Treating ADHD Without Meds?

I am looking at treating my child alternatively too. So far I have found high doses of Niacin help. I can email you my sites that I am researching if you want me to. Send me an email at ____@____.com and I can attach some sites for you (they are all in my inbox :) )

Hi M., My son who turned 8 in May and just starrted 3rd grade was diagnosed w/ mild borderline ADHD and Post tramatic stress d/o w/ anxiety that he has a very hard time controling. I have found doctors that agree w/ me that meds are definitly a LAST RESORT. He is in counseling, it helps a little. The part that I don't understand is how did they diagnose your daughter w/o evaluating her for a L/D. The test are the same. Did the school diagnose her or did the pediatrician? The school should evaluate her for an IEP, this testing takes @1year in total it includes an eval of all levels of her education, eval from a psycologist, speech therapist, occ therapist, school councelor and more.
We have found that his teacher just has to keep on top of him, as much as I feel that this should not be her problem retraining him how to stay on task seems to be the key, so I'm told by his IEP team. They found my son to have no L/D however struggles w/ reading because he hesitates on s/z, and not even all the time occasionally and this can distract him. Our biggest problem is homework, somehow he seems to forget to bring it home and when he does he doesn't turn it in the next day! Well good luck!

M. D,
I saw your post and felt that i had to respond. I work as a Behavior Specialist for a small practice in Harrisburg. For the last year I have been working on an attention training program for school aged children with attention and/or impulse control problems. This a sometimes used as an alternative to medicine but some of my clients are using meds when they start the program. It is an intensive (2x/wk for 1 hour each time)program that helps teach children how to focus and pay attention by learning their own internal/external cues. Often children with ADHD are told to "pay attention" but they are unable to do so like every other child in the classroom or they are not told how. I don't want to come off as a walking advertisement but i really believe in this program and have seen wonderful results both at home and at school withthe kids. If you want any more info, Please call me at my office. We are actually having an open house next saturday oct 7 about the program and others at our office. We also have an ad in the Central Penn Parent magazine this month. I truly believe that if taught the right way to focus the children can be more successful than with just medication.
K. Manning
Behavior Specialist
Riverside Associates, P.C.
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We had a foster child with ADHD and structure really seemed to work for her. We made check lists and charts to keep her on task. I've also heard that changes is diet can help, but she wasn't with us long enough for me to research that.

I agree that this is way overdiagnosed these days. Good for you for considering options!

I don't know how you would feel about this. When my sister was young she also had ADHD. They actually took her off medication, and would give her a cup of Mountain Dew every morning, and it actually worked for a while. I know this sounds strange, but with ADHD there is actually a lack of "caffeine" in their bodies, so it works.

I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH LEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I too think ADHD is diagnosed to too many children to so that the doctor doesnt have to deal with it......I have also dealt with alot of my friends that say, "The doctor think he/she has ADHD"....nope...just bored and excited to try new things...

I tried something called the Feingold diet. (Feingold.org) It is not easy just to warn you. If you can do it though, I think it really works, you just have to be very thorough! VERY! It worked a little for my son, but it didn't do enough (He has severe ADHD plus Aspergers syndrome). It turned out there were little things we forgot about, such as discontinuing his flouride supliment in school.

Good luck!

Do you really think not giving her meds is the right thing? I am not always thrilled with the amount of children on meds. I understand your hesitation. I do know, she might not be having a problem now, but it doesn't always get better. It is chemical, not behavioral. Medicine is there for a reason. It helps. It might just give her the edge. If she is doing somewhat okay without it, what do you think she could do with it? We want what's best for our children. It sometimes means we need to put our fears and doubts aside. Concerta is very safe and it is not like ridalin or some of the others.

Naturally? You eliminate all pasta, white-bleached flour, sugar, caffine, red-dye, and you add omega 3 and 6 suppliments. I was told this by a psychiatrist my daughter was seeing in Harrisburg.

I do have to say, we ended up putting her on meds. To control her diet like that was almost impossible. She does so much better on the medicine. I have a 16, 14, and 12 year old on meds. My 18 and 10 year old are not. The 10 year old might need them, and I have struggled and as of yet, have not put him on any. I don't like the idea either. But I many times think I am self-centered. It is better for him as a young child to have everything afforded to him to have a bright future and not struggle. He has some of the same struggles you describe with your daughter. Maybe I should put my money where my mouth is for him...

I'm a high school teacher (and a mom) and I agree with advice that you've gotten from the other moms! I think if you feel that your daughter can get through this without meds, DON'T MEDICATE! You know her the best and I think you should trust your intuition. Kids are kids and not everyone fits into the 'cookie cutter' model of how kids 'should' be in school. As teachers, it is our job to deal with these kids no matter what or how they are. Some teachers deal well with this and(unfortunately!) many don't. I'm glad to hear that you seem to have a good one! Use her as your resource- she should know a lot about kids- especially how yours is doing while you're not around to see her. Try to get her evaluated by the Special Services department too. If she needs services, I think it's better to do it now while she's young and just learning about school- rather than later when she's turned into an angry, hard to manage teenager because school is always hard and she never does well no matter what she does. Let your daughter work hard and be firm and encouraging and supportive as she works hard. My best students are the ones who know how to work hard and who have experienced success because THEY were responsible. Set high expectations for her and she'll do great! Good luck!

Hi M..

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I know that a very strict schedule and the fewest number of people in a child's daily life can be very helpful.
I mean have the same people involved on a daily basis as much as possible.

My 13 year old was diagnosed with ADHD at 6 yrs of age I did try everything you are doing before decided to use medication. You could try some private tutoring that does help with the at home work, it is more stressful and you and your daughter when they time you are spending together at night is struggling over homework. I do want to say one thing on medication it is a very hard choice to make but you have to put the needs of your daughter first and think that if she needed glasses to see you would get them for her. If she needs meds to stay focused and to feel more in control of her daily activities. I have been truthful with my son and he understand that it has nothing to do with him that his brain needs the medication, when he was smaller he called it he's "brain pill" He is doing great and has shown improvemnet in school and at home. This is a hard choice to make, do some research my son takes concerta I haven't had any problems and he hasn't suffer from any of the side effects.

Hey M.,
I totally agree with what your doctors have told you. Medication is definitely a last resort. My son was diagnosed with ADHD when he was 6, he is now 12. He had a harder time with it in the beginning and what I mean by that is that he was very fidgety in class, very verbal and disruptive, he would get out of his seat and run around the classroom and he would have "outbursts" (talking about death, diseases, "bad things", etc.).

My husband and I decided to put him on the medication, Ritalin, because we were told that the meds would help with the "outbursts" but it did not. He developed anxiety and he became very angry, paranoid and suicidal (and this was at 6 - 7 years old - it was heartbreaking). The doctors wanted us to put our son on anti-depressants to help with the suicidal thoughts, paranoia and depression but I said "enough!". I took my son off of the medication back in 2001 (when he was 7 years old) and I have never gone back to it. He is doing better NOW that he is off of the medication than he did when he was on it. He has matured and has almost "grown out" of the ADHD.

Anyway, all this just to say that it sounds like your daughter is doing far better than my son did. We had no choice but to put him on medication because he was transferred from school to school because they could not control him in class and "could not deal" (their words not mine) with his behavior issues. You do not have that with your daughter and I doubt that you will since most experts say that ADHD symptoms are worst at a younger age in children.

It sounds like you are doing the very best thing for your daughter. My son also has a problem with writing when it comes to homework or schoolwork. He has learning disabilities which can sometimes go hand in hand with an ADHD diagnosis.

Sometimes it is hard as parents to "push" our children to do something when it seems they cannot do it but with children who have ADHD, the best thing to do is to push them to reach their goals. It builds confidence, self-esteem and pride. It shows them that they can do what they thought was impossible :-)

I wish you all the best!
J.

Okay, let me say that all my teachers thought I was (then) ADD because I could not stay on task. I also did very well in school. Went through testing, and it turns out, I was no where near ADD, but I was bored because my IQ was high and I was flying through the work ahead of my peers and was bored and trying to stimulate my brain in any way I could. So my first suggestion is try IQ testing. (p.s. most of those who have high intellegence have also have poor handwriting because we think faster than we can write, so we are rushing to get through the writing to get the idea down.)

I have worked in social service and I feel that ADHD is WAY too over diagnosed. If a child is energetic, then they must be ADHD. There are cases in new york state where kids were forced on medication then tested later to find out, they were not ADHD.

Also a tip you can use is to listen to her sleep. If she is snoring, then that might be your key. Some cases of ADHD have been traced back to sleep. When they snore, they often snore loud enough to wake themselves up a few times a night causing a lack of sleep and the behaviors are actually from being overtired. (Think about it, don't the behaviors mimic someone who is overtired and trying to keep themselves awake. If they sit still for one second they will proabably be out.) The rememdy to this is to keep track of her snoring, and then take it to your psych (if you do not have one, then the diagnosis is definitely suspect), or your PCP. Ask for a sleep study. If she shows this snoring or sleep apnia, they will remove tonsils and adnoids and you will find that the undesireable behaviors will dissappear. If you want the supporting studies, I will find and forward to you.

Ritalin is not as affective as it is told to be, and any anti-depressants, anti-anxiety medications have not been tested long term on the developing brain and are dangerous.

Good luck, and stick to your guns. Your daughter might not have any learning disability, she may have dyslexia, or she might be overly tired. Until you get a definitive diagnosis stick to your instict about not giving her any meds.

L.

M.,
Im new here and I have two boys with ADHD....Ben who is 10 and Alex who is 8....Let me tell you I tried all sorts of thing...I couldnt stand the thought of them being on the Meds they where taking that I took them off and tired a few different things and even read a book..Nothing seemed to work though...Both of my sons are gifted and very smart...Seems as though when they come home from school to do homework there done with it in minutes and I look at them like geeze wish I could have done that,lol...I have them on there meds just so there able to sit still and concentrate in school.It helps them focus so there not so edgy and wiggley when they need to be focused and prepared.My 10 year old is on Adderall which he takes one in the morning and one about 3 ish when whe comes home from school.There only 5mg a tablet so its not as though hes getting over medacated...My 8 year old is on Concerta low dose and it works wonders with that little guy.They ask me every morning why there so different from there brothers and sisters and I tell them theres nothing wrong with being different.There just VERY special and smart in there own unique way:)...Hope I helped...Hugs,R.

Hi I also have a son that has ADHD but is now 18 so I know some things. We tried to not medicate him also but then we tried some things. The best one that works for us was Adderall. He is more focused and when he had to get homework done it was much better then when he wasn't on it. It would take us hours just to do maybe a few sentences. I know how that can be hard for a parent. Is she in any learning support groups in school? I know my son had to be. Also this is something you might want to think about. In the summer of 2003 we got our son checked out at school. Here to find out he dropped 10% of his learning ability. We then took him to another Dr cause we didn't know what was wrong. We thought maybe he was doing drugs or something. Here to find out he has lyme disease and its in research that some Drs diagnose ADHD which is really lyme disease. So you might want to check that out. Good luck and hope I was a help. K.