upped the dosage. She's on her 3rd-4th month and doing wonderfully. Its been amazing. When we made the decision to try medication it was for her benfit (not ours or the schools) and I kept the mindset of as her mother if I don't like it I can take her off it. On top of that we only do 1 medication. Sometimes it can hinder sleep, but we remedy that with warm milk. I definately recommend allowing her to be on the medicine long enough to let her adjust.
Along with medication we really watch what we feed her and try to eliminate most processed foods and refined sugars. We also have her see a counselor that has actually benefitted my husband and I of how to best work with her. All of these things have helped.
We have forgotten to give her the medication and I can definately see a big difference now. It truly helps her and I do have my sweet little girl back!
Good luck to you and your daughter.

First of all, I'm so sorry that people are being that rude and mean to you. They don't know what it is like to have an ADHD child, so they shouldn't talk bad about you. I've dealt with 2 boys that were and are ADHD. My 14 yr old is the only one on meds right now and my 18 yr old has been off for years. I have a really good dr. that specializes with ADHD and other things. We have my son on Addderall XR and it seems to be working for him. We might try the Vyvanse, but he is happy with the Adderall. I would try to stay away from the Ritalin if possible though. Hope this helps. S.

Ask your child's daughter if Straterra would be a better choice for your daughter. It is a non stimulant and it lasts for 24 hours. So you don't have the highs and lows like you do with other stimulant drugs. Also, it doesn't have the same effects on their appetites. It does decrease it some, but not as bad as the stimulant medications. You might also look into piano lessons or karate these are both things that require concentration and focus. Or find what else your daughter might be interested in dance, gymnastics, art, etc. Good luck, and you are not a bad mother for using medications to help your daughter.
A.

My stepson is ADHD and has been on medication since he was six. He has been on Adderall XR 30mg twice a day for as long as I can remember. He came to live with us this past year and we noticed when he was given the second one that he was never hungry and would get moody. We were only giving him one a day, but it would wear off in the afternoon. He wouldn't be bouncing off the walls, but he couldn't stay still or concentrate. He is about to start taking the Vyvanse 70mg once a day and I hope he doesn't have the same problem your daughter did with it. To those people that have given you so much grief over this, do they have children that are ADHD? The medicine helps them concentrate at school. If my stepson weren't on anything he would be failing everything. When he doesn't take his medicine he can't be still or quit talking and tapping on things and I could so go on and on. No parent wants to medicate their child. In not doing so you could keep her from excelling in school. I know one kid that is SO ADHD and his parents won't put him on meds. The kids all talk about him and he has a hard time making friends and they all laugh at him. It is horrible. I couldn't do that to my child. At some point she may be able to control it. Another parent I know said her daughter told her she didn't want to take her medication anymore that she thought she could control her problem. Now, her mom says that she rarely has to take anything, but that she knows when she needs something. There are many options as far as medication. One of my friends listed two different meds that her daughter has been on and I had never heard of either one. Good luck and I hope this was some help to you. Oh, my husband was one of those parents that thought you shouldn't medicate. After my stepson came to live with us he took him off of his medication. After a couple of weeks he couldn't take it anymore and gave in.

I feel your pain and have walked in your shoes. Number 1. Stimulant medications should never ever be given without a mood stabilizer i.e. abilfy. Abilify has the least if any side effects . The fact that your daughter gets aggressive when the Vionese wears off is a really big tip off that she needs the mood stabilizer.
My grandson, whom I am raising, has been diagnosed Mood disorder,and adhd. He is currently on Concerta 27mg (just reupped from 18 mg) and Abilfy 5 mg x daily. He takes Abilify at 4-5 pm so as to ease the coming down from Concerta or he gets aggressive and just plum mean and hateful.
Talk to your Dr about trying this for at least 30 days to see if it helps.

My friend & his son both suffer from ADHD. They are both going through accupuncture & he said it's helping both of them. He said his insurance pays for some of it so check your insurance for coverage. He said it helps him deal with the anxiety & he has learned to relax. His son's behavior has improved immensely. The Mom & Dad are going through a divorce so it is helping Father & Son deal with that as well. Good luck!

There is an excellent clinical nutritionist in Wichita Falls that can put your daughter on a natural supplement therapy program and eliminate the ADHD altogether so that she won't require medication of any kind! You can call Dr. Donna Smith at ###-###-#### or email ____@____.com website is www.advancedclinicalnutrition.com. She is awesome! She can help you long distance so give her a call asap! Good luck!

I wish I could slap people that criticize. I am 32 and a mother of a 9 year old with "SEVERE" ADHD. My husband had ADD and would be the first one to refuse "drugging his kid" as he put it. I had a breakdown about 10 years ago and the best way the doctor explained it was that after a certain point, I was no longer in control of the chemicals in my brain, and would require medication to level me out. The same thing applies to ADHD. I still get tired of school calling or daycare calling to ask me if I gave him his medication. Sometimes I feel people use that as a crutch for my child to be a robot. And guess what? He is never gonna be...I have tried taking my son off the medication and I think he suffered more than we did. He was clinically diagnosed at age 4. My husband and I have tried everything from diet to blood tests to g et it right. He had taken, Ridalin, Vyvanse, Cymbalta, Focalin, etc. You name it. His problem was that after 4 weeks, its like someone hit the off switch. He was failing school, and was kicked out of EVERY daycare he went to. As a parent, it mentally destroys you. To answer your questions below:
Vyvanse is the BEST I have found so far. It is the ONLY medication on the market for ADHD that is missing the chemical component that keeps your child from growing. My son was on medication since he was 4 and he was 50 pounds for 4 years. Since putting him on the focalin, he is finally eating. But it does take time. They have to adjust to their hormones just like us mothers do. If your daughter is becoming agressive, ask your doctor about Resperidal. They have that to my son to take at night to control his fits and aggresiveness. It also helps them sleep through the night.
Medication Alternatives: I have learned that peanut butter and bananas are BIG triggers. So is bread. Anything white will turn to straight sugar and that is not good for ADHD children. They dnt response the same as everyone else.
If you want t tart on a normal basis, my email is ____@____.com. I was told yesterday that I need to reach out to other families with ADHD children...then I see your request....that's a sihn for you. I know EXACTLY how difficult it can be with a child like that. If you live around Dallas, I know a great doctor that will tell you first hand there are more than just 2 options.

10 mg of Aderall- the change was miraculous.

J.,
I feel your pain. I'm tired of people's negative attitudes about medication. My 10 year old son can't even function without his ADHD medication. (Just ask his teacher!) We have had 2 years of trying to find a combination that works for him. We have tried Focalin, Concerta, some non-stimulants - like Tenex, and now he is on Ritalin LA. In addition, he takes Risperdal at night. It is a battle to find the right medication. When you do, it's like a breath of fresh air - for you AND your child! (not to mention their teacher!) You really have to have a doctor your can talk to and trust. We have been to 2 different psychiatrists for medication. The first put us with a nurse practitioner after the first visit, the second was out of pocket. We couldn't afford to keep going! Now our pediatrician, Dr. William Lin, is managing my son's medication. http://www.doctorlin.yourmd.com/ (and doing a GREAT job!) I'd recommend finding a Doctor who will be willing to try all the medication possibilities, and keep trying until you find a medication and a strength that works. Here is a resource I have never used, but someone from Mamasource recommended: http://docyoung.com/.
Keep your spirits up! You're doing a good job!

Hi J.,
I know how you feel. My daughter was diagnosed in 1996 at the age of 6 with ADHD. Her kindegarden year was a nigthtmare!! She got in trouble on a daily basis. For things such as wandering around the room,blurting out answers and disturbing other children. Back then we put her on Ritalin. Didn't really like the results,made her calm but sorta zombie like. We tried several different medicatins and doses. I believe it was concerta that worked the best but that was several years ago. To all the people who question our decision about medication,I say "Is it better for the child to have low self-esteem because they don't have many friends because they have been labled as a "problem child" If your child had another condition or illness you would medicate to make them feel beter. I see no difference with ADHD. The only down-side that I saw was that it MAY have stunted her growth just a tad. Because the medication made her not hungry. But,then it may not have either. She is 5 foot 4 inches. average.
Now,for the light at the end of the tunnel....She is a Senior in High School fixing to graduate!!! YEAH! And she has been off all meds since her Freshman year. It was her decision and she felt she could focus with out them. Some children do out-grow it to an extent. She still has problems with big test and exams and gets some modified help at school. But,she ia MUCH better at impulse control. Anyway,sorry so long. You do what you feel is best for your child and don't worry what others say! Have a nice day!

Brian Hickey, D.C. is a great doc who offers natural supplements not meds to help kids with ADHD, as well as different changes to their diet to help eliminate the issue altogether. I highly recommend him.
###-###-#### Tell him S. Rosson sent you. I have known him now for years. He is a great doc.

Good Morning,

No can of worms here. First of all your not a bad mother. Sometimes we just get overwhelmed and have to try different routes. Also, its nobodys decision but yours on how you choose what works the best for your daughter & you. Remember your the one who has to live with her 24-7. My girlfriends son has severe ADHD and he wears a patch that time releases medication. He usually always wears it for school and then its his choice and his moms if he needs it at home or on the weekends. Also he does therapy at the Hope Center for Autism to help him work on his focus. They don't just work with Autistic kids. Also, they also work on his diet. He doesn't get processed sugar. He gets products made with sugar cane. So don't be discouraged there are a lot of options. Also, talk with your doc. They aren't your enemy. And most important of all and this is coming from a mom who has an 11 year old with a disability. It's about what is best for your daughter. If something doesn't work then try something else. You'll get no judgement here. Have an awesome day. If you need more info about the patch send me an email and I'll see what I can find out.

J.:
Well, I want to start off by saying you obviously are not a bad mother as you are researching and using your resources to learn and aid your daughter and yourself; this requires work (therefore, not lazy), determination, and brains and shows you are a smart and good mother! You are looking at the whole picture and trying to find out what is best for your family. You are not taking one solution as the only solution and these reasons makes you a wonderful mother!
I hope I can bring something up you may not have fully checked into as of yet. I do not have a child diagnosed with ADHD BUT, it runs rampid in my hubby's family (he too had it as a child, long before they diagnosed or treated such a thing) AND my mother, a second grade school teacher at a private school, has worked closely with parents and children, her students, on this matter. I've seen some great results with some natural and healthy changes.
Do you make sure she gets enough sleep and has a well established (and enforced) sleep schedule? Just making the child get enough sleep and bed time at the same time every night (even weekends, within one hour) helps a ton!!!!!!!!!!
What about diet? Have you studied the living with ADHD diet? I don't know all the details on this but there are some very good books on this subject. I do know it also helps tremendously!!!!!!!! Some of the things the diet teaches is NO Red 40 food dye (and I believe there are others), plenty of Omega 3s, plenty of water, and very little, if any, refined sugar along with other suggestions.

I've seen several times these 2 suggestions (diet and sleep) turn a child around more than anyone would ever believe (my nephew for one and several of my mother's students, whom I know personally). I suggest, even if you choose to medicate as well, to research and implement, if you have not already, these into your lifestyle~~!

Good luck!
I have 2 children and we are hoping for more. I know, nearly without a doubt, that I will be blessed with an ADHD child eventually so I absorb all of the info I come across on this topic and when I am in simular shoes as yours, I plan to highly research and start with this route!

T.

Hi J..
I don't have a child with ADHD, I just want to say that I'm praying for you and your daughter. I know it must be very hard.

Keep trying to find solutions. There is no perfect answer. Some people use meds and it helps. Some people try to use alternatives. I am sure you are doing everything you can and I really pray that you find the right balance and that you can find peace with your daughter. God's Blessings to you.

I have a grown son with ADHD and know how hard it can be-just ignore those who tell you what to do. They don't know your child and certainly don't care as much as you do about her.
My godson takes Concerta with good results, so you might try that. It is always a real hit or miss thing with a growing child and meds-very hard to get doses right. COncerta also tends to depress appetite, so you just have to work around that. My godson has special permission for snacks at school to help with this so that he doesn't lose weight.
Also, please know that it takes more than meds to help-her teachers need to be closely worked with to make sure they are handling the ADHD right so that she can learn to work with it. Hyper activity and impulsiveness are controlled with meds but thery don't go away, so reward her for staying on task etc.
Once again, ignore those who think they know everything. No one knows how tought this can be for you and your daughter except you. Good luck!

J. -- I'm sorry that you're taking such a beating over your decision to try medication for your daughter's ADHD. And I'm sorry that you have not gotten the results you want from the meds you've tried. My children are not ADHD so feel free to ignore what I'm about to suggest, but it's a fairly simple solution and may be worth a try: have them see a nutritionist to determine whether they have sensitivity to sugar, glutens, MSG or other foods. I have a friend whose daughter's behavior is night and day based on the amount of suger/glutens she eats. I've also heard that MSG can have a huge impact on behavior. We feed our children organic food almost exclusively so we know they aren't exposed to large amounts of preservatives or additives like MSG, and I can't help thinking that it contributes to their even-temperedness. I hope you find this helpful. I'm sure other moms will have great advice on this topic too. Good luck!

My 12 year old son has ADHD, he takes Strattera, has since 2nd grade and he is in 6th now. It works great, hardly any side effects. The only thing we have noticed is a slight decrease in appetite. Strattera is only taken on school days, no weekends, no holidays, no summer. It works while it's in their system, which is usually through suppertime, then its gone. It is the only ADHD med that IS NOT a stimulant (no amphetamine). As far as holistic, etc, we have tried that route with no success, and taking herbs, etc for anyting can have side effects just like meds, everything you put in you body can effect it, either for the good or the bad, it just depends on what works for you. I think the strattera is the best route for my son, I would rather medicate him for a medical problem, than have him struggle in school, loose his self esteem and not care like he did before the meds.

I'm sorry to hear that people are treating you so harshly. You are are a good mom to seek out all options/alternatives for your daughter. Many Dr's are quick to label ADD/ADHD and prescribe meds. There are many proven alternatives that can help improve focus and behavior in children. Diet can play a huge role. Do some research on the Feingold diet/Gluten free diet.

In case you haven't heard of adaptogens, they are a category of herbs that help the human body adapt to stress, support normal metabolic processes, and restore balance. They increase the body's resistance to physical, biological, emotional, and environmental stressors and promote normal physiologic function. A lot has been discussed recently about adaptogens, even Dr. Oz on Oprah.

I highly recommend an incredible book titled Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief by Winston and Maimes. To watch a video on the history of adaptogens go to VitalHealth.TunguskaMist.com to learn more.

Many parents have had wonderful results using the Tunguska Mist Adaptogen Sprays to help restore balance in their children and improve their focus and behavior. Teachers often comment that the student's grades go from C's/D's to A's/B's.

My husband and I have been taking adaptogens for a long time, and we're passionate about helping people reduce the damaging effects of stress and restore balance NATURALLY! Good luck and God Bless:)

I do apologize for the critisium you have received. After trying diet changes, natural rememdies and mountain dew I finally gave into medication. My son has had issues in school since pre-k. He repeated first grade and is now is second grade getting A's and B's. This is a big differenc from failing and totally hating school and putting up a fight to go. I would not give into meds for four years and after placing him on Concerta life is much easier when it comes to school work. His doctor put him on Concerta. This medciaton does not alter their behavior, he still fidgets in his seat. Concerta is made to help the child concentrate and stay focused at the task at hand. It has done wonders for my son. One of the side affects is loss of appetite but in my son it is not so noticible. He eats his three meals a day plus maybe a snack at daycare during the week when he is on the medication. I do not medicate him on the weekend and the only difference in his appetite is he may have two or three snacks on Saturday and Sunday. Another side affect is it stunts the growth and some kids get a bit aggressive. My son has become a bit more argumentive. He is not physical, but he does argue his point especially if he thinks he is in the right. Good luck, it will get better.

J., I know of many moms who have used a nutritional food supplement after seeing the side effects of meds. I will be happy to share detail information on a very safe and effective alternative to meds.

Let me know if you interested and your contact information.

Blessings,
A.

We tried the diets and supplements with our son for 2 1/2 years with no results. The doc said that they really only work for 5% of children. When he turned 5 back in November, we finally got some meds. We started off with Adderall XR 5 mg with no results, and Collin not sleeping. We moved up 5 mgs every 3 days until we got to 30 with still little luck. We moved to 20 mg of Focalin XR and life is finally good for all of us, but you know when it wears off in the afternoon. The doc gave us an additional 5 mg of Ritalin for the afternoons. This only lasts between 3-4 hours so it's great for us after school.

Remember that all kids are different and react differently to all medications. Hang in there. It will be okay.

I have not read all of the replies. My daughter is on
adderoll. 10 mg. It is doing the job. She does have loss
of appetite with it. It wears off in about 8 hours, so she
gets home from school, and gets hungry. We don't give it to
her on the weekends. We tried the 5mg first and it made a start on helping her calm down and such. A side effect is mood swings. Her's is weepy. And it has lessened in occurance. She has been on it for 18 months and it has
made a good difference. The Dr is monitering things.
I was put on ritalin in 1st grade when if first was out, without a dr. It was the teacher and school nurse. I was
a zombie. The teacher had almost the whole class on it.
I repeated first grade at a school that specialized with
children coming off medicines such as ritalin. My parents
said I was not hyper. Mom did not fight the teacher.
My adopted brother was adhd big time. My step mom did the no sugar, no artificial ingrediants. To no avail. I don't
remember what medicine he was placed on, but he saw a
psychiatrist and medical dr several times a month to keep
tabs on how he was. He ended up taking 2 different doses.
One was a full dose, and every other day a half dose.
She fought the medicine approach for a full school year.
She read all the things she was buying for the ingredients
and a lot of things were no longer bought.
Costs: 30 pills runs 241.99 at walgreens. OUCH...thank goodness I have her on Medicaid. It is paid for with medicaid.

J.,
My 9-year old boy has ADHD and what I understand about ADHD is the neurons in the brain don't fire fast enough, which explains the distractibility/loss of focus ADD folks experience. To combat this, doctor's use stimulant medications...which suppress the appetite, so I think this is going to be pretty difficult side effect to work around.

My son currently uses Daytrana patches...they're like a sticky piece of Saran Wrap that go on his hip once a day. The medication lasts around 9 hours...enough to get him through the school day. The web link at the bottom lists all the meds approved to treat ADHD, in case you want to research how they work, side effects, etc.

We've been working with a child psychiatrist on medication management since my son was 5 and all I can tell you is, it's a lot of trial and error. You have to be patient AND you need to find a good pediatric psyciatrist that will work with you - not a one-size fits all doctor.

If you haven't already, you also need to find behavior modification techniques specifically for ADHD kids - normal discipline methods do NOT work for them! A book I've found helpful is "Parenting Children with ADHD: 10 Lessons that Medicine Cannot Teach" by Vincent Monastra.

http://adhd.emedtv.com/adhd/adhd-medications.html

Also, for all those people who say you're a "lazy" mother, etc. If ADHD was a parenting issue, why do these kids experience issues in school? Are you telling me NONE of the teachers in our schools know how to control/discipline kids? It has NOTHING to do with parenting styles!

Hi J., I'm not that familar with ADHD though we have 7 foster children in our care and we have 3 that are in the Autsim spectrum and they have Aseperges and one is on medication and the other 2 aren't, but we watch what they eat as certain foods and colors do affect their behavior and its trial and error. The one on medication is on it because it keeps him from being stressed out so quickly and all 3 don't like change. We also have a fetal alcohol child and she get very much out of control if she eats too much sugar and she will try and put 2 desert spoons of sugan on her ceral in the mornings for breakfast and she loves chocolate and this sets her off as well. Some of the children can drink coke or pepsi and some have to drink lemonade or a lemon drink that doesn't have colors in it. I don't think that you are a bad parent or mother because you have gone to medication, but by looking at what does set her off and keeping these things to a minium will also help her behavior. A lot of prepared foods have a lot of artifical colors and flavors in them and this doesn't help with children with behavior problems. I used to sell potato chips and those that had red or orange flavors in them the school wouldn't take as they cause bad behavior in the children in class. I hope that this helps you and I know that it isn't easy with a child with behavior problems and sometimes medication isn't the only solution and the diet will help the medication work better at times. Ed

First let me say, you are not a bad mother, nor are you lazy or should you have your daughter taken away because you decided to use medication to help your daughter. I truly believe that if medication helps it is not a bad thing. As long as you are not over medicating. My younger brother was on Concerta from the age of 7 until he was 13. I truly believe the medicine helped him. He wasn't medicated to the point of being a zombie, but it was enough for him to behave properly. It helped him concentrate and it also gave him the ability to control his own actions. Without the medication he was a totally different child. He was not pleasant to be around. He has since grown out of the need for the medication. I truly believe that to have kept him off the medication would not have been fair to him or the people around him. We would have missed out on several wonderful memories. I know there is a great movement for non medication, but just as they are entitled to their choices so are you. I also knew someone who chose not to medicate her two boys and they were the worst children I have ever been around. Sorry for such a long note. Good luck with your daughter. My mom had some great luck just researching adhd on the internet.

I have two friends who changed their boys to Strattera (sp?). They love it over all the others their boys have taken. I would advise you strongly to see a psychiatrist for the medication and not your pediatrician. That will make a world of difference, believe me. They aren't all that expensive and you will save a lot of worry that way.

D. Kimbriel
Grandma to 2 beautiful boys, wife to ADHD, mother to ADHD

I'm a teacher and also a mom. Though my daughter doesn't have ADHD, I've had students who do. My experience has been that kids who truly have ADHD are helped by medication. Kids who take the meds but really don't have ADHD are not helped. Could it be that your daughter has been misdiagnosed? It seems to me that kids don't "get" ADHD; they have it all along. But you say you want "your sweet little daughter BACK." That, to me, implies that her ADHD symptoms are something new, or something that appeared after she'd been a "sweet little girl" for a period of time. If I were you, I'd sure look at her diagnosis ... but then, I'm a mom and teacher ... not a doctor. : )

Se a homeopath or Dr. MaryAnn Block

Hello, J.,
I would highly recommend you call Ditt Welch at the Oxygen Sciences Wellness Center (near 635 & Preston at ###-###-#### and talk to him about your daughter. He does neurofeedback treatments that help immensely with ADD/ADHD and often enable people to function well without pills & drugs. My husband has been ADD all his life and this treatment helped him alot. He is finally able to complete work on his PhD and doesn't have the test anxiety that he used to have. He is a teacher and has struggled with this all his life.
I also would urge you to check into possible food allergies/sensitivities. These cause more problems than many people realize.
Good luck with finding the right things to help your daughter.

I really don't have advice for you. But my daughter who is 8 was recently dignosed as ADD. We thought we would never put our kids on medication. I know the criticism because I've thought it. I know you are not a lazy mother because I am not a lazy mother. I would just try to reach out to other moms whose kids are ADD/ADHD. My son isn't ADD. He's a straight A student. He can sit read a book all day long. My daughter is over it w/in five minutes. Which makes learning hard for her. She needs help. As her peditrician says, her teachers still need to do their job even though she is ADD. I make her read out loud. She starts to act out what she is reading, which is comical and I know she is reading. She failed the TAKS test. But now she is on medicine, so hopefully she will do great the next time. Maybe we should write our congressman about the TAKS test. Maybe kids should be challenged in ways other than learning take a test. They are just bored. (Just a side note.) She read all the information you can. It's what I am doing. Ask you Dr. to give you information. We started implemting somethings my Dr. gave us. Her room is boring. We put her to bed sooner. We tried to make sure she gets enough exercise...by playing outside. We keep her diet clean. Even though people say diet has nothing to do with it. Psh!!! Look at Jenny McCarthy and her son. We limit all media time to one hour a day. Which is easier when it is pretty outside. Just love her and encourage her. Maybe she will be over it in a year and don't have to take medicine anymore. Don't let other people bad mouth you. Just think about this...they will have a child with ADD or ADHD then they will have make tough decisions like us:)

a little home remedy solutions:

no sugar/caffiene products (cokes, juice, candy, etc.)
set a regular bathing/bed/lights out time
no television, computer, games in the bedroom
set rules and stick to them as in no means no and do not ask again.
make her face consequences for her behavior.

strict/consistent rules/stable lifestyle are beneficial to a child with adhd.

enroll her in some after school activities ie music lessons, sports, art...

good luck.

J.,

I am so sorry that people have been rude and insensitive to you. My daughter is in 1st grade and also has ADHD. She was put on ritalyn and it worked like a charm! She was able to focus and learn so much better. (so much so that when she started on her meds, within a month and a half she had increased 6 reading levels!) Her meds were the 8 hr time release and she would then struggle with homework when she got home. I spoke to our pediatrician and he has now put her on concerta, the 12 hour release. I was a little nervous with the change ONLY because I had seen what a difference ritalyn made and was afraid concerta wouldn't be as good...but it is! If the medication isn't working properly (ie, your child is a zombie, etc) then it's the wrong med or the wrong dosage. We are blessed with a wonderful pediatrician who explained every option to us, asked us what we thought would be best, explained what he thought would be best and then we went from there.

I hope you are able to find what works best for your daughter. Don't give up until you do!

Good luck!
J. C.

I am very sorry to hear how cruel people have been.

It sounds to me like your regular doctor is just prescribing, not really treating. I recommend you find an ADHD specialist. You should check with your medical insurance company.

I have not personally dealt with ADHD (or maybe I am, because I have suspicions that my 14 year old daughter has some type of attention disorder, though it is not drastice). I did some research and found a psychologist named Dr. David Falkstein whose works with children/adolescents with ADHD. I do believe he believes in non-medicated treatment, though. Here's a link to a brief bio: http://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/prof_detail.php...

J., I'm so sorry you have been criticized for simply trying to help your little one. Even well-meaning people can be very cruel sometimes without meaning to be so please don't take any of that personally. They have not walked in your shoes so don't give those type comments a second thought. I have a grandson with the same affliction who was never on meds and he struggled all the way from elementary through high school. It broke my heart. If the decision had been mine I would have at least tried meds. All that aside, Dr. David Clark a chiropractic neurologist in the Northlake area has worked wonders with nutrition and an array of other alternative therapies. I have seen him personally for a number of other issues and have always gotten great results. He is a caring doctor and I hope you'll give him a call at ###-###-####. I wish you and your sweet little girl the best. Good luck in your quest!

I am an adult who was diagnosed ADD in first grade. I was on Ritilian for years except durring the summer. The medicine worked great the problem was I never learned to cope with the disease without meds. My best friend also has ADD, We meet in first grade. She was also on Ritilian by the third grade her parents weaned her off. Causes of this I believe her adulthood is easier. I have heard of good success with Coral calcium. You might try Yoga. It can help her to learn to concentrate and control her own mind and emotions. It has done wonders for me.

J.,

My son, who is almost 16 and in 10th grade, has been on medication for ADHD since 2nd grade. It's been an immense help for him. We're on Vyvanse 30mg now. We started on Concerta, a 12 hr extended release medication. Worked like a champ for quite some time. As he grew older we moved to Adderall and that worked well for a couple years too. Moved to Vyvanse about a year ago and he's done great. You can definitely tell the days he doesn't remember it. He's never had the not eating or not sleeping issues. He's fairly thin for his age, but he has been in the same curve since he was 4, long before he started taking the medications.

Meds are pricey. Thankfully our insurance covers half of the cost each month. Still the Vyvanse runs us about $60. But even he know it works. He told me last week "Mom, call in a refill. I've only got a few left and I don't want to run out".

You are NOT a bad mom. You should NOT have your child taken away. And I believe you DO have your daughter's best interest at heart. People who have children that don't have ADD or ADHD have no clue what it's like. Parenting ADD or ADHD children is a challenge, and can be frustrating at times, but it's very rewarding when everything clicks.

ADD or ADHD will not necessarily go away. My little sister was diagnosed at age 7 and she's 35 now. Still taking medication, still doing great. She's just a few hours away from her degree, stopped going to school to raise a family. She just takes it all in stride and deals with it.

Just take a deep breath and if you ever need a sounding board or someone to chat with holler at me.

Dear J.,
I have not yet responded to anyone on mamasource but I felt compelled to do so after reading your request. I am a mother of 2, grandmother of 1 and have served as a minister to children in Baptist churches for 20 years. ADHD is real and is perhaps as difficult for the moms as it is for the child. My main advice to you is trust yourself as mom and stand up for her with the doctors and teachers. God has given you this sweet girl and He will give you the wisdom and strength you need to help shape her into the young woman He planned for her to be. ASk Him to guide you.
There are many different approaches from medicine to biofeedback to counseling to herbal remedies and nutrition. Certainly some people misuse medicine or use it as a cure all. But it can be a very effective part of managing her ADHD so she can function in a classroom setting. There are LOTS of medicines- Concerta, Adderall, ritalin, Strattera and more. All have some risks and side effects. it is just a matter of sticking with one for a while to see if it is effective. if not, then try anotehr one. It can be a long process.
I would also advise you to try to keep your home as structured and organized as possible. Even though most children with ADHD appear disorganized, they tend to do better when there is some organization. For now, you provide the structure with the goal of her learning that structure is her friend and will help her cope with her world.
Hang in there Mom. Pray and do what you think is best for the precious girl God has given you.

Hi J.,
We got our grand daughter on Juice Plus gummys. It is very inexpensive. I thing we only pay $22 per month. No meds it all!!!
And we check the ingredients on food before she
eats anything. Nothing with High fructose corn syrup!!!! or artificial colorings. If you read the ingredient on a box of food and it has a color and a number at the end like(Red 40) that is really bad for kids with HDHD. Alexis also eats a lot of organic fruits and vegetables no fast food it all!!!! If you have any questions you can e-mail me. ____@____.com

I know of a nutrition alternative that helps ADD, ADHD, and even autisim. It's liquid, so starts being absorb even inthe mouth, crosses over into the blood stream, and is carried all over the body, allowing the body to heal and balance. Have heard amazing stories of turn arounds with ADD, ADHD, and I know a mom whose autistic child has been helped. He talks TO them and not AT them, interacts, looks them in the eye. I could go on and on with stories. Easier to just call me if you are interested. My cell is ###-###-####. I personally have been so blessed by this, for I used to hurt, and now I don't. Have a great day!

I understand what you are going through. My 6 year old has severe ADHD, sensory issues, mild Aspergers and a mood disorder. We had no choice but to medicate him with a mood stabilizer because he was so aggressive (hitting kicking biting us leaving bruises and bites on us) he is a big kid over 4 ft and 70 pounds and I have a disability and can not physcially control him. we have had therapists for him since the age of 18 months and we have tried many alternatives.

We now see a child psychiatrist who specializes in these issues and their practice offers medication management. I highly recommend them. They have been great with us and what I am comfortable with.

under the care of a neurologist starting at the age of 4 (because his adhd is so severe) we tried ritilan, concerta and those made him worse, risperdol, abilify and clonodine. then we got tired of him having all the side effects from all the meds and the neurologists answer to everything was higher doses and we said we wanted him off of all of it and she said go somewhere else if you wont medicate him.

SO, we started seeing the psychiatrist and he is on trileptol for his mood swings and that works ok. but we did try straterra and that experience was HORRIBLE. my son had a rare severe reaction to the Straterra and he had halucinations of spiders being all over him for nearly 24 hours and almost had to be hospitalized. This is a side effect of the straterra that is rare but terrible if it happens to your child. We stopped taking it that day and he is fine now but we are now scared to try anything else for the adhd issues.

I hope that helped... if you want the name of our new psychiatrist who we really like let me know.
A. J

My daughter is on concerta and that works great. People who are ignorant of ADHD don't have to deal with your daughter once she is 15 and failing in school. I accidentally took one of my daughters consertas and saw what benefit it had for her. Now I am on Strattera myself. I get more done, sleep at night and don't feel the need to unwind with a glass of wine at night because I am too worked up. That is how I discovered that I had ADD. I can focus on my tasks. I graduated from University, and I look back and wonder what I could have focused on had I known that I had ADD, and the option to take meds. My mother used to call me "high strung". I always resented her for her comments.

J.,

As a mom of 3 boy's with what we call letter's at our house, we have combos of "letters" ADD, ADHD, OCD you get the idea.
I so feel your pain! Some people work around there kids issues and some people could not last a week in our shoes! We have tried alternatives but my boys are 15, 13 and 8 and it only works with 1 of them for short times. Now that my boy's are older sometimes they will not take the meds for a few days and then it hits them like a bus and they want to go back on the meds. My husband is also ADHD so my life is just lots of fun!
I would suggest you see a Neurologist ours has helped allot!
Dr. So out of Plano

HI J.,

There is no quick fix. Nutrition, diet, removing chemicals and toxins from the body, and food additive and dyes. This is a start.

My journey with my son has been a long road, but we are making huge strides. He is dylexic and has focusing issues. He has struggled with his grades this year. Reading and writing are extremely challenging for him. It has not been easy. HOwever, he missed 4 on his reading TAKS, almost in the commending range. He did awesome! I did many things that I believe have helpled us significantly to get to this point. If you would like to talk more please contact me at ###-###-#### or email me a ____@____.com.

Sally

My daughter had adhd, she has now switched schools and her new teacher told me that she doesn't even see the signs of adhd at all! We decided not to put her on med's because she is so petite to begin with. Don't let anyone put you down about starting your child on medicine. That is your decision as a parent. And half of them that are saying this number have never had to deal with a child with a disability or even have children. Spend a lot of time with her doing activites and things. She already feels different so making her not feel different is a great thing to start with. With homework, focus on one paper at a time, and sit there and encourage her. Tell her that is not a lot of homework and she will be done no time!