Seeking Alternative Natural Herbs to Medicine

I met a woman in the park last year that was struggling with the same thing you mention. She found a balance between a strict and predictable schedule, diet and extercise that really changed her son. I was quite inspired by her effort.

You mentioned adjusting diet. Sometimes it takes a pretty major adjustment initially and then you can re-introduce some things later. The feingold diet is the most effective one http://www.feingold.org/ It eliminates, dyes, sugars, wheat, milk, etc...

There is an office in willow glen that has chiropractor, nutritionalist and homeopathic doctors. The nutrutional/food allergy feedback was very valuable to me to pinpoint the foods that may cause a reaction http://proactivehealthcare.net/why_proactive_ph.html

Good luck.

Do some research on Valerian and GABA. Those pop in to my head, but without a diagnosis... it's hard to tell.

Dear S.,

I am sorry your son has those problems. I know how very disruptive they are for the whole family.

I am a classical homeopath with a specialization in pediatric homeopathy. I work a lot with children who experience behavior challenges. I have helped many children to reverse their behavior patterns and become emotionally healthy and happy. Homeopathy may completly reverse the tendency to this type of behavior whereus the conventional drugs will never give you a "cure" they will just supress the symptoms and give you quite a few side effects.

Please take a look at my website for more information. http://www.masharosen.com

Best wishes,
M..

M. Rosen, CHom
Certified Homeopath
http://www.masharosen.com
###-###-####
840 Hinckley Road, Suite 110
Burlingame, CA 94010

Healing Children Naturally is the best book I have ever bought. It's written by Dr. Michael Savage. It has herbal remedies, food remedies, recipies etc for everything, Acne, behavior, Colds, Fevers, etc. It has been such a blessing to us, we have 5 children, they are rarely sick and when they are it doesn't last long.

Hi, S.~

It's great that you're doing your research! You may find that a combination of things work best. You've gotten some great responses. Vitamins may be a great option too, in addition to the dietary changes. You may also want to work had in hand with your pediatrician even if you take the alternative route, just to make sure there aren't any complications you need to look for. I'm an marketing executive for a great wellness company and we have vitamins and products specifically geared to helping kids with ADHD and many families who have tried the products have seen improvements in their children's behavior. If you'd like to talk more offline about the specifics, I'd be happy to share more with you.

All the best,
D.
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ADHD and behavior issues are side effects of a gluten allergy. Take him off gluten and see if that helps. You can find gluten free pasta and crackers at Whole Foods Market. Once he is off the wheat and gluten for 4-6 weeks reevaluate his behavior. For lots of info on gluten Google Celiac. Tons of symptoms you would be so surprised, most of the things that they list you wouldn't think are even related, but if it is that it's simple to fix. 97% of people with Celiac or gluten intolerance don't even know they have it!
My son lived with 17 symptoms and I had no idea! It is at least worth eliminating before you give him meds.
If you want to look into it you can send me a message, I have lots of info I can share with you, as well as great web suites you can research.

Hi S.,
I agree with the moms who suggest a change of diet. Eliminate all sugars, high fructose corn syrup, and processed foods for a month or two. I also recommend evaluating his sleep schedule/habits. A great book to read to understand sleep needs and circadian rhythms is Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Dr. Marc Weissbluth. While it focuses on the younger age group, it will help you understand why children need sleep at the right times. There have been studies done that show ADD and ADHD symptoms in children who aren't sleeping within their biological sleep rhythms and/or not getting enough sleep. I am a HUGE advocate of the early bedtime, say 7-8pm, for his age. Did these problems start or get worse around the time of your marriage? It could be a big factor, and getting him into counselling would help him deal.
Sincerely,
L.

Without knowing more about what the school's assessment said, I'm going to venture a guess that he has executive function problems which many young boys have. They have trouble expressing frustration appropriately, controlling their impulses, attending, planning and organizing their thoughts and behavior, reading social cues from their environment. Our son was language delayed and at 8-1/2 is still learning to use self talk to calm himself when he's frustrated. Aggression is often related to frustration (and sometimes depression) in young children. We expect children to sit in their seats all day in school which, particularly for boys, is not the way they function. I would recommend finding a good behaviorist to work with your school and you at home to implement a behavior plan. Two caveats: your son may not know appropriate ways to express what his behavior is expressing, so the behaviorist has to make sure he is taught missing skills. A good behaviorist looks at what is triggering the behaviors and what communication need they are fulfilling and what reactions are sustaining the behavior; then develops a plan to change the environment and your child's reaction to it. The second is the program has to be implemented with real consistency. If the plan is working, be aware that behavior often gets worse and then begins to get better. From my experience, school psychologist are generally not strong enough in their experience to do this well.

S.

S.,
I am so sorry you are going through this - I know it is really hard.

This isn't about herbs, but it is an alternative treatment so I thought I'd write you about it.

First, I would make sure that the caregivers he has are all being nice to him (nannycam?). I have a friend who's child was behaving really out of the ordinary, but never said anything, and it turned out that his babysitter was really messed up, and treating him really bad when she was alone with him (this went on for years before it was discovered.)

I don't know what you believe about spiritual things, but we have found that prayer has really helped in these situations.
Jesus really wants to help you and heal your son of this behavior.

One of our friends started to pray for her son for 2 hours every day (this was hard with her schedule), and his behavior dramatically changed after 6 months, and he was permanently better at one year. 2 hours a day may seem like a long time (email us if you need help on how to pray..)But it works!

I can see why you are hesitant to use meds.
God bless you, sounds like you're doing a great job as a mother!
Love,
M.

Sounds like ADHD, although there are many other conditions that are similar and you really need a professional diagnosis from a psychiatrist or pediatric neurologist. I would visit the website for ADDitude magazine (www.additudemag.com) for information on herbal supplements that are often used to treat ADHD symptoms (although none resolve them). The site has a lot of great information about herbal options as well as the medications commonly used to treat ADHD.

I would continue to look into diet and find a naturopath to help with herbal homeopathic remedies. Our neighbor has had great success with strict adherance to the Feingold diet. She also uses probiotics and digestive enzymes. Behavioral problems can be symptoms of other issues. Our toddler has celiac disease (she cannot have gluten). When she accidentally gets gluten she is highly irratable, aggressive and self destructive. Also we love the book Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child. It shows natural and conventional treatments for many childhood ailments side by side.

Hi S.,

Working with natural herbs could be a good idea. Also, I have an idea for you that may be helpful. Have you considered having an astrologer help you have a better understanding of your childs personality and temperament by creating a birthchart? It may be helpful to your relationship if you had a place to start, and astrology can help one to figure it out.

Just an idea,
-M

Form 'Today's Herbal Health For Children'
Encourage the child to take responsibility for their behavior.
Reward good behavior, and avoid, as mucu as possible, negative behavior.
Encourage healthy, regular eating habits. Low blood sugar problems may be a factor.
Excercise is helpful for burning excess energy. Go for a walk, hike, bike ride, or play in the backyard or park. It is also a good way to focus energy positively and learn appropriate behavior.
Do not give up. Patience and consistency are essential when trying to correct negative behavior.
Nutritional Supplements~~ B-Complex:soothing to the nervous system, essential for brain function, also help the body to effectively handle stress. Calcium/Magnesium: combo necessary for proper nerve function and a healthy body, they have a calming effect on the biody. Vitamin C: essential to a healthy body and for healing, important in the synthesis of neurotransmitters in the brain. Essential Fatty Acids: found in the membranes around each cell, they are important for all body functions and the immune system.

Herbal Remedies~~
Chamomile-is calming and relaxing to the nervous system
Ginkgo-is important for the function of the brain
Gotu Kola- is considered a brain food and may help with mental function
Passion Flower- is relaxing and can help with insomnia

Also, are his iron levels alright? Children with even slight anemia show symptoms similar to hyperactivity. He may need a supplement. My daughter(7) is slightly anemic, and she can get aggrssive, and sometimes just plain mean, but as long as we make sure her iron levels are okay, our pediatrician reccomended we start cooking in cast iron, it puts iron into the food we cook, which helps since she doesn't like much red meat, but will eat the heck out of chicken!, and she takes a multi-vitamin with iron, she is well behaved, sweet, considerate and caring, she's like a whole different kid.

Hope some of this helps, and whatever you decide, Best Wishes and Best of Luck!!

Try a homeopathic Dr.

I've brought my children to Dr. Gregory Manteuffel in SFO for years. I was referred by a co-worker. His Phone # is ###-###-####. I've personally witnessed help from Dr. Manteuffel with my friends' children as well as my own with things such as: ear infections, agression, seizures, ADHD, ADD, warts, eczema, defiance, apathy, etc.

He's on Ocean Ave. - across from Stonestown Mall.

Blessings to you.

Mom of four: 19, 12, 7, 5 mos

Just a couple of thoughts, find a reputable allergist and a naturopath to evaluate him. Consider food/dye/environmental allergies, yeast allergy. Ask his doctor if there would be value in testing for heavy metals. Is there a pattern? Is there a change in routine? Good luck. (I am a mom to an ADD, Asperger's syndrome child, age 11).

I noticed that no one mentioned Dr. Daniel Amen. He has had a special playing on PBS all this last week that you may still be able to catch, and he has a ton of books and other resources that you can read up on. My cousin went to Dr. Amen's clinic in Fairfield for help with his severe ADHD. Dr. Amen works with both natural remedies and medication, but tries to use natural remedies first.

I like the diet and exercise idea. Especially exercise. It's good for aggression.

S.,

Your head must be spinning with all the great advice you've received. I'm sure it's hard to know what approach will work in your situation, and I'm going to throw one more suggestion into the mix - another dietary approach.

Sugar-sensitive children exhibit the behavior you've described, and with changes in diet (mostly paying attention to the balance and timing of food), the results are AMAZING! My son exhibited all of the behavior your son has, and now he's calm and focused in class. The principal of our school called it a miracle.

There's a wonderful book called Little Sugar Addicts by Kathleen DesMaisons, and if you want to see if your son fits the profile, you can check it out at littlesugaraddicts.com. There's also a really wonderful online support group.

Good luck sorting all of this out!

when you say you're adjusting his diet, have you eliminated different potential allergens? I'd try getting him off wheat, dairy, soy. Reduce tv time. It doesn't help their brains develop properly. Read some Rudolf Steiner and Waldorf education info. It might help. Get him out into nature more and away from video games, tv and computers. Good luck!

Hi S.,

You might want to check this out, it is a great liquid supplement and there are testimonials that it has helped people in your situation, also being that your husband may be out of a job soon you can purchase it as a Member and could potentially earn residual income. http://www.DrinkSupplements.com or http://www.7mainstreet.com/drinksupplements

E.

try omegas, and/or phosphatidylserine. good luck, and good for you for seeking alternatives!

continue being his advocate! The school and doctor have to listen to you. It sounds like you know something is missing for son to be able to function appropriatly. It is a frustrating and long process, so hang in there. Keep in mind that a school psychologist is not a clinical psychologist and can not diagnose behavioral issues. This is a common misunderstanding and sometimes they are used in the wrong way. You know and understand your son best, so keep advocating for answers and help. It might also help to check out local resources and supports to find out which health and behavioral professionals are raved about. Peace.

I know several families who have had success with homeopathy. I would encourage you to give it a try.My nephew had similar behavior problems and it help alot.

These sound to me like emotional issues, not physical ones. There are a lot of changes happening to this kid. You got married, you go to work, you bought a house, your husband is getting laid off, etc. If this is a sensitive boy then these things are just effecting him and he doesn't know that they are, or how to handle his emotions. I know it sounds extreme. but I would consider therapy. Also there is a great book called "Real Boys" that talks about the emotions that young boys feel and how to recognize and deal with them. One suggestion they make is to get your son a relative or some other adult that they trust and can talk to without feeling like they are betraying you. Someone they truly trust. A therapist can be that person. Sometimes when I get stressed I feel exactly like what you described.

Oh yeah, you asked for herbs. I would reccomend a natural b complex. Vitamin B does wonders to overcome toxins or impurities in our bodies.

My son had some behavior issues also. We tried 1,2,3 magic doctor told us. It helped. But I put him on native remidies for adhd,foucs. I used foucs,bright spark,one for adhd. he has changed 100 % it does take a few weeks to see results. It all natural. Teachers say he is a different child. I would try it. it's a little cheaper if you go on amazon. but go to there website and see the products. There about 25 a bottle. But its better than docotor med's and less harmful. There cheawables. I sware by them. Everyone notices a big difference in my child. He has never had a dignoses of it either. Doctors say he is too young for ritilan plus that med is to harmful for him. it causes long term effects also.

First I want to commend you for looking into the meds more closely. It seems like that should be an absolute last resort. My son is also 7 and doesn't have behavioral issues, but he will go through emotional stages where he feels insecure. I have spoken with several types of alternative medicine doctors (homeopaths, chiropractors, anthroposophic and naturopathic doctors) and the supplements I have found to be the most beneficial are a good quality fish oil, a good quality probiotic, and I give him a chewable called Attentive Child by Source Naturals. Limiting sugar and all food coloring is important as well. I hope this helps, at least its a place to start.