Any one with a child with ADHD.......

[jana]

Any parents out there with a child with ADHD trying other ways to deal with it other then medication? What ways are you using?
I just read a breif artical saying that food allergies played a part in it. Has anyone tried changing the diet? Did it work. Where can I find information on this?
Thank you

 

[gepetto]

My friend is a nurse and her child is ADHD. Her doctor recommended giving him a Mountain Dew first thing in the morning and another at some other point during the day, I think it was at lunch time. She said something about the high caffeine did wonders for him and he hasn't had to take meds so far. Good luck.

 

[JohnTBap]

 

[ripleysmom]

The diet you are referring to is the Feingold Diet. I did try the diet for about 6 months. While it helped somewhat, it did not help enough to continue doing it.

I have another friend who tried the Feingold Diet in combination with a gluten/dairy free diet. She says it helped with the hyperactivity, however, his attentional issues were not being addressed.


Now, I am a big proponent of using medication for treatment of ADHD so take that into consideration when reading what I am about to post.....

The most effective treatment for ADHD is medication in conjunction with behavior modification and therapy. Extensive testing has been done in this area and those are the results. The next best treatment is medication alone.

Make no mistake medication will not magically make everything better, what it will do though is enable your child to focus on how to behave better so that behavior modification therapy can be effective. Your child still has behavior that he/she needs to unlearn.


I know that making a decision to put your child on medication is not an easy one. I struggled with that decision, not once but twice. Try the diet and anything else that you think might help but please do not completely close your mind to pharmacolgical alternatives.


I would just like to leave you with 2 thoughts.....

One, if your child were a diabetic, would you even think twice about giving them insulin to control their blood sugar? While having ADHD does not have the same consequences for a child as diabetes, there is still a lack of regulation in the body's processes.

And two, try to really consider what is best for your child. To me, deciding not to treat an ADHD child is about what the parent wants, not what the child truly needs. Children with untreated ADHD (most especially with hyperactive/impulsive type) have a problem socially, emotionally (as they become social outcasts) and sometimes academically.


I would also like to provide you with this link.....

www.chadd.org

It's an organization devoted to helping children (and adults) with ADHD. They have local chapters and perhaps you can find a support group in your area.

I hope this helped and that you take this post in the spirit it was meant which was to help your child.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My dd did take a low dose of Concerta during 4th & 5th grade. I took her off it after elementary school was done. However she did make good grades and could get away with not taking the meds. She was just "energetic". IE she drove the teachers NUTS sometimes.
She has a repaired heart defect, Tetrology of Fallot, and it is known that the meds will speed up heart rate. This is a danger to her. I decided that it was not worth the risk to her.
My daughter is now in 7th. She still gets good grades and since she is not in the same class ALL DAY with the same teacher they LOVE her! They find her bright and energetic.

Interesting about the Mountain Dew...Also she has tremendous food allergies. Her Behavior is linked to it I am sure. We know red dye & citric acid are bad for her.
Good Luck

 

[JetMom]

My DS is almost 11 and going into 6th grade. We tried everything from behavior mod to dietary changes and nothing worked for his ADHD.

We finally broke down 18 months ago and tried meds. He is on adderall xr. It is time release so he only takes it once a day. The side effects are nearly non-existant. (He had decreased appetite for a few weeks).

The change in him was almost miraculous. He had the same teacher for 5th grade as he had for 1st grade and she could not stop raving about him. She said "Patrick is the boy I always saw in him trying to get out."

The best part is that he is no longer frustrated and angry about his problems behaving in class. He could not be prouder or more confident.

Putting him on meds was a very hard choice, but we are so glad that we did it.

 

[vernon]

Ripley's mom said

One, if your child were a diabetic, would you even think twice about giving them insulin to control their blood sugar? While having ADHD does not have the same consequences for a child as diabetes, there is still a lack of regulation in the body's processes.
And two, try to really consider what is best for your child. To me, deciding not to treat an ADHD child is about what the parent wants, not what the child truly needs. Children with untreated ADHD (most especially with hyperactive/impulsive type) have a problem socially, emotionally (as they become social outcasts) and sometimes academically

1) There is a huge difference between insulin and the the drugs usually prescribed for ADHD.
2)I couldn't disagree more with you on this one ( and I think you're getting close to insulting a few people with your view) To not treat a child with drugs for ADHD can be an enourmous strain on a parent and make for very difficult times. IMHO the EASY way out is to drug them to the eyeballs so they are passive and maliable. To try and work with the child to overcome their problems takes a great deal more patience, care and love.

Far from being ALWAYS in the interest of the parent, to try to find another less intrusive and less severe answer to the problem doesn't indicate a parent that is only thinking of themself ( as you seem to believe). IMHO to tell someone who's asking for information on alternate possibilities other than hard core drugs that they are thinking only of themselves is likely to offend.

 

[jana]

Ripleysmom, the reason I'm am replying to your post is not to say I think you are doing anything wrong. I am replying to let any parent out there that may have questions know there are other options.
I grew up having ADHD and dyslexia and now live with ( not suffer from) adult ADHD. When I was a child they didn't know about these things yet. I had to get threw on my own and I did. So I do know it can be done without medication. I also know it is a struggle. In doing the research I feel this is the best option for my son.
I do believe it very misleading for you to compair insulin to ritalin. Firstly diabetes is a life threating dieseas ADHD is not. You need insulin to save your life with diabetes you don't need ritalin to save your life with ADHD. Ritalin is a mind altering drug and is in many ways similar to cocaine.
IMHO the risks of the medications most commonly used to treat ADHD FAR out way the any pros it may have. So I have chosen alternative ways to help not "treat" my son.
It is because I want the best for my son I am trying to look at other alternatives to help my son. I don't mind if that means a tougher time to me, if it proves to be the best choice for him

 

[DISNEYFANRI]

I have to agree with Jetmom - my son is 14 and was just diagnosed this year with ADD and anxiety disorder - this was a struggle with us for years - I didn't want to use ADD as an excuse for bad bahavior - truely thought he would "outgrow" it - learn to behave - etc - and as much as I hate to admit it I spent a very long time being mad at him all the time with both of us being frustrated - this year everthing jsut seemed to fall apar (and no - it was not a teenage thing ) I took him to his pediatrician and insisted on testing - he is in counseling and is taking Strattera - we now have the boy that I always knew was "in there" ....he is happy - no longer frustrated and ended the school year with 2nd honors (after starting the year failing).

Another note - caffeine seems to have the opposite effect on my son also.

Hope this helps,

 

[tmli]

Vernon, I am very offended by your comments. To imply medicating a child with adhd is the "easy" way out is an insult. After trying all the alternates, therapy and such I had no choice but to put my son on meds. Believe me it is anything but easy! We have mthly dr. appts to check weight and his progress on meds, we have quarterly electrocardiograms to ensure there is no side effect there. I have endless reports and forms to fill out for school and dr to track his progress and effectiveness of the meds. I also meet with his teacher mthly as she also has forms to fill out tracking his progress. We also meet with a behavioural consultant and psychiatrist on a regular basis. I also spend an hour a month with our pharmacist discussing what's been new, changed or updated in our area in the last month. Hmm, and this is the easy way!

To say the drugs make a child passive and maliable is a very misinformed comment. There may be a period in the beginning of regulating doses but that's where all of my research comes in to know what works for him. My son is thriving now socially and academically. He was the child never invited to the birthday parties, who cried daily because he had no friends. He would ask me why he was to stupid to know how to sit and listen in class, and always get so many detentions. My ds is 7. His last report card was straight A's, he attended many birthday parties this year and has playdates 3 times a week. His meds are not an easy way out for me; they have been a blessing for him. The meds simply bring him to the same place non adhd kids are. They don't make him compliant, he's still an active 7yr old boy, still mouths off too much, basically he's like everyone else now.

Ripley's moms comments were right on, she simply offered the op the other side, explained her view upfront, and did tell the op to try the alternates first. She was simply stating don't rule out meds for her own reasons.

As a rule I try to never get in to debates with anyone here for a differing opinion. But I took your post very personally, and I refuse to be judged by someone who doesn't walk in my shoes.

 

[DISNEYFANRI]

Tracey....just sending hugs and positive thoughts for you and your son - I know how it feels to see a child with no friends - I often thought that my son was nothing more to his peers than a source of entertainment - now he gets calls to go bike riding - etc - it's truely a wonderful thing.



Best of luck,

 

[TEENEE]

My dd has add. We tried for years to stay on her about her behavior. We tried watching her diet and being strict when it came to her behavior. She was exhausting. It's very frustrating for the child, the parents and the teachers. We tried everything we could think of to teach her how to control herself. She could not. It's not fair to the child to let them suffer and constantly be in trouble for something that they can not control. She started taking adderall xr in April. Since then her test scores, behavior and all around attitude has improved. She is a much happier child and has gained confidence in herself since she started her meds. All of the adults in her life are happier too. Meds may not be for everyone but in our case it has worked.

 

[tmli]

Jana, I would like to comment. I agree with you that ritalin doesn't save a persons life the same way insulin does. However I believe in alot of ways meds have saved my sons life in other areas. His mental and spiritual health, the way he feels about himself and his general outlook on life.

If you or your child can be helped with the alternates to meds, then that's great. My brother also grew up with adhd, and you are right they didn't know what it was then. He hated school, graduated but never pursued his other interests. Now works in a dead end job and has had years of self esteem issues and relationship problems. My point is to say what works for one person will work for another is simply not true. Like any condition, disease etc mental or physical, not all treatments work the same for all people. Some cancer patients respond to chemo some don't. (I'm not comparing the 2 so I don't want to get into that debate) Some schizophrenics respond to therapy, some don't.

We tried every program, therapist, diet we could find. In the end our team of experts (4 in total) agreed meds were the only way. I did my homework for another 2 mths and saw a therapist myself and spoke to people who chose both options, then I made my decision. I assure you the decision to medicate was not seen as the easy way out for me at all, it's been much tougher. Especially since I am constantly defending my parenting ability, and my choices to so many others.

I would just like to say be open to the fact that are different degrees of adhd, and different underlying causes. There are also other cases like ours, that have other conditions to go along with the adhd. With all these differences there has to be differences in the treatments as well.

 

[meandtheguys]

I spent ten years as a casemanager and then counselor in a residential facility for children with severe behavioral and/or emotional disorders. When an ADHD child came in he/she was immediately put on a behavior modification porgram. That was SOMETIMES all that was necessary. We would then try the diet alterations (cutting ketchup alone often worked wonders). That SOMETIMES worked to the point necessary to improve his/her situation. The next step if the child was unable to progress at home and at school was medication.

I hated when one of "my" kids was placed on meds, but for a choice few, that was the key to improving their behavior and their self esteem. Not the fake "self esteem" that is so often talked about, but the self esteem that comes from succeeding.

Good luck with your son. You have my prayers for finding the right option for your family.

Michelle

 

[vernon]

Tracey, my comments are not aimed at responsible and caring parents like yourself that try all the other possibilities and I'm sure you continue to do the other behavioural therapies that are needed as well. As you point out there are many checks put in place to monitor the effects of the drugs, because these are indeed very powerful drugs and can have marked side effects. But while there are many parents, like you, that are prepared to do all the ancillary work that is required to make the treatment fully effective , there are also many parents who are happy to dose up their kids on meds and be satisfied with that it gives them a quiet life.

If you've taken my comments as personally aimed at you , I appollogise. You don't appear to fit into the catagory I was talking about.

 

[Christine]

My son (age 8) has ADHD. He was fortunately never a behavior problem anywhere and never got in any "trouble" from it, but he absolutely could not complete any classroom assignment despite an IQ of 139, he constantly fidgeted, and he could not stop impulsively disrupting the class with his answers to the teacher's questions. Other times, he would just belt out the national anthem in the middle of classwork. Fortunately, all of his "outbursts" were found to be endearing to his teacher and classmates. But, they were disruptive. My son also has documented food allergies. Because of his severe food reactions, we did have him tested for just about everything out there and he is allergic to peanuts and eggs. Of course, they have been removed from his diet. Didn't make any difference with his behavior. He also has very bad asthma. We finally got that treated and it did help a bit with his classroom performance. But still, he was not doing well. We tried all the anti-Ritalin diets, (Feingold), coffee in the morning, etc. Nothing worked. So we did do medication and he is doing great in school. He is still very "active". He did not become a zombie or compliant by ANY means, but he can get all his seatwork done in class now and he does not disrupt the other children with his outbursts. He just acts like they do now.

I understand your wanting to try alternatives and I think you should do everything you need to do to feel good about your child's outcome. My post here has nothing to do with trying to convert your opinion about medication, just wanted you to know that I have been where you are now and where we ended up.

My DH also had what we believe was ADHD as a child. His doctor prescribed coffee during the day. For some reason, stimulants seem to organize the mind of the person with ADHD.

I also have a male friend who is 52 with ADHD. Of course, he was never treated as a child and he really wishes now that they had the treatment methods then that they have now. He says he feels he could have been so much more if he had the medication as a child. He compares taking the medication to wearing glasses for bad eyesight. The medication is will help you to "see things more clearly".
Christine

 

[tmli]

Thanks Vernon, apology accepted. I do take comments personally, people often generalize there opinions on this subject and I only want to shed light on the other side. I don't intend to sway people one way or another on the subject, I simply want to inform them that this topic is not black or white.

I think (i have no figures to back this up) adhd/add must be the most over diagnosed, over medicated and misunderstood condition out there. Hopefully through education we can change this some day.

Remember when we thought AIDS was a disease only for the homosexuals and drug addicts? (just an analogy not a comparison)

 

[tmli]

Christine, the eyeglass analogy is a good one. I hope your friend won't mind if I use it sometime!

My ds is extremely bright as well, I'm glad the rest of the world knows this now!

 

[momof2OH]

The topic of ADHD/ADD is very controversial and a cause for many heated debates. Everyone is going to have their own opinion on the subject to use medication or not for their child/children. For those of you that choose not to use meds and things work out/get better, I'm glad for you and wish you all the best. I wish every day for that time to come. I wish my 2 children didn't have to take medication, but the fact is, they HAVE to. It isn't even a matter of choice anymore. My DS might not be alive today if he wasn't on his meds. (my 2 are also BP)

People on both sides of the med fence shouldn't criticze one another for the personal choice they have made! Everyone needs to do whats right for them and their children. Good Luck to All!!

Here is a poem I have posted before on another ADHD/ADD thread!
Through The Eyes Of A Child With A.D.H.D
- Please tell me you love me, for I need to be accepted in your eyes.
- Please let me know when I have done well, for I need to know that sometimes I am like other children.
- Please share some of your thoughts with me, for my intelligence is not impaired.
- Please learn all you can about my problem, I need understanding as well as discipline.
- Please bother to correst me and keep me in line as much as necessary. I cannot steer myself.
- Give me your patience, becasue although it takes me longer, I need to succeed just like all the other children.
- Please make time in your day for me. I need to feel that attention and affection are things you want to give me. I will not go away if you pretend I am not there.
- Remember that I am a complex person with many traits that are right and fine. Please help me to seet hose things in myself. You are my mirror.
- Please so not abouse me; for, although I need a firmer hand than most, I feel lost and alone when I see rejection in your eyes. I have no motive and all I can do is say, "I am sorry" over and over again.
- Please remember that I love you, for you stand beside me day after day in this confusing and frightening world. You are the reason I am not alone.

-Author unknown

 

[tmli]

Thanks Gina. I am printing a copy of that right now, it's absolutely beautiful.