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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Our Challenging Children (gifted, ADHD, sensitive, defiant)
Did alternative treatments work for you ADHD child?
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amother


 

Post Sun, May 18 2014, 12:08 am
I am absolutely at my wits' end. My 5 year old child was diagnosed with ADHD, and we have tried behavioral therapists, parenting classes, shadows... I am concerned for his safety, he just refuses to get dressed or go through the bedtime routine or what not, and there's no forcing him to. He runs out of the house or school at random and will cross streets on a whim. He doesn't give a hoot about social norms and is very self-directed. My extended family, such as grandparents and siblings, tend to be very judgmental of us for wanting to medicate him, but they don't live with us. My kids, husband and I are tearing our hair out trying to deal with him. He causes us tremendous anxiety, has been kicked out of school for his behaviors, was not allowed on a class trip due to their concerns with safety and just messes up our lives. My other kids are all wonderful, but difficult in their own respect, and it compounds the dynamic as they can act cruel to him due to their resentment. I'm very close to putting him on Ritalin but then I read all of these articles about it not being safe, about how alternative stuff can help, diet, etc. Problem is our lives are very hectic, and I can't possible enforce a gluten/sugar/MSG/chemical additives free diet. He goes to school and gets his hands on junk there and the neighbors too. It's rampant everywhere and I couldn't add another thing to make myself anxious. I do want to do the responsible and safe thing, so I'm looking for success stories of parents who have treated their child's ADHD with alternatives to medication. Please share! Medication stories that were a success are welcome too. I guess I'm just looking for both...
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ShanaMatele




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 18 2014, 12:42 am
Sobering but fantastic video that I found to be very helpful:


It is pro-medication and very specific about why.
It's quite long, but well worth the time IMO.
HTH!!
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amother


 

Post Sun, May 18 2014, 12:43 am
Please read the Mayo Clinic Reports about the problem adults who had ADHD untreated add children face. This is what made me decide to medicate.

In the schools it doesn't matter what you know your child knows. If they can't convey to the teacher then it is as if they don't know it.

I tried a bunch of alternatives. Medicated DC is a dream and scores 9+ years ahead on achievement treats. Prior to meds special school was often suggested.

I don't believe in theses special diets. The reason they appear to work is the Hawthorne Effect. The fact attention is being paid to the problem effects the results. It is not necessarily the treatment.
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Mama Bear




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 18 2014, 1:25 am
there are vitamins that can help.
but I donno about teh safety aspect. I'm so sorry about that. Sad
I'm wondering if maybe he isnt slightly on the autism spectrum too? bc a kid with adhd would have some safety awareness.
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chani8




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 18 2014, 1:38 am
You really must get Dr Amen's book on the 6 types of ADHD. It will clear it all up for you about the pros and cons of meds. Bottom line of the book is that you have to get the right meds for that brain type. He is pro-meds but gives suggestions for natural alternatives in the form of herbs or amino acids.

Honestly, diet is a waste of your energy for a child this age, for the slight benefits it can help with ADHD. Unless he's allergic to something. Keeping food coloring away and limiting sugar is just basic common sense though. Giving Omega 3 and healthy fats in food is good for the brain.

Your son sounds hyperactive and impulsive. That's a complicated brain, actually. If you try ritalin, then the way you'll know if it's matiim or not is how he does on it. If he calms and focuses, it's good. If he gets violent and moody, it's seriously wrong for him. If he mentions wanting to kill himself, again it's the wrong stuff or way too strong. IME, this type of kid needs something like Valerian Root drops to calm the brain and help with focus. But one can never know for sure unless you try stuff. You can get herbs like valerian at the health food store. They also have other natural remedies, but your child is ADHD, not ADD, so that is trickier and harder to help.

Just monitor his behavior closely when you try new things. Sometimes you'll know within a very short time that it's not the right stuff. We once had to hold a child down until the stuff wore off. A small dose of Ritilin helps some of my kids, and makes others really mean. So really, read the book so you know what you're dealing with.
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brocha1




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 18 2014, 1:40 am
hi I have two kids one on ritalin and one on concerta im very happy with it it changed my boys from angry kids to happy kids
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chani8




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 18 2014, 2:11 am
Mama Bear wrote:
there are vitamins that can help.
but I donno about teh safety aspect. I'm so sorry about that. Sad
I'm wondering if maybe he isnt slightly on the autism spectrum too? bc a kid with adhd would have some safety awareness.


Our son was diagnosed ADHD but in the end, he really was 'just' severely dyslexic. He had no safety awareness until we drew him pictures.
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seeker




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 18 2014, 2:18 am
I don't want to give advice on what you should do, but I do want to offer support to you and strongly encourage you to do what you think is right for your family and your child, not what others pressure you into. Your parents and siblings should not have any part in this decision; in fact, for the sake of your child's current and future privacy I think all these conversations need to stop. Do you have a husband on board who can help you with this decision?

I have had many students who had great results on medication. Yes, it can be a journey finding the right type and dose - there are several types and what works for an individual can even change (watch out around puberty especially.) So if one thing doesn't go well, you can try something else; if you're worried about side effects or about a "drugged" effect, you keep a close watch on the changes and if you don't like them, you move on to the next option.

I also have students who I cry for because they weren't on medication. Kids for whom nothing else worked, yet the parents were so set against it that there was nothing to talk about. One kid was a real genius, adorable too, yet walked around feeling so down on himself because he is such a mess - and the depressed feelings just make the ADHD symptoms worse! Others go from school to school, never really addressing the problem, each time thinking something will be different until eventually the next new school throws up their hands in defeat.

I'm a big fan of trying alternatives. I try to help point parents in the direction of helpful alternative resources. But always with one very clear caveat: You do it carefully and keep an eye on it. If you don't see results soon enough (which depends on your situation - some kids caught early on with milder cases might afford to try some therapy that claims you need months to fully detox and create change or whatever. OP sounds like she needs something much more dramatic) then you MOVE ON to something else. And if you don't have a something else, then you strongly consider the meds again.

There are a lot of things that can help this or that, but really medication combined with behavioral therapy is so far the only thing that has actually been proven truly effective. You might consider trying it to get you past this crisis stage you're in, and when things are more stable maybe you'll consider experimenting with other things. Because it's unlikely that medication will completely solve everything, and there's always after it wears off, etc.
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amother


 

Post Sun, May 18 2014, 2:25 am
I almost didn't open the thread because you asked about alternative treatments, but in your OP you say you want to hear about medication as well, so I'm responding. 2 of my kids have ADHD. We tried a variety of herbs and supplements which didn't really do much for my kids. I do try to avoid food coloring, but I'm not 100% careful about it. Medication makes a HUGE difference to them. Over the years, between the 2 of them I have used Ritalin (and Ritalin LA), Focalin XR, Metadate, and Concerta. It is important to have a doctor you trust who can help you monitor and adjust dosages based on needs and side effects. With one of my kids he started having behavioral issues in school and it took me a few months to realize that maybe the medication that had been working so well for a while needed to be adjusted as he was going through a growth spurt! We raised the dosage and he was back to himself.

I understand the hesitation with regard to medication, but IMVHO, if your child truly has ADD/ ADHD you should not feel at all guilty about giving them what they need to be successful.

You don't explain what your relatives are "judgmental" about. Do they think medication is dangerous? (the Ritalin family of drugs has been used safely for over 50 years, although as with all drugs there are obviously some side effects and some kids who will react differently -- careful monitoring should address that) Are they simply uneducated and still from the school that doesn't understand ADHD has to do with a child's brain, not with your "parenting skills" or something like that? Do they think you are taking an "easy" way out? Honestly if you are hesitating because of your own concerns, so research the topic until you are comfortable. But your family pressure should not be interfering with your ability to do what you think is best for your child. At the end of the day he is YOUR son and your responsibility and you don't have to answer to your extended family. If you have no energy for their pressure, then just don't tell them.
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m in Israel




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 18 2014, 2:32 am
Mama Bear wrote:
there are vitamins that can help.
but I donno about teh safety aspect. I'm so sorry about that. Sad
I'm wondering if maybe he isnt slightly on the autism spectrum too? bc a kid with adhd would have some safety awareness.


It's not clear from OP if her son has no safety awareness or simply no impulse control. Many kids with ADHD act in ways that seem to indicate a lack of safety awareness (like her example of running into the street). A kid with ASD may have no realization that the street is dangerous. The child with ADHD will be able to explain street safety to you without a problem -- but when he sees his friend at the other side of the street he runs without thinking -- the "ready, fire, aim!" instead of "ready, aim, fire!" manifestation of impulsivity.
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November




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 18 2014, 3:27 am
I just want to underscore what a couple of others have said about avoiding food colorings. It's not healthy for anyone, but for children with low impulse control, it can cause them to be able to control themselves even less, become even more emotional, etc. Getting off of food colorings will not resolve the issues but in my experience, giving a child with these issues food with artificial coloring (especially red, blue, green) and then expecting them to behave is unfair. Look out for cereals, candy, sugary drinks, Popsicles, etc.
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5*Mom




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 18 2014, 6:32 am
How sure are you of the ADHD diagnosis? Who diagnosed him? How was the diagnosis made? Did you get a thorough evaluation and differential diagnosis?

If after a thorough evaluation by a competent professional who wasn't only looking for ADHD you received a differential diagnosis of ADHD, and you've already tried other approaches and your child was kicked out of school at 5, I would say this is a very good candidate for trying medication. Then, what Chani8 said.

However, if the diagnosis was made by a professional who was only looking to confirm or rule out ADHD, I would recommend starting from scratch with a thorough evaluation by an excellent pediatric neuropsychologist.
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imasinger




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 18 2014, 6:46 am
At first, when my DS got diagnosed, I tred a whole bunch of alternatives, from dietary changes to neurofeedback.

He kept on doing crazy, impulsive things, getting kicked out of class, not happy socially, etc.

I'm sure these things work for some percentage of kids. They did not work for us at all.

Life was miserable until we found he right medications (yes, for us, more than one). A really good psychiatrist is necessary.

The extended family saw very quickly what a positive difference it made. He wasn't some drugged up robot. He was a kid who could now enjoy and be enjoyed more. (Warning: many stimulants have a "rebound effect" where the kid may be more unstable as the medication wears off, so don't plan late afternoon get togethers with your extended famly until you have figured out the patterns.)

Once that is in place, it made a big difference having a good psychologist to help him understand himself and his world.

I since have had 2 more with the diagnosis, and there is no question in my mind. Medication, once you find the right one(s), is what helps the most.
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Think1st




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 18 2014, 9:56 am
Please pm me, I know an MD that has high success rate trying supplements before medication
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CPenzias




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 18 2014, 10:12 am
I tried alternatives. Like the op I can't deal with diet. I take my son to a developmental pediatrician every 2 months and he's on intuitive.
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debsey




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 18 2014, 2:06 pm
Quote from Chani8-[I]Your son sounds hyperactive and impulsive. That's a complicated brain, actually. If you try ritalin, then the way you'll know if it's matiim or not is how he does on it. If he calms and focuses, it's good. If he gets violent and moody, it's seriously wrong for him. If he mentions wanting to kill himself, again it's the wrong stuff or way too strong. IME, this type of kid needs something like Valerian Root drops to calm the brain and help with focus. But one can never know for sure unless you try stuff. You can get herbs like valerian at the health food store. They also have other natural remedies, but your child is ADHD, not ADD, so that is trickier and harder to help."[/I] end quote

Chani - a lot of what you said makes sense - reading Dr. Amen's book is a good idea, and so is not getting locked into one particular medication but rather working collaboratively with the MD to figure out what is best dose, type of medicine, etc for him.
However, I want to caution you about recommending a particular herbal supplement - like Valerian root- Herbal supplements need to be given with caution just like medical ones. Valerian has side effects, especially nervous system suppression. It shouldn't be given without an MD's consent. If you're going to recommend something herbal and give a specific recommendation, you should really caution OP to ask her Dr. or ask a natural health practitioner who knows everything about what other medicines the child takes, allergies, symptoms like insomnia (which valerian can either help or seriously worsen) and any other medical conditions OP may have not mentioned.
Debs
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Kugglegirl




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 18 2014, 4:22 pm
Sometimes I give teen girl w. ADHD a bop on the head when she is being too silly. She knows I am playing with her & it is not done with any serious intent to harm her.

But we found meds to be the most effective.

Coffee as an alternative showed me just how effective meds could be.

My brother is an adult w. ADHD & deeply addicted to coffee & high caffeine drinks.

Better prescribed meds than drug abuse later.

We did find the kids w. ADHD in my family are super reactive to sugar, so as much as possible, we've tried to limit sugar intake, but it is pretty impossible w. chaggim, school parties, & simchas. Just have to figure any day w. one of these, may have some pretty reved up kids.

It is a huge challenge when they are little & have not developed any skills.

Learn as much as you can about executive function & the brain.
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amother


 

Post Sun, May 18 2014, 4:23 pm
No.
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Kugglegirl




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 18 2014, 4:24 pm
Also, I now add instant coffee to all my chocolate baked goods. Does help to calm them a little bit....

Is that a good alternative treatment? Maybe I can write a book about it & go on speaking tour. (Anything to get away from these crazy children!!!)
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amother


 

Post Sun, May 18 2014, 5:11 pm
My DD is a Special Ed teacher. She met with a mother who said "we are waiting for an neurological evaluation, but meanwhile we've started our son on fish oil".

"Really?" asked DD, "How long ago was that?"

"About 2 weeks."

"Interesting, because your son is so much more focused and reading so much better for the past two weeks or so!"

However, the doctor, of course, prescribed medication, and the child found the little pills easier to swallow than the fish oil capsules.

DD says nothing works for everyone, and everything works for someone. So I would think starting with the things with least potential side effects would be the safest.
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