"Natural" remedies v. Medication

Vicki - posted on 04/28/2010

I have a 20 yrs old with ADHD and find that taking them off their meds during the summer is not a good thing. Even though they are not in school, they still need to stay focused and the meds help (they don't do it all) My son James has been diagnosed since he was 8 and we have tried other meds but found Concerta to work the best. We kept James taking his normal dose all year round as children play sports and have other activities that require them to be able to focus and without the correct meds this could cause issues. Hope this is helpful

Sue - posted on 04/28/2010

Hi Amy my son Alex was diagnosed at 9 with ADD (he is now 12) and we have had good results with change in diet and supplements. Alex is now wheat and dairy free as well as no MSG and various other colourings/additiives. This helps keep him on a more even level with less tantrums and less of the emotional roller coaster. I give him omega 3 and a zinc supplement although I am not sure how much they help with his concentration. He can still sometimes have trouble focussing in class.

We were offered Concerto when he was first diagnosed but decided not to take it partly because we had such good results from the diet change and also because of the possibility of growth issues as a side effect as Alex is already very short for his age. I saw the reply that suggested those who have good results from diet change aren't truly ADHD and not sure how I feel about that. It has crossed my mind before that maybe Alex's problems are all food related but he does have classic ADD symptoms. We were so long in getting a diagnosis and I had struggled for years thinking it must be my fault and somehow I was a rubbish parent that it was a big relief to finally know why. In fact it's been great finding this site as I finally realise I am not alone! We don't seem to get much support in the UK.

The main problem with controlling it with diet is that the times when I want things to be easy like Christmas, Easter and family holidays are the times when it's harder to keep Alex on track with food. Some of our holidays have been awful because it's so hard to say no to the odd bit of chocolate or bread, especially when his two sisters don't have a problem. I notice that a lot of people mention stopping medication in the summer, is this because of needing it more for concentration in school? I was quite suprised as in a way I feel I need things to be calmer when they are all off school!

Katrina - posted on 04/20/2010

i was worried that my rambling was just more of the same, so i am glad i had some sort of input that could be helpful!! good luck!!

Amy - posted on 04/20/2010

Thank you so much, Katrina!! I didn't think I could do two 18's. Though I was thinking about 27's as the 18s were clearly not enough when we first started him out. He was still jumping all over and not quite able to pay attention fully. We went straight to the 36s as the ped knew the 27s would still be insufficient... Though I could consider the 18s. We have a med eval in a couple weeks, so I'll ask her all about it then! Thank you!

Katrina - posted on 04/20/2010

amy ... my son is 15 and has been diagnosed since he was 5 ... i have always been that person that insists upon the least amount of meds as possible, so we do reduce (and sometimes stop his concerta) during the summer, since he not currently involved in summer school and summer is an impulsive, fun time!! i have noticed that when we totally eliminate it though, we still have the little issues within our family unit, so this summer i think we will keep to a low dose!! i have also heard the idea that kids that are TRULY adhd cant be completely helped with the natural route (and believe me, being the herbal lovin, tree hugger that i am, i have tried and gone bonkers when somehow it didnt work and made me think ... i must be doing something wrong - thankfully we do have a great doctor that basically said the same thing, kids that arent ADHD also wont respond correctly to the meds, which is why parents will over do the doses - since they are the ones in charge of settling on a dosage that 'works')!! to be completely honest ... i WISH the natural things worked for my son, but alas, it was not to be, but i have as i already said, been in charge of the dosage and refuse to dose him into oblivion!! being 15, we were able to keep him at his 5 y/o dosage of adderall for YEARS and when he hit 7th, the doc told us about concerta and we tried that, and he ha really liked it!! he says it makes him still feel real!! he is currently on 36 and we actually just had his med check yesterday and we are thinkin about lowering it again so he CAN enjoy life to the fullest extent (i am concerned cuz he has hit that teen angst stage and acting out again, and i wonder which is the culprit, him or his ADHD)!! but i am rambling and you have gotten tons of info already, but my opinion, like everyone here is ... you do what you need to do and what your family needs. for us, the reduction in the summer has always been a good choice that i have felt good with and my son has appreciated it. also, the doc can write you as perscription of 2 18s per day, and that way, if it doesnt work, you wont have issues with your insurance ... makes it easier to up it back up, but you also have to give it at least a month to really know if it is gonna be ok, cuz the body has to readjust and after 2 weeks, it will seem like it isnt working as the body settles, and then it goes back to working right - does that make sense?? ok, nuff from me, and good luck!!!

Shelly - posted on 04/19/2010

my dd, Jennie, is 7 and dx as having adhd, disruptive behavior disorder, psychosocial stressors, and trying to rule out a mood disorder.All I know is that the last few days have been horrible with her. She is having more tantrums, and more aggresion with defiance. I've been reading more about supplements. Since Jennie is a lot like me medically I was thinking of being the test subject first. She has a psych med check tomorrow, I'm going to talk to him and our in home therapist about these ideas. Plus we're getting her tested at school for any learning disbilities or what not. I have a meeting with her teacher and school counslor on Wed. this week. I'm all for herbals and medications. Hey whatever works for these kids, more power to the parents drs. and of course to the kids.

Heather - posted on 04/14/2010

Thanks for the info Amy! That's what I was worried about. Jordan doesn't have a heart condition that we know of, but with him being overweight like he is, I'm worried that is putting a strain on his heart already.

I knew they had started recommending an EKG, but I just took Jordan off of it at the end of last school year. I told his teacher this year that if we had behavioral problems with him because of his ADHD that we'd have to explore other options, different reinforcements, etc.

Jordan and I have talked about watching his weight, not because I'm concerned about how he looks because I think he is so beautiful, but that I worry about both of our health and that being overweight (in both of our cases) is hard on our hearts and we need to watch that and work on it.

Either way, to medicate, not to medicate, it's a tough call for any parent to make. You just want what is best for your kid. With ADHD, like others, we sit and search through info trying to find what will work best and it can be so hard to decide. I'm really glad that Jordan is doing ok this year *knock on wood because there's still a couple of months left to the school year* without it.

Sherri - posted on 04/14/2010

Yes, we had an EKG as well on my son before starting meds - it is recommended by the American Heart Assn. but I had to request it and the doctor poo-poo'ed my request saying it was not necessary and not recommended - until I showed him the article I printed out from the internet! I do recommend anyone going on these meds have an EKG, some of the meds he tried made my son's heart pound hard in his chest.

Amy - posted on 04/14/2010

Heather, my son had an EKG test before the Dr wrote the script. The theory is that kids who have heart problems on the meds (which is still rare) have underlying issues that the meds are exacerbating. Supposedly, it's like the athletes that drop dead during a game... only these kids weren't playing sports, but the meds were what go the heart going.



I'm still thinking abotu dropping Cole's meds from 36mg to 27mg during summer. I don't think 18 would be enough to help him behave well enough at home (or to play with friends).



Interesting conversation, ladies! Thanks so much for your input!

Angela - posted on 04/14/2010

I suspected my son had adhd from about 18 months. He also wasn't sleeping much, wouldn't nap and still go full speed. And my brother was diagnosed with ADHD, although I think for him it was a partial misdiagnosis and his bigger problem was/is dyslexia. But I digress.



I never considered medicating my son as being a "lazy" parent (or for anyone else who medicated their child). But it was still one of THE HARDEST decisions I've ever made in my life.



If a dietary change works for you child that is FANTASTIC and I'm very happy for those it does work for. It sure didn't do anything for my son though. And we tried it ALL. My son also has other issues than just the adhd and with every issue and medication we've added it has been a well thought out well researched decision.



And in the end ... EVERY medication has been THE best decision for MY child. They have been a godsend. The child who couldn't sit still long enough for teachers to assess if he was actually learning anything or not, is a top student with medication. The child who was leaving class 3-4 times a day for 20-30 minutes EACH time due to sensory input issues, is able to stay in class except in extreme situations. ALL thanks to medications WITH behavior modification. Yes we still have to direct him differently than we do his siblings, but that's all part of being a parent of more than one child anyway :)

Heather - posted on 04/14/2010

My 11 year old son was diagnosed at 3. Though at 18 months the doctor said, you know we might find that he has a touch of ADHD down the road. We tried ritalin, adderal, and concerta was the only one that worked.



I tried flax and Omega 3's and those didn't help at all. I will say that when we modified his diet (and all of ours) and took out all processed sugars and white flours that it made a huge difference in his behavior.



The ritalin I hated. He lost so much weight on it that his hip bones were jutting out of his body. It actually looked painful. I told the doctor enough was enough on that. He tried adderal and then we had issues with him being good at school but "coming down" off the meds when he got home and he was worse for me then than he was without medication. Concerta worked wonders. But then that FDA study came out, was it last year? About ADHD meds and kids and heart attacks, but don't go taking your kids off of them and it was a small study. I decided at that point that we were done with the meds. (I forgot to mention that while he was taking the ADHD meds during then day, then he'd have to take clonidine at night to sleep. It was a never ending circle.)



(ETA - I should mention that one of the reasons I pulled him off the concerta after that study was because I am already concerned about his heart, he's overweight now - I explain below.)



This year Jordan's been med free and seems to be outgrowing, no behavior problems in school, no jumping off his loft bed at home. I still have to redirect him when he gets distracted but it's been a lot better.



On ritalin, I don't know if this has ever happened to anyone else, but Jordan gained so much weight after I took him off. He gained 50 lbs the first year off, 50 lbs the second, and is now 150 lbs at 11 and 4'6". He hasn't slowed down at all. The doctor has run tests for diabetes, thyroid, and something else, I don't remember. There's no medical explanation. I watch what he eats, he's active in soccer 2 seasons a year, plus rides his bike, runs around, acts like an 11 year old. Yet he is wearing the same size of pants around as my 6'2" 230 lb husband. :( It's like his body went from being deprived on the ritalin to storing everything.

Sherri - posted on 04/14/2010

well, looks like I fall into the same category as everyone else on here. We were anti-med and my son was diagnosed in 3rd grade (again, relief finally knowing why he was different) and we tried all kinds of other techniques I could find on the interenet, etc. the fish oils, omega-3, primrose oil, etc...I thought i saw a minimal improvement (10%) in the beginning, and then it disappeared, and we were back at square one. tried it consistently for several months - like, 6 - nothing. as others above, with Concerta 36 mg, we have noticed immediate improvement and almost complete disappearance of the frustration fits of rage - problems with it? loss of appetite. we come off of it on weekends (school work fits/concentration for homework are our main issue) and holidays. So....although I don't discount someone who says "natural" works, it didn't work for us. I also considered Biofeedback but insurance would not cover it.

Amy - posted on 04/13/2010

Kim, your experience is practically a mirror of mine!

I thought for sure I'd hear from some moms who had positive experiences with the dietary changes and supplements, but so far, those are only from the ranting people who don't have ADHD kids. I cried and cried and cried before we started the meds. I felt "dirty" when I filled the first script... but now... it's been the BEST thing we could have done.

Kim - posted on 04/13/2010

I'm a mother of a wonderful 7 year old who has ADHD along with a vast number of food allergies. We've got a little experience at the whole limited diet thing. So, we thought we would remove any and all caffeine, and well that didn't seem to phase him one little bit so next we took out dyes. And again this didn't work. We tried breathing exercises and yes, yoga...none of which worked. We researched doctors and found one that was known for NOT using Ritalin and set up an appointment. We tried for 10 month to let him "mature" and, after he turned 7 and the 3rd teacher, his 1st grade teacher casually mentioned that he is showing ADHD tendancies, we bit the bullet...first with 10 mg's twice a day then we changed to Concerta 18 mg time release and have recently moved on to Concerta 27mg. His improvements were immediate! We didn't indorse meds in the beginning, but now...they are the tools that he needs in order to make the best of his classroom time. He actually enjoys school now! This is exactly what we were hoping and praying for and so far, we have no regrets

Phyllis - posted on 04/09/2010

We knew my son had a problem when he climbed onto the refrigerator at 10 months old. He was 4 before we got a diagnosis, and the psychiatrist said it was the most severe case he had ever seen in a 4yr old. Prior to the diagnosis, we eliminated sugar, red dye, yellow, dye, dairy, gluten and soy from his diet. No change. Sugar does not bother him at all. We supplemented, and did vitamins and a peculiar therapy that involved turning him upside down. (actually helped a bit, until he got too heavy..lol) Bottom line? Concerta saved my family. Jesse would only sleep 3 hours a night and would sometimes be awake up to 72 hours without so much as a nap! Hello Clonidine and Melatonin!

Amy - posted on 04/08/2010

Thank you so much for your response!! I'm glad you've found something that works so well for your family. It's NOT an easy road to travel, is it?



That's an intereting thought... that those who respond to the natural methods aren't ADHD. I'd never considered that idea before.



Cole responded a little to the fish oil, flaxseed oil, magnesium, zinc, B, and other supplements we were giving him. But it sure wasn't nearly as effective as the Concerta. I was hoping to be able to find a non-stimulant to help him, but our ped (and other reading) suggested that it wouldn't be effective due to his high level of impulsivity and physical activity. So I'm considering lowering his dosage over the summer since he doesn't need to focus THAT much at home, but I do believe he needs to have some level of medication so we can continue to work on his "bad learned behaviors." He's really incapable of learning how to behave when he's not medicated, and I think it's unfair to the whole family, and especially him. He needs to be set up for success.



I'll check those books out... add them to my current arsenal. :) Thanks so much!



Any other thoughts or experiences ????

Carmen - posted on 04/08/2010

Hi Amy. I know from other convos that you don't believe that kids should be diagnosed until age 7, however my son was diagnosed at age 4 and like you I always knew he would be. He had began having "difficult" behaviors at 18 months, possibly there were signs even earlier .By the age of 4 he was throwing inconsolable, violent temper tantrums sometimes several times a day, in daycare and preschool he couldn't sit or concentrate like the other kids his age or younger. He was and still is exceptionally bright and hit milestones early or exceeded them and yet he couldn't remember the name of someone he'd just played with for an hour and was always losing things. Getting him to do anything involved me standing over him telling him step by step what to do or else he’d get distracted. Several times I was asked to pick him up early from daycare due to his actions. As a single parent I was at my wits end and began frantically searching for other more effective ways of discipline my son and helping him because when he wasn’t melting down he was the sweetest most polite and loving child. During my quest he was diagnosed with ADHD and it was almost a relief because now my concerns were finally being acknowledged and I knew that his behavior wasn’t just because of my parenting. However, like you I thought that meds were for lazy people and that I just needed to be a better parent. I tried everything that was suggested to me and still my son’s behavior didn’t improve much or for long. By October in kindergarten I was in a serious relationship and my son had been suspended a handful of times and nearly expelled because of his behavior and finally after some serious discussion with my significant other and some convincing from my son’s psychiatrist I decided to try medication but I was very against stimulants therefore my son was started on clonidine. After he was started on meds, the phone calls from school dropped off significantly for a while and I was so relieved. It had been to the point that I dreaded my phone ringing when he was at school because I feared it was the principal. After a while his tantrums increased and we increased his dosage and started with the fish oils. Again there was some improvement but after we stopped with the fish oils his better behavior continued which led us to believe that it was the increase dosage not the fish oil that made the difference. At one point he was doing so well that we decided to try and wean his medication back down to 2 pills throughout the day instead of the 3 that he was now on but with disastrous results. Now he’s in grade 1 and in a behavioral class and is doing great in school but is having many issues at home. We’re now considering switching to stimulant medication during the summer so as not to disrupt things at school because they are ready to reintegrate him next year if things continue to go well this year.



Recently my fiancé and I went to a seminar where Dr. Russel Barker was the speaker. He has specialized in ADHD for 30 years, has written countless books and is constantly reading and assessing the newest literature on ADHD as well as conducting his own research. He mentioned that he thought that children who respond positively to changes in their diet and fish oils are not true ADHD children. They are just (and I use the term just loosely) either allergic to the food or deficient in nutrients or vitamins. He said that true ADHD children are not affected by foods or vitamins as ADHD is an issue with the wiring in their brains. And although I haven’t tried to change my son’s diet I think that dr. Barker is right. I have noticed that even when my son has chocolate it doesn’t seem to change the way he acts..he will react and/or act the same regardless. I’m reading a book called “Taking charge of ADHD” by Dr. Barker and am so far quite impressed with it. I would recommend it to anyone. My opinion.