Need Input from Moms Who Have an ADHD Child & What Treatment They Chose

Please get a second opinion by someone other than the school doctor! Like someone else said, this could be caused by many different things and be fixed by something other than meds. Good Luck

Many yesrs ago my daughter had the same problems. We started on Ritalin and the improvement was very noticeable. She still needed individual therapy for a severe dylexia/dysgraphia problem, which persisted to adulthood, but she was able to concentrate and worked very hard to overcome those other problems. In the end, she was admitted to the ceramics program at Long Beach State (very difficult to get in at that time), after earning two certificates at Orange Coast College -- Early Childhood Ed and Studio Art. She was on the Dean's List at Cal State Long Beach. There were times when she resented the Ritalin, but I didn't observe any side effects. Unfortunately, she died at 38 with cancer, but had lived a fulfilling life. In her later years, she had gone back to college and earned a certificate in electronics, and was writing poetry. I frankly do not think that much of this would have been possible had she not been able to settle down and concentrate.

My first born is ADHD and he was on meds for a very short time, and only while he was at school. We stopped the meds in 5th grade. We relied heavily on behavior modification and diet. Kids (and parents) need to understand that ADHD is a reason, never an excuse. For my son it was/is very important to not give him a verbal list of things that needed to be done. We would tell him what needed to be done one thing at a time. I would also remind him before we went out, each and every time, what behavior was expected of him and what the consequences were should he misbehave. My feeling was the world was not going to change for him, that he needed to find a way to work in this world. As suggested please look into diet. Good luck!

Hi M.,

You have lots of advice to sift through so I'll keep my response as short as possible. I want to be upfront that my advice comes from 10 years of teaching ADD/ADHD students many of them in a private school specializing in learning disabilities. My daughter is not ADD/ADHD.

1) Don't accept the diagnosis of a school psychologist especially at the age of 5.
2) Don't let the pediatrician prescribe meds. They aren't as up as ed. psych therapists, behavioral therapists, neurologists on the treatment courses. Definitely see a specialist in Learning Disabilities and have a full work up.
3) If your daughter does in fact have a "strong case of ADHD" ritalin is quite possibly not your best option. It is not as long acting as some of the other options and can cause severe bounce back-meaning her moods will be worse than unmedicated as she comes off the drug.
4) If other learning disabilities have also been diagnosed, I would address those first. If they are getting in the way of learning, they may be causing the focus issues as well as her hyperactivity. (She could be masking severe anxiety in her hyperactivity.) Of course, the reverse could be true-you may need to treat the ADD-like symptoms to treat the learning disabilities. If this is the case, be vigilant about getting off the medication for a trial when you have made progress with the other LD issues.
5) Many women on this site will post and tell you never medicate, ADD/ADHD can be treated with structure and diet. This is true to a certain extent. There are cases where consistent structure at home and school and avoiding dietary triggers will help; however, there are also cases where structure and diet are not enough and medication is helpful. Please don't be ashamed to accept that help.
6) Finally, if you do use medication, stay on top of the dosage and drug choice. The research in this field changes rapidly so there always seems to be a new drug. Also what works for one kid often doesn't work for another. They'll experience different side effects, need different dosages at different frequencies. Also as your daughter's body chemistry changes with age, the drugs effect will change and you will need to be vocal with your doctor about evaluating the dosage.

Best of luck,
K.

M., I was wondering have you ever thought about researching homeopathic and natural remedies for your daughter instead of medicating her? Sugar, dyes, different food combinations and even toxins (in the environment and home) can truly make a difference in a child's behavior. But, please also remember that kids are ALIVE and have feelings and spirit and do not deserve to be labeled or medicated. I definitely know from personal experience psych medications do more harm than good and that, in fact, there are many natural solutions that can actually help with what your daughter is going through.

And, honestly, I'd look at the school psychologist's motives in pushing to label and drug your beautiful & plucky 5 year old little girl, when there are other alternatives out there.

Please call the CITIZENS COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS (CCHR). Their # is: (323) 467~4242. And, here's their website: http://www.cchr.org/. They can definitely help you!

I also highly recommend contacting Dr. Anita Pepi who is truly an amazing Chiropractor and Nutritionist and would definitely be able to help your daughter naturally.

Here's her data:

2950 Los Feliz Blvd. Suite 101
Los Angeles, CA 90039
(323) 666~1088
http://www.drpepi.com

If she is too far for you, please let me know as I may know of an incredible nutritionist that is closer to you.

In addition, I suggest taking your daughter to H.E.L.P. (The Hollywood Education and Literacy Project) located here in Hollywood. It is a free program, and what is amazing is that I've seen kids come into this program who have been labeled ADD/ ADHD and by learning the study technology they offer and getting their diet in order, magically their ADD/ ADHD symptoms disappear. REALLY! You can definitely call H.E.L.P. for a free tour.

Here's their data:

Hollywood Education Literacy Project International
6336 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood CA 90028
###-###-####
http://www.helplearn.org/index-flash.html

Ask for Amanda or Ann. They definitely will be able to help you and your daughter!

I'd also recommend checking out 5 organizations validating why going the natural route is best for you and your daughter:
http://ablechild.org/
http://www.cchr.org/
http://www.fightforkids.org/
http://www.psychsearch.net/teenscreen.html
http://www.labelmesane.com/

You'll also find some amazing data regarding alternatives at: http://www.cchr.org/solutions_and_alternatives/
http://www.herbcorner.net/articles/art_ritalin.html

And, M., please watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Xjx0gdL83I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRJN_NfyiH4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgMovNmtRF0&feature=user
http://www.psychconflicts.org/
http://www.cchr.org/#/videos/making-a-killing-introduction

AND

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73SRn1gdAdM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcvCtxaiOGg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58UZqr3fiZ

Please free to contact me at: (323) 906~2784 or via e~mail me at ____@____.com.

I'd love to help you and your daughter however I can.

With love,
L. (MAMA to 16 month old Dylan Orion.......29 September 2007) : )))

My 11 year old daughter has ADD & some learning challenges. She's been on ADD meds since 2nd grade. I wish I has started sooner. I look at the meds as one of the tools in our toolbox for working with ADD. My daughter needs a consistent schedule, larger tasks broken down into smaller tasks, help staying on task, reminders of time passing--all part of tools in her toolbox in addition to her medication. All help her at school, and with her social interactions. Check out ADDitude Magizine for some great ideas. The blessing of ADD is her energy, enthusiasm, & her hyperfocus & talent on things she loves! Good luck!

Hi
Iam not sure where you live, but UCI has an ADHD clinic:
http://www.cdc.uci.edu/chadd.shtml
Good luck

I'm going to keep this (relatively) short, because I've posted extensively on this topic on other boards. I not only have ADHD myself (off the charts, as far as testing goes), my son PROBABLY has it. Boy, talk about a different ball game, being the parent. It's easier though, I'm sure, because I know all of the wonderful parts & gifts of ADHD. I also don't care whether he has it or not, raising kids is hard. So often, what's convenient for us as parents, is actually the exact opposite of what & who we want our kids to be as adults. Murphy. Murphy's Law. I swear. Why, oh why, can't the right thing be easy for once???

Back on topic.

1) Poking around on the web is fine...but any of us can toss in our 2 cents. (yay) Seriously, though, head to the bookstore & educate yourself on ADHD. One of my favorite starter books is "You Mean I'm NOT Lazy, Stupid, or Crazy?" http://www.amazon.com/You-Mean-Lazy-Stupid-Crazy/dp/07432...
There are many other good ones out there. Ones to AVOID are any stating they have a "cure" for it. Simply put; ADHD is a way of thinking and perceiving that's hardwired into some people the same way that math or art are hardwired into some people. The only "cure" for that is a lobotomy. Mood & mind altering drugs (from LSD to Prozac, to Ritalin) change the way we think and perceive. Even more obviously, so does good nutrition and good sleep. Ask any sleep deprived new mom, or anyone a week into a fad diet. Yes. Healthy food and sleep are good for us. Go figure.

2)As far as school is concerned:
- Non-medicated children tend only to excel in AP or gifted programs. It's the challenge that keeps them interested and connected, coupled with being EXPECTED to ask a thousand questions, as well as the one on one attention.
- Medicated children tend to do fine in a regular classroom environment.
- Most *regular* classroom teachers want ADHD kids medicated because they ARE a disruption. They ask questions, move around, want to continue looking at the Africa map for the next hour (while asking a thousand questions that are sometimes *seemingly* unrelated). Their hyper-focus is impossible to deal with in a classroom and their distraction when bored out of their wits is annoying. Medicated kids do what they're told, when they're told, and they stay where they are put. Gee...what a great recommendation. If anyone put that on a resume, well, they'd probably get a job somewhere. Probably not an exciting job, but one that paid the bills.

So...in the theory of keeping this brief...I'm going to sign off. In summation: Educate yourself before making a decision (you are already running down that road, so I have no fears there!!!), and think about where you want your child to be in 20 years. All the downfalls of ADHD (like being late, losing things, movement) all have coping mechanisms. They DO take a while to learn. My personal opinion, is that it's better to learn them young, when the stakes aren't as high. BUT you may not be able to do that. You may need your children to be political assets, or have a short tempered spouse and need them to be protected, or desire more than anything else to have your kids be like everyone else...etc & so forth. All of which are valid. When we grow up we can make our own decisions, until then, our parents love us and do the darndest best they can under the circumstances. I don't know yours, so there's no way I could ever presume to tell you what is "right" in your situation.

But I wish you luck, and if you ever want to contact me, feel free.

R

M.,
I have a son who was diagnosed with adhd when he was 5. I tried several different medications and they all made him sleepy and he did not like the way they made him feel. I did find that through diet and supplements he did far better than with medication. I have found giving him Spark which is a focus and energy drink works fantastic. It is a powder form that you mix with water it has amino acids and b vitamins this has been a blessing from God. My son is now 19 and will not go to school with out it. It is safe enough for a 4 yr old to take. If you have any further questions go to Advocare.com/08035712. This has been a God send for us.

#1 - I wouldn't trust anyone at the school to diagnose your child. Go see your pediatrician.
#2 - My son was diagnosed in kindergarten and we also did not want to medicate. We tried all kinds of things. The only things that really helped was fish oil supplements, high protein meals and caffeine (tea, not soda).
#3 - None of it helped enough, and finally in 2nd grade, we gave in and gave him the meds. He couldn't focus, couldn't read and was the one suffering because we wouldn't medicate.
#4 - We tried ALL of the meds - with varying results and side effects - insomnia, sleepiness, crankiness, lack of appetite, overly emotional, etc. He is now 13 and taking Concerta. It works and we have no side effects. If you get a med and it doesn't work, don't be afraid to speak up and tell the doctor why it isn't working.
#5 - This is a little tip: Our Rx copay for Concerta was $45. Due to control issues, the doctor would only write the prescription for 30 days, so I was spending $45/month. I finally got the doctor to write it for 90 days, so now I only pay $45/quarter! That's $360/year saved!
Good luck and God bless!

Since when is it ok for a school psychologist to diagnosed your child and to reccomend ritalin for her, did they also tell you that it stops her from growing, that you have to ween her off of it when she has summer vacations or xmas breaks, that it can also do the reverse and make it worse, or that it changes your daughter complelty, dry mouth there is a long list of side effects ritlin or any other adhd drug, Now I am for this if and only if the adhd is so server.

I have a 19 yr son cerebral plasy mild autism add adhd, and mild mental retardation, so we tried the meds for one month and he was a zombie, he didint laugh or run or have fun he just sat there mouth dry all the time we hated it he hated it, so we took him off,
we took him off all sugar food, no caffine, asked the school for and IEP through special education, so they modified his work and set his lessons to a shorter time giving him breaks and planning other lessons in a different setting. Asked his teacher to send home work home all in one lump on fridays so we could do it a little at a time 20 minutes twice a day worked perfect..

He had a schedule and we stuck to it, it calmed him down, it made it easier to work with him, sure we had bad days but they we more better days than bad ones. We signed him up in a sport so he could wind down. As he got older we just found other stuff to help him with, so in the past 14 yrs he has not been on any type of meds for the adhd, his health is decent, and he is happy. Don't let the school bully you to doing this, its still a choice on other ways.

Good Luck

I'm a preschool teacher so am familiar with the ADHD symptons. I have a 3 yr old daughter who was exhibiting classic ADHD traits. It was really sad for me to see her behaving this way and know the road she was going to have to walk as she moved thru school.
However, I really felt that something was triggering her 'symptons' since sometimes she could focus just fine, but often she was bouncing off the walls and could hardly sit still or listen to anything I asked of her.

Long story short, after combing the internet I found some information that blew me away. Many children/adults who are diagnosed with ADHD actually have a food sensitivity to food that contains salisylates in them. Turns out her diet was RICH in salisylates! Things like apples,raisens, almonds,peanuts,cinnamon,broccoli,oranges,berrys,tomatoes,
tomato sauce, olive oil.. are all FULL of it!
I can honestly say that once I took those things out of her diet, she is a COMPLETELY different child! ALL of the ADHD behaviors are gone! The only thing we deal with now is when she eats something that we didn't realize have them in it she goes bonkers and we then know to put that food on the list of foods she can't have. (Over the holidays we figured out that she cant have marshmallows or processed meats either.)
Turns out that it's estimated that like 1 in 100 people react this way to salicylates and don't make the conncetion so just wanted to share my experience in hopes that it may help you or someone else down the road.
Best of luck!

http://www.salicylatesensitivity.com/food-guide

Hi. I'm so glad that someone mentioned the Feingold diet. My friend has a son with ADHD and had the prescription in her hand, but her gut told her to find other ways. She found the Feingold diet and her son has done a complete 180. It is a diet where you remove all dyes, additives, and perservatives from the diet. I know it sounds impossible, but all it takes is reading the labels. Stores like Trader Joe's and Whole foods are great places to start. Her son is also sensitive to chemicals so she changed her cleaning products and removed any air fragrances. The results have been amazing. Hang in there and do your research. If there is any way to avoid drugging our children, it is worth it. Good luck.

My son has ADHD and we finally had to put him on Concerta because the school, even with someone watching him, could not handle him during school. On weekends we take him off the medication because his ADHD is not a problem for me and my husband and we really don't like him being on medication.

Best of luck.

Hi M.,
First and foremost, you need to align yourself with resource whose experience, knowledge, judgment, and philosophy you TRUST.
The easiest thing for people to do is recommend meds. A school might want that because all they want is to tame the child.
You first need an expert who can accurately diagnose what is going on with your child and what might help.
If you can find someone who can help you explore nutritional options, then that might be a first line of defense
If you do end up going with meds, then it is very important that you know that you need to be able to stand up for your child. If something is not having a good effect, then speak up, and have it changed. Make sure from the start that you have a relationship with a professional who values your input and listens.
I wish I knew more about this. I just know that a dear friend of mine went through many years of heart ache with her child and the doctors who just wanted to medicate regardless of effect.
My friend finally found a doctor who listens, who is open to other options, and works together with her, and her daughter is doing very well. Her daughter did need meds, but they found something that just helped with some things, while not overmedicating and breaking her spirit. She also works with nutrition as well.
God bless,
M.

I would strongly urge you to not accept this as a final diagnosis, especially from a school psychologist. Something that looks like ADHD can be many other things. I urge you to get the book The Mislabeled Child by Drs. Eide. This book goes through every learning issues, what is occurring, what it looks like, how to assess it and how to treat it. It saved my child from misdiagnosis and inappropriate interventions.

We were told our son had ADD. I was not convinced, so I did my own research. Turns out he has a auditory processing issue, and these often look identical to ADD, but usually missed. I told the school psychologist that I thought this was the issue, but she said she didn't agree, and did nothing further. The school won't even do testing for an auditory issue until the child is 7! We did private assessments, and I turned out to be right. We are going to begin treating our son with Auditory Integration Therapy (AIT) at The Learning Gym (http://www.learninggymusa.com) here in Manhattan Beach. Then he'll need other therapies to build on the AIT therapy. The Berard version of AIT is a 10-day therapy, and research has shown it provides significant improvements in attention issues. You might want to look into it.

There are probably some people who have true ADHD. When it is in fact the real thing, their brain has a chemical imbalance much like a person with bipolar disorder. If a child has true ADHD, it may be that medication is needed. Personally though I would use that as a last resort. Try modifying diet, checking for toxicity and allergies, and try alternative therapies. It's a serious business when you alter a person's brain chemistry.

HTH,
B.

I am a public school teacher. I have seen what meds can do. You can home school. There is TONS of literature out there on how to home school a child with ADD and many other moms who can help. You can find a home schooling program through your local school district or find a charter school; they're both free.

I have a different view than most people. I was hyper kid. Not ADHD, because i am 41. I took ritalin, because that is all they had. I remember taking 1/2 a pill, on school days. I remember trying that no additives, no sugar diet. Taking a whole big fat list of foods completely out of my diet, and then introducing 1 a week. By 4th grade I was done w/meds. But, i know I was able to learn. My husband was also hyper, but, his parents never medicated him, and honestly, it think it hurt him educationally. My in laws are very much the, "there is nothing wrong w/ my child" type. My oldest son is in 2nd grade, and has a very mild case. He is academically fine, but, VERY easily distracted, and focusing on 1 task is tough for him, and it drives me nuts. I also saw a child psycholigist while I was on Ritalin. I loved it! My mother was a total hippy mom, and I know her decision to give me meds was a tough one. Remember this is your child, and you need to make the decision, no one else.

My kid is 5 as weell and the teacher suggest the same. I don't know this is a very dificult issue. I thinks in the schools are very fast using adhd for a kid that is active. Talk to your pediatrician. My argument in the school was how my son can be in the compueter or TV for hours with out moving.
Check with more doctors. Good luck.

AHHHHHHHH pardon me while I scream some more. Please, do not have the first thing you do be meds because the teachers are unable to deal with your child. There are many things to consider here so take a breathe, breathe in, hold, release. You are right to question this and I applaud you.

We have been down this path with both of my children and they wanted to medicate my son at 3 years old after a 5 minute interview so I have a good understanding of what is going on. Take a look at your diet first and foremost. Remove ALL preservatives, dyes (big offender), sodas, sugar substitutes (another big offender) and seriously look at removing all wheat/gluten. What studies have found is that wheat/gluten is being converted to behave as an opiate or like drug in the brain and affects behavior. Go organic, especially in meats and dairy (if you don't remove that as well, big offender).

Does your child like to eat only certain things, craves things? Good chance they are 'addicted' to it and probably allergic to it /causes inflammation in their body. There is a great book that talks about the rise of these problems and what to do. There is a wonderful website that even though it is for families of autism (add/adhd is on the 'spectrum' as well) the information is universal. Go there and check out the resources for doctors, the information on the GF-CF diet, books, etc. Your child is not dying from this disease/problem so you can take some time in researching for what is best for her.

www.tacanow.org (for diet and other resources)

Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies: The Groundbreaking Program for the 4-A Disorders, by Dr. Kenneth Bock

On another note, please make sure YOU have done the research on vaccinations for YOUR child. The AAP recommended schedule of shots for children is too many, too soon. Here are sites and books that I always recommend for people to start their research:

www.909shot.org
www.generationrescue.com

The Vaccine Book, by Dr. Robert Sears
What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Childhood Vaccinations, by Dr. Stephanie Cave
Evidence of Harm, by David Kirby

Hi M.,
You have many options. First of all, I would recommend that you get a very indepth evaluation of the ADHD or ADD symptoms. There is no test for ADD or ADHD, but there are different evaluations that can be done that will show exactly what is going on. One lady that responded to you, Bonnie suggested the Learning Gym and I second that. (I work next door to them and love what they do, I am also a therapist htat works with kids and I send all of my children that have ADD and ADHD symptoms there for evaluation). What you need to know is exactly what it is that is a struggle for her. There are auditory processing issues, visual processing issues, impulsivity, etc. The Learning Gym breaks those down for you and shows you where she is comapred to other children. They have many NON MEDICATED programs to help but also Dr. Valerie Maxwell and Dr. David Garcia will help show you other diet options and can point you to the right resources. Working with them (or one of the therapists in the office) you will get the help you need to set up help at your daughters school and also help you with some parenting struggles you might run into given what ever your daughter is struggling with. There are so many options as far as medication and I work with tons of ADD and ADHD kids and I rarely see Ritalin given since there are now quick acting medications as well as those that were created with less side effects than traditional stimulants. Hope this helps. Hang in there, there is so much help out there for you it can only get better :)

First off, I think you should receive copies of all test reports and get a second opinion. Additionally, I would consult with your pediatrician with regard to endocrine issues. Any growth issues? My son's medication for hypothyroidism exacerbated ADD issues which prompted us to have to medicate him. If you're in Los Angeles, I strongly recommend Shirah Vollmer, MD, a child psychiatrist in Westwood, ###-###-####. I was very reluctant to put my son on medication, but after 2 1/2 years, we did, and it's made a world of difference in the quality of our lives. We had to be especially careful with the types of medication and dosages, and I truly believe that specialists have more experience with this than regular pediatricians. Hope this helps. Oh, my son is on Ritalin LA and is now a freshman at a major university!

Hello M., I may truly be one of the most sceptic people on the planet but I will tell you my opinion. Long before adhd was such a huge money maker, 5 year old children were allowed to be children. 5 year olds are 5 year olds and have always had short attention spans. The other thing is that a child or an adult needs to be interested or challenged by the information given to them in order for them to want to pay attention and learn. Sometimes a simple change in the teacher can make a world of difference. I do not know what is in the medicines for this. or what side effects long term they may have. I do believe that there are some medicines designed to help people but when it comes to me first and foremost reguarding the children I take my concerns to prayer first. I have seen many things changed by prayer. I have 4 soon to be 5 children and they are my treasure. I know that you are looking out for your child and want to provide the best care for your child. I wish you the best of luck in ultimately making your decision to medicate or not .

Hi M.,
My son was diagnosed at 6 and I know this is not a fun time - but at least you know what you're dealing with.

Ask your doc re Vyvanse - it's a newer, non-stimulant med. And check out CHADD and Dr. Edward Hallowell's books: Delivered from Distraction and Super Parenting for ADHD.

I know the meds are scary - but remember there can be a cost to your child for not using meds - less school and social success, seeking ways to "self-medicate" when they get older, etc.

Pray, breathe, and hang in there!

I was a Adhd child. My parents were 'Hippy" types who had a lot of natural food, and we played outside all day every day, so I was never diagnosed with it until college. My problem was that I was totally distracted. Had a hard time with finishing anything. My parents also played baroque music during homework, which helped, as it gave me multiple things to do at once (listening to the music and studying). There were also conciquences for falling bellow a certain grade level. I was 'grounded' as we sat at the kitchen table and did the homework until my grades went up. Total torture as I could SEE the other kids playing...
Never Medicated, so it is not something you HAVE to do.
Good luck and Good job getting educated!
R.

M.,

I strongly suggest that you log onto NAET.com.

ADHD, ADD, Autism, and other childhood mental problems can be traced back to food allergies. Yes! Food Allergies.

NAET.com is a group of well trained allergists around the world who treat and elimiate allergies. Yes, Elimiate. They are the only ones, and without drugs.

I have had severe allergies my entire life and at 37 I am now eliminating them with the help of my NAET allergist. AND, it is working! My NAET allergist's name is Sheri Weitz, R.D., her zip code is 90045. And she has experience treating children with Austism. She can help you. If you are not in the Westchester, CA area, then go to NAET.com, type in your zip code and print out the list of allergists in your area.

Should you have any questions, you may contact me at ____@____.com well,

N.

DO NOT DRUG YOUR CHILD!
The only ones that are benefitted by ADHD drugs are the teachers/schools. They rely on them to dull the child's senses and break their spirit because it is inconvenient for them to have a child in class that needs extra attention.

I would be very leery of anything a school psych says - go to your own pediatrician and speak with him or her about this "diagnosis" and discuss your options there.

Try changing her diet first. I believe "Feingold" is the one that helps with ADD/ADHD issues. These issues are also addressed in the book "Disease-Proof Your Child" by Joel Fuhrman, which can be found on amazon.com. There is a wealth of info out there about ADHD and diet, shouldn't be difficult to find.

Prescription drugs should aways be used as a *last* resort, and only if your child's quality of life is suffering. Please do try the diet thing and look into other natural ways of helping her before resorting to Ritalin or other meds.

There are some new meds out there. One of them is given in patch form. I don't believe that it is a stimulant. But the best thing to talk to your pediatrician and be adamant that you do not want to use Ritalin or other stimulants. The one stimulant that worked for my son when he was younger is Adderall, but not as he got older.

I would definetly get a second and third opinion, once with the ped and than get a referral to a psychologist that works with and has experience with children and ADHD. My daughter was diagnosed with ADHD by the Dr first, the school claimed she was defiant and tried to suspend her. We than met with a psych who agreed and we started Medidate controlled release at 10 mg, the lowest dose. My dtr burns through it in about 6 hours so she is now at 20 mg 2x a day (and she's almost 7) to get through school and it truly helps. There are times with ADHD is in addition to or like a "symptom" to another issue, working closely with the psych, the school and going to occupational and speech therapy we have been able to identify Asperger's syndrome, which is in the Autism spectrum, a very high functioning form. Once root causes and symptoms can be identified life get so much easier for everyone because we are able to find therapies and approaches that work and success is in sight! If you don't want to start with drugs the Feingold diet is recommended (with or without drugs), there are books and online info available on that.
Best wishes!
J.

Hi M.,

The bottom line is that if your child doesn't understand what's going on in school, he's not going to focus, he's going to distract the other kids and he's not going to be happy. He probably feels like everyone else understands except him. There is never a need to put your child on medication. IT IS ILLEGAL FOR SCHOOLS TO RECOMMEND MEDICATION FOR CHILDREN. I work with kids who are diagnosed "ADD/ADHD" and they are all bright kids who just don't understand something. Once they get it they are a lot happier and can do well in the classroom. Send me a message if you need more info.

Hi M., I myself have ADHD and it appears that my son does as well although he is so young they are hesitant to diagnose him as such. What has worked extremely well for me (and him) is a very structured routine for the morning and the evening.
The structure of the routine has a very calming effect as they know what is going to come next and when. Also, when he starts to spin out of control, I give him just a bit of sugar in the form of diluted apple juice and I swear you'd think he'd been given a sedative because there is NO sugar in his diet outside of whole fruit. I've been told cutting all sugar out of an ADHD child's diet is very important- my son's diet has always been this way though so it wasn't an issue for us.
I started doing therapy with him and have a wonderful therapist if you're looking to try behavioral modification before you start meds. That is what I'm doing in the hopes of him not requiring medication. I never took medication until I got to be an adult and now it is primarily just for my memory which is severely affected by the ADHD.
I'd be happy to talk more to you about what we're doing in the way of behaviour modification as an alternative to meds. You can email me at ____@____.com

Hi M.,

I don't have experience myself with a child diagnosed with ADHD, however I know many people that are and from my understanding- diet and nutrition is highly related. You might want to do some research on that and begin there, especially since it sounds as though you are not ready to jump the gun on medication- which I don't blame you. From my experience- the nutrition and lack of certain nutrients is a key factor. Do a google search and I am sure you will have to weed thru the amount of advice or information you will find. Good luck.

Have your child's MD check for heavy metal toxicity, candida, and food allergies. Do not feed her anything made with artificial food coloring. Please visit my website
www.victoryoveradhd.
My twins had ADHD and other issues. They were successfully treated naturally.
Feel free to email me if you have any questions or need referrals.
D. Merlin
Mother/author

Please read the book Healing the New Childhood Epidemics by Dr. Kenneth Bock. My son also has ADHD issues and this book is helping us healing the underlying medical issues naturally instead of just masking his symptoms with prescriptions. I think this book will help you get a better understanding of all that is really going on in your daughter's body and give her the support that she needs to adjust her system to where it should be.

Good luck to you and your daughter.

HI M., My son has ADHD and Aspergers Syndrome. What I have been giving him is natural. It is called ESE it is a herbal. It is from Sunrider.Helps him concentrate and he seems calmer with it too. Check it out at theior website.
Y.

I just read an article (I think it was Reuter's World Health News) in which the researcher stated that allowing a child to run around the playgroung for 15 minutes prior to a seated activity (such as a test or a math lesson) did exactly the same thing as Ritilan. Remember, medications have side effects. I tried my youngest on what was supposed to be a blind test (I asked that no ritilan be used) for ADD meds. I found out later that Ritialn was the only drug they used in the test, at varying doses. The Ritilan triggered Tourettes' and did irreprealbe dammage! Kids are not meant to sit still - they need more activity time!

using homeopathy for ADHD gives good results.
http://www.healing-arts.org/children/ADHD/homeopathy.htm#...
or check out this book on dealing with ADHD without damaging overall health:
http://www.ritalinfreekids.com/

M. C.

You stated the school psychologist diagnosed your daughter with ADHD, get a second opinion. School psychologist's and teacher's use this diagnosis for many situations. The psychologist that treats your daughter should not be affiliated with the school. This is a label that is put on children when a teacher cannot handle a child. I have been a student of psychology for the past four years. In our discussions we found that many school counselors/psychologist's will use this to calm a child down. Between you private doctor and a private/agency psychologist you can be certain that the psychologist at the school is acting responsibly. The learning disabilities could be the only problem you have to deal with, so second opinions are the best way to go.

I personally have a son who is dyslexic, he too was very active and found ways to not learn. He was taken to our personal pediatrician and tested for dyslexia. After we found his problem, he settled down and is now at at age 34 a successful business owner and graduated at the top of his high school. You may try to see if a counselor can help your daughter, as this could explain some of her actions at school and at home. Counselors can be a scary thing, but through my studies, (I am currently working on my masters and licensure) I have found that there are agencies that can help your daughter and your family deal with what ever the outcome of the diagnose is.

Please do not just go with the school psychologist's diagnosis, this is biased toward the school not the family unit. The school my grand-daughter was going to tried to keep her on ridelin (sorry about the spelling, not sure of the spelling), my daughter refused to give it to her. she went to counseling and this helped her to calm down and learn some special ways to handle social interactions and personal interactions as well.

Good Luck!

Nine years ago I undertook the care of my brothers 2 children. The oldest of the 2 is male and was 6 at the time. Prior to his coming to live with us, the school had already identified him with some sort of attention deficet. My best advice to you BEFORE you entertain ANY medication is, that you educate yourself and fast.
Your daughter is so very young and it is imperative that she see a qualified, well versed psychiatrist (MD) who specializes in children with ADHD. I am talking about a doctor your child will see regularly, who will answer all your questions in your language. You will also require weekly visits with a qualified psycologist who will assist your family of 3 in learning different skills to deal with everyday and long term goals. A clinic or center where they have a different intern working with your child from week to week, is not an option.
Read everything you can get your hands on about medication options. There are so many and none are recommended for children, although these meds are prescribed left and right. Some meds have shown great results. Your understanding of how the meds work in your childs body, is necessary in order to make that decision.
If your child is diagnosed with ADHD, by a qualified physician, she will have so many educational options. You will require an Individual Education Plan (IEP) from her school in order to facilitate options. Here too you will need to do your homework finding advocates, organizations or and attornies, skilled at assisting families.
This is alot and it will get very confusing, especially now that many programs are being cut. ASK QUESTIONS AND KEEP ASKING! Do not go along with anything that your heart tells you is not right for YOUR child. Hang in there. With the support of the loving partner you have, you both will find the answers to educate your daughter.

Hi
Whichever route you end up choosing I hope it works out for you. I suggest a diet change. I have several nieces and nephews with ADHD and none of them are on meds. They are on strict diets...gfcf and little to no sugar.

Well M.,
I have two boys now teenagers with ADHD. We ourselves didn't want to give them drugs either.So we decided to give them the medication only on school days so they could focus on school and the teachers would not finger them as trouble kids. We started with Ritlin a small amount on each. We did not give them the meds on weekends or holidays. I hope this gives you some options. My oldest is off his meds now for he has learned to control himself.
D.;)

Before you go and get a prescription please go get your daughter a second opinion!! My now 7 year old daughter was "diagnosed" with ADHD and it turns out that she has Absence Seizures, a form of epilepsy!!! There is information on the internet that suggest that many children diagnosed with ADHD really have silent or Absence Seizures, it is more common in girls than boys.

We have changed her diet to eliminate all artificial sweeteners, not that I used them in the first place but every gum except Chikelets has aspartame in them!! Even juicy fruit, doublemint, ones that you wouldn't think have artificial sweeteners. As I am reading labels even more carefully than I was before I can't believe where there are artificial sweeteners!!! We are even more vigilant now than we were before about MSG.

She has a prescription that we haven't filled yet because of hesitancy with the side effects. Her teacher this year is amazing and has helped with different teaching methods that have made a huge difference.

Good luck

I have an 18 and a 14 year old girls who each have different learning issues. I primarily went the holistic route with homeopathic remedies, flower essences, Mozart music during homework, joint compression exercises, vision therapy (really helped). . . you can see where I'm going with this.

Finally our 14 year old was just dropping out on the homework end, horrible behavior at home but behaved well in school but the school realized she also needed to be in resource, which helped break it down for her.

She had a diagnosis of ADHD, which by the way is a major catchall for everything. Finally put her on adderol which will power ANYONE thru a project, homework whatever, but the come down from that was terrible. After 5 months we took her to the Amen Clinic in Newport Beach which does MRI's, spec scans only to discover she has no add or adhd. If you have either of those, they show up as black areas. She has hyper anxiety which can exhibit as adhd. The doc said to take her off the meds and put her on amino acids. I looked at the list and I had already had her on them but in much smaller doses. She is doing great! My daughter currently does neuro feedback to work on the anxiety and he does a great amount of work with amino acids so he monitors her dosage with simple urine test about monthly. I highly recommend him.

But please, 5 years old and on drugs. . . for me is just not acceptable unless you are going other things like joint compression exercises etc to work her issues out so she can get off the drugs.

The other things you have to realize is that this is not a disability. I am sure your daughter is very smart but the schools have not caught up to these kids and how they learn differently.

Dr. Cantu is in Carmel Valley. He is great

Please go to a MEDICAL DOCTOR to have your child evaluated. No way can anyone at school, even a school psychologist "diagnose' your child with anything, much less suggest which medication IF ANY you should try. This is ridiculous.
If the school psych assessed your child, the most he/she can do is identify learning disabilities and suggest services to take advantage of at school. As far as ADD/ADHD, he/she may recognize signs of it through the assessment, and share that with you so that you may have her evaluated if you wish. NEVER should anyone at your kids school recommend medication to you.
That said, have her evaluated because it is best to rule it out, or find out so you can begin to work on strategies etc.
The doctor will have the info you need to make the decisions you are discussing here (not that it isn't also helpful to get all these experienced mamas' input too). Anyway, I'm a school counselor so this is where I'm coming from with this response, I am not a mom with an ADHD child (as far as I know, yet!) so I can't help much with that part of it. I was just really appalled at yoru experience with the school!
Good luck, you know what's best for your child, you are her best advocate and will make the right decision for your family. Good for you for gathering all the info you can.

hi! M.

my daughter also have ADHD and was diagnosed by the school also. at 6years old it was real hard at frist then i took her took three pediatrician to make sure. they allsaid the some thing so we begin .to fine the best treaments . she is 9 years old and doing a lot better but the road is not going to be fun . its a good thing that you have a good man thats there to help because i have to do this alone.and the best treament that i found was focalin 5mg. that help her to focus and calm down.i hope you the best for you and the family god bless!!!!!!!

First of all, does she go from one subject to another? Is she able to keep her focus for long amounts of time on one particular thing?

A lot of kids are misdiagnosed, and I would get a second opinion.

If that is the case, make a diary of the foods she eats. She may be having a reaction to some of them. Studies have shown that organic foods (foods without pesticides) tend to calm a child down. Also, limit her amount of sugar intake. That may be a large indication of her being gittery. Also, watch what she does when she has caffeen. If she falls asleep soon after taking it, then she has ADD or ADHD. This has the opposite effect of those who have this disorder.

I do have more than one child that is diagnosed with ADHD. They have all been on medication. I refused to have my kids on Ritalin. There are other meds out there that can help. My last child who has this, is on Ritalin, but only as a last resort. We tried many meds that would work for a bit then stop working.

There are also many websites for those who have this disorder. Check them out, and they will give you some ideas about food, and medications.

Hope this helps.

J.

Just a word of caution. There has been research on ritalin relating it to later health problems. I do believe liver problems was one of them. I teach at an elementary school and learned this from our psych. If you do decide on meds be sure to discuss them with your doctor. There are quite a few different ones.
I think it's wise of you not to jump to meds right away and weigh things out. I know for the students I work with having a well organized environment really helps. Another idea is breaking up large tasks into smaller ones. Having daily routines or duties can be helpful.