want alternative to MEDS | ADHD Information
hi chloe,
my adhd 8 yr old boy works with a classical homeopath. have you looked into this? he has done wonderfully and no need for stimulant medication.
we, like barb and many others, use supplements. my son takes omega-3 and evening primrose. we are adding zinc this week.
we have also just started the feingold diet to remove artificial sugars, coloring and preservatives. i had, a month or so ago, removed the candies and food coloring from his diet and saw remarkable improvements in his behavior.
we also had a bad experience on the stims. no affect (personality and response) and had begun having tics and rages. no more! he has a wonderful (albeit sometimes difficult) personality that i adore! he is still a picky eater, but that has also improved some.
i wish you good luck in your pursuit, keep searching. you'll find what works for your kids!
kppy
how do you feel about supplements? there are a couple good ones for ADHD...I hope the following can help...Ginsing - Helpt to stabelize blood pressure and moods, as well as act as a gentle stimulant. Keep in mind Russian, American and Korean Ginsing all have different properties. The only one effective in ADHD is Korean Panax variety. It doesnt normally prove effective on its own. Normally a low dose of caffeine and one of the following will be as effective as an ADHD med....
Taurine - Helps to stabalize heart contractions and help to increase stimulation in underaroused parts of the brain and decrease stimulation in over-aroused areas. Is a AWESOME option for someone with mood laibility.
L-Tyrosine - Is a prescurser to dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine. May also enhance serotonin function. Acts as a great antidepressanct and maintains many of the functions of the amphetamines while acting much differently. Instead of using the brains stores of these chemicals, it helps to increase them, therefore not depleting the brain of its vital stores.
L-Phenylalanine - One of the stronger stimulants available OTC. Breaks down into two chemicals, L-Tyrosine and PEA. PEA - Phenylthylamine is a naturally occuring amphetamine and works much the same as adderall.
I would highly recommmened a L-Phenylalanine, Caffeine and Taurine mix for hyperactivity...but its up to you.
Hope I was of help,
Brendan
Thank you all very much. I feel encouraged and copied all your recommendations.
I have one question still....what is a Classical Homeopath?? And how do I find one? I'm guessing they are into natural supplements and can help figure out what the individual may need for their body?
Thanks! chloe
Hello,
New to the boards, but not ADHD. My 15 yr old has been on meds since he was 8, and my 11 yr old since he was 5. They have both done well on ritalin nad types of ritalin, they now take Concerta 54 mg. once a day. It wears off shortly after school is out.
We took a summer break off of meds, they are eating SO good, they are both under the 5% for the age by weight, which worries me. I have also noticed what wonderful personalities they both have again. They are hyper and they make bad choices off the meds though, but "almost" normal.
There is no medium, on the meds they do NOTHING, they don't laugh, run or play the same (or EAT!) they are truely different people off the meds, if only we could go without.
That is why I post, I am in search of (again) an alternative to the stimulant drugs. I have also noticed a lot less outbursts, picking and fidgeting off of the drugs.
I found several "natural" alternatives, and havne't tried any for 7 years +, so *maybe* there are some better ones nowadays.
Any ideas or experiences?
Thank you
Brendan, in your previous post you recommend Taurine and caffeine which was very interesting to me because those two ingredients are found in Red Bull energy drink which my son always bugs me to have. I have allowed him to have a few (not all on the same day of course) and to my surprise he seemed more calm and happier then he usually is. I have known for a long time that he does well on caffeine but I have never heard of Taurine and had my doubts about giving him the drink. The drink also has B6 and B12. The problem is that the drink also contains sugar which is a real bummer. What is the recommended dose of Taurine for a 60lb. child? He takes True Calm which is a Amino Acid formula and an EFA blend. So far I have been pleased with the outcome of using these supplements and want to continue on this path. Any input would be much appreciated. Thanks, Bekah.
My supplement of choice is omega fatty acids in the form of flax seed oil capsules. My son has calmed down and is much more likeable when he takes it but he is still the wonderful little boy I adore! I personally don't see a lot of change in his ability to focus but maybe you can reduce the amount of meds your kids need if you can find something to help with the hyper part of it.
hi chloe,
a classical homeopath takes a case and will prescribe, based on your child's individual traits, one remedy at a time. my son has had a total of 5 remedies (one at a time)over the past 5 months. his remedy changed as he changed.
an initial meeting with a homeopath will take about 2 hours. they'll ask a ton of questions-some of which you may think have nothing to do with the problem!!
when finished, they'll recommend a remedy to be taken that's specific to your child.
homeopathy is way different than conventional medicine. it took me awhile to understand the philosophy. you may want to do some research on it so that you can learn and decide. do a google search on classical homeopathy. there should be listings for finding one in your area. you can also post at www.homeopathy4everyone.com and ask for referrals. there are some wonderful homeopaths there that will direct you to listings. i can also give you my homeopaths e-mail, if you like. i need to check if that's ok with her also, but i suspect it's fine.
check it out. i think you may find solutions. i myself, now use homeopathy for pretty much everything, not just my son. and could go on about the things that have happened- but i'll stop now!
if you have other questions, i'm more than happy to answer if i can. pm if you like also.
good luck!
kppy
Bluesky wrote -
"Ginsing - Helpt to stabelize blood pressure and moods, as well as act as a gentle stimulant. Keep in mind Russian, American and Korean Ginsing all have different properties. The only one effective in ADHD is Korean Panax variety. It doesnt normally prove effective on its own. Normally a low dose of caffeine and one of the following will be as effective as an ADHD med.... "
Hi Brendan!
Could you give me a link to your references for this please? Panax is a very good herb but in my experience it can be quite harsh on young adrenal glands. It also needs to be discontinued if the patient develops an infection. I agree with you that many herbs seem to work better synergistically, but there are times when Panax given as a single works brilliantly. I use it often for my athletic patients and have had great results.
I also beg to differ on the Eleutherococcus (the Siberian ginseng). This is one of the finest adrenal tonics I've ever used and for disordered behaviour is one of the first things I think about adding to a blend. It takes a while, but it's a strong favourite in my clinic. This and Panax are both widely taken as teas in China - Panax for energy and vitality, Siberian for convalescence and concentration. If you have some references for it not working I'd love to read them to see how the experiments were designed and what was actually measured.
Cheers
james
sorry it took me so long chloe...its looks like around 600 - 800 mg of taurine would be most appropriate for your son's weight.the b-vitamins serve as important precursors to dopamine and serotonin syhnthesis. without these vitamins, these chemicals would have no effect on a person. therefore, the makers of red bull are insuring that its drinkers will get the usual "buzz" by incorporating any vitamins a person may be in deficiancy that they require to have the drink effect them.
caffeine is self explanatory...not as effective, pleasent, or strong as an amphetmine but work in a very similar manner as say, adderall.No problem, thanks for the info!!Thank you for the info on taurine, I will add that to his supplement routine. BekahHi, I have started the all natural approach with my 10yr old son. We are starting our third week of low sugar/dyes and our second week of OilSmart (Omega 3-6-9) softgels, and Attentive Child. The only change I've notice is he's less argumentive, but still hyper. Not sure he can make it through a day of school this way. I called the store I purchased these supplements from they advised me to give it 2-4 weeks. I hope we can make it that long. Any input is greatly appreciated. Kim
That is what I am worried about, I am currently looking into ALL the natural supplements and comparing them. What are the ingredients on your "Attentive Child?"
Maybe he just needs a little more of ....something....? Someone else will know more than me. : )
Let us know if you get something working!
Chloe
Kim, have you tried a calming supplement like Becalm of True Calm. My son takes True Calm which has 25mg of Valerian (people use this herb to help them sleep, I believe). I have noiced a change in him, less impulsive. He has been drinking ice-tea since he was young, he is also 10, because I noticed how it seemed to help calm him down. I was told that supplements take awhile to buildup in the system so it may take some time before you notice a difference in you son. Stick to it, your on the right path
Bekah
Bekah: I have tried a tablet called Becalmed, years ago, didn't see anything (not sure I was giving him enough) I will try the Valerian. Will I see something immediate from the Valerian? Regarding the ice-tea - is it unsweet? any special tea or just Lipton? Thanks for your input I will try them.
Chloe: Attentive Child main ingredients are:
Magneisum 109mg
Zinc 2mg
L-Aspartate 310mg
DMAE 100mg
DHA 15mg
Phosphatidylcholine 6mg
Phosphatidylethanolamine 3.5mg
Phosphatidylinositol 1.5mg
I'm going to try the Valerian to see how that works. Thanks again for your input. Kim
hi all,
we too use more natural approaches- omega-3, evening primrose and am going to try the zinc.
we stay away from food dyes and artificial sweetners too. i just recieved the feingold diet info. and have started to (loosely) follow their plan. there are so many foods that have the preservatives to stay away from!!! i never knew!
i have seen great improvements, over time, in my son's behavior. i would say 2-3 months before i saw noticable results. this and homeopathy have allowed him to be off the stim. meds.
i too wonder what will happen when he returns to school! am both looking forward to and am anxious about it. i gues we'll just have to wait and see!
hang in there & good luck with all our efforts!
kppy
Kim, thanks for the info about your supplement. I printed it out and will compare to ALL the others I have found!
I really think the "Coromega" is going to be a keeper, the fish oil without the fish taste, I have researched and it seems good and easy to find in health stores all around me. It has 650 mg of EPA&DHA combined and not a bad price.