>>It has been discussed with us that our ds9 has symptoms of ADHD. For example he’ll climb under his desk to listen to the teacher while peeking out of a hole or the like.. also obnoxious behavior to other children I.e. spitting or throwing things. He does these things at home too, it’s hard for him to walk past a sibling w/o a bump or push of some kind to them. He’s doing well academically but socially not so good. My own mother told me that she suspected this in my son since he was much younger but I guess I didn’t want to consider it at that time. What I’m trying to (ask) is what you would recommend for a child w/ ADHD. I may have him assessed formally to get a diagnosis but I really do NOT want to medicate. The school said they know of families who took the “natural” route to help children but it just took a lot more time. Ritalin apparently gives the child more focus throughout the day. Any advise you have would be so very appreciated. I’m so sad for my son and hope we/he can get through this. Thanks so much.<<
There are several aspects of ADHD to consider: nutrition, vaccination history, behavioral expectations, and parenting are those which to spring immediately to my mind. This is a very emotional topic for many people, and I strongly suggest that parents do their own research. I do not make recommendations one way or another beyond that!
I believe Ritalin is drastically over-prescribed, and what historically fell into the range of normal behavior on the very energetic side has now been labeled as dysfunctional. We expect kids from a very young age to sit still for what is unreasonable for their ages and abilities. Some kids can manage but young boys in particular have a very hard time with these expectations. Not surprising that young boys are the most heavily medicated for ADHD!
One book that I would suggest parents interested in doing some research begin with is: ‘Healing the New Childhood Epidemics : autism, ADHD, asthma, and allergies : the groundbreaking program for the 4-A disorders’. The doctor who wrote it discusses from his professional perspective the relevance of vaccine history and nutrition, which is interesting and relevant to everyone, but particularly to children who have attention deficit disorders.
The quality of food eaten and the effectiveness of the digestive system is tremendously important for ADHD kids. Much has been written about this, and it goes way beyond not giving children sugar, chemical additives, or food coloring. To get you started, here is a link to the first in a series of interviews with Donna Gates (Body Ecology Diet) and Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride (Gut and Psychology Syndrome). Though the title of the series is Autism Diet, the brain imbalance for autism and ADHD is very similar though it outwardly manifests differently, and healing the underlying problem is therefore addressed in the same way. Both address issues that I think parents of the ADHD child will find of interest; it is a six part series and you can continue on your own to research if this aspect interests you.
Of course the way a parent deals with a child who is very high energy is also very important. Parents need to learn what reasonable expectations for their children are, and how to appropriately navigate challenging situations that arise. I’ve written about this in various posts, but I strongly feel that someone in the above situation needs personal consultation with someone skilled in mentoring parents so they get the detailed help they need. Reading suggestions that aren’t targeted to their specific concerns will be somewhat helpful but to really turn things around, you need to take clear and concrete action in the right direction, and be sure that you’re really headed in the right direction! I have a very strong sense in this particular situation that this is a very critical factor.
The alternative approach does take longer, but time takes time – the natural process can’t be rushed; it proceeds at an organic pace. If you do wish to avoid Ritalin, then you’ll need to be willing to experience the discomfort of not immediately being able to resolve the situation, though the commeasurate satisfaction will come from addressing the root issues at the core rather than eliminating the symptoms.
Good luck!
Avivah
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