I empathize with any parent forced to make this decision. There are a few things I suggest BEFORE placing your child on medication. Suggestions that you can talk to his doctor about too.
1. BEFORE you give him meds, try giving him a cup of coffee in the morning. Children with ADHD are said to have a chemical imbalance. For a person with "normal" chemical balance, coffee gives us energy, but for a imbalance person/child it could level them. 100 mg of caffeine is roughly the same as 5 mg of Ritalin. I know Ritalin isn't used anymore - but interesting.
2. Remove Red #40 from their Diet. Red Dye #40 is an Artificial Colour: 95% of the synthetic colorings are coal tar derivative. Red #40 is a possible carcinogen. Yellow #6 (tartrazine) has the potential to cause respiratory distress and hyperactivity. Buy all of your foods from the outside parts of the store. Buy meat and fresh or frozen vegetables. (The veggies should say things like "corn” or "carrots". Make a huge pot of broth on Saturday and during the week boil with rice or noodles (read the ingredients) for a nice side dish. Buy applesauce that says apples on the ingredient list. Make slow purposeful changes. A recent study published in the June issue of Archives of Disease in Childhood concluded, "There is a general adverse effect of artificial food colouring and benzoate preservatives on the behavior of 3 year old children which is detectable by parents but not by a simple clinic assessment. Subgroups are not made more vulnerable to this effect by their prior levels of hyperactivity or by atopy."
3. Give your child Fish Oil for ADHD? I've read that studies show that fish oil supplements are more effective than Ritalin for kids with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The study you mention was done at the University of South Australia. Researchers there tested a combination of omega-3 fish oil and evening primrose oil (an omega-6 oil) on 132 children with ADHD, ranging in age from seven to 12. After the 30-week study ended, almost half the parents reported that their children's symptoms were improved.
See
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QA/QA368783/
4. Read this page: Helping Your Child Out of
ADD/ADHD
http://www.unhinderedliving.com/ADHDhelp.html
5. 50 Conditions that Mimic ADHD:
http://www.incrediblehorizons.com/mimic-adhd.htm
17 controlled studies found that diet adversely affects some children’s behavior, sometimes dramatically. Most of the studies focused on artificial colors, while some also examined the effects of milk, corn, and other common foods. The percentage of children who were affected by diet and the magnitude of the effect varied widely among the studies. Six other studies did not detect any behavioral effect of diet.
“It makes a lot more sense to try modifying a child’s diet before treating him or her with a stimulant drug,” said Dr. Marvin Boris, a pediatrician in Woodbury, New York. "Health organizations and professionals should recognize that avoiding certain foods and additives can greatly benefit some troubled children." CSPI Newsroom News release Oct.25, 1999
I have students that sit in my class like zombies. I’m not saying that medication is not the right choice for some parents, but there are so many other things that can be done before you start a child on a rode of medications. My advice is to at least TRY most of the above and SEE if it works. At least you can say you tried. But please try. BTW, I’ve been a Special Education Teacher 10 years this past January. Most of my students are Mentally Retarded, Learning Disabled, and Emotionally Disturbed.
. Luckily my younger DS has no problem with his weight, he is naturally "husky" so the med's help keep him on track and not overweight.
