Way OT, but need advice--Herbal Remedy for ADHD?

[amandaraye]

Do any of you have any experience with herbal remedies for treatment of a child's ADHD? My son is exhibiting out of control behavior at school, not paying attention, etc. Between myself, DH, DS's teacher and doctor it is determined he is ADHD (didn't come as much of a surprise to be honest).

I've been doing some research on herbal formulas to help him. We do NOT want to put him on prescription meds except as a last resort. We've done the diet change and behavior modification and no luck.

Has anyone tried an herbal formula and if so, which one? Were you happy with results? Side effects? Thank you all!!!! This is a diffuclt road we're on and any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ERMama]

we use the omega 3's. diet does not seem to affect our son either.

try to get the school to do an IEP on him if its affecting his school work. our son gets someone to help him during times when they know he is distracted (or they pull him into a different room. he has LD in math and needs the one on one time to learn it).

behavior modification takes a long time and is an ongoing process. weve been dealing with his issues for over 4 years now. the last year weve been in monthly therapy sessions with a child psych who specializes in adhd. this is not something that can be "cured" with a month of simply being "strict". these kids often know they are doing wrong but have no impulse control to stop themselves. immediate and frequent rewards and punishments with short time intervals helps.

if you are anti-meds (we were too at one time), give therapy a chance. find a person in your area who specializes or deals with many adhd kids. go with your child (my son and I go together once a month and talk to the doc together. then he goes now once a month to a group session with kids his age while i go to a parents session).
also you have to get the school on board. if they are not helpful then fight for your child. theres laws out there that can make them help you. find someone to go in as a support person during meetings if need be. if that fails, find a new school.

 

[fortheluvofpooh]

we use Calm Child, found at our local country harmony store, they only use all natural ingredients.

 

[amandaraye]

Do you happen to know the ingredients of Calm Child? I like the idea of something geared specifically towards children. Thanks!

 

[fortheluvofpooh]

Do you happen to know the ingredients of Calm Child? I like the idea of something geared specifically towards children. Thanks!

http://vitanetonline.com/forums/3/Thread/187

http://www.planetaryherbals.com/products/GP1510/ this is the bottle we have.

 

[princessmom29]

herbal remedies are a bad idea. Case closed. This is just my opinion, but it comes from a biochemist.

 

[Miss LD]

We're dealing with this too
ds, 4, is exhibiting a lot of the ADHD tendencies. We're in the middle of an assessment right now so we're not sure.
We are not opposed to medication, but feel it isn't necessary at this point. Our doctor is in full agreement.
So. What we're doing is also seeing a naturopath - with our MD's full approval. We've done various tests for allergies and for mineral deficiencies and toxins.
Since starting all of this he has started drinking a special smoothie every day, he takes fish oil and he's also started magnesium.
Again, this is all done under the consultation of a naturopath and our family doctor.
But, we are also working on his behaviour with a therapist and it's making a huge difference.
We started all of this about 6 months ago, and we're seeing a much calmer, happier child. I think this is a combination of clean eating, getting the correct vitamins and minerals in him, and of course working on his behaviour.
My suggestion would be to speak with your doctor and explain you don't want to do medication.
And, also if you want to go the natural route find a naturopath who can help you and guide you. The reason I chose ours - she works with a lot of children, she recommending speaking with my doctor, and has mad recommendations that she has suggested running past my doctor.

Down the road if it becomes apparent that DS needs medication we would absolutely consider it. I think there is definitely a place for these medications, but right now things are going well for us

 

[bwatlas]

But, we are also working on his behaviour with a therapist and it's making a huge difference.
We started all of this about 6 months ago, and we're seeing a much calmer, happier child. I think this is a combination of clean eating, getting the correct vitamins and minerals in him, and of course working on his behaviour.
My suggestion would be to speak with your doctor and explain you don't want to do medication.


Down the road if it becomes apparent that DS needs medication we would absolutely consider it. I think there is definitely a place for these medications, but right now things are going well for us

We did the meds (Ritilan sp?) and behavior modification. I think that helped best, the behavior part, or learning how and where to act. It's a tough and personal choice. Meds and behavior modification is what worked for us. And we watched what she ate. No smoothies or anything here, just watched sugars, juices, candy, fast food, and her all around diet. She was only on the meds from K to 2nd grade. By 2nd grade, she felt 'old enough' to be able to 'control herself'. We're 15 now, still act up, but she knows when and where she can 'bounce off the walls'.
She (and I) didn't like how the meds made her (sleepy/dazed) as that wasn't really her. Plus, she knew her friends were more or less scared scared1:!!!!) of her w/o her meds. Which made her try harder and her best on the self control behavior part. Two of those girls are still friends to date with her.
DOn't know if any of this information helps, but it is what worked for me. Again, it's a personal choice, and what works for you and your family. Good Luck!

 

[PrincessTiffany]

My best friend went through this a couple of years ago. But she was in total denial that her daughter had ADHD. She was bound and determined to NOT do prescription meds. Her daughter was a terror, I love them, but I could not hardly stand to be around them and my kids and husband refused to be around them. After about a year and a half of hell and trying different home remedies and such, and the school being about ready to kick her daughter out and her husband about ready to divorce her, she finally conceded to putting her child on Ritalin. OMG, it is the best decision that she could have ever made. And my friend would also tell you the same thing. Her daughter is now 10 and has been on the meds for about 3 years and she is doing great. She's making good grades in school, plays well with classmates and other kids (my girls acutally like to play with her now!) and it has made their home life so much better. My friend says she wishes she hadn't waited so long to try the meds.

 

[NotUrsula]

The ingredient list of Calm Child contains several plant sedatives, some of which are pretty strong, though of course the concentrations of those ingredients is a trade secret. It's mostly chamomile, which is pretty harmless, but gotu kola and amla can be dangerous if improperly used.

Either way, it's definitely a sedative preparation.

 

[SnowWhite12]

I will say this only as a School Social Worker that does the diagnosing of ADHD in our schools, and who deals daily with problems resulting from ADHD. Meds work great! They are non-addictive, and there are true studies that prove that ADHD kids on ADHD meds have a much smaller risk of using drugs and alcohol than kids that have ADHD but were never on meds. Think of it like this, if your child was diabetic, wouldn't you use insulin? If you have high blood pressure, wouldn't you use meds for that yourself? ADHD is a true medical condition and should be treated as such. That all said, we have many parents that don't choose to use meds. Some of them (if ADHD inattentive type) end up in Resource under "Other Health Impaired". Many (not all) of the ones that have combined type, or predominantly hyperactive type, are constantly in trouble and have to have Behavior Intervention Plans. When I say this, take it with the understanding I am NOT saying the child is bad. They have a condition they truly cannot help. As they get older, they do learn some ways to control some behaviors themselves, but in elementary school, generally they have not reached that level yet. They definitely need behavior modification training as well. Meds and counseling are the best proven combination of treatment for ADHD. I am also the one who conducts ADHD inservices throughout our metropolitan area.

 

[Miss LD]

I will say this only as a School Social Worker that does the diagnosing of ADHD in our schools, and who deals daily with problems resulting from ADHD. Meds work great! They are non-addictive, and there are true studies that prove that ADHD kids on ADHD meds have a much smaller risk of using drugs and alcohol than kids that have ADHD but were never on meds. Think of it like this, if your child was diabetic, wouldn't you use insulin? If you have high blood pressure, wouldn't you use meds for that yourself? ADHD is a true medical condition and should be treated as such. That all said, we have many parents that don't choose to use meds. Some of them (if ADHD inattentive type) end up in Resource under "Other Health Impaired". Many (not all) of the ones that have combined type, or predominantly hyperactive type, are constantly in trouble and have to have Behavior Intervention Plans. When I say this, take it with the understanding I am NOT saying the child is bad. They have a condition they truly cannot help. As they get older, they do learn some ways to control some behaviors themselves, but in elementary school, generally they have not reached that level yet. They definitely need behavior modification training as well. Meds and counseling are the best proven combination of treatment for ADHD. I am also the one who conducts ADHD inservices throughout our metropolitan area.

Just out of curiousity, what age do you see kids starting the medications?
DS is 4, and we've been told by more than one doctor that until he's at least 6, if not 8, they could do more harm than good.
That's a huge part of why we went the naturopathic route.
It's a hard call.
The interesting thing I'm finding is that as soon as you start to go down the non-medication/herbal path people start telling you that ADHD is "made up" and that it's not a real medical condition. As a parent that's extremely frustrating to hear.
The thing I find hard is that it seems like the more reading I do on ADHD the more confused I become.

 

[billwendy]

If you are in to trying something different from meds, look into Interactive Metronome - it is a brain based program that has researched and proven results. It is a therapy program that involves the person in exercises to a beat - so they have to learn really excellent timing skills(especially helpful for those who are impulsive) and how to focus to get a good millisecond score. At our hospital, Occupational, Physical and Speech therapists use the program with the kids with AWESOME results!! Certainly worth a try as it is non invasive....you can google it, and it will take you to their website - I have seen great results.....

 

[duckybelle]

My son has ADHD, and we tried the herbal/diet, etc. Nothing worked well enough. This year, his teachers kept sending him to the office, because he was disruptive. SO, after two years OFF the pills, we went back. WOW! He is actually sitting behind me with dh asking questions about homework !! He went from a C in math to an A, and, besides one C, he has all A and B's now, because he is able to concentrate. He takes Concerta, which wears off after school, so he only t akes it when he goes. I am not saying this is for everyone, but it is nice to see my son doing well, and getting notes from the teachers saying WOW, BIG improvement!

 

[Minnie M6]

We're dealing with this too
ds, 4, is exhibiting a lot of the ADHD tendencies. We're in the middle of an assessment right now so we're not sure.
We are not opposed to medication, but feel it isn't necessary at this point. Our doctor is in full agreement.
So. What we're doing is also seeing a naturopath - with our MD's full approval. We've done various tests for allergies and for mineral deficiencies and toxins.
Since starting all of this he has started drinking a special smoothie every day, he takes fish oil and he's also started magnesium.
Again, this is all done under the consultation of a naturopath and our family doctor.
But, we are also working on his behaviour with a therapist and it's making a huge difference.
We started all of this about 6 months ago, and we're seeing a much calmer, happier child. I think this is a combination of clean eating, getting the correct vitamins and minerals in him, and of course working on his behaviour.
My suggestion would be to speak with your doctor and explain you don't want to do medication.
And, also if you want to go the natural route find a naturopath who can help you and guide you. The reason I chose ours - she works with a lot of children, she recommending speaking with my doctor, and has mad recommendations that she has suggested running past my doctor.

Down the road if it becomes apparent that DS needs medication we would absolutely consider it. I think there is definitely a place for these medications, but right now things are going well for us

I hope you don't mind me asking this.......does the naturopath charge high fees for testing? A good friend swears by her naturopath, but the initial fee is around $150 and does not include an in person meeting. That's the only thing holding me back at this point. I want to investigate some health issues DS has and bloodwork hasn't revealed any real problems.

 

[ERMama]

Just out of curiousity, what age do you see kids starting the medications?
DS is 4, and we've been told by more than one doctor that until he's at least 6, if not 8, they could do more harm than good.
.

Our son was in Early Childhood program thru the school district (basically special ed preschool) with speech and OT at 3yo. We had him evaluated by a child developmental doc and child psych. We had him evaluated at the school district too. I took him to a university where they did testing on him as part of a research study (my alma mater and I got to watch).

After 2 yrs of therapies our son at 5.5 yo was still academically behind and struggling at home too. We saw a neuropsychologist who finally diagnosed him adhd. She suggested meds and reminded us we had tried it all. We started him on meds and didnt feel guilty about it. We truly felt we had exhausted all measures. She also talked about how many kids who go UNtreated end up with such social issues they have early onset depression. School is horrible for them. Around the age of 4yo we already saw how badly other kids treated him. They wouldnt play with him. He was all alone. He began on adderall just before starting Kindergarten and learned more in 2 months than he did in 2 years.

He still gets special ed help in school because even the meds do not "cure" him. He has an LD in math and he gets easily frustrated and distracted and gives up in areas of difficulty for him. (hes under the OHI-other health impaired in his IEP).

He now sees another therapist who did her own testing and she agrees, hes adhd. Its an ongoing process. Some of our family members feel we take him to too many doctors. Well, hes been a difficult child since birth and as parents we just wanted to try to help him anyway we could. None of the testing was harmful, mostly play therapy and us filling out questionnaires.

 

[Miss LD]

I hope you don't mind me asking this.......does the naturopath charge high fees for testing? A good friend swears by her naturopath, but the initial fee is around $150 and does not include an in person meeting. That's the only thing holding me back at this point. I want to investigate some health issues DS has and bloodwork hasn't revealed any real problems.

Nope.
She has special rates for children. She charge $55 for an initial visit and $55 for subsequent 1 hour visits.
The cost of the test was $75 but that includes the test, results and a 1 hour visit. Adults cost a little more, but I forget the exact amount.
She's been amazing with us - is available by phone (during office hours) and also is quite happy to answer questions by e-mail. I love her, and feel so lucky to have found her.
I have been to other naturopaths who I really didn't like, and paid a lot of money and didn't feel like I had much support. I brought DS to my mom's naturopath, and she was mean to me. She said that it was my fault that DS has behaviour issues (I don't agree) and I left the office furious.
I'd suggest calling around and getting referrals from friends. I can't imagine how a naturopath would do an initial visit NOT in person. They do weird things like look at the colour of your eyeballs and the bumps on your tongue.

 

[Miss LD]

Our son was in Early Childhood program thru the school district (basically special ed preschool) with speech and OT at 3yo. We had him evaluated by a child developmental doc and child psych. We had him evaluated at the school district too. I took him to a university where they did testing on him as part of a research study (my alma mater and I got to watch).

After 2 yrs of therapies our son at 5.5 yo was still academically behind and struggling at home too. We saw a neuropsychologist who finally diagnosed him adhd. She suggested meds and reminded us we had tried it all. We started him on meds and didnt feel guilty about it. We truly felt we had exhausted all measures. She also talked about how many kids who go UNtreated end up with such social issues they have early onset depression. School is horrible for them. Around the age of 4yo we already saw how badly other kids treated him. They wouldnt play with him. He was all alone. He began on adderall just before starting Kindergarten and learned more in 2 months than he did in 2 years.

He still gets special ed help in school because even the meds do not "cure" him. He has an LD in math and he gets easily frustrated and distracted and gives up in areas of difficulty for him. (hes under the OHI-other health impaired in his IEP).

He now sees another therapist who did her own testing and she agrees, hes adhd. Its an ongoing process. Some of our family members feel we take him to too many doctors. Well, hes been a difficult child since birth and as parents we just wanted to try to help him anyway we could. None of the testing was harmful, mostly play therapy and us filling out questionnaires.

I feel like we're just at the tip of the iceberg with the testing.
I agree though, you do what you can, and help as much as you can. My uncle told me that I should just let him be a kid, and stop all the testing. The funny thing is, DS loves all his doctors. When I say we're going to see whichever doctor he does the happy dance because of all the toys

 

[dbmarie]

It can be really difficult to determine if a child under 6 has ADHD or not. I know from personal experience we really believed that our daughter had ADHD and we took her for numerous tests and countless school officials recommended medication. When she turned 7 our doctor recommended getting her tested for Auditory Processing Disorder. While luckily we didn't listen to the school officials because she has APD and that wouldn't have been helped with medication. Furthermore I'm sorry to disagree but some ADHD medication can be harmful for certain kids.

 

[mom2taylorandemily]

I am a parent of a child with Epilepsy and ADHD. Because of one illness we can't treat the ADHD. The drugs currently on the market for ADHD lower her threshold for seizures, but if the behavior becomes as difficult as it was last year, I would not hesitate to put her on meds for ADHD. As a parent my first concern is to protect my DD and give her the best education I can, so after fighting for 4 years we were finally able to get her an IEP this year, and had provisions written in for behavior and for the 1st time since Kindergarden I have a happy child in school. She is actually making Honor Roll this quarter. But having everything in place for her has been a bumpy ride. We had to change her epilepsy med, she was on Depakote and she walked around in a fog all the time, she's on Keppra now and seems ok.

I guess what I want to say is, if your child needs meds, don't say no without really seeing if they can be of assistance. I know that too many people want to medicate these days and yes it is very easy to just fall back on that, but in some cases kids need it to be able to stay focused. Just try to imagine what goes on in his head that he can't stay focused, if a drug can help him wouldn't you want to do that. It can't be fun having your brain jump from one thing to the next all day long, I think I'd be scatterbrained by the end of the day.