Help with ADHD Child

L.,
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapits with a Private Practice in Longwood, specializing in children and adolescents. My business is posted on the site, but you are welcome to give me a call. ###-###-####.
E. Davis

L.,
In addition to the great advice you have been given, I would like to add the following that you can do immediately:
Take him off of all boxed and canned food items (which carry many toxins). Only give him fresh or frozen foods.
Don't microwave his food.
Get him to eat as many raw fruits and vegetables as you can and juicing fresh items would be great.
Begin cleansing his system with giving him 1 tsp. of organic apple cider vinegar mixed in with 8 oz. glass of water or apple juice (easier to drink) each morning and each evening. This is one of the best cleansers and will help his body to gain balance and a better mental sharpness. He will look, feel, and act much better soon.
Also, look up Dr. Loraine Day on the internet for some health advice in a biblical perspective.
So much more, but this is a good start.
Take Care,
T.

Dear L.

There is a product that is called Via Viente! It is wonderful and if you look it up on the computer you should have no problem in finding it, it is a bit pricy but i can tell you from personal experience that it does help! Its not an overnight miracle, but you should see improvements in roughly 2-3 months after him being on it! So many children are having to be raised by their grandparents these days and i think it is very commendable of you! Keep up the great work!

L.
www.TheMomTeam.com/lajeanhuntley
Moms helping Moms across the country!

____@____.com

This is the website for my naturopath. My son was having seizures. They wanted to put him on two different medications. I went the natural route and he is fine! We might have a sleeping seizure...I don't know. I can't tell, but he is at least 90% better . He's 100% better off without the drugs. Half the time, they don't even KNOW what all the long term effects of the drugs are. A lot of drugs they give kids make them depressed and cause their brains to become dependant on the drug to feel happiness.

I would never commit my son to a life of drug use without trying the natural way first unless his very life was in danger......you have done a wise thing. The question now if who is the RIGHT naturopath?

I have a long distance lady in Idaho. You will probably want a local person too. With Denice, you caontact her and pay a new patient consult fee. It's worth it because she gets very involved with the details of the situation. It takes a while. Then she starts giving suppliments and making suggestions. She CAN wrok with meds if the meds have to be carried out.

There is a guy in Kissimmee who does Medical and Natural. I want to get my son there. His name is Kirti Kalidas http://www.drkalidas.com/ there's his website.

I spent a lot of money at first buying new foods, buying suppliments, getting a carbon filtration system, getting set up.

Now I have what I need, I know where to get things cheaply and it is an affordable treatment system.

Keep that in mind. You may have to bite the bullet on a few things.
Remeber that your brain becomes addicted to what it feels most often. As he is clearing out and detoxing, he may have a hard time breaking the habit of feeling miserable. Hang in there and reward every effort you see with verbal praise. Tell him he has the power within himself.

Poor thing. You are doing so well to consider natural;I am proud of you. Some people just put blind faith in MDs,.

Beware that they have already labeled him as ADHD. Labels can be a problem. Just like the Doc that said my son had epilepsy. Well, she had no choice but to fire me when I wouldn't follow her protocol because he had a label. The schools will look at a child and treat them differently as well, if they have a label.

If he starts breaking through to the other side, you will know that he wasn't ADHD at all. He had the wrong diet, too many toxins (vaccinnations? You should get the book on em.....do your research there to. Goo/bad....everyone has an opinion. You may need a vaccinnation detox as well...it comes in a dropper) he may have REAL depression about his life circumstances. He may need new outlets,.,

Once you figure it out you'll be so happy.

He will be happy.If you love him and do everything you can and seek answers as you are doing, you'll get there. Maybe you'll learn something along the way that will help someone else.

Love and peace.

Hi L.,
You sound like a very busy woman who needs some answers for your little guy. I wish I could give you the "magic bullet" but I can't. I can, however, give you some alternative sites that you can access and sign up for their newsletters which will give you much needed info generally and specifically.
Google Dr. Mercola, Mike Adams, Janet Hull. Feel free to email me personally and I will forward some of these and more to you for quicker and easier sign up. There are more.
I hope that today is the day that you begin to find things that begin to work for your grandson.

I understand exactly what you are going through! I am a Mom of a 9-year-old at 51 and have gone through the defiance, the acting out, etc. Two thoughts come immediately to mind while reading your question: 1. has your grandson been tested for allergies, specifically food allergies? 2. during the course of his therapy is he dealing with a behavior modification specialist? I just had my son tested and we have been dealing with a private therapist for nearly 3 years now. She's in Leesburg and her specialty is behavior modification in developmentally delayed individuals with a subspecialty in sexually molested. If you think she could be of benefit to your grandson, email me and I'll give you her name and number. In the meantime keep the faith and ask God to show you the right path for this youngster. It's hard for you but he is in a good place because you are willing to be there for him and find the right solution for him. God bless you both.

Hi L.,

My daughter Lydia was diagnosed with ADHD and had a temper (her temper was never diagnosed). She was UNDIAGNOSED and is doing fine. Faith and Amy have hit the nail on the head with their information and I am one of the people Faith mentioned that can tell you more about Melaleuca. I completely detoxed my house, Lydia's body, changed her diet and began a supplement routine and her doctor was amazed. I was one of those that refused medication so I never had to deal with side effects. (You also have to be careful with some of the meds doctors prescribe with ADD, ADHD and anger issues as some meds go on their permanent record and they will be "unemployable" when they get into the workplace.)

This process is very inexpensive and it is very simple. It will probably cost less than what you are already spending. I'm not promising this will happen overnight but in my situation it almost did. (Remember she was never on meds.)I also have friends that I have helped to so it wasn't just a fluke.

I know your grandson doesn't like being like this. The doctors are not being fair to him by bouncing him from one med to another. Just let me know and we can talk specifics.

God bless!

M.

L.,

Have you explored what he is eating? Many children with ADD and ADHD are helped by simply improving their diets. I could connect you with a friend whose child has seen remarkable improvement with a nutritional supplement that includes all natural, hormone and antibiotic-free protein shakes that have over 100 nutrients in each serving. If you'd like more information, leave me a message at 1-800-599-0818. I don't think we are supposed to mention product names here, but I'd be happy to get you information if you wish.

As a retired educator with 35 years experience, I have experienced the frustration of both the children and their parents when children have difficulty focusing and controlling their behavior in class. I look forward to hearing from you.

Your grandson sounds like a real challenge and I appreciate that you can see how his behavior affects himself and others. I have been a special education teacher for 9 years and have had many students who sound like your grandson. He is on some pretty hefty meds and I'm sorry that they don't seem to be working. It sounds like you are looking for medicinal alternatives, not behavior strategies, so I will share what I have observed. There is research that supports children with ADHD should not ingest red dye, particularly red dye #40. This dye is in all types of foods, candies, and drinks. The item does not have to be red to contain this additive. Read the ingredients list, you'd be surprised how often this dye turns up. This dye is believed to irritate the ADHD and worsen the symptoms. He should avoid it. In fact, he should be on a low to no sugar diet and should limit his intake of artificial and processed foods in general. Children with these types of issues should be eating lots of "whole foods" or "real foods." Avoid artificial colors, sweeteners, preservatives, additives, and items you cannot pronounce! Try this for awhile, a month or more, and see if there is any improvement. Good nutrition goes a long way with kids.

Good Luck!

Please read this book: The Minds of Boys: Saving Our Sons from Falling Behind in School and Life. Boys learn in different ways and need different activities than girls. They are completely wired differently, but I am sure you knew that right away after taking care of your grandson.

He might need to go to a special private school and not take meds. He might need to start a strict diet. I hate to say this because I am sure you are trying your hardest, but if you do anything like meds, diet, new school -- it will take lots of time to see changes. I'm very glad to see you have lots of faith.

Also, I forgot to add -- try to get him in Big Brothers, Big Sisters. That will help with a role model for him. I dated a guy that did it and my sister is a part of the program to be a mentor. They are screened before they can become mentors.

I don't want to sound anti-meds, but I'm glad you are looking at other alternatives. Good for you! It's great to see you have lots of faith in God and in him for this to turn around!

I totally empathize with you. I have a 7 yr old that was also diagnosed (officially with testing, not just by observation) with ADHD. Contrary to popular belief that these kids are just not raised properly, this is truly a neurological disorder. We noticed hyperactivity (all thruout the day) with our son since he started to walk at 9mths old. So it something that starts in the brain. They just don't wake up one day with ADHD. He was just always on the go, no sense of organization, poor social skills and a lack of disregard for rules. Nonetheless, we've tried so many alternatives before putting him on medication. We sought counseling and pediatric therapy, starting at 5...to no avail. We tried homopathic medicines, that was a complete waste of money. The homopathic dr put him on this focus powder and some herbal supplements that was suppose to remove the metals from his system. Again, it was a complete waste of money....he never improved after 2 mths on these supplements. What has TRULY worked for him has been a neurologist that he currently sees. She had him tested in all areas - IQ, social functioning, cognitive functioning, etc. Once the testing came back which showed some deficiencies in slow processing memory speeds and social functioning (IQ was average), she prescribed Focolin at 5mg. Based on the testing, she also wrote out a IEP for his teachers to give him periodic breaks in school to release some of his energy. :-) We also give him LOTS of positive reinforcement and he also needs LOTS of structure. So we have a daily chart on our refrig. If he follows the rules on the chart, he's allowed stickers and at the end of the week, we go someplace fun (his choice - movies, Universal, water park, etc). We have seen TREMENDOUS strides from the Focolin. He was once on Concerta (bad side effects - lack of appetite, lack of sleep, agressive behavior). We've also tried Daytrana patch (this one was REALLY bad for him - he started hallucinating and was withdrawn). But i'm happy to report that we have not seen any negative side effects with the 5mg of Focolin. Sorry this is so long but i would just say to seek out a Psycologist or neurologist, not a pyschiatrist, because the pyschiatrist is so quick to put your child on meds before testing them to find out the root problem. Also, i know it can be trying at times, but try not to lose your cool and continue giving positive praise. These kids suffer enough with poor social skills, lack of friends, and people constantly yelling at them or telling them they're bad. Good Luck...i usually never post a response on here but i felt compelled to share my story.

my son is now 17 he was on meds for ADHD since like elelmentary school and nothoing helped, he went to mental clincs for therapy nothing helped. they said oh he will get better as he gets older wrong he is now 17 and is horrible. he has no respect fpr any adult athority. he cusses me, his dad, step dad, school teachers, principals, and even the resource officer at school. he was in a in house home for 3 months last year for group home therapy it did not help.
see if he is bi-polar is all i can say maybe that is the route instead of ADHD. tell them you want meds for bi-polar and see if they help. my son now refuses to take any meds he has been on so many.here is his list, ritilan, zoloft, adderall, focalyn, well-buterall, seraquill, lexapro, there were a few others the names slip my mind. but nothing helped.
i had 2 friends that had kids with ADHD and nothing they put them on helped either.there is a special test they can do on a hair frolick to get what chemical embalance your child needs and then they can give your child the chamical he needs instead of all these meds that do not help. my uncle was having that done to his kid.so maybe you can go that route.
my theory is if the meds do not help i am not gonna keep my kid on it with all the side effects now if they helped i'd be right on it. but since they do not i would not give them meds that did nothing for the problem.

Does he have any physical outlets? Yoga could really help with focusing, it sounds like he has just so much anger he needs a way to get it out, a way that doesn't hurt him or anyone else. Have the therapists done anything in regard to understanding/treating the source of his anger? Other than medicine? I would check with your local healthfood store for anti-anxiety suggestions, there are some good ones but I can't think of the names nor do I have the detail that would help you make the informed decision that a good book and direction from a good healthfood store employee (or natural practioner) could offer. The trauma he felt at 4 or earlier sounds like it is bound up in him and comes out in spurts (big and small I take it). Cranio Sacral therapy has been found to help with autistic children, and children as well as adults with other ailments. I would recommend the Cranio Sacral therapy foremost, but if you can't find a therapist, then massage may help, it helps the body realease emotional and physical trauma. If he experienced any physical trauma early on, this definitely could be causing some of his current behavior, in that he feels out of control and does not know how to gain control of his being constructively.

Kind Regards,
S.

I also have a child with similar problems, he is 6. We are seeing a developmental & behavioral pediatrician. My son is on Adderall and Risperdal which seems to work ok for him. I don't know if there is anyone in your area with this specialty, this doctor is not mental health she is a pediatrician. May be worth looking into. We tried the diet thing, therapy, ect. We have also had the physchological testing done, my son is WAY above average intelligence for his age, I think part of the problem with the anger is proper amounts of sleep, I can really tell a difference when he does not sleep well. He also needs lots of structure, does not like changes in routine. Hope you get the help you need, it is easy to run around in circles searching for the answer, just pray that God sends you the help you need.

L. my own child whom is now 30 had ADD I was lucky with that because he did not have the hyper side of it. But I do know that Valerian Root does help and You might try looking at his diet. Start by taking away any foods that have Red Dye in them. This Red Dye that they put in foods sometimes effects kids like ours and can make them have a bad temper and be angry. I have a Herbal Med book written by Phylis A. Bach. it gives alot of information on many things that can be helped with herbal meds. Also try scents that relax.

Where are his parents? If they haven't passed on then get them to help.

I would ask his pediatrician for a referral to an occuaptioanl therapist who specializes with sensory processing.

My heart goes out to you, I am a 57 yr old grandmother and I wouldn't know what to do if I had to take care of my grandson. I would definitely take him to a homeopathic doctor. (not sure if I spelled it correctly, it's a natural doctor) I know that when I taught kindergarten, I had a child like that and we eventually changed it but I realize that you can't be with him all that time. Perhaps diet and sleep patterns have something to do with it. I will be praying.

Amy has said it well.
I'm sorry that he is going through this and I know it must be really tough on you too.
Definitely look into a very organic, natural diet. Look into getting your home detoxified.
www.melaleuca.com
They have a huge assortment of products for your home and your body. Everything from toothpaste to lotions, sunscreens, cleaning supplies, etc. It's not only way better for you but it's better for the environment as well.
A lot of people believe that foods with wheat, dairy, preservatives and artificial colors and flavors hinder some children's development and causes many of those reactions.
The foods with all the chemicals in it weren't widely available when you were a child and how many cases of ADD did you hear about? It's one theory.
I know of at least two other women on this site who will give you very similar advice. It is a lot of work at first to get the routine in place and to replace what you have with things that won't hurt you, but it's worth it. You've only got one life, make the best out of it.
I hope you find something that works for you and your grandson.

I raised a son with many of those problems and learned that diet is one of the biggest influences! No sugar!!!!! No artificial coloring and flavoring! It is in everything! I made a lot of things from scratch -- even Jell-o. And if he got ahold of one of the offenders it took at least 3 days to get out of his system and calm down. It is not easy. It is a balancing act. He will need watching 24/7. Sugar is addictive and he will think you are being mean depriving him of the "goodies". GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS!!!

I have had experience with ADHD as I am a Wellness Consultant. There are several things we can recommend, not all of them medications. Every case is different so we have to try different things to see what works with each case. One thing is using non toxic Laundry products and cleaners, one is eliminating certain foods from the diet and usually combining these with certain natural supplements. I don't know if you have heard of Shaklee which is a 52 year old company which has products very different from those in the health foods. if you would like, we could get together and I could show you quite a few case histories/testimonials with no obligation on your part. you can check out the company on www.shaklee.net/O. (my personal website) or www.shaklee.com . I have used this brand for 21 years and it has really helped me so I love to try to help people feel better and have better health. However, if you want to talk to another representative, you can find one at www.shaklee.com or calling 1 800 shaklee.
lots of luck, I can understand what you are going through.
O. H.

I am a retired teacher of Special Needs children. I have always had HUGE success with proper diet and nutrition. Because of my quest for something that works for kids, I am now a health and wellness consultant with Isagenix International, the world's leader in nutritional body cleansing. Dr John Gray author of the Men are From Mars Women are From Venus books is my business parnter. He has done much research on nutrition and chidlren and how important it is.

I do free consultations. We talk for about 45 minutes, I get the history, what the challenges are, especially in the classroom, I then give you suggestions (that may or may not include my nutritional program).

Basically here is how it works. I was in the school system trying to help the kids. I was blocked every step of the way. I decided it was more effective to work from outside of the system. I do this because I LOVE to see the kids be successful. My passion is getting kids and families on the right track.

I am here if you need me. I have over 20 years of experience working with ADHD and other special needs kids AND their parents. I show you ways to cope and understand what is happening. I also work with you on your wellness needs so that you are better able to handle all the life is dealing you.

The next step is yours. I have offered my 45 minute consult free of charge. The rest is up to you to pick up that phone and call me for an apointment.

B. B.A.;B.Ed.
Family Health and Wellness Consultant
###-###-####
____@____.com

Hi L., If all the meds for ADHD don't work and actually agrivate him, your grandson might be bi-polar. If he has been going to a mental health facility, have they tested him for bi-polar or autism? Could he have OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) tendencies? As far as natural meds I don't know but I did research ADHD for my Psych class and found that children with ADD/ADHD benefit from OMEGA-3 and OMEGA-6 foods. These are the good fats that the brain needs. Smart Balance is a food brand that makes Omega fortified Mayo, butter, oil, cooking spray, milk,cheese popcorn,and peanut butter. You can find them in any grocerystore and they have their own website...smartbalance.com. I use these products all the time and my sons who have ADD/OCD and ADHD can't tell the difference. Tuna, Makeral, and Salmon are another excellent source of the Omega fats. The brain also benefits from Zinc a mineral that many kids miss. Zinc is also great for boosting the immune system. Try as best as you can to eliminate foods with red dye. This tends to worsen the Hyperactivity. ADDA.com is the website for families with ADD/ADHD. I hope this helps. All the best.

My son is now 15 yrs old and we struggled with years on all sorts of meds for ADD. The truth is diet and consistency. He has not been on meds for 5 years and doing very well. He still has difficulty focusing but no where near the problems we once had. Be patient and the older he gets the easier it will be to rationalize with him about his diagnosis. BE POSITIVE AND CONSISTANT> CHECK ON DIETS WITH NO RED> GOODLUCK

Hello L.!
I don't usually give advice, but your situation reminded me so much of my niece that I had to respnd! She is now 23 years old and I strongly believe after watching her struggle through her childhood, that she would have been better off without medications for ADHD. I believe that her out of control nature resulted from my sisters lack of real attention to her daughter, she was too busy working and was NEVER home!I watched my niece from the age of 1 being neglected and dismissed, so I believe she learned to do anything to get attention! Now I don't presume to know your family history, but am only assuming that since your grandson came to you at such a young age, he must have come from a dysfunctional family environment. If I'm wrong then please ignore this message. If I'm right, then your grandson had some early years in turmoil and his response has been to strike back and get attention! My niece went through torture with meds for ADHD to the point where she was committed to a facility when she was a teen. I knew it was a mistake but my sister, who was too busy, just wanted her out of the way! My niece lost her whole childhood to the meds and when she came to visit me for a summer (she was about 17)she decided to go off her meds without telling me, and after a short bit of withdrawal, she was amazingly better!!! She ended up graduating a year late, going on to cosmotology school, passing the very hard state test and is working at a very nice salon, doing very well! My sister wrote her off at the age of 2 as difficult and hyper and took her to numerous doctors and basically gave up mothering completely! I think if your grandson had a tough babyhood, maybe he just needs a load of love and affection and a lot of extra curricular activities to work off some energy. He probably has a low self-esteem due to his problems thus far, and he probably feels he's somehow broken! Meds are just bandades to try to cover up the real issues with dysfuncional families! It sounds like you are trying to help him, but he must first know why he's so angry! Ween him off the meds and help him understand that whatever caused him to come to you at 4 years old was not his fault!
Sincerely compassionate,
C.

Have you looked into NEUROFEEDBACK? Check with your pediatrician to see if he can refer to you to a neurologist that offers this procedure. It works with your child's brain waves and is known to have great results.
I will pray for you and your family.

N.

Hi, I have read the other posts so far, and what I have read fits with what these posters have said. "Detox" the house of chemical cleaners as best you can, avoid additives in food, and check out some of the natural remedies. In our local health food store there is a small section devoted to this sort of thing, and I have read from others that it works!
Hang in there. Nobody wants to have their kid on drugs, and nobody really knows all the long term side effects (look what just came out a few weeks about the allergy medication Singulair-- suicide attempts?? And it isn't even supposed to BE a mood altering drug).
I do know some people personally who SWEAR by staying away from things like red dye in foods... So start eliminating as much "junk" as you can and try to keep a journal or log of progress as you go (it will help YOU to be able to make improvements tangible)...
Best wishes!

Hi L.,
I know that must be so difficult--to watch your grandson struggle and to try to keep up with it. If I were you (and if you haven't already), I might look into some alternative therapies, like energy healing (craniosacral therapy, reikki, etc.--there are practitioners in Tallahassee). I might also look into a natropathic or homeopathic doctor. Other therapies can be expensive, but I would say it's worth a shot. Perhaps it could make the meds work better or he might not need the meds at all. Good luck.

Hi L. ........I agree that meds are not the way to make things any better for your grandson....my daughter was the same way with regards to not focusing sitting still her temper isn't too bad, but it had to do with the foods she was eating that caused these problems for the most part and some sensory processing issues....(check out the book Out of Sync child) for sensory processing (also Pediatric Potentials Rehab in Longwood Florida off of Lake MAry/Longwood Blvd ask for Kelli Arnone(u can google it to check out the website)....possibly look into getting an allergy test....I am checking out products from Barbara M who is a member of Mamasource from Sunrider so if there are allergies present then you may want to check her out for some more info. as well...... I pray he and you get some relief and get pass this soon....God Bless

I thought I'd look up some help for you, because I feel for you. I had a child with ADHD, but not the Defiant Disorder, thank the Lord.

I pray that something here might help you...
because I just had to take my kid off meds entirely,
after a while, because they made him more "weird" per se.
So, with lots of love, as you are giving him, I just pray that God leads you to be able to help your grandchild. MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU WITH THE RIGHT HELP! You are a saint!

GOD BLESS YOU!

This place is actually in Altamonte:
http://www.homeopath-orlando.com/

This seems to be a library of information:
http://newideas.net/

Have you heard of CHADD?
http://www.help4adhd.org/
http://www.help4adhd.org/gsearch.cfm?lr=lang_en&varLa...

Hi L.: Why don't you look into seeing a natural Doctor? Maybe they can be more helpful. My daughter is very much into not putting anything unnatural into her body. I do understand that he is a handful to control, but maybe keep a list of all the foods he puts into his mouth and seeking a more natural alternative kind of medical help might be better. I think, and maybe I don't know enough about these types of issues, that when our bodies are out of balance that is when issues arise, we don't feel good, we can't think straight, we can't stay focused. I myself do not drink any sodas at all, for one thing when my daughter was growing up, I never gave her coke to drink. So if he is a big soda drinker, I would stop that immediately....the sugar in it I am sure gives him the ups and downs he gets....try that for starters. I hope that maybe I might be a help. Let me know.....my e-mail is ____@____.com

Good Luck :)

Has your son been on the normally prescribed medication for ADHD. There is a theory that food allergies also play a part in controling ADHD. If there is a mental health factor involved, you may want to look up ODD on the internet as well as ADHA alternatives. This is a condition that requires the cooperative work of you(family),doctor,school and any other agencies that's involved. It is important that you are very familiar with ADHD and any other condition to be able to advocate for your child. Stay in the internet. God Bless.