My 5 year old son very likely has ADD, I was always against medication...

Sheryl - posted on 03/21/2013

Chrissy Stogner,
How is your son today? I am starting my 9 yr. old son on Concerta tomorrow. How will his body react taking him on and off medication on the weekends? I read that you wouldn't give your son medication on weekends. I am SO scared I will lose my happy little boy. He is the inattentive type not hyper.

I would really love any positive feedback from moms who are medicating their kids with Concerta

Rachel - posted on 10/23/2011

My son hasn't been diagnosed, but is very hyper and can't sit still at school, talks a lot, runs around the class. I have him on a juice drink called Attention and alternate with Calm Child. I also, when I can, sit in class with him before I go to work. He has greatly improved. :) He is only 5, so I don't want him on medication...

Alice - posted on 04/13/2011

I have anxiety issues too. They have been bad recently. I started these new vitamins and over night they seem to of gone away.

This is the article that I read and how I found them. http://www.meierclinics.com/xm_client/cl...

This is the vitamins and my whole family is taking them. We are much better for it!!!

http://www.tyh.us/index.php/liquid-vitam...

Rochelle - posted on 09/25/2009

Actually we have a daughter who is 11 recently diagnosed ADD and this is the med they are talkin about for her as well.. I have looked up side affects etc here on the net but have gotten alot of good feedback on the drug and was told to at least give it a try we'd see a major difference in her school work

Missy - posted on 09/25/2009

ironically enough...although many think that ADD and ADHD children should avoid caffeine because they are too hyper its not exactly true. in my neuropsycholgy class we learned that caffeine actually helps the symptoms of ADD and ADHD by acting helping the neurons in the brain that aren't producing enough of the proper neurotransmitters. i know it sounds crazy but it may help. obviously you would want to monitor the levels of caffeine intake,but its something to think about.

Stephanie - posted on 09/25/2009

My nephew is actually on concerta and my sister was just like u and didn't want her child medicated. But after persuading her to just try it, my nephew noticed a change in himself and told her that it was what he wanted. She couldn't argue with him about it so she gave in. He's been on it for 7 yrs now and he will not go to school until he takes it. And it really never hurts to try. It is a safe med, it's been tested a bunch. Just see how he feels. If he's old enough ask him how it makes him feel and go from there.

Pamela - posted on 09/25/2009

You know I have two children with ADHD and they are both on medication. My son was on concerta at first, but the side effects of the med were worse than than the ADHD. I was really scared at what I saw happening to my son right before my eyes. He stopped eating, developed dark circles under his eyes, his skin to on this gray palor (he always looked like he was ready to vomit) and he lost interest in life. So, the Drs. took him off of it and started him and my daughter on a newer medication called Focalin and they are both doing great in school now. So, my advice to you is first of all the dr may not do anything for your son until he's a little older. They typically don't like to start meds for ADD until they're about 8. But only u can make the decision to put him on medication. Second, if you choose to do so, watch for side effects and ultimately it is decision to keep him on it. And there's lots of meds out there for treatment so if one doesn't work, have the dr try another. Hope this helps you. Good luck.

Jodie - posted on 09/25/2009

I do have a 11 yr. old son that has been dignosed with Bi-Polar, ADHD,ODD, an anxiety disorder and has Muscular Dystrophy and has been on meds for 5 years now. He is one three different types of medication now. Without the meds he was really bad, he would hit other kids, has hurt animals, and could not learn well. He is doing very well now academically but he is still having trouble getting along with other kids. If you have any more questions you would like to ask please feel free to contactme.

Marjorie - posted on 09/25/2009

My oldest has been tested and is ADHD, we tried the meds adderall, and a couple of other things. The meds only helped her focusing but did not help her attitude towards anyone. The meds also gave her an easy way out. I am talking about a child that hits and bites and throws a fit to get what she wants and as for school is perfectly capable of doing the work yet chooses not to. We have taken her off the meds properly and have read about ADHD. What made the situation worse was that she has a split family and different rules at each house. I found that posting a list of HOUSE RULES for all the children to follow and telling them what consequences could happen as a result of THEIR actions much more effective than meds. I have also found that because part of ADHD is ANGER that making them count to 10 or taking a time out or walking away so they LEARN how to deal with the anger and manage it. I also tell all my kids you have the right to be mad but you don't have the right to take it out on anyone else. They are after all human and have emotions just as adults do.

Jody - posted on 09/25/2009

Yes my son takes Concerta for ADHD, he also had problems in school and at home. I think the Concerta is a good med and it has helped my son tremendously.. I too did not want my son on meds but I saw what it did for my son and so we made the decision to have him take the meds...Remember science isn't perfect so it is all trial and error! Hopefully you will make the choice for your son. Good Luck

Robin - posted on 09/25/2009

Not on Conserta..But my daughter is on Vyvanse and before she started her meds she had a hard time concentrating in school and staying on tastk. Now her school grades are 95-100's. The teachers now have no problems with her! She is doing awesome on her medicine.

Jenny - posted on 09/25/2009

If you are against meds have you looked at natural alternatives perhaps having an appointment with a homeopath or naturapath might be a consideration. Homeopathics is something I always try before having to revert (not often being the case) to meds.

Marie - posted on 09/25/2009

My 13yr old son is on conserta b4 meds school days out every thing were nightmares sense meds every thing is much easier he is flying in school & i can bring him any where he has losts more friend is on football & hurling team i didnt like idea of med but sense tryin i would not go back 2 the way it was he has a much better quilaty of life.

Jess - posted on 09/24/2009

Yes, my daughter is off the charts in the H department. Teachers still complain about her not paying attention and her answer is always, "the kid next to me keeps bothering me and I can't concentrate." She does have issues with not being able to be quiet when she should. She also hates to take the medicine and has complained that she doesn't feel like herself. Again, this was when she was a bit younger, as she's growing older she's seeing that the medicines really do help her. It was a battle a couple of years ago though. *shakes head* We'd find pills she supposedly took down the vent in the dining room, in the toilet or trash. She also can't take weekends off, she drives us bonkers bouncing off the walls and constantly talking. The few times we've done it we've also noticed that it seems to take three or four days to get corrected back again. She is also a high ability student and I often think the two go hand in hand. My husband and father-in-law believe they were/are undiagnosed ADD as well.

Julia - posted on 09/24/2009

Oh, I forgot to mention, we didn't want to put our son on medication either and both my husband and I battle depression and anxiety and take medications for that to help us. We noticed an imediate difference w/ our son as soon as he started taking Concerta even though we didn't stay w/ that particular one. The teacher noticed the difference too. When we do not give him the medication, it is sooooo difficult for him and for us. So, he does not take the "weekends off" like some kids can. The medications that are not extended realease, you should think of them as a roller coaster effect...they level your child out and then they start to come off of it and get worse w/ their problem until they get their next dose and it is harder on the child. I like the way my Pediatrician explained ADHD to us. He said it was like our child was a flight controller and all the planes were in the air and needed to land and our son had no idea where to begin in getting them to land. Can you imagine feeling that overwhelmed? Also, ADHDand ADD are lumped together as one. My son does not have the HD part but is ADD.

Julia - posted on 09/24/2009

My son Aidan is 7 and has been diagnosed w/ ADHD. We chose to start him on medication b/c he had a problem in school focusing. We chose to go on Concerta b/c it is one of the oldest and had the least amount of side effects. At first it seemed to help but we had to gradually increase it b/c it seemed to wear off too soon. Then we noticed that he was having a depressive side effect to it. We never really noticed how bad it was until my Mom was visiting in June and she mentioned his behavior and how worried she was about him. We chose to change the medications. He is now on Focalin and has been increased once and we are going to have it increased again b/c it seems to wear off by the time he gets home from school making it impossible to do homework and have his full attention. He does not seem to have any side effects w/ this one. ADHD often times will resolve itself by the time your child is in HS. They learn how to cope w/ it and later can go off the medication by HS or when they graduate. It is different than an anxiety medication. Anxiety/Depression and ADHD are different things although ADHD can have anxiety and depression w/ it resulting in the child having to take an additional drug to battle that. My suggestion is to have the teacher fill out a form about how he is in school, you and your husband fill out separate forms and then give them to the doctor and discuss whether or not medication is the best route. That is what we did and we chose the medication. Someone mentioned Zyprexa? That makes no sense to me as an ADHD drug b/c that is an anti psychotic (you can look it up on webmd), they give that to schizophrenics. There is NO WAY I would give that drug to my child. Whatever drug you discuss w/ your doctor, RESEARCH them yourself, do not go solely off of what your doctor says. You are your child's advocate. ADHD drugs should all be a dirivative of Ritalin so any of the other ones like the person that mentioned Zyprexa.....stay away from it. The nice thing about Concerta and the one my son takes, Focalin is they are extended release and therefore you only have to give them once a day vs. Ritalin where you have to give multiple times per day. Anyway, I hope this was helpful to you.

Melissa - posted on 09/24/2009

My son and i both now take adderall. When he was 2 we had problems at the daycare with him sitting still during reading time and such and when he started Kindergarten it became so bad the teacher actually suggested that we speak to the doctor he sent home a survey which i filled out and the teacher and decided that he definetely had adhd. When he started the medicine it was sooooooo much better. he was able to sit at school for the most part . we still have some problems at school occasionally but with out the meds he would not have been successful. by the way I also wanted to not put him on meds.

Jess - posted on 09/24/2009

My daughter started taking Concerta at age 6. She's 10 now. Without it, she can barely function and she drives us crazy. We were always against medication as well (my husband's cousin was wrongly put on Ritalin and was a zombie) but we decided to give it a try after her first grade teacher and we both did the Conner's Report on her and our answers were almost identical...her teacher had only had her in class for one month! She still has her days but I feel like she is more like a normal child now instead of uncontrollable. We did have some issues with the medication at first, she would go into a funk all day long if you told her something she didn't want to hear, she had some sleeping issues, and would barely eat but after a couple of weeks these symptoms are basically gone. She still has trouble sleeping sometimes but I think that is more due to allergies stuffing her up than her meds. The biggest problem we seem to have is the meds wearing off before they should but it's usually after school and as she's gotten older it hasn't been quite as bad. The medicine is nice because it's time released, a little all day long (it's a 12 hour dose taken once a day) instead of the old medicines where they would get a huge shot of meds and then come crashing down a few hours later till they took their next dose.

Christy - posted on 09/24/2009

Concerta is a long lasting drug intended to stay in your child's system longer so that you don't have to give medication more than once. Each child is reacts differently to the medication so what may work for one may not work for your son.



Have your son receive testing specifically for ADHD Inattentive type as well as have a physical examination to rule out any issues that might be contributing. Look for a good Child Psychologist in your area to do the testing not a family doctor.

Erica - posted on 09/24/2009

Concerta is used often but I preferred Strattera. It has different properties and is better accepted in pediatrics. I wish I could not give my child medication but I can tell you only from personal experience that it gets harder on them the older they get in school and with friends. I saw the frustration my own child experienced and with that I knew I made the right decision but it is a personal decision. Gather all the information you can and make a pro and con list and decide what is in your own childs best interest. Good luck!

Chrissy - posted on 09/24/2009

I have a 7 year old son and I like you was VERY against putting him on any medication. After talking with his pediatrician we decided to try him on Concerta. I am VERY glad we did. I saw a huge difference immediatley and would recommend Concerta. The only problem is it effects some kids appetite therefore we do not give it to him on the weekends because he was already pretty skinny. I hope this helps and good luck. Please feel free to add me to your Circle if you want.

Beth - posted on 09/24/2009

Friends of ours now use meds for their son [adhd] & daughter [ocd/odd] and it has made a world of difference not only in school but within their household as well.

Paula - posted on 09/24/2009

Quoting Christina:

Diet will help some, but ADD and ADHD are most likely genetic in nature and changing a diet will only go so far... I explain it to my parents like this: diabetes is a disease of the pancreas that cannot always be controlled with diet and lifestyle change alone, so Metformin is given to help the body metabolize sugars better. ADD/ADHD is a disease of the brain...many times diet and lifestyle change (ie: cutting out sugar & red dyes, reducing loud noises and overstimulating environments/situations, etc...) are not enough. Meds, such as Concerta, are designed to help the brain become less overstimulted and help the person concentrate and focus better. Talk with a child psychiatrist for info about what is gonna be MOST effective and safe for your child...

I love your definition for adhd, it is often hard to explain to people that are doubtfull or havent been around it much.

Angela - posted on 09/24/2009

I have an 18 year old who had similar problems at the age of five. I too, was against putting him on medication. I finally did and his attention improved alot. It will still be a struggle and take structure and stability but, you can do it.

Theresa - posted on 09/24/2009

My son is 9 and was diagnosed last year with ADHD. I did not want to put him on medication either. Because he is older and is able to tell me what he struggles with, it broke my heart to hear his story. I made the decision with him to put him on medication. He is taking Concerta and is doing much better at home and in school. I was afraid he would become zombie like, but he's still my happy, playful, bubbly little boy. I wish you the best in your decision.

Mitzi - posted on 09/24/2009

I was against medication myself for a long time and it just got to the point that he wasn't able to sit still for 5 minutes in school. I eventually put him on Focalin. It's perfect for him because it wears off by the time school is over and then he's just a regular active boy at home.

Carmen - posted on 09/24/2009

my son tried it and he did so much better on it then he did on any other meds!!!

Karen - posted on 09/24/2009

Quoting Sonora:

My 5 year old son very likely has ADD, I was always against medication...

but i myself have to take anxiety medicine and ive been thinking maybe we should try while he's still young before things get worse at school, he has a very hard time paying attention and sitting still. I talked to a woman whose son had very simalar problems and started taking a RX called 'Conserta' and she said he is so much better and he can actually sit and do homework and listen in school.
Does anyone else have children on this medication?

Hi,

My 9 year old was put on this medication but it made her worse and she lost her appetite all together and she didn't sleep on it.

we also tried most of the other medications that are available but nothing worked.

we now watch her diet and work with her to get the best out of her day.

Its hard work but would rather that then having her on the meds as there is lots of side effects.

good luck someone else might have more info, jsut because it doesn't work for one doesn't mean it won't work for your little boy

Good luck with what you do

karen

Brenna - posted on 09/24/2009

My son is now 13. He started taking Ritalin at age 6 and as he got older the doctor switched him to Conserta which is time released. I always thought that the medicine helped him because it did help him concentrate in school and sit still but I never thought about the long term effects it would have on him. I chose to take him off the meds about 6 months ago. The effects the meds have had on him are horrible!!! While he was on the meds, he was very withdrawn and to me seemed depressed :( Well today 6 months later he is a teenager but has the mentality of a 6 year old. He doesn't have many friends and pretty much stays to himself. If I had it to do all over again, I would just deal with the issue of ADHD and let him be a kid that wasn't doped up for 7 years because I feel like he lost his childhood to this medicine that doctors say are suppose to help them. I hope this helps you in making the best decision for your child.



-Brenna Edwards

Cynthia - posted on 09/24/2009

I hesitated too wnt through all the testing with a child psych including testing for a learning disability. Conclusion no learning disabilities at all just problems focusing. Tried 2 meds first was terrible changed his personality he became lethargic, sick to his stomache, blank stares 2nd med was life altering now getting good grades, happy and lots of new friends. I waited until the 2nd grade but probably should have done it sooner! Good Luck

Sharon - posted on 09/24/2009

i am not sure what method they use to diagnose where u are from. in ireland it is based on the connor questionairre. see if you can find out. if you can fill it out and the school does the same u may find there are some similarities. it is very hard not to feel that he is just doing this to you and is well behaved for certain other people. i think you'll find both yourself and the school with have a lot of similarities in his behaviours.

Sharon - posted on 09/24/2009

i completely agree. i found it was about 6 weeks before she reached a level with her meds and the change was fantastic for her. we tried the herbal remedies but with no results. hopefully as she gets older the dosage will be decreased. my 18 year old son was only diagnosed at 15 almost 16 and refused to take the meds. now he is in college and has asked to go back to the psychiatrist as he feels that they may be of some benefit to him now.

Sharon - posted on 09/24/2009

my daughter was diagnosed at 7. we had 5 really tough years before that. she has been on ritalin for 2 and half years and she is a different child. you can alter the dosage if you feel it isn't right for your child. it won't cure adhd but you can go out in public without the tantrums and she has caught up at school and apart from maths, she does as well as any child. people often comment that you would never think she is adhd, but if i took her off her meds you would know. it doesn't last all day but long enough to get through the school day and while she is being reasonable and calm you can talk to her about what is bothering her or how she is feeling. u can't do that without the meds. but that is just my opinion.

Rebecca - posted on 09/24/2009

I refuse to put my children on medication also. My step-mother, which is an herbal remedy freak (lol) gave me some vitamins to give to my oldest son and they worked wonders! They're awesome and they helped with his behavior and his attention span greatly. They're called "Omega 3 by Coromega". They're a liquid, and come in various flavors. It can be mixed into oatmeal or a shake or just taken straight. At an herbal store, they'll run you roughly $20 per month, but you can sign up for autoship on Amazon.com and it'll run you about $18 for a 3 month supply. Very worth it, and without the harmful, long term side effects.



hopefully this helps! Good luck

Sandra - posted on 09/24/2009

hi my name is Sandra I have an eight year old daughter who has adhd, she was diognosed at 4and half and we had to wait till she was 5 to start her on meds. they started her off on a small dose of rittalin and slowy over the last three years have now worked up to 30mgs of long acting rittalin a day, there are other ways to manage add but they are very costly and are not proven.you must allways combine the medication with behavourl managment and councilling and also to avoid foods that have preservatives. this is a well managed child with add/ adhd. you cant just give a pill and expect all to be better. we to this day still do all of the avove and are not wothout symptoms as yet. she is not coping at school and has behavoual problems. it is a huge commitment to manage your childs disoder well and to keep the whole family happy. I urge you to if you do decide on tablets to not give up at the first hicup and trust your doctors. im sure you will decide the right thing for your child as every child's story is there own. it is up to us the mum to do what we feel is right for ours. I wish you and you child well in your journey.

Sara - posted on 09/24/2009

before you start medication, try to take him off all food coloring especially red & yellow dyes. these are known to cause hyperactivity in children

Nora - posted on 09/24/2009

My oldest son (14) is on Concerta and it works wonders for him in School. He only takes it for school. My Middle son (8) is very ADHD and he does not need med's yet. We make sure he eats a good breakfast high in fiber and fats in the morning and this helps him make it through the day! For some reason a full belly slows him down. When I was younger I couldn't have anything with Red dye #5 or higher or Yellow at all! This would make me spazzzz lol.

Debbie - posted on 09/23/2009

I also want to add that I have a 4 yr old VERY active little boy...he cannot sit still for any period of time..and taking him to church is impossible. He will sit still in a classroom setting, and for Sunday School, but the service itself, he is all over the pews, climbing over, below...and run up and down the aisles..he does sit still in his preschool room, and will listen, in fact, in that setting, he is very bashful. I was told he does not appear to be ADD/ADHD...but who knows yet..I will find out I am sure before long.

Debbie - posted on 09/23/2009

my daughter is 13, and was diag. with ADD/ADHD. She also has other problems such as learning dis/comprehension. I was told to put her on Adderall, we tried very low doses, but she complained of headaches and stomach aches, and said they made her feel funny, and she wouldn't eat..needless to say, against the schools wishes, (whose kid is this anyway!!) I took her off the med. She has to work real hard for her grades, which aren't all As, but she tries her best. At my doctors suggestion, I've tried the Gluten free diet, since that runs in my family, and is the same symptoms as ADD/ADHD, but my ex husband was not committed to it, so it never worked out. I will have to have her do the full panel of tests in order to really determine if it is the Gluten causing her problems..and maybe then, my ex will abide to it. So, along with another posters point of the food coloring...it can also be gluten/wheat/dairy allergies as well.
good luck..

Jess - posted on 09/23/2009

Yes. Here are some things to consider....

-If you can, have your child evaluated by a psychologist that specializes in working with children in addition to or in place of an evalutaion by a pediatrician. You want to make sure that your child is not being mislabled. There are many different disorders that have similar symptoms and behaviors. Often behavior disorders and other issues will overlap as well.

-Make sure you have confidence in whomever is assessing your child, and don't be afraid to get a second opinion.

-Research as much as you can. There are many resources you can use to investigate all different types of medications, both the positive and the negative effects. Look for reputible resources.

-It is definitely a process to find the right medication and dosage for your child. It's impossible to predict exactly how your child will react to any particular medication. Expect to try a few before finding the right one for your little one.

-Everyone will have an opinion and some will share it with you whether you ask for it or not. Just do what YOU feel is best for your child.

Good luck =)

Tammy - posted on 09/23/2009

yes my son started on concerta about 3 wks ago and the difference is like night and day! i do encourage you to take this step, I know it is scary, but for him to be able to concentrate and do the work will be worth it! Good luck!

Liza - posted on 09/23/2009

He is 5, he is supposed to be antsy! Try DHA/Omega's first. Also, cut wheat, dairy, and limit sugar and for sure absolutely NO caffeine, or Sodium Nitrates(found in bacon, ham, most luncheon meats)

It really truly might just be a food allergy or sensitivity. Try foods first, meds last.

Good luck!!

Heather - posted on 09/23/2009

i have mine on aderol wich he does pretty good with but he has to take two doses one in the morning before school and one when he gets out of school .He does good for the most part but without it he is uncontrollable he likes to run and be loud and obnoxious and he is always wanting to run through the store and i was about to pull my hair out till i got him on this med it works pretty good it slows him down to where he can stop and think .The one thing i always tell my son and he is 5 mind you , i tell him before you think your doing something wrong that you will get in trouble for you must STOP, THINK, AND TAKE A DEEP BREATH and think about what your doing instead of flyen off the wall lol

Katie - posted on 09/23/2009

My oldest is what they call "classic" ADHD and is currently in 4th grade. All the ADHD medications seemed to make him either very agressive or he wasn't able to get out of bed. My older sister who is a school teach recommended OPC-3 along with others. That, change in diet, and alot of after school activities and he seems to being doing well and is one of the top students in the 4th grade.

Joanna - posted on 09/23/2009

Tonya, Thanks for sharing that! When my son was in the 1st grade his teacher tried her darndest to convince me that there was something wrong with my son. He is very smart, and artistic. He is and always ahs been well behaved both at school and home, but is just very forgetful and often in his own little world. The teacher constantly told me that he did not pay attention, yet she admitted that he could answer any question about the days lesson on a written or oral test. She hattassed me because he did not do 'normal' things, like tie his shoes or wait in line patiently with everybody else. He was determined to be gifted and she refused to offer any assistance or more challenging work because she had a cirriculum to teach. She denied that he was bored, because if he was bored he would be doing his work and then want more. This woman did not understand children apparently.....



She hounded me until I went against my wishes and took him to his Doctor and put him on medication. Within one week, all of his art teachers approached me and told me to get hom off the meds. It was killing his creativity. I did so immediatly, and I also stopped attending parent teacher conferences with her, and encouraged my son to get through the year and try his best, and next year we would get a better teacher (and we did!)



I have friends that have children who really do need medication to function, but I think that often teachers misdiagnose attention problems, and/or choose the easy way out when dealing with a challenging child.



Please try diet and behavior modification first! Have your son tested as well. He may be excpetionally bright, and just thinks and behaves in a way different from you, or from 'normal' kids. Use medication as a last resort.

Tonya - posted on 09/23/2009

Me personally and this is just me!! I don't believe in this so called add and adhd!

I believe children need outlets, discipline and consistency, let me explain! I have a girlfriend who has a son he is the same age as my oldest child, he was on medication for add/adhd, she came and lived with me for a couple of months. I told her when she put him on it not too, it made him a different person just not the same child. When they came and lived with me, I asked for her permission to take him off of it and show her somethings. We took him off and with a routine, discipline and discipline and a outlet (he plays baseball now), he is NOT on any meds! and he is doing fine! I think we as parents have to parent it is always easy to put a medical term on our children when if we become FULLY involved with what is really going on with them. I feel doctors our so quick to want to put everyone on medications when natural things like vitamins, diet and exercise is all we need. I hope this helps!

Marie - posted on 09/23/2009

We struggled for quite a while with the same question. Our son is now 11 he started meds in 1st grade. We tried him in 4th grade to go meds free, what a disaster. I hate the fact that he has to take the medicine( we have tried several different and still have to change every so often) but he does not function well without it.I also have to look at this if a person is diabetic should they be punished when their blood sugar drops too low. Of course not it would be abusive to that person. So, why then should a child be punished when he can not focus or is impulsive at an inappropriate time. They are both medical conditions and should be treated accordingly. God bless you in your decision and God bless your child.

Rachelle - posted on 09/23/2009

My son also reacts to red coloring, it's no joke. He can be fine and then he eats a red popsicle and there is no controlling him. It was really hard to figure out what was going on and even harder to get our relatives to believe us and then avoid red. Good luck!

Tammy - posted on 09/23/2009

I get a lot of flack about giving my son coffee, but it works to calm him and help him focus. And it is a natural substance.

Tammy - posted on 09/23/2009

My son was diagnosed with ADHD a couple of years ago. I knew this was a problem, I just needed a doctor to verify it. I too am against meds since most of them are a Amphetamine type of chemical. I did some extensive research on the natural approach and some of the things I found were:

Purify the Diet:
Eliminate or seriously limit intake of artificial dyes, flavorings, and preservatives. This involves avoiding processed meats such as hot dogs and lunch meat and beverages like Soda Pop and Kool aid. Even Gatorade is garbage in the diet of an ADHD child. I also found that red meat is not necessarily a good thing in large quantity so switching to chicken or fish is an idea. It doesn't hurt to incorporate some Vegetarian or Vegan meals into their diet as well. They may not like it at first but it will not take long before the Vege-dogs are just part of their life. My kids now get excited when I make "chili dogs" in spite of the fact that there is no meat in them. A local Natural Foods Market is a good place to get a lot of information and education on this topic.

Behavioral Training:
Taking the time to teach them self-control is also an important step. Your son is very young yet but he is old enough to learn to force himself to sit still. Make the process a game. Start by having him sit STILL ("still" is relative when you first began, eventually you can expect absolutely no movement) for 30 seconds (let him watch the clock) and reward it with a treat (not necessarily a food treat and definitely NOT a sweet!) Do that a couple times a day for a few days and then extend it to 1 minute then 2 minutes, then 4 minutes.... you get the picture. Before long he will be ok with sitting still for longer periods of time. My son is now 13 and he is able to sit through a one hour church service without incident. At that point, I allow him to get up and go get a drink or something just to move about a bit. Then he is ready to sit quietly for the remainder of the service.

I had one doctor tell me that something like Piano Lessons, Drum Lessons or Martial Arts Lessons are a great tool as well.

ADHD kids are intelligent and need to be intellectually challenge because they get bored easily. "Keep both hands and their brain busy. and you will have half the battle won!"

Best of luck to you.