My son is in-attentive ADHD and he is 6 and in First Grade. He is a focus and attention problem child, he is not hyperactive at all.

Come 4/28 I will need to decide if I will agree to stimulant medication. I researched, read so many books and keep trying to find the right answers.

I hate the side effects, the long term use, etc. etc. etc I am an active Mom and will do what ever I can to help him through this. As of "today" I am leaning towards non-medication treatments. I am attending my second seminar next well on non-drug alternatives. I am looking at the Feingold diet and researching biofeedback. I feel as though I should try other alternatives first. I ordered "bright spark" and "focus" herbal treatments and will start him on Monday.

I am also thinking vitamin supplements, but can't figure out what to buy.

Anyone who can give some suggestions on alternative treatments please help me with suggestions.

I would love to hear some success stories.

I'm SOO happy to see you start this thread!

I definitely have had major attention-focus issues, and have all my life, but as I was never told I had a "disorder", I just learned how to function.

I was also fortunately introduced to a healthy lifestyle approach early in life, so I naturally (no pun intended :p) looked into herbal/food/supplement help.

I should also mention that my two children have the same issues, and I've been working with them on different remedies -- it's important to know that every person with this challenge is usually deficient in specific nutrients, but it varies from person to person what they're deficient in. So we've had to do some experimenting.

Overall, I've seen the most improvement in all of us by adding fish oil with DHEA. I use Nordic Naturals because I believe it's one of the purest (free of mercury,etc...), and they have gel caps so we avoid the bad fishy taste. Not only does it help the brain, but the whole body loves it!

Phytonutrients are also really important. I wish I could say we "easily" get them from our food (raw veggies and fruits), but we don't. We still eat plenty, but "easily" isn't accurate. But that's another detailed story. Suffice it to say that most of the fruits/vegs we get in the grocery store didn't ripen "on the vine" so we don't get the major chunk of nutrients we're suppose to get. Also, mix in herbicides, pesticides, and the nutrients are further diluted. So in my family, we get organic and locally grown (home garden even better!), but we also take a supplement...I mix in a very pure fruit/veg powder mix with OJ, and the kids take the same powder in capsules.

There are places that test to see what specific nutrients a person is deficient in. We haven't done this, and I'd still like to. But with the quality (quality is Very important) multi-vitamin, phytonutrients, and fish oil we take, and healthy eating, I think we've got a lot covered.

Zinc is another nutrient that I've heard can be deficient in people with attention-focus challenges.

I know you said your child isn't hyperactive, but others might find this helpful. I'm looking into "chicory" to help give a calming effect without sedating and creating that "stupor" effect. I hate when I see kids/teens who are no longer "themselves" because of this side effect of common drugs. I always experiment on myself first, and I'm going to start with a flower essence "chicory" first and see if I notice any benefits. I heard how one man's mother (he's now 65 but was & is naturally Very hyperactive) benefitted from chicory coffee mixed with mashed ripe bananas (HE needed four! of these every morning), creating ~ a soupy paste. We can easily eat a banana, but I'm looking for a successful source of chicory that's easier on the taste buds :)

I've heard good things about the Focus and Sparky products for kids, but I THINK they're alcohol based and I was trying to find non-alcohol. It's been awhile so I might be wrong.

This is a continual passion of mine. I'm even putting together material to put on a website so I can share all that I've learned. It's a shame not to get all my research out there for others to benefit from. Including coping skills, other alternative approaches, etc...

Hope this helps. And I hope we can keep this thread going!

All the best,
tjay

p.s. I'm happy to share whatever I have if you're interested.

Okay, now we are in the right place, Codykins!

First, make sure you run any supplements you are considering through your child's doctor, and research the ingredients in the herbal/amino acid ones. Many are safe but for not long-term. Natural does not mean safe.

We, as well as many others also have a lot of response with the omegas. There seems to be differing opinions and responses with high DHA or high EPA. The Durham trials used high EPA forumulas. We tried the high DHA first and also only have good response with the higher EPA. Some do well with krill oil or emu oil too. Just make sure whatever you get is pharmaceutical grade and distilled, which are best found through sources online.

Magnesium is another supplement along with zinc that is getting some attention with treating ADHD, but again discuss this with the doctor for consideration. I had my son's serum levels tested for zinc and magnesium, and both were fine, and I felt better to do that rather than unecessarily supplement.

Some have good response with amino acids, and again, this should be done through a qualified practitioner as messing with neurological chemistry can be messy without knowing your unique makeup.

My son did the Dore program, and it has helped him in many ways. I wish it were around and we did it when he was old enough to start, at age 7. It sorted out a lot of his issues. I have also researched the CogMed program which works on attention, and working memory, one of the executive functions. It has an excellent track record and valid research to back it up. It's a fun program for the kids to do as well, though it is very intense, 5 weeks and bam, you've got results. Worth looking into if one fits the profile.

Along with common sense eating good diet, getting enough sleep, and exercise all decrease/manage the symptoms of ADHD too.

Ummm, that's all I can think of for now.

Codykins,

There are lots of things you can try. Read many of the other threads on this forum. I am lucky and have found a supplement that works great for me. But some things work well for some people and not for others. Go ahead and keep looking, but until you find things that work, I'd encourage you to also try the stimulant medications. You can always stop using them if you find something that works better.

phosphatidylserine (http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&safe=off&rlz=1B2GGGL_enUS176&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=phosphatidylserine&spell=1)

I’m just beginning on the journey with my 10 yo son who was recently diagnosed (3 months ago) with combination ADHD. To top it off, he’s also academically gifted which has delayed the reality of it because he’s always excelled at school. Since starting 4<SUP>th</SUP> grade, though, his ADHD has really come to light. He has more responsibility at school this year (changing classes, teachers, more homework etc.).

NO MEDICATION!

What (I believe) has helped out of everything I’ve tried is (in order that I think has helped the most so far:
- He started Taekwondo classes six weeks ago (exercise, focus, discipline, self-confidence)
- More protein in his diet (especially at breakfast)
- Omega 3 fish oil (we have been using Coromega and also ground flax seed)
- Attitude adjustment on my part
- Checklists and Rewards program (the verdict is still out on this one, though)
<O:p></O:p>
Things we’re just starting (over the last couple of weeks)
- less junk food (we don’t eat a lot to begin with, but there’s room for improvement)
- packing school lunch instead of cafeteria food
- slowly incorporating more organic food & less processed food
- more consistent dinner time
<O:p></O:p>
Things I’m looking into:
- Feingold Diet
- Krill Oil capsules (just ordered some from Amazon)
- S.M.A.R.T. BrainGames and/or Neurofeedback
- Lumosity.com and mybraingames.com

Thanks for starting this thread. I am looking to natural alternatives again.

Two reasons. 1) I HATE the side effects and 2) unfortunately because of the cost soon we are going to be forced to choose a health insurance plan without RX and we won't be able to afford prescription meds.

Both my son and I (he is 23) have ADD I am predominantly inattentive and my son has a combo of the two.

How well do natural treatments work with adults? Anyone have any experience as an adult?

a59yankee, I can really identify with your post. My son wasn't diagnosed with ADHD - combined, emphasis on the H, until adulthood and we knew very little about ADHD/ADD - just some misinformation from the media. We just functioned as a family, accepted each individual as they are and supported each other.


I’m just beginning on the journey with my 10 yo son who was recently diagnosed (3 months ago) with combination ADHD. To top it off, he’s also academically gifted which has delayed the reality of itI always suspected my son had a lot of ability and his assessment for ADHD included screening for LDs and abilities which proved it. His academic performance didn't start to decline until grade ten, but he always performed above the radar and his teachers liked him.


NO MEDICATION! Ditto.

What (I believe) has helped out of everything I’ve tried is (in order that I think has helped the most so far:
- He started Taekwondo classes six weeks ago (exercise, focus, discipline, self-confidence)Karate, Boy Scouts, competitive skating, competitive running, skiing - cross country and downhill, dirt bikes, camping, hiking - did I mention hyperactivity?
- More protein in his diet (especially at breakfast)Ditto.
- Omega 3 fish oil (we have been using Coromega and also ground flax seed)scientists hadn't connected these to the brain yet
- Attitude adjustment on my part-big ditto
- Checklists and Rewards program (the verdict is still out on this one, though)
<o>:p></o>:p>-Barbara Coloroso is my hero and she doesn't believe in bribing kids either.
Things we’re just starting (over the last couple of weeks)
- less junk food (we don’t eat a lot to begin with, but there’s room for improvement)ditto
- packing school lunch instead of cafeteria food-came home or packed lunch
- slowly incorporating more organic food & less processed food
- more consistent dinner time
I was fortunate to be able to be a stay-at-home mom when my kids were in school and when I rejoined the workforce, I worked school hours. My daughter really struggles with organization and if she hadn't had the support I was able to give her, she would have had a much more difficult time at school. She went to regular swim and skating lessons instead of preschool. Did I mention hyperactivity?

My son is 6, his ADD is mostly controlled by diet. He is 100% gluten and dairy free, 99% colour and preservative free, with reduced soy and sugar. When he get that 1% of colour etc we are really reminded why we cut it out. Last year when he was more like 80% additive free with no reduction in soy or sugar his teacher said he was the most distracted/inattentive of all the undiagnoised kids she had. Since then the doctor recomended the further diet changes that is to cut out soy, sugar and additives - it is a work in progess.
I experiment from time to time with suppliments inc fish oil, magnisum, zinc, vit C - they all make minor adjustments but none have stood out as amazing. I just started him on Learning Factors smoothy which is like a multivitamin designed for learning difficulties.

He also has started doing Learning Breakthrough type exercises though the aim is to help his learning any behavour effects will be a bonus...

re: 8

When you say his "ADD is mostly controlled by diet", do you mean it has improved his executive function and auditory memory too?

Or reduced hyperactivity?

Or reduced inattention?

I mean it has greatly improved his hyperactivity and somewhat improved his inattention and executive function. His memory has not improved at all.

While he has little ability to remember letters, numbers, words, story lines etc when he was IQ tested his auditory skills were in normal range. It is his visual processing that is low. However, his glasses seem to do little or nothing to help him learn after 3 school months. The school and I believe that he is having trouble storing and retrieving information.

Hi Codykins, You are smart to look into the different types of treatment before jumping into the use of medications, which should be the last resort. As you do this, remember that your child is not a guinea pig (trying different treatments) which can cause problems your child does not need.

Our family has been very happy with the use of the Feingold diet. My son was on medication first and while things got a lot better, we could see that something was still triggering the behaviors we were trying to stop. The good and bad days were just not as obvious. After stopping the meds and using the diet totally, things were great and they were great 24 hours a day. The medications would wear off--the diet does not. The Feingold Association is a big help. Be sure to go to this support group's website.

Best wishes to you. Marcia


My son is in-attentive ADHD and he is 6 and in First Grade. He is a focus and attention problem child, he is not hyperactive at all.

Come 4/28 I will need to decide if I will agree to stimulant medication. I researched, read so many books and keep trying to find the right answers.

I hate the side effects, the long term use, etc. etc. etc I am an active Mom and will do what ever I can to help him through this. As of "today" I am leaning towards non-medication treatments. I am attending my second seminar next well on non-drug alternatives. I am looking at the Feingold diet and researching biofeedback. I feel as though I should try other alternatives first. I ordered "bright spark" and "focus" herbal treatments and will start him on Monday.

I am also thinking vitamin supplements, but can't figure out what to buy.

Anyone who can give some suggestions on alternative treatments please help me with suggestions.

I would love to hear some success stories.

Has anyone here used the CogMed program? If so, did you find it effective?

For those who don't know, CogMed is a computer based program that is supposed to improve working memory. However, in order to use the program you have to go through an approved practitioner. I'm not sure about the cost.

I checked out the website and viewed the CogMed Demonstration video. Frankly, the activities are very similar to those we have on a couple games for our Nintendo DS (Big Brain Academy, Brain Age).

Also, what are your thoughts on the long term benefits of this type of memory training?

I have looked at the CogMed. I think it's expensive, but does have research to back it up. My son and I have been using the website called "Lumosity.com". It has a free two week trial and seems like the games are similar to the CogMed. Lumosity tracks your progress as well. We are going to get "Brain Age 2" and "Flash Focus" for the Nintendo DS.

Also, on a side note: We are going to schedule an eye exam for him. It's something I hadn't thought about before.

Yankee....i highly recommend scheduling the eye exam with a 'developmental optometrist' rather than a regular optometrist. Many learning issues are related to eyes not working together and this will NOT be found with a regular opt. You can search google and read more about it. It has been really helpful for many with ADD/HD, dyslexia and more!

Wow so much wonderful information! It is so amazing to see so many people trying different things. My son, 9, has always struggled staying focused in school. He also is not hyperactive, but was diagnosed with ADHD? When he was in 2nd grade I tried him on Brightspark and he turned very "ugly". My very sweet lovable child changed and he was very rude with me and others. I took him off of it after only a week, but I am now understanding this may have been normal. We have tried so many OTC products, but still haven't found one that really helps. We are currently doing the Learning Breakthrough program, but after a parent/teacher conference last Friday I did more research. Since starting the LB program in February I have noticed a difference, but it is minor at this point so I can't really say one way or the other. Monday I ordered ADD-vantage from www.crystalstar.com (http://www.crystalstar.com) and should have my order in later this week. Will repost and let everyone know how that works out. I have commited to trying it for two weeks.

Good luck to everyone and their various treatments!
Julie

Daviansmom, did you know there was a thread going here for LearnigBreakthrough? It takes a while, not a quick fix, but the moms there are saying they are seeing some improvements.

Just one word of caution, since you are investigating different herbal products. I peeked at the one in the link. Since herbs are not tested the way drugs are for safety, make sure you do as much research as you can on each of the different ingredients in there, as even natural herbals can and do have side effects you should be aware of. The way it says to take for 4-6 months, then rest, is a clue that there may be something in there that is known for long-term (possibly cummulative) effects.

Best of luck in your search!

FrazzleD

FrazzleD-

Yes, I am currently on the Learning Breakthrough posts as well, but thanks for letting me know. I have researched each one of those herbs individually and have an email to the company asking why they recommend that. Knowing a little about herbs already, I think it's the licorice, but I need to make sure.

I am seriously losing my mind with my son. Please forgive my venting but these last few weeks have been an absolute nightmare! Right now I am constantly reminding him to do his homework. I wish I had time to explain the time crunch we are on to find something that works for us. Long story short . . . there is a huge gap from 2nd - 3rd grade at the private school he attends. In 2nd grade there is a lot of group work that is done together - in 3rd grade most of the work is independent work. The principal and the teacher are concerned he will not be able to do this type of work. He is already repeating second grade so that is not an option. :::sigh::: So, the principal and the teacher would like for me to start him on meds right away so we can see if it will help or not. Ultimately the decision is mine (and my husbands) to make. It breaks my heart to think that NOT starting him on meds is hindering him though. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Julie

It's great to know you have done your homework on the supplement! Most folks don't bother. I'm interested to see how your son does on it.

As for meds, I can't recall if you said he's been on them before, if so, did he have any side-effects from them? If not, you can still let him go on meds, then taper off or go off them as you see the supps kick in, and you should know fairly soon. The meds will likely help him within the first day or two he takes them. Just double check with his ped first before doing that to make sure there are no contraindications to the meds/supps.

You are doing a great job, hang in there! Oh, does he have a 504 or IEP to help with his homework load, need for extra time for assignments, etc?

Thank you for the words of encouragement. I really need it right now.

First let me say that I received word back from the herbalist at , which is also . She said, "Thank you for your question. There is no problem if your son continues to use the product past 4-6 months. It is perfectly safe. The herbalist who formulated it just found that some kids may not need it past that time, especially if they are also following the diet recommendations from the Healthy Healing book."

No, my son has not been on any meds at all, ever. The ADD-vantage will be my last hope of finding something OTC. I have decided to try it for two weeks and in the meantime continue working with the Learning Breakthrough Program and hopefully be able to stop the supplements once everything "clicks" with the LB program. However, if I do not see any results within the next two weeks while trying ADD-vantage we will finally have to give in and try meds.

If an IEP or 504 is like an order to give him extra time for homework and assignments then the answer is no. (Not real sure what an IEP or 504 is) There are only 9 children in his class this year so the teacher allows him to redo his work. Only because of this did he make A/B honor roll. They are concerned that his teacher next year will not be so leniant (sp?) or have time for him to redo his work because there will be 16-20 kids in a class. This is a lot of reason why it is imperative for us to find a solution before the end of this school year, which ends May 30th.

Thanks again for sharing and helping, hopefully we are all helping each other out here!

Julie

Off Subject! FrazzleD I forgot to mention that I checked out your photo blog. What beautiful pictures!

Juile

Just wanting to update everyone on our progress. Davian has been taking ADD-vantage since last Friday and although I can't be sure it's the supplement, I have noticed positive changes. The second day he was on it he gave the dog food and water without being asked. To me that was a HUGE step! He doesn't like pouring water in her bowl because he always spills it. On Tuesday he had a great day at school. Wednesday he got in trouble for talking back to his teacher. I made him write a letter to his teacher and he wrote, "Dear Mrs. ______, I'm sorry for talking back. Please forgive me. Love, _____". I teared up reading it and thought, "who wouldn't forgive you?" Today was another great day! He hasn't had two good days in one week since mid-March! I'm also noticing that he's not arguing with me when it's time to do the LB exercises. He seems to be focusing more on them and getting it over with instead of arguing.

Anyway, I'll keep updating and letting everyone know. Right now he's only getting one capsule once daily. Thinking about upping it to 1 1/2 this weekend. Take care!

Julie

Hope it keeps up! Is Davian feeling better about himself as well, does HE notice?

Thanks for the update :-)

Oh, just noticed your compliment, and thank you very much!

I asked him the other day if he is being able to notice any difference and he said yes. He said, "today when I tried to think of an answer it just popped in my head."

There are so many little things I've noticed over the last few days. Last night when we told him to hang up his towel after bath he actually folded it in half and hung it right instead of throwing it on the towel bar as usual. I find myself tearing up over these little things becuase it is such huge progress. I know everyone here knows what I'm talking about.

Yep, we do.

My eyes teared up in awe the first time my son took out the garbage from start to finish without any prompting! Glad it's working, and hope it KEEPS working!

It has been 13 days since Davian started taking ADD-vantage. Parents that don't want to medicate really need to try this stuff! I have a friend at church convinced and she is ready to go in together on an order.
Davian is being so sweet, easier to deal with, taking his time on homework, doing things when asked THE FIRST TIME, etc!
Monday we were supposed to go have dinner at my 4 year old's school. By the time he finished his homework he only had 10 minutes before we needed to leave the house. To my utter amazement he didn't run to video games! Later that evening when we got home and I told to get ready for bed he said, "But we didn't get to play the Wii." And I said, "I'm sorry." Typically whining and complaining follow, but not that night. He went ahead and got ready for bed! Yesterday I sat down with him to help him with his homework. When his handwriting was sloppy I would ask him to erase something and write it again. Instead of pitching a fit he would say, "oh, sorry".
Oh and one more thing. Last night he got a pad and paper and sketched a picture of what he saw while looking out the window. I have no idea where that idea came from. I asked him if they were doing that in art at school and he said no.
Anyway, I could go on forever about the changes I have seen. I feel I should also tell you that as of yesterday I started adding fish oil again. We use the Coromega brand. Curious to see if today is as good as yesterday.

a59yankee, I can really identify with your post. My son wasn't diagnosed with ADHD - combined, emphasis on the H, until adulthood and we knew very little about ADHD/ADD - just some misinformation from the media. We just functioned as a family, accepted each individual as they are and supported each other.


I always suspected my son had a lot of ability and his assessment for ADHD included screening for LDs and abilities which proved it. His academic performance didn't start to decline until grade ten, but he always performed above the radar and his teachers liked him.



I was fortunate to be able to be a stay-at-home mom when my kids were in school and when I rejoined the workforce, I worked school hours. My daughter really struggles with organization and if she hadn't had the support I was able to give her, she would have had a much more difficult time at school. She went to regular swim and skating lessons instead of preschool. Did I mention hyperactivity?
I'm sorry, I just realized I missed the boat as far as what the topic of this thread was about. I assumed, by the title, that the original poster meant non-medicinal interventions such as behavior management, organization, communication - other support strategies. As a family, we managed to be reasonably successful coping with symptoms without knowing they made up a disorder and we did not use any form of drugs to do it. I consider herbals and supplements natural drugs.

Some one mentioned trying to keep this thread "going"

I Sticky the thing so it won't go any where - this way members aren't pressured into feeling like they have to post {some thing any thing }to prevent it from dropping into oblivion.

This thread is for non-medication success stories - although questions are welcome please do not use it to debate the validity of these alternatives.

{maybe one day we will get a safe haven up for those of us on medications - where is that to do list? }

non-medicinal interventions such as behavior management, organization, communication - other support strategies.

Wow those are good ideas - they are non-medication strategies that haven't been mentioned - like that CBT - cognitive behavioral therphy . . .

I think I'm finally at a point where I'm finished wondering what else can help my son with his ADHD. It's taken a year and a half to get where we are. Here is our journey.

My son was hyper off the charts, impulsive, not able to focus, not able to learn to read and recognize letters, he had a loud high pitched voice, little muscle tone, sleep problems, occassional day time wetting. He would get frustrated and cry alot. He couldn't follow through on simple one step requests like put your back pack away.

I saw meds in the near future. My hubby, thankfully did not. Desperate I remembered hearing red dye was bad. I removed it, not expecting to see any results, and boy was I surprized when my sons behavior improved.

Then I noticed it wasn't just the red dye, it was other colors too. So I started to google wondering what else there was to it. Ultimately I found the feingold program, which really got our diet cleaned up. I also swapped out home and personal products for healthier ones.

By the end of a month my son was sleeping every night, his voice became normal, he was following directions, learning the alphabet, hyperactivity was greatly improved. He wasn't as frustrated and didn't cry as much. He began to sing songs and hug me more. His eye contact improved.

He was still having difficulty in school. He was better, but not doing as well as he was at home.

Finally I figured out the flouride I gave him had artificials in it. I called the company 3 times before someone finally fessed up. I got rid of that.

And I took gluten out of his diet. I had been giving him sandwiches everyday for school lunch. We weren't eating much gluten at home so that might be why I hadn't noticed. I took the gluten out and got good reports from his teacher a week and a half later. He also made another improvement at home in terms of learning, hyperactivity, and frustration.

I tried l-theanine and gaba to help him with focus and did not notice a difference. I however take the l-theanine when I can't sleep. It's good stuff. Haven't lost a nights sleep since I got it.

I gave him nordic naturals fish oil and a multi vite. I didn't notice any improvements from this.

I recently stopped the fish oil because I started my son on digestive enzymes and he is even better than before. It's really amazing!

Feingold is my number one treatment and enzymes are my number two treatments. enzymestuff.com is a good resource.

I'm hoping to add gluten back into his diet with the use of enzymes.

His school work, behavior, focus, and mood have all improved with the use of enzymes. I really don't think I can get him any better.

It's such a process. Everyone has diffrent things that might help them. Thanks for starting this thread and good luck!

Hello everyone and thanks for keeping this discussion going. It has been a busy couple of months and I would like update everyone.

First, we had the child study team evaluation completed last week. Cody does not (at this point) have a learning disability. However, I was able to have him classified under medical and now he is eligible to all the programs and resources as a classified child. This was really my goal for he receives already two days of support (1/2 hour each) and now he will receive another two 1/2 hour support sessions. This way Cody can complete tests with the support teacher if need be and of course, get lost of help. Next year Cody will have an in class support teacher by his side! Cody scored very well on all his evaluations coming in at high average for verbal and non verbal but scoring low average on cognitive functions. Since this is typical with ADD and his evaluator saw his deficit with focus and attention they were very willing to help classify him.<O:p></O:p>
<O:p> </O:p>
Secondly, we meet with the Naturopathic doctor and at first step we are going exclude wheat and flour from his diet for a complete month. See if we notice any difference and then gradually add it back into his diet. Adding better quality vitamins and some added supplements.<O:p></O:p>
<O:p> </O:p>
Lastly, Had our follow meeting last night with the neuro-pediatrician, she reviewed the child study team evaluation and did a quick evaluation with Cody, asked some question and then when into what medication she would like to subscribe. I explained to her that we were going to work on a more natural path for now and through out the summer. That I would like to reschedule with her in September after school has been in session for a month and review where he is at that time. <O:p></O:p>
<O:p></O:p>
I have to tell you she seemed disappointed and tried to talk me into the benefits of meds. She told me that the studies haven’t proven heavily in favor of diet or supplements. This turned me off a bit and I can’t understand the “push” for the meds. Fortunately Cody is NOT hyperactive so I don’t have to deal with that part of ADHD, which I see is the most difficult to control. He is happy and bright and keeps his grades up with help, so I don’t understand why I would be discouraged from trying an alternative? She resided to the fact and rescheduled for early October. <O:p></O:p>
<O:p></O:p>
Wish us luck we are going to start the diet on Monday morning!! Anyone here have some kid delicious recipes or idea for meals with no Wheat or Flour I would love to get them from you.<O:p></O:p>
<O:p></O:p>
Dawn

Glad to hear the update, Codykins! Sorry about the experience with the doctor, but you stuck to your guns. You have the summer to figure stuff out, and you should know at least halfway through summer if whatever you are doing is working.

As for the wheat-free, clarify with the naturopath what they meant, as wheat free ususally means gluten free, as the gluten component is the factor that is most to blame. It is also found in other grains. If gluten turns out to be the specific item they want you to remove, educate yourself on the celiac's diet, and visit the gluten-free section of your grocer or the health food store. there are lots of alternative grains, alternative products, and things one can eat (and they are better for you too) than things with flour. I just found some gluten free tortillas at the store, which made me pretty happy! At the same time, you will also be able to reduce the sugar intake, as they both go together.

Good luck, with a little wisdom and a lot of strength, you can do this!

Gluten free has become much more popular lately. Whole foods carries many products that are gluten free, including pancake and waffle mix, as well as many kids cereals that are gluten free. Trader Joe's also has frozen waffles and pancakes that are gluten free. There are various breads availible from Whole foods that are gluten free, but they are very different than regular bread.

In my experience with my ADDer I find that gluten acts like drug (opiate) on her. When she gets a big dose of it, she calms down, when she does not have it for a while, she goes into withdrawls. (agitated, argumentative, etc)

If you end up eliminating gluten, the withdrawl period can last for over a week. Good luck.

Dawn-

Good for you for sticking to your guns!

I just typed a huge follow up on Davian and something happened when I tried to post. Now I'll have to be brief. To sum it up I still like the ADD-vantage. Have noticed that he is a lot more compliant, but still impulsive.

Upped his dosage to two capsules today and will see what happens. He is a lot less emotional now and more compliant, but still a sweet lovable boy.

Take care!
Julie

We do gluten free here. I can't say I have any good recipes.

The wellshire farms corn dogs are good. I'm sure it would be easy to find a corn dog recipe.

I buy the gluten free bread, wizz it up in a processor and add some spices. I dip chunks of chicken into eggs and milk and bake it for nuggetts.

I would reccomend sticking to stuff that is gluten free, but not a gluten free substitute like rice, potatos, corn products... until your kid has a chance to adjust to being gluten free.

You can make chicken and rice soup. I'd make it and freeze it adding the rice seperately. You can make and freeze the rice seperate too. That's so the rice doesn't get mushy.

They are used to their foods tasting a certain way and they will be more likely to accept gluten replacements when their taste buds have forgotten what things used to taste like.

Epicureous.com has a great chocolate macaroon recipe. It doesn't say gluten free, but it is and they are too good!

I make alot of great lunches and put it in our thermos brand thermos from target. It is hard to find a good bread replacement, so I don't make sandwiches. I roll meat up. Make tuna salad. Gluten free spagetti (quinoa brand) and meatballs, fish sticks (Ians gf), corn dogs, hot dogs, chicken nuggetts, rice cakes and peanut butter, chicken veggie fried rice, chicken and mashed potatos, nachos....

We noticed results in a week and a half of going gluten free. My son's teacher did as well. But I know that alot of people experience detox for quite some time and then it gets better.

Going gf was something I never wanted to do, but when you see results the effort is worth it.

It seems overwhelming at first, but like anything you get used to it. Good luck!

For now the doctor is not trying to eliminate the gluten protein, which is found in many different grains. He is looking to eliminate a wheat allergy or sensitivity. Apparently "wheat" not the gluten (although it can too) causes what he referred to as "foggy brain" and he cited some studies that have shown a strong relationship to wheat allergies or sensitivities to wheat that have proven to help children with ADD when the wheat is removed and then reintroduced. The reintroduction part will be finding his tolerance level. He explained that if wheat were a problem that often you can build immunities to it but slowly adding it back - just like allergy shots work for things like bee stings, when the treatment is the bee sting juice.
<O:p</O:p<O:p
The reason he is focusing on wheat first is we tracked his diet for two weeks prior to meeting and wheat in Cody's diet was HUGE! He lots of pancakes (standard breakfast) he is love sweets, cookies and cakes. He eats lots of things like "ranch dressing" to dip his chicken or chicken nuggets (wrapped in wheat flour) which has wheat in it to thicken. Anyway, I hired him and am going to work with him to begin the regimen.<O:p

Flour products? He meant wheat but after I was looking up recipes I asked him about millet flour, rice flour etc as a substitute. His response was "it is still flour!" and he would prefer I not use it. This was all via: email so I don't understand completely that answer but I will try to stay away from all flour products. That was via: email so when we meet again I will ask to explain to me. He did say I could use it providing it has no wheat but would prefer I stay away for now. <O:p

Of course he said I should work to eliminate as much sugar and dyes as I can but they are not his concern at the moment – his diet had much less sugar and lots of wheat. Sugar is highly linked to hyperactivity and since Cody doesn’t exhibit hyper-ness he will leave that alone for now. But anything “bad” that I could cut down with will also help overall diet and health. He really dislikes dairy products!!! But he didn’t go there because he explained that would probably not help his problem just his overall health. And being on a NO WHEAT, NO FLOUR diet is hard enough!<O:p

Anyway, Gluten protein is ok, providing it doesn’t come from wheat, for now. <O:p

Other interesting things; Cody is on prescription vitamins from this pediatrician and has been since he was a baby. The naturopathic told me they are garbage, that the vitamin portion of them is no better than Flintstone vitamins and that the scrip is for the fluoride additive. He put him a better vitamin and I am adding the fluoride in other means – water and mouth rinse.<O:p

In stead of ADD-Advantage I am using Bright Spark and Focus, the Naturopathic looked it over and gave his blessing just adjusted the doses (higher) there is really nothing harmful and given Cody’s age and weight he could tolerate and should receive higher doses to be effective in anyway. We are also adding Omega 3&6 thru fish oils (something I wanted) he was totally onboard with it.

Bottom line is I explained that if I take on too much, it will be too hard for me to make it successful. I have to be feudalistic and I have to be successful!! I know our diets are crappy – lots of fast food, buying out, pre-package crap! I don’t get home from work until 7PM and my DH at 5PM, so he is making dinner for Cody and sometimes all of us. Sad, but true! Therefore, I need to pre-make and have things he can easily put together and serve Cody. Hopefully we all eat better going forward. Now that I have started, I am finding that with a little work over the weekend in prep, the week so far wasn’t too bad. Like anything, once we get familiar and in a grove it will get easier. The problem I have is variety that Cody likes. He is your typical 6 year old picky eater and is trying. I explained to him the diet and why and he is trying to adjust – what a great kid!! You really don’t realize how much wheat we eat!! It is in EVERYTHING!! Tonight we are going to try rice pasta – I pray that Cody doesn’t notice the difference. LOL J<O:p></O:p>

We did a lot of research on diets and allergies for my Autistic granddaughter and had her tested twice. Thankfully she's not gluten intolerant. So next we tried eliminating all fruit and juice from her diet, since her daddy has some fruit allergies. And sure enough, we saw some improvement - could have been a coincidence since they progress in stages. So we began adding them back one at a time every week or two, and sure enough we could tell which ones were affecting her.

Anyway, with the gluten intolerance... I learned that many medications are manufactured with gluten. Since your dietician is looking at a wheat allergy rather than gluten intolerance that may not be important for you, but just thought I'd share what I've learned.

Thank you, that is good information, I didn't know that Gluten was in medications too.

What I was told was that a wheat allergy or intolerance may not be picked up through testing if it isn't a strong allergy but can still have a negative effect. He discribed it like this;

Imagion a barrel and everytime you ate wheat it got a little full. If you endulge in wheat (as I learned we do) when the barrel fills and overflows the allergy has negative effect. If we see a difference by eliminating wheat and flour then the next step will be to gratually add it back in until we learn at what level the barrel can hold the wheat and tolerate it.

That is what I had also read, but our pediatrician sort of glossed over the numbers from the test so I don't know if they may have been borderline enough to be concerned. However, we did go as gluten-free as possible for about two months except the school could not provide a gluten-free diet without paperwork from the doctor so she was still getting gluten in at least some of her school lunches. Coulda sent a lunch I spose, but the changes at home didn't seem to make any change at all so we looked for other things to try. I'm just grateful we didn't have to try a casein free diet.

I have found my son can now tolerate a little gluten.

I've tested it many times and we have been pretty much gf for a year now.

The first time I removed it for two weeks. I mistakenly told my son he could try the organic crackers at the store. It was too late before I realized what I had done. It was only about 10 minutes before he started running all over the place, not listening and was extremely hyper. He had not been that bad in a long time. My mouth dropped he was so bad. And for my son his reactions to food start minutes after he eats it.

I have found my son has an extra bad reaction when we remove something and then reintroduce it at least initially.

What you are saying makes total sense to me, because he does seem to be tolerating a little bit of the foods he once would climb a wall after having.

We were camping last week and he ate gluten throughout the week. Being camping it wasn't as noticable. We were outside hiking etc. but when we got home and he needed to do school work and follow more directions it was very noticable. It lasted a few days and now I think he is back on track.

So I've pretty much concluded that he won't have gluten during the week, but now he can tolerate a pancake or some pizza on the weekends. Which is really great because in the beginning he had no tolerance and I had to make gf pizza to bring to pizza parties. Which was a pain and he didn't like the gf pizza. Of course everyone else liked the gf pizza.

I made homemade crust, but the frozen gf pizza is really yummy too.

I guess I'm saying that I think it's true about building a tolerance.

Codykins, did your doctor reccomend an alternative to dairy products?

When my son was first challenged on wheat, he presented a lot like celiac's, so I caught it right away. I also nursed him strictly until 13 months of age, and added foods in every two weeks, which gave him the best shot at having a strong immune system. Wheat was removed from his diet, which the doctors said would give him the best chance of being able to "tolerate" it later. So, later in toddlerhood, because some family members could not longer read labels, he was started again on wheat, and did okay.

According to the Naturopathic Doctor these sensitivity, like wheat and gluten if added in slow... ly have a good chance of building immunities. Like I said, just like doctors injecting the allergens in order to build immunities.
<O:p></O:p>
As for dairy free? My Naturopathic hates dairy – milk mainly. He believes 90% of humans have allergies to it. He explained that symptoms as mild are mucus in the throat from milk is an allergic reaction.<O:p></O:p>
<O:p></O:p>
Although he did not take Cody off dairy he was hoping we would try and curve it for optimum health.<O:p></O:p>
<O:p> </O:p>
Eggs are fine, we can use them as much as we like. Use non-dairy ice-cream, we just bought Soy, the brand “Simply Delicious” and Cody loves it. Of course for a Milk substitute you have little choice except for Soy – no one in my house will touch it. Fortunately Cody is not a Milk drinker. Where that worried me before, now I am thankful. He recommends HARD CHEESES, not soft. I can’t remember if there were any other specifics.<O:p></O:p>
<O:p></O:p>
The NP doctor says that a good vitamin, cheeses and soy will provide plenty of nutritional value that Milk doesn’t have, there really is very little and all decent vitamins covers the vitamin D, which apparently Milk that is not “whole” doesn’t provide much vitamin D anyway. And most of us drink 2%, 1% or skim anyway.

Milk is a natural source of 15 essential nutrients. In addition, it is fortifed with vitamin D. Whether it is skim, 1%, 2% or homogenized, chocolate or powdered, milk provides basically the same amount of vitamins and minerals. As well, milk is 90% water, making it an effective thirst quencher.

Here’s a brief look at what each glass of milk contains:

PROTEINS

Contribute to the building and repairing of BODY TISSUES, including bones. Help build ANTIBODIES that fight infections.
POTASSIUM

Essential for maintaining your body's vital fluid balance. Important for the proper functioning of nerves and muscles.
PANTOTHENIC ACID

Helps turn carbohydrates and fat into ENERGY your body can use.
VITAMIN A

Promotes healthy SKIN, EYES and NIGHT VISION. Essential for healthy BONES and TEETH.
FOLIC ACID

Participates in the formation of RED BLOOD CELLS and of GENETIC material for cells.
VITAMIN D

Maximizes CALCIUM and PHOSPHORUS absorption upon which strong BONES and healthy
TEETH depend.
Note: At present, VITAMIN D is added to milk only, although certain brands of yogourt are now made from fortified milk and thereby provide vitamin D.
CALCIUM

Necessary for strong healthy BONES and TEETH. Contributes to HEART beat, MUSCLE contraction, proper NERVE function, and normal BLOOD clotting.
THIAMIN

Turns carbohydrates into ENERGY. Maintains a healthy APPETITE and helps normal GROWTH.
MAGNESIUM

Contributes to the health of BONES and TEETH; helps convert food into ENERGY, and builds
body tissue.
RIBOFLAVIN

Promotes healthy SKIN, EYES and NERVES. HELPS CONVERT FOOD INTO ENERGY.
PHOSPHORUS

Helps build strong healthy BONES and TEETH, and contributes to the overall proper functioning
of your body.
NIACIN

Essential for GROWTH and DEVELOPMENT, and for a healthy NERVOUS SYSTEM and
DIGESTIVE TRACT.
ZINC

Converts food into ENERGY. Plays an important role in tissue repair and growth.
VITAMIN B6

Helps PROTEIN build BODY TISSUE. Contributes to the production of red blood cells and ANTIBODIES to fight infections.
VITAMIN B12

Contributes to the health of RED BLOOD CELLS and to the maintenance of a healthy NERVOUS SYSTEM and DIGESTIVE TRACT.
SELENIUM

Acts like an antioxidant, thereby contributing to the protection of the cells. Contributes to the proper functioning of the immune system and is essential to the metabolism of thyroid gland.
PROTEINS

Contribute to the building and repairing of BODY TISSUES, including bones. Help build ANTIBODIES that fight infections.


POTASSIUM

Essential for maintaining your body's vital fluid balance. Important for the proper functioning of nerves and muscles.


PANTOTHENIC ACID

Helps turn carbohydrates and fat into ENERGY your body can use.


VITAMIN A

Promotes healthy SKIN, EYES and NIGHT VISION. Essential for healthy BONES and TEETH.


FOLIC ACID

Participates in the formation of RED BLOOD CELLS and of GENETIC material for cells.


VITAMIN D

Maximizes CALCIUM and PHOSPHORUS absorption upon which strong BONES and healthy
TEETH depend.
Note: At present, VITAMIN D is added to milk only, although certain brands of yogourt are now made from fortified milk and thereby provide vitamin D.


CALCIUM

Necessary for strong healthy BONES and TEETH. Contributes to HEART beat, MUSCLE contraction, proper NERVE function, and normal BLOOD clotting.


THIAMIN

Turns carbohydrates into ENERGY. Maintains a healthy APPETITE and helps normal GROWTH.


MAGNESIUM

Contributes to the health of BONES and TEETH; helps convert food into ENERGY, and builds
body tissue.


RIBOFLAVIN

Promotes healthy SKIN, EYES and NERVES. HELPS CONVERT FOOD INTO ENERGY.


PHOSPHORUS

Helps build strong healthy BONES and TEETH, and contributes to the overall proper functioning
of your body.


NIACIN

Essential for GROWTH and DEVELOPMENT, and for a healthy NERVOUS SYSTEM and
DIGESTIVE TRACT.


ZINC

Converts food into ENERGY. Plays an important role in tissue repair and growth.


VITAMIN B6

Helps PROTEIN build BODY TISSUE. Contributes to the production of red blood cells and ANTIBODIES to fight infections.


VITAMIN B12

Contributes to the health of RED BLOOD CELLS and to the maintenance of a healthy NERVOUS SYSTEM and DIGESTIVE TRACT.


SELENIUM

Acts like an antioxidant, thereby contributing to the protection of the cells. Contributes to the proper functioning of the immune system and is essential to the metabolism of thyroid gland.

Well I don't claim to be a Milk conesore, in fact I knowing about it really. All I know and tried to convey in my layman’s terms was what the Naturopathic Doctor's feeling was towards milk. Milk is only fortified with vitamin D, that was my point actually – you can get just as much vitamin D in Sunny Delight as you can in Milk.

Since my son never drank milk I did some research to insure he was getting supplemented properly ever since he was weaned off my breasts.

What I found was this, there is big difference in the nutrient vitamin A in whole milk and skimmed milk. When the fat is removed, it still retains most of its nutrients but some are lessoned quite a bit. Removing fat works the opposite with calcium. In fact, skimmed cow's milk contains slightly more calcium than full-fat milk because calcium is found in the watery part, not the creamy part.

Milk has been linked to a number of health conditions as my NP was quick to point out. The nutrianial world seems to believe that a lot it is allergy and the over exposure of homone received by milk.
<O:p
One piece of research says women who have more than 90g of fat a day from sources such as full cream milk are at an increased risk of breast cancer. This could also explain low rates of breast cancer - they prefer soya milk.
<O:p
Milk is also considered a trigger for eczema.
<O:p
Anecdotal evidence links drinking milk to increased phlegm production. It therefore should be avoided by those with respiratory conditions such as asthma. Which could very well be allergy related.
<O:p
Another study linked high consumption of full-fat milk to increased risk of coronary heart disease in women.

Meanwhile, a study in Finland has suggested that children may be vulnerable to insulin dependent diabetes later in life after exposure to cow's milk - as opposed to breast milk - while very young.

Milk needs to be avoided by those who have lactose intolerance - a deficiency in the body of the enzyme lactose which is needed to break down and digest dairy products.

I’m not dissing Milk! I love Milk and drink serveral glass myself everyday - but, it has had its bad press and my NP isn’t crazy about me using it with Cody. That was my only point.

I thought I would comment on this from the Naturopatic perspective.

My NP doctor did not link the use or non use of milk to Cody's ADHA at all. In his efforts for us to support a well rounded diet he explained his feeling to Milk and health issues.

As for the ADHA, and ADHD diet, it is the wheat, flour that makes the brain "cloudy" as he put it. So the elimination in combination with some increased supplements that are our focus for now.

Has anyone ever tried hair analysis? I just ordered the kit for Davian. Although the ADD-vantage is helping, as I said he is much more compliant, he is still having trouble staying focused. Here is a quote from their site "This hair test for toxins can show if toxic heavy metals have accumulated in the body. Some of the metals which cause toxicity are mercury, chlorine, iron, aluminum, arsenic, copper, lead, cadmium and nickel. Surprisingly, heavy metal toxicity isn't uncommon. It can also lead to a variety of debilitating symptoms. Toxic metals tend to cause havoc to the nervous system. "
I have tried so many other things, but I really feel this is my last hope. Maybe somebody can give feedback?

So next we tried eliminating all fruit and juice from her diet, since her daddy has some fruit allergies.
~Underlining mine~

:eek:

I would have begun by eliminating the fruits the father was allergic to.


Judging by your post this was only for a short time. :)

Coolness - we have citric acid allergies run in our family so badly mom wouldn't give us any thing with citrus until we were like four or five then it was very small amounts. Half of us kids have citric acid allergies - enough to where we can have problem breathing.

Myself if I were looking to restrict diets with my kids

I would consult with a registered Dietitian or nutritionist before eliminating whole food groups from a growing child's diet any length of time longer than a week for young children {toddlers} two for older ones {grade school}


And most of us drink 2%, 1% or skim anyway.

Once again I am a minority. I won't touch these at all - I want my milk to come with the creamy parts - otherwise it is white watery stuff not fit for consumption {this house hold.}

Milk is only fortified with vitamin D, that was my point actually – you can get just as much vitamin D in Sunny Delight as you can in Milk.


Well you could try the sun!! (http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/982088787.html)


What I found was this, there is big difference in the nutrient vitamin A in whole milk and skimmed milk. When the fat is removed, it still retains most of its nutrients but some are lessoned quite a bit. Removing fat works the opposite with calcium. In fact, skimmed cow's milk contains slightly more calcium than full-fat milk because calcium is found in the watery part, not the creamy part.


huh?

Modified milks explained (http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Milk_the_facts_and_fallacies?open)
There are many types of modified milks on the market, including:

* Full cream – full cream milk contains around four per cent fat and is a source of vitamins A and D. For children up to the age of two years, full cream milk is recommended.
* Reduced fat – expect around half as much fat in reduced fat milk as full cream. Children over the age of two years can drink reduced fat milk.
* Skim milk – contains less than one per cent fat. Children older than five years can safely consume skim milk. Both reduced fat and skim milk have vitamin A and D added to replace the naturally occurring vitamins that are reduced when the fat is removed.
* Calcium enriched – generally, milks that are enriched with extra calcium are also fat reduced. A 250ml glass of milk contains 420–450mg of calcium.
* Flavoured – these milks can either be full cream or reduced fat. However, most varieties contain a lot of sugar.
* UHT (ultra-high temperature-treated) milk – allows milk to be stored for long periods.

{End Quote}

As for dairy free? My Naturopathic hates dairy – milk mainly. He believes 90% of humans have allergies to it. He explained that symptoms as mild are mucus in the throat from milk is an allergic reaction.

Actually ones genetic origins have a lot to do with this. Some groups of people are more likely to have difficulties with milk {and other lactose} than others. For example people of Hispanic origin are more likely to have a lactose intolerance than some one who is from northern European origin.

Source documentation (http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Lactose_intolerance?OpenDocument)


So our tendency to use inaccurate terminology doesn't get us all catywhompus please see the definition of intolerance and allergy below. This is standard and accurate.

Food allergy can be inherited (http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Food_allergy_and_intolerance?OpenDocument)

Children who have one family member with allergic diseases (including asthma or eczema) have a 20-40 per cent higher risk of developing allergy. If there are two or more family members with allergic diseases, the risk increases to 50-80 per cent.

Allergy is an immune response
Allergies are an overreaction of the body’s immune system to a specific part of a food, usually a protein. These proteins may be from foods, pollens, house dust, animal hair or moulds. They are called allergens. The word ‘allergy’ means that the immune system has responded to a harmless substance as if it were toxic.

Food intolerance is a chemical reaction
Food intolerance is a ‘chemical’ reaction that some people have after eating or drinking some foods; it is not an immune response. Food intolerance has been associated with asthma, chronic fatigue syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Food intolerance is much more common than food allergy.

{End Quote}



I thought I would comment on this from the Naturopatic perspective.


Here is another neuropathic perspective

The Health Benefits Of Raw Milk From Grass-Fed Animals (http://www.realmilk.com/healthbenefits.html)

Raw milk remained a mainstay of my diet. Since 1981 I have strongly recommended raw milk to thousands of people who have seen me in my practice as a naturopathic physician.
{End Quote}

So for those who are seeing this type of practitioner, have access to safe raw milk and enjoy milk it may be worth asking about ???


Well I don't claim to be a Milk conesore

Did some one accuse you of this? Is there such a thing? Hmm off topic - sorry

Once again I am confused and confounded by some ones response out of the blue -

I think we are simply sharing information about ADD treatment approaches that are not drug related and are successful. Presenting post claiming all milk as bad or some thing like 90% of the human population is allergic to does generate ideas worthy of enough consideration to do a little research on .

I am sharing my results for consideration - nothing more nothing less. Every thing posted here is for information balancing purposes only. I am not looking to debate the issue {not here any way.}

his hair test for toxins can show if toxic heavy metals have accumulated in the body. Some of the metals which cause toxicity are mercury, chlorine, iron, aluminum, arsenic, copper, lead, cadmium and nickel. Surprisingly, heavy metal toxicity isn't uncommon. It can also lead to a variety of debilitating symptoms. Toxic metals tend to cause havoc to the nervous system. "

I know they can do drug testing via hair samples and have been sense the mid-1990's.

I have heard of testing for poisons using hair samples - so yes the hair is a good source of many testings however I am unable to find any information about the accuracy of home based collection kits. I would pay special attention to collection procedures and handling instructions - these are area most commonly sited for inaccuracies /inconclusive results in the clinical version of this specimen collecting.


Have you tried any movement based therapy’s ?

Therapeutic Eurythmy—movement therapy for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a pilot study (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WCT-49W1V8F-1&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=a32e9937b43650262df30af62fb43edb)


Be smart, exercise your heart: exercise effects on brain and cognition (http://www.nature.com/nrn/journal/v9/n1/abs/nrn2298.html)

"Spark"
Dr. John Ratey
Page 160

Every one agrees that exercise boost levels of dopamine and norepinephrine. And one of the intracelluar effects of these neurotransmitters, according to Yale University neurobiologist Amy Arnsten, in an improvement in the prefrontal cortex's signal to noise ratio. She found that norepinephrine boosts the signal quality of the synaptic transmission, while dopamine decreases the noise or static of undirected neuron chatter by preventing the receiving cell from processing irrelevant signals.

{End Quote}

My definition of ADD was rooted in this man's work - ADD the inability to consciously control the direction of focus or length of attention span. It is almost as if our brains have a mind of it's own.

{"Spark" continued}

page 151


It's not simply a matter of weather or not the signals get through to capture our attention but how fluidly that information travels. This is where the attention system ties in with movement and thus exercise ; the area that control physical movement also control the flow of information

{End Quote}

If you haven't engaged your child and your self in some regular exercise to combat his attentional problem then you haven't tried all natural approaches . .. mild top moderate ADD in my opinion can be treated by routine regular exercise done during strategic parts of the daily routine. aerobic exercise along with some exercise requiring Coordination

Martial art forms are good sources of routine exercise with the necessary variations and it probably doesn't cost much more than all of these other treatments.

I was hyperactive in the womb - back when I was growing up there was no such thing as ADD - I was just labeled every thing from retarded to defiant. Instead of trying to force me to be some thing I wasn't mom decided to work with who I was -I was Little Miss bouncy butt so she made structured times for me to bounce.

She did almost entirely eliminate processed sugars, but a lot of that was due to my hypoglycemia. Dyes and persertives were mostly in junk food back during the ice ages when I was growing up. If the coloring stained my mouth I wasn't allowed to eat it. According to her food shouldn't stain the mouth like a paint. Despite her dietary manipulation and my lack of it as a young adult my ADHD has remained pretty steady though out my life {getting some what worse with hormonal fluctuations of premenopause another thread another time} remained I was still hyperactive ADD. So the dietary thing never really fit my experiences of successful non-pharmaceutical ADD management.


After school before homework I was given time to run around and play. After church before resteraunt I was given time to run all that energy out. She engaged my high level of activity by having me help her do stuff when I was a young child as an older one I was signed up in gym classes, swimming, basket ball - she couldn't reduce my energy level and in all honesty healthy children are active children - so she channeled my energy in productive directions.

I had struggles in the first couple of grades in school as much of those struggles were due to my dyslexia as it was due to my hyperactivity. Latter grades proved to be easier. By the end of elementary school I was at functioning about average. By the time I was in high school my dyslexia was fully compensated for - I sailed past them.

Only creatures that move have brains - huge clue we weren't designed to sit and think - mankind was designed to move about. Even inattentive children can benefit from exercise just as well as hyperactive ones . Exercise levels out our brain's neurotransmitters and encourage the brain to grown new cells.

When I was finally diagnosed at 29 not only did I manage to avoid many of the problems other folks who didn't get diagnosed until adulthood I had already obtained my nursing license.

The only successful non-medication ADD treatment I have ever personally experienced both as an ADDer myself and a parent of ADD children is regular physical exercise. If you haven't tried it I mean really tried it then you haven't tried every thing non-pharmaceutical {IMHO}

Question: are dairy products fairly inexpensive in the USA?

Question: are dairy products fairly inexpensive in the USA?

I don't think so . . it is cheaper than soy. It easier to come by in most areas then goats milk. I know some use goats milk because they feel it is better for them in the food intolerance department.

~Underlining mine~

:eek:

I would have begun by eliminating the fruits the father was allergic to.


Judging by your post this was only for a short time. :)

Coolness - we have citric acid allergies run in our family so badly mom wouldn't give us any thing with citrus until we were like four or five then it was very small amounts. Half of us kids have citric acid allergies - enough to where we can have problem breathing.

Myself if I were looking to restrict diets with my kids

I would consult with a registered Dietitian or nutritionist before eliminating whole food groups from a growing child's diet any length of time longer than a week for young children {toddlers} two for older ones {grade school}




Once again I am a minority. I won't touch these at all - I want my milk to come with the creamy parts - otherwise it is white watery stuff not fit for consumption {this house hold.}




Well you could try the sun!! (http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/982088787.html)





huh?

Modified milks explained (http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Milk_the_facts_and_fallacies?open)
There are many types of modified milks on the market, including:

* Full cream – full cream milk contains around four per cent fat and is a source of vitamins A and D. For children up to the age of two years, full cream milk is recommended.
* Reduced fat – expect around half as much fat in reduced fat milk as full cream. Children over the age of two years can drink reduced fat milk.
* Skim milk – contains less than one per cent fat. Children older than five years can safely consume skim milk. Both reduced fat and skim milk have vitamin A and D added to replace the naturally occurring vitamins that are reduced when the fat is removed.
* Calcium enriched – generally, milks that are enriched with extra calcium are also fat reduced. A 250ml glass of milk contains 420–450mg of calcium.
* Flavoured – these milks can either be full cream or reduced fat. However, most varieties contain a lot of sugar.
* UHT (ultra-high temperature-treated) milk – allows milk to be stored for long periods.

{End Quote}



Actually ones genetic origins have a lot to do with this. Some groups of people are more likely to have difficulties with milk {and other lactose} than others. For example people of Hispanic origin are more likely to have a lactose intolerance than some one who is from northern European origin.

Source documentation (http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Lactose_intolerance?OpenDocument)


So our tendency to use inaccurate terminology doesn't get us all catywhompus please see the definition of intolerance and allergy below. This is standard and accurate.

Food allergy can be inherited (http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Food_allergy_and_intolerance?OpenDocument)

Children who have one family member with allergic diseases (including asthma or eczema) have a 20-40 per cent higher risk of developing allergy. If there are two or more family members with allergic diseases, the risk increases to 50-80 per cent.

Allergy is an immune response
Allergies are an overreaction of the body’s immune system to a specific part of a food, usually a protein. These proteins may be from foods, pollens, house dust, animal hair or moulds. They are called allergens. The word ‘allergy’ means that the immune system has responded to a harmless substance as if it were toxic.

Food intolerance is a chemical reaction
Food intolerance is a ‘chemical’ reaction that some people have after eating or drinking some foods; it is not an immune response. Food intolerance has been associated with asthma, chronic fatigue syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Food intolerance is much more common than food allergy.

{End Quote}





Here is another neuropathic perspective

The Health Benefits Of Raw Milk From Grass-Fed Animals (http://www.realmilk.com/healthbenefits.html)

Raw milk remained a mainstay of my diet. Since 1981 I have strongly recommended raw milk to thousands of people who have seen me in my practice as a naturopathic physician.
{End Quote}

So for those who are seeing this type of practitioner, have access to safe raw milk and enjoy milk it may be worth asking about ???




Did some one accuse you of this? Is there such a thing? Hmm off topic - sorry

Once again I am confused and confounded by some ones response out of the blue -

I think we are simply sharing information about ADD treatment approaches that are not drug related and are successful. Presenting post claiming all milk as bad or some thing like 90% of the human population is allergic to does generate ideas worthy of enough consideration to do a little research on .

I am sharing my results for consideration - nothing more nothing less. Every thing posted here is for information balancing purposes only. I am not looking to debate the issue {not here any way.}

So was I and I agree, I did not just pop in here out of the blue, i actually started the thread and someone ask me directly in this thread what my NP thought of milk and I told them. That's why I stated I really don't know much about it. And yes, the 90% comment came from the NP mouth - is it fact or opnion from his standpoint I don't know. I haven't researched that since Milk is not a problem for us. Again, just relaying what my NP said about Milk.

If you like Milk and want to talk to it benefits that is wonderful, start a new thread perhaps? I was just responding to a "direct" question to me and my expierence with the NP - and didn't expect for anyone to get all up and arms over my response.

If you would like to start a thread on Milk and want me to site my sources on some of the stuff I posted I would be happy to - I would love to learn more about the pros and cons of Milk. But for now, it is off topic unless it had lead to some successes with ADHD - if so let's hear it, please.

If you like Milk and want to talk to it benefits that is wonderful, start a new thread perhaps?

To many bosses merely creates confusion. If you do not mind or even if you do I going to play moderator hence my presence in this thread.

Please do your part and return to the topic which is

"non-drug treatment success stories please! "


So unless eliminating dairy is part of your ADD treatment success the subject is officially considered over"


Thank you for the offering to help but I assure you I can handle the moderating duties here.

Has anyone read "Healing the New Childhood Epidemics, Autism, ADHD, Asthma and Allergies" by Kenneth Bock?
He and his collegues seem to have found some root causes to this epidemic we have all found ourselves in! And not only that, how to heal them, if not completely, significantly.

Amypaige, what's your take on the use of the word "epidemic" when referring to Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies?

Here's some ADDF discussion on this book:

http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40979&highlight=bock

http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39888&highlight=bock

Here's some info on Dr. Bock himself:

http://www.rhinebeckhealth.com/rhc/bio_kbock.php

The word "epidemic" of the last twenty years in regards to what Bock's book is referring to, may mean several things, including more individuals per percentage who have these issues, more individuals being *diagnosed* and recognized with these issues, and/or redefining or refining the criteria for diagnoses.

Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride also has a book out called "Gut and Psychology Syndrome" which is along the same sort of lines as Bock's book. She is also treating individuals in her clinic in the UK with some of the same integrative/alternative philosophies as Dr. Bock here in the states.

I'm more interested in the correct interpretation of a medical definition for the word epidemic.

ep·i·dem·ic adj. Spreading rapidly and extensively by infection and affecting many individuals in an area or population at the same time, as of a disease or illness.

n. An outbreak or unusually high occurrence of a disease or illness in a population or area.

ADHD and Autism are currently not defined as diseases. ADHD and Autism occur in the population worldwide, not in a particular population or area.

Perhaps the incorrect use of the word epidemic is just a matter of ignorance. It would be unethical to use the loaded word "epidemic" to sell books.

Actually, epidemic has come to mean a lot more than that limited definition. Check here: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/epidemic

<TABLE class=luna-Ent minmax_bound="true"><TBODY minmax_bound="true"><TR minmax_bound="true"><TD class=dn vAlign=top minmax_bound="true">2.</TD><TD vAlign=top minmax_bound="true">extremely prevalent; widespread. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE class=luna-Ent minmax_bound="true"><TBODY minmax_bound="true"><TR minmax_bound="true"><TD class=dn vAlign=top minmax_bound="true">4.</TD><TD vAlign=top minmax_bound="true">a rapid spread or increase in the occurrence of something: an epidemic of riots. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
and...
Widely prevalent: epidemic discontent.
or...
A rapid spread, growth, or development: an unemployment epidemic.

or this...

1. (especially of medicine) of disease or anything resembling a disease; attacking or affecting many individuals in a community or a population simultaneously' "an epidemic outbreak of influenza."

So... 'especially' but not 'limited to'.

If indeed there is a common cause for these issues, as I have read it could be a proliferation of a certain yeast, then I agree that it could be considered an epidemic. Especially since my family by all of those (Autism, ADHD, Asthma and Allergies) I am intrigued by the concept of a common cause and therefore a common treatment.

I have a friend who, along with two of her daughters, is seriously affected by Chemical Injury Illness and is currently undergoing similar treatment to correct the chemical imbalances in their bodies. It would be so wonderful for them to be able to leave their house and live a normal life for the first time in over 6 years.

The author does not indicate the use of word meaning spreading but of vastly growing proportions.

Hi, I live in Pennsylvania. My daughter has turned to alcohol ever since her dad died. They were always so close and his passing away was really hard on her. Last night we had a talk, and I made her realize that her dad won't be happy with her if he knew what she was doing to herself. She has already agreed to treatment. Can someone here tell me how to find an alcohol rehab in Pennsylvania?<o:p></o:p>