Addh?

[Lavender]

I'm not sure whether this would be better in Family Forum or Health so I'm going to post in both.

My sister just found out that my neice may have ADDH. They still have to do more tests on her to be sure. The doctors have talked about Ritilin. From what we've read, there are mixed results using this. We've been looking through the internet, trying to learn more about this.

My sister was hoping to find some info on perhaps managing this with other alternative such herbal or diet. Any insight would be so much appreciated.

[Myst]

Can't help you, though I've babysat a few kids who went on Ritalin for ADD/ADHD with good results. Good luck finding info. :)

[Laiste]

I have cared for many children with ADD/ADHD. I have seen some do well on Ritilan and others not do well at all. I babysat for one child who became lathargic and withdrew from all activities that she enjoyed. On the other hand one child could not focus for longer than a few minutes before starting Ritilin and did very well on the meds. There is some information out there about children being diagnosed with ADD/ADHD when they have food allergies. I can't remember the name of the site but I will search again and post the link if I can find it. It's amazing that there are extreme similar symptoms in these children. Has your neice had an EEG? This is an important test to varify if the child truly has ADD/ADHD. There are too many pediatricians out there who are quick to diagnose this illness. If the diagnosis is correct I would highly encourage diet and herbal supplements for the child. No harm can be done by trying this route! I wish more parents would!

[Laiste]

Here are some links that I found:

http://www.howtolearn.com/food.html

http://www.healingwithnutrition.com/adisease/add-adhd/add-adhd.html

http://www.add.about.com/library/weekly/aa012702.9.htm

http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/archives2001/aug/08hawkins.html

[Yvonne Belisle]

Both my older boys and myself have this:) I don't know about Canada but in the states there are support groups for it to teach parents alternitive ways to deal with it. My boys and I don't take anything for it Davon tried ritlin and it made him very aggressive when coming down from it. Have her do a lot of research before she says ok give it to us there are plenty of alternates out there now. I had a friend tell me they saw an article on a possible connection between tonsils and adhd perhaps she will remember and post on that :) I have been told to try grapinol made from grape seeds I am sorry my spelling is so bad but it is pronounced (grape in all) at least that is how my son's therapyst pronounced it. I was told I could get it at the health food store. I never tried it so I can't tell you how well it worked. There are a few threads around here on adhd I will look for them in a bit and try to bump them up. I am in too much pain to be sitting for much longer or I would do that now.

[Lavender]

Thanks for those links, Laiste! I haven't gone through all of them yet but if they're anything like the first one, they'll be really helpful!

I can't believe the doctor would suggest Ritilan without further testing. :rolleyes: My sister is going take my neice back for further testing. At this point, the doctor wasn't even sure yet.

[Laiste]

Your welcome wildchild!! The last link seems really interesting...acupuncture for allergies! I know many who could benefit from that!

You know these doctors are unbelievable! How can you put a child on meds without testing first! Just goes to show you the link between doctors and pharmaceutical companies!

Make sure your sister sees a good pediatric Neurologist for the EEG. Too bad your not in my area I could recomend a few that I have worked for.

I hope everything works out ok.

[Yvonne Belisle]

Don't forget there is also behavior modification training that can be done too. Sometimes it's just a matter of finding what distracts the most and how to counter it. For me in school I am distracted easily so I read a book I have read several times before. By doing this I do not see the movements of others or hear the tiny sounds from people shifting in thier chairs I can focus on just the sound of the teachers voice. I see the words I am reading but since I have read it so many times it doesn't take much of my mind to read it and I can take coherent notes and ask valid questions. I know a young man who uses puzzles that way and for a while math problems worked for my son sadly it no longer works that way for him. Your sister will need to work with her daughter to find that focal aid and work with the schools to explain how it works and get them to allow it. It could be scribbling it could be writing or math or even a book each person is different but if she can find it early and learn to use it as a coping mechenism when she begins to be distracted it will help her through life. Also remember that ADHD people think differently than others we normally are mentally multitasking and following our train of thought is often a bit hard since we jump from one idea to another. It is not surprising for an adhd person to have 6-7 ideas going about in our heads at once but we are easily distracted leaving projects to be done in spurts. For many of us pressure and deadlines are a godsend since they provide the momentum needed to focus.

[Dancin Girl]

I am another one of those adults who have ADD.... wan't diagnosed with it until my son was!! Also, having worked with a number of children with it, I too recomend a lot of research on it and on the available treatments out there before committing to the Ritalin... And, unfortunately, there are a great many doctors out there who will freely prescribe the drug without extensive and accurate diagnoses. Personally I know of some schools that exert pressure on families and medical professionals to put the child on meds because it's easier to deal with them in the classroom.... very sad but true.

As for the diet and benefits.... one suggestion that I got from a seminar on dealing with Addhd children that I found worked in calming them down for a bit when they need to focus on something is peanut butter!! Often a snack of peanut butter and crackers will work wonders. Also some time to bounce and run off that wound up energy. I had a preschooler in one of my classes who I would routinely take out to the playground, let him run for about 10 minutes, then have peanut butter and crackers before I brought him to circle with the other children. He could then sit through all of it with no problems.

[DragonDawn]

Originally posted by Dancin Girl
Personally I know of some schools that exert pressure on families and medical professionals to put the child on meds because it's easier to deal with them in the classroom.... very sad but true.


My nephew goes to a school that when they would send home the kids daily planners, on the page the parents were supposed to sign, they had a spot that said "Has your child had his or her medication today?" Plus they(the school) wanted my sister to put my nephew on ritalin because he was 'disruptive'. Mind you this was within the first week my nephew started the 3rd grade there. My sister took him out of that school and put him in a larger school and he's doing just fine without ritalin. :D

[Mythrel]

Laiste, thanks for posting all the links...I appreciate the info

[Margie]

Here is what Yvonne was talking about. I saw on "48 Hours" how they linked children who snored (had sleep apnea and who didn't get enough sleep) to being hyper active and being diagnosed with ADHD. Under related stories and links click on "Kosair Children's Hospital Sleep Medicine Center" I couldn't get the link to work earlier but I hope you can get it working now.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2001/04/18/48hours/main286443.shtml

There maybe other links here that are helpful too, but the one that really clarifies it is (of course) the one I couldn't open. I hope you can get it to work!