how is the best way to handle a child with a,d,h,d cause i love my son soo much.

Danielle - posted on 10/08/2009

I have 2 children with ADHD and unfortunately my kids are medicated. You are being given a lot of good solutions. Omega 3 is a good alternative if the symptoms are not too severe and maybe combined with other natural suppliments could be more effective. Definitely restrict corn product intake that is very helpful. Hope this is helpful!

Sandy - posted on 10/07/2009

My son is 9 and mainly has a hard time focusing and staying on task, no matter how small. I really didn't want to do the medication thing so I turned to all natural supplements. Nature's Sunshine has a product called Focus Attention. HE has noticed a difference! Not huge, but enough that he has more control and stays on task much better!

Debby - posted on 10/07/2009

hi i have 3 boys with autism adhd and other probs oldest is on 2 lots of meds middle son on a small amount youngest on nothink. i see the difference between all 3 of my boys were trying different tactic with youngest has the paed we now have dosnt like medicating if she can am not particularly fond of it but its really helping my older 2 boys espcially oldest has if he dosnt take em u can tell the diff he also has anger issues and is under phychology and now recently phychiatry hope you sort things out hun tc Debby x

Debra - posted on 10/04/2009

I have a 16 yr old son that has adhd. He is on medication but the most thing that you need to have is patience. It is hard at times and the older he gets the harder it gets. Organization and structure help alot. He was diagnosed in 2nd grade also and the little things that he did got him into trouble. He now has a "reputation" as a trouble maker because he could not control his behavior. He is better at most times but he has his moments. As some of the other moms have said....horses and animals help. He has a horse that he bought himself and whenever he gets really aggitated he goes and talks to and rides him. It has been a life saver at times. He likes to do things with his hands. I never allow him to use his ADHD as an excuse to behave the way that he does sometimes. He has to learn control and he does pretty good most of the time. He was involved in a youth group also and that helps. He has teachers that understand ADHD and as long as you have good communication with them that alos helps. It takes both of you working together to help your child in school. He is in the 504 program at school for his behavior and with the counselers help we set up modifications within his classes. He has modified work...like multiple choice questions....instead of a,b,c and d, they take 2 of those away and he doesn't have so many choices to make. Their brains can only take so many choices. There are all kinds of mods that you can use. Shorten the work. Give an extra day for homework. Tutors. There is a class called Content Mastery. It is basically a class that they can go to after they recieve their work in class that doesn't have many kids in it and they have helpers that will help them with thier work. We have a Dr. and his nurse has ADHD. She has helped explain to my son what he can do to help his attention and hyperactivity. if you can find someone that can do that it also helps. We had a hard time when he hit puberty. He didn't want to take his meds. The nurse explained that he needs to take them to slow his brain down enough that he can think straight. That seemed to work with him. She also told him that it is a chemical imbalance that has to be taken care of with meds. I know what you are going through and all my prayers to you. God Bless and take care. Remember patience, patience, and patience.....

Theresa - posted on 10/04/2009

I just found the website I was looking for for ADHD. add-plus.org. IT is hosted by Dr. John taylor who is a leading reassource in ADHD. Lots of tips, resources, forms and screening tools. Good luck everyone.

Theresa - posted on 10/04/2009

Hi Alicia - be aware please that ADHD is a neurological disorder not a self control issue or a behavioral issue. There is a real issue with chemicals in the brain that do not level out until the person reaches their 30's and the dopamine levels catch up with their physical state. They actually lag about 3 yrs to 30 months behind their physical age in their emotional age. It can be so frustrating. My daughter is on 3 meds and I have made her a full participant in her treatment. I tell her that we cannot get her meds "set up" for her unless she tells us how they make her feel. She tells us when she feels "in control" or out of control and it is a tremendous help tp her doctor and us. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Puberty aggrevates the symptoms also.

Theresa - posted on 10/04/2009

Quoting alicia:

I to have a 14 yr old son. He as been n counceling for about 2 1/2 yrs. I and his teachers started noticing behavioral issues when he was in the 2nd grade. Finally after a couple of yrs and finally after someone decided to help, I was told that he had ADHD. Still in disbelief, I didn't think it was true. I figured that he was being a normal, tipical boy but we were still dealing with the behavior issues. Not only does it start to effect everything but they began to label him as a troubled kid. The kis knew exactly what to do to get him started and he would always be the one getting into trouble. Today, his still struggling badly with school even worse. I had him on meds but took him off during the summer after he came back from camp. He was doing fine but has now started all over again. I was told by his phychotherapist that ADHS is either heritatary or caused by a frontal lobe injury to the head which he had at the age of 1. I am now to the point of putting him in military school. Only because with all of this, his father was killed in Iraq 2 1/2 yrs ago n his behavior got wors. Sending him away is not something that I want to do but I am @ the end of rope and don't know what else to do. After reading a few of evryone's posts, I now realize that something needs to be done. So on that note, I would like to say thank you to everyone who has shared their personal stories in hopes that others would benifit from them. I have taken down some information as to books, diet, vitamins so forth. Thank again and I will be checking back in to see if there is anything new that might help me and my family as well as to share my stories of the changes that I pray my son will make......GOD BLESS.

Alicia - posted on 10/04/2009

I to have a 14 yr old son. He as been n counceling for about 2 1/2 yrs. I and his teachers started noticing behavioral issues when he was in the 2nd grade. Finally after a couple of yrs and finally after someone decided to help, I was told that he had ADHD. Still in disbelief, I didn't think it was true. I figured that he was being a normal, tipical boy but we were still dealing with the behavior issues. Not only does it start to effect everything but they began to label him as a troubled kid. The kis knew exactly what to do to get him started and he would always be the one getting into trouble. Today, his still struggling badly with school even worse. I had him on meds but took him off during the summer after he came back from camp. He was doing fine but has now started all over again. I was told by his phychotherapist that ADHS is either heritatary or caused by a frontal lobe injury to the head which he had at the age of 1. I am now to the point of putting him in military school. Only because with all of this, his father was killed in Iraq 2 1/2 yrs ago n his behavior got wors. Sending him away is not something that I want to do but I am @ the end of rope and don't know what else to do. After reading a few of evryone's posts, I now realize that something needs to be done. So on that note, I would like to say thank you to everyone who has shared their personal stories in hopes that others would benifit from them. I have taken down some information as to books, diet, vitamins so forth. Thank again and I will be checking back in to see if there is anything new that might help me and my family as well as to share my stories of the changes that I pray my son will make......GOD BLESS.

Theresa - posted on 10/03/2009

Hi - have a daughter with ADHD. With the subtypes it can be difficult. Sugar and Caffiene togerthe ris a definte NO, but if she is struggling iwth concentration, a cup of decaf coffee will kick her into concentration mode. We did have to go into medications because nothing else worked and if you google dr. john taylor - adhd you will be directed to a phenomenal website woth evaluation tools for teachers and parents. add,org is also a great website for infor. Good luck.

Alma ( Rose) - posted on 10/03/2009

Moms thanks for all the info, i have a 8 year old grandson with adhd, it is stresful tring to understand what they are going thru, i think the example of changing the chanels over and over is perfect.

Zena - posted on 10/02/2009

I would start off with what chris said about going through food groups,you can get the book to help from most doctors i think and use to cost $7.00,best thing we ever did with my 1st child,we found that sauce and fruit infact came under the same group and that things like fruit infact set her off just as much as something like tomato sauce,simple things we kept her away from when going to school and out in public helped me get through as well as her,now my 5th child who has down syndrome also has ADHD and have him on meds as well as keeping him away from sauce.vitamins help some but dont do a thing for others,flax seed oil has helped with some children while not others,every child is diffrent so hang in there and get as much support behind you as it holds them back real bad at school and before you know it they are teens going through a whole lot of other stuff on top..good luck and remember not to feel judged for how he is behaviering and excuse my spelling lol

Lynlie - posted on 10/02/2009

My son was diagnosed with ADHD when he was six. The doctor put him on Adderall which effected his personality and hindered his relationships with his peers. He is now on DHA and Flaxseed oil. I found that these children are very intelligent and get bored easily because their minds are going non stop. He also takes a sleep aid Melatonin because his brain will not rest for sleep at night. So far it has all worked for us real well.

Helen - posted on 10/02/2009

i know what ur going threw i have 2 son that have ADHD,ODD,and one has BIPOLER and they where put on meds for it have you tryed to talking to their doctor about it.

Jacki - posted on 10/02/2009

I thought my son had it all through school, but no one listened until he was in 10th grade. He was not a hyper kid so it made diagnosis difficult. Find things that he is interested in. Justin hated reading, but loved math and science. He loved to put things together and take them apart. We tried to stay away from foods with different additives. We finally used, not ritalin, another one can't think of it off hand. It did help, but he didn't like the weight loss. Another thing the teacher did was give him 1 task at a time instead of many things. Like instead of putting a stack of papers in front of him, she would give him one at a time. Another thing is him doing work in another room that doesn't have distraction. He is now 27, and still struggles at times. Hope this helps.

Angela - posted on 10/02/2009

My child has ADD. There is a book that I think you should read. The phsychiatrist recommended this book for us. The teachers at my childs school found it useful also.
The book was written by a Dr that has ADD himself. There are stories in this book that all families can relate with. "Driven To Distraction". It was very helpful. Have your entire family read this if they are old enough to understand. Even grandparents will find it enlightening!
My prayers are with you and your family!

Kristine - posted on 10/01/2009

Tara,



My 12 year old was diagnoised at 6. I have tried everything from behaviour management etc, natural. The best solution I found was a major look at what we were all eating. I put on on an elimination diet. I removed all additivies and Preservatives( pre packaged food) from his diet this was just the start of it.. We have found foods like tomatoe, orange are tow of the worst things my son can eat. Bacically I went back to how my grandma cooked. This has helped. My dietian was the saver of my sanity.

Wendi - posted on 10/01/2009

Hi Tara, I too have a adopted son with A.D.D. and I to was one of those parents that did not think kids should be put on meds, until the Dr. described to us how a Child with A.D.D's world is. ...... take your remote to your t.v. and just keep hitting the button to change the channel (real fast) that is how their world is to them and as you can see you could not concentrate if your mind was always like that. find a good Dr. who knows alot about A.D.D and A.D.H.D and discuss medications. It does make a difference, and the child will be able to tell himself (mine can). Hope this helps

Carolyn - posted on 10/01/2009

You can look in the phone book for a local community services. They can point you to some free information. Some offered classes should be available for a small fee or free. Depends on where you live. It can help you understand what to do in certain situations. I kept a little boy whom had that and other issues. He had gone home and proceeded to pull the border and wall figures his mom had decorated with. He also would beat the rocking horse in his room over and over. Come to find out he had some neurological problems as well. But she got him diagnosed by a doctor that gave her hands on help with all his issues. So make sure your Doctor gives you as much help as you need. He should be your best resource if not. You may want to get another opinion.

Tammy - posted on 10/01/2009

Tara, My son has behavioral issues and he's very smart. I don't think he's ADD/ADHD though. A friend gave me a book that I think you should read. It's called "Unraveling the ADD/ADHD Fiasco: Successful Parenting Without Drugs" by David B. Stein, PhD. It is a fast read and very informative. Read this before doing anything else. Good luck!

Jennie - posted on 10/01/2009

Adderall XR is a miracle worker!

Leigh - posted on 10/01/2009

How early can you notice signs of ADHD? My two year old is uncontrollable. I know she is only two, but it is very embarssing when we are out in public and very frustrating at home. We have tried everything. The Dr. seemed to think she was too young to concern ourselves with any diagnosis right now. But I am at my wits-end!

Jenny - posted on 10/01/2009

Tara,
I just responded to another Mom with the same verbiage below:
First of all please become a fan of "Think Zebras" on Facebook, it will give you much information. I have a son who is now 10 who was diagnosed with ADHD when he was 7. After countless hours of research I realized ADHD is simply a set of symptoms, not a disease in and of itself. I found a physician (Dr. James Schaller) who shared my beliefs and sent my son's blood to Fry Labs in Scottsdale, AZ. With Dr. Fry's patented stain, we were able to see parasites and bacteria (Babesia and Bartonella) in his blood that we wouldnt have been able to see with just any lab. We treated him and he is cured. This information is emerging and will be the main focus very soon. I'd be happy to help guide you through the process through Think Zebras. The reason diets and oils help is because the parasites and bacteria survive on the fat that surrounds our nerve cells and replenishing makes for obvious improvement. There are homeopathic treatments you can try but there is also protocol set forth by the CDC. We did both and we are very happy with the results. My son now does very well in every aspect of his life and he has been medication free for over 2 years.

Liz - posted on 10/01/2009

My biggest advice being a mother of a twelve yr old ADHD with learning difficulties,a sixteen yr old with ADD and a husband with ADHD is see a councellor and read,read,read.My son is in social skills groups that teach him why he reacts the way he does and to help him find ways to deal with things differently.My daughter finds activities that help her when she feels overwhelmed.She uses horseback riding as an outlet.My husband sees a pastor he relates well with to unload his feelings of frustrations.And most of all I watch the things they react to and try to help them deal with things so that they don't always have meltdowns by seeing a councellor and reading everything I can so that I have an better understanding of why they do what they do and I try really hard not to take it personally or to react to their behaviours.Hope some of this helps.My councellor is my way of dumping the frustrastion so not to take it out on them.They have to learn techniques to help them and cannot control things on there own without the techniques.It is how they are built and not done on purpose to frustrate or hurt you.Patience,love and understanding will get you through it and acceptance.Society however is the hard part because most people do not understand.Good Luck.

Titti - posted on 10/01/2009

the continuum concept by jean liedloff

Kay - posted on 09/30/2009

I will only tell you what my son said at age 10. We tried everything- all the supplements, behavioral therapy, etc. At 10 we finally put him on meds. After he had been on meds for a couple of months, he told me,"If parents only knew how much better meds make me feel about myself since I can now control my behavior, they wouldn't hesitate to put their kids on meds." He was so relieved because he was trying his best to do what he should, but felt like a failure. He never had any more problems at school or at home and graduated with a B+ average.

Carla - posted on 09/30/2009

Hello Tara,

My daughter is now 19 and was diagnosed with ADHD at appx 8 years old by a series of tests done by the doctor and school counsellor. She was given a rating - which goes from 1 to 10 - and was helpful in obtaining a doctor's note, prescriptions (if necessary) and for obtaining a school aid to assist with her education. One of the best things that happened in school was that the teachers were then aware of her lack of attention and moved her to a location at the front of the class, away from her friends, and not near a door or window as that was distracting as well. She was regularly redirected to her work and given the opportunity to have one-on-one time with the teachers or a tutor. We actually had tutors over the years to help her with homework as well. Even a neighbourhood kid was helpful. I didn't really agree with the prescription route - but her case wasn't that severe.

I found that regulating the amount of sugar and regularly scheduled meals/healthy snacks also helped with the hyperactivity factor. I found that grape flavored anything was bad for her so pay attention to what your child eats the days that are really difficult and try to determine what food may be a factor. Sometimes it was also events that would increase behavior issues- multiple events in one day, increased chaos or people visiting were often triggers as it was not the regular structured routine. I too, would recommend vitamins.

They have to learn to refocus constantly and sometimes challenging them also helps to keep their attention. My daughter is known for her lists and that helped her be organized and remember to do certain things. I know the reward chart was helpful for home chores. As for the movement and activity - be patient, don't stress if they are constantly moving - I tried an exercise ball in front of the tv - it worked really well as it takes extra concentration for them to use it and kept her entertained and in one place :) perhaps try it at the supper table too?



Otherwise, remember to be PATIENT and try to find a regular routine to help calm your child whether it be counting down from 10, breathing deeply, sitting quietly or pushups - whatever works! Each child is different so do what works for you. Good luck and know that it does get better and you all will survive this stage :)

Tamara - posted on 09/30/2009

You need to help with compensatory strategies. Example...if he has homework let him do 5 minutes at a time and let him play for 5 minutes. I have about 2,000 strategies in a packet at work.

Sylviane - posted on 09/30/2009

We have an 11 year old boy who has just been diagnosed with ADHD. Since then, I have been seeking as much info as I can on ADHD. You can find a lot of info. by googling ADHD. Also, you can try registering for 'google alerts' (just go on google search at the bottom of the screen, register and enter 'ADHD'). There's a book out there called '1-2-3 Magic' which apparently helps deal with behavior issues for children ages 2 to 12. I think you can even buy it for about $10 or $12 through Amazon.com. Recent research has shown that the motivation and reward centers in the brain of children with ADHD are dopamine-deficient leading to a distorted perception of performance reward(s). It is recommended that parents of ADHD kids try to reward their kids for everything they do (by means of a token system for example or a monetary system) in order to motivate them in doing their tasks better. I'm still in the process of finding what's best for my child. Well, hope this helps. Sylviane in Winnipeg, MB

Connie - posted on 09/30/2009

Quoting tara:

how is the best way to handle a child with a,d,h,d cause i love my son soo much.

my 9yr old has a,d,h,d and although me and his father do all we can do help his needs, nothing seems to help. if there are any mams out there with any advise then please help x

I have 2 sons with this problem, they are ages 19 & 22 now but we had too put them on meds & watch their diets. Hot dogs with red coloring really anything with that red color was taken away. Its a struggle my oldest was easy too deal with but my youngest was a holy terror. Once the drs got the meds right things to settle down, but you could tell when it was going too be a difficult day. as they aged they got much better. Call your dr. & talk with him about diets & your options. Hope this helps you some.

Amanda - posted on 09/30/2009

my son also has adhd we found out last year when i couldnt handle it any more he is 6 years old he is an amazing child you need to find things that keep him interested like my son loves animals he kept getting in trouble on the bus so we sent him books with animals in them so it kept him busy and not in trouble we have done a med fron vitmans store called calm child its all natural and it works good just keep it up and fish oil helps to gross but works i wont put my kid on ridalin at all but thats what we have done hope it gives you so ideas

Betty - posted on 09/30/2009

Just let him be a kid. Back in the day's their was no med's. And we turned out just fine. i believe the med's are just slowing down our child and giving them more time to think of what to do and get more in trouble. sometimes, we just want an easier way out, but if the little things or really not mind boggling, then just ignore. I did with my son, and he's just fine. Living a normal life. :)

Audrey - posted on 09/30/2009

My 6 year old id bi-polar and most of the symptoms are the same as adhd. I used to be against medicine for such a young agae, but I have to admit that the change was almost immediate and very welcomed. My advice is be patient and do your research to find out what is and isn't he able to control on his own adn do what you think is the best for your child. It is a tough situation to be in and with the right help and motivation,and patience, things will work out

Beth - posted on 09/30/2009

You will hear every kind of advice, but honestly you have to find what works for you and your child depending on what kind of behaviors he is having, and some children are misdiagnoised. My now 12 year old was diagnosed with ADHA as a young child. He was in daycare at the time, to early for school. We had and still have issues with anger and frustration, but I put him in a structured environment immediately and took out all triggers from his diet like a lot of caffine and sugars. He blossumed in a small class that was structured and changed every few minutes to a new challenge. I backed up the structure at home by making lists, and posting them with their rewards. He has challenges still but we are still med free and an honor student. He learned with patience and structure to focus and control himself not all at once but gradually over 10 years. Horses helped to, they taught him to slow down and go easy. Try what works for your situation and ask lots of questions but don't take anything as a cure all. There isn't anything like that out there.

Sacora - posted on 09/30/2009

my step son and my husband both have adhd. I would say patience it the number one thing and read about it. There are organizations online to give you information about it and some great books. But most of all try to figure out how to work with them. Most ppl with adhd are extrmely smart and bored. Keep them engaged and let them know what is expected, a schedule works well.

Tracey - posted on 09/30/2009

Hi, my son (9 yrs old), was diagnosed about a year ago. Before putting him on meds , the doctor recommended an omega 3 diet and increased his b vitamins. He had such a great improvement within 2-3 weeks, he now feels the difference and thanks me all the time. A simple blood test will show lack of vitamins. I now use Smart balance products with Omega 3 for my whole family and vitamins with DHA from fish oil. Good luck , I hope this helps you. Tracey

CHris - posted on 09/30/2009

Hi, there are a few things you should try. I have done the following with fantastic results: elimination diet, eliminate all the food from his diet and start adding things in one food at a time giving each food a two day trial period. Start with bananas, for two days only bananas, then add rice, so you are only eating rice and bananas, then add carrots, so you are now eating bananas, rice and carrots for the next two days and so on until you find out which food offends. I discovered that corn is a big offender and makes my daughter go crazy. This includes all corn derived foods for example: all the artificial sweeteners are derived from dextrose which is a corn sweetener. Corn starch, corn syrop, corn oil (hidden as vegetable oil at times), dextrose and maltodextrin, sorbitol and maltitol, sweet corn,, creamed corn, are all possible offenders related to corn. So you have to get to know your foods. I found out the hard way after discovering corn was the offender I gave my daughter rice bread only to have her go ballistic then called the manufacturer to find out that it contained maltodextrin (corn derived). Ta Da!
The next thing you can do after this is put your son on magnesium. Magnesium calms. Another thing is omega three fatty acids, from fish oils, but make sure the fish oils are not contaminated by heavy metals. Products such as Effalex might be helpful, and the health food stores carry many other things which might help.
If you think he might be deficient on vitamins put him on a good liquid multivitamin too. Cut out things like BHA, BHT. Food colourings, sugar, and anything else artificial that might offend. Organic and unprocessed are the way to go with these children. They seem to be unable to absorb the nutrients as well. Could also be an overload of heavy metals in the brain. Get him tested for heavy metal overload. He can be put on chelation therapy in pill form if he is.
If you have any questions feel free to contact me. I have had phsychiatrists and phsyschologists calling me for advice. I would be happy to guide you through these difficult things. (Been there for the last 15 years).
Chris. thevdbergs@mountaincable.net

Joyce - posted on 09/30/2009

Hi Tara, my son is 8 and has ADHD. We found out last year and it was difficult. Get the Book called Optimum Nutrition for your child’s mind by Patrick Holford. My son is on Bio-Strath and the Patrick Holford multivitamins and essential oil tablets. Good luck, it’s not easy. I followed everything in this book and today he is very calm. I dont believe in giving kids drugs... Hope this helps.

Colleen - posted on 09/29/2009

my son severe adhd ... i tried every home remedy i could think of ... i finally took him to a mental health specialist ... although i'm ify about giving him meds ... but let me tell you we saw an immediate change for the better ... he concentrates much better ... absolutely no issues at school or with home work or bedtime etc. ... be careful not to take meds from the pediatrician ... mine put him on ritalin and that sent him into early bipolar disorder ... i so wish i took him to the specialist first ... good luck! ... =)

Megan - posted on 09/29/2009

Tara~ What kind of advise are you looking for? Behavioral? Health Concerns? If you are looking for a natural way to help you little one, there are some supplements on the market that can help. Some behavioral issues stem from a lack of B-vitamins in the body. B-vitamins are not stored, so when the body gets stress it uses everything that is currently in it and if there isn't enough symtoms occur,



I have my son on B-Complex which is produced by Shaklee. It really helps with his attention and anxiety levels. Let me know if you would like more information.



I hope you find a way to help you little one.

Megan