adhd | ADHD Information

For my son 60mg Strattera works & we didn't need to combine it with a stim. He takes the Strattera in the morning, & is finally able to sleep at night.

[QUOTE=tklb9009] Don't bite my head off because I repeated something told to me by a doctor.[/QUOTE]

I didn't bite your head off, at least I thought I didn't. I thought I was just explaining the difference between the stim & non-stim.

My daughter turns 13 in February and was diagnosed with ADHD at age 5. It first started out as MAJOR rages that would last 3-4 or ever 5-6 hours. At the end, she would fall asleep and when she woke, she wouldn't remember what had happened. We took her to a psychiatrist who told us she had rage issues and put her on a multitude of different drugs. She was on Wellbutrin, Klonopin, Buspar, Depakote and a few others all at one time. I figured since he was a psychiatrist that I could trust him and that he knew what he was doing. The last rage outburst she had (age 6) she got mad at me because I told her to at least say hello to me before she just got into the fridge for a snack after school. We video taped the entire incident, she got extremely violent, decided to go after anything and everything she could. THrowing all my decorative knick knacks, punching us, biting, spitting, screaming, using profanity, and at the end she took a butcher knife from the knife block and went after my husband with it claiming she was going to kill him. I called our "trusted" psychiatrist, but never got a return phone call. He had been treating our daughter for over a year. The next day I called Charter Behavioral center. I went in to meet them and took the video tape with me. They wanted to admit her that afternoon. I went home, in tears, spoke with my husband and decided to admit her. We needed help and didn't know what else to do. When we got there and our daughter had figured out what was happening, she went into another rage fit. SHe broke my husband's glasses...they were titanium frames that she snapped in two. It took 6 adults to hold her down until she calmed down. She was there for a week of inpatient care and 2 weeks of outpatient. We were only allowed to see her for 1-2 hours twice a week. It was absolutely horrible and I thank God we don't ever have to go through that again. When the medical director of the center found out all the medication she was on, the doc took my daughter off it all. She was severely addicted (thanks to our "trusted psychiatrist) and went through DT shakes while she was there. According to her new doctor, the drug, Buspar, is an anti-psychotic drug when given to children under age 13!!! I could have died! I also found out that our previous psychiatrist was also the previous director at this very center and he was fired for abusing his prescription writing privileges, at that time he went into private practice where we found him.

During the time he saw our daughter, I mentioned to him that our child was very hyper and wondered if she was ADHD. HE said no, that it was a symptom of her rage issues and to ignore it. Well, I don't know about you folks, but it's VERY difficult to just ignore a hyper active child who threatens to kill you with a butcher knife.

THe new doctor had observed our child for a full week of inpatient care and at that time she was diagnosed with ADHD. They originally put her on Ritalin. The medication helped so much, our daughter was back to her old self again. Very pleasant, sweet, loving, etc. that we could barely believe it. When she turned 7 or 8, we decided to take her off Ritalin....as you know it's only good for about 3-4 hours, so she was taking it constantly throughout the day. We were introduced to Concerta which lasts all day as it is a time released medication. SO far things have been going well. She has an IEP at school, is now in 7th grade and is getting A's and B's.

Even though things are going well for her, we fear that the prolonged use of chemicals will have effects that we have yet to see. I have done lots of research and am looking at putting her on a better diet....one geared towards healthier eating. My research not only suggests that a healthier diet might help to get her off the medication (or reduce it), but suggests that chiropractic care will aid as well. Studies have found that the majority of children with ADHD have cervical subluxations in ther upper neck and back.

I have since divorced my husband and while my daughter was here to visit over the summer, I took her to my chiropractor. After only 4 visits, my daughter admitted to sleeping much better at night. (I admit she slept like a log, she never woke all night) ANd she admitted to feeling more calm during the day. If she can get these kind of results after only 4 chiropractic adjustments, I can only imagine the results we can get if we are to continue the treatment. However, she lives with my ex (he threatened a custody battle I couldn't afford) and now my ex refuses to continue with the chiropractic treatments, hasn't bought any of the ADHD diet books I've suggested, nor will he give her the Omega 3 supplements I gave her while she was here at Christmas. She eats horribly and he allows her to carbohydrate overload. She's a typical kid that likes bagels, pasta, bread, chicken nuggets, and very few veggies.

I plan to visit her for her 13th birthday in February. While I am there, I have an appointment with her doctor to discuss whether this diet is something he would suggest. I feel this is the only way I can get my ex to do his part in helping to get our daughter off the medication. He claims he wants to take her off the meds, but only during a time when I have her for visitation over the summer. That way he doesn't have to deal with the hyperness and problems that will arise from going off her medication. He even keeps her on the meds while over summer vacation.

Has anyone tried this healthier diet and chiropractic program yet? If so, have you seen any good results from it? I need to know. Thanks.

Unfortunately Strattera and Concerta do the same thing. You must pick on or the other but not both at the same time! What doc would prescribe both? Get a second opinion on that one.

Actually that is not so. Many Dr. mix Stim's with non-stims. Concerta is a Stim, while Strattera is a 2nd line of defense med used for those that cannot handle a stim, those that have really bad rebound effects. The reason they mix them is the Strattera does not help enough with focus, so usually a lower dose of a stim is added to the Strattera. For my son, stims, even 5mg, sent him into a very bad rebound around 2:30, so we were able to up the dose of the Strattera to 60mg &, for him, it works great. He is gaining weight & finally sleeping, along with amazing grades & friends both old & new.

The stimulant is what is keeping the child up at night. ANyone can see that. Talk to the doc about not giving the stimulant.

I was told by an M.D. that Strattera and Concerta do the same. Don't bite my head off because I repeated something told to me by a doctor.

Any way you look at it, giving kids chemcials isn't a good thing. Think about it. Are the chemical deficient? No. Try something else.

a non-stimulant mixed with a stimulant mixed with a little Benadryl to help sleep. No wonder the child can't sleep....the drugs are confusing the body.

Maybe here's some advice that you others will allow me to give: (crosses fringers)

make bedtime later...try 9pm. Tell the child that it's lights out by 9:30pm. I did this with my daughter who wouldn't/couldn't sleep. I had the same problem with her. I told her she could read, play a quiet game or whatever she wanted as long as it was something quiet and calming. Usually she turned out her light before 9:30 ever came around.

Oh give it a rest. Super sensitive would be to go into hysterics over it, which isn't what happened.

In the past decade, prescriptions for Ritalin, a stimulant medication commonly used for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), increased five-fold, with 90 percent of all prescriptions worldwide consumed in the United States. As many parents grow leery of the traditional medical approach to ADHD, doctors of chiropractic are offering promising results with non-drug treatments that focus on postural muscles, nutrition and lifestyle changes that affect brain activity.

Some children may simply have difficulty learning certain subjects, but the current system—in a sense—prompts school officials to encourage their parents to have the children diagnosed with ADHD, says Dr. Scott Bautch, past president of the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) Council on Occupational Health. "The higher the number of disabled kids in the school, the more funding the school can apply for," says Dr. Bautch.

Some teachers might also have difficulty with students who have a different style of learning, according to Dr. Bautch. If the child is a visual learner—and the teacher is not—perhaps the child is not being taught in a way he or she can learn. Before diagnosing the child with ADHD, Dr. Bautch recommends doctors talk to the child and the parents: "Is the child too active? Bored? Has dyslexia or a different learning pattern? It can be a behavior problem, problems at home, or frustrations with the teacher's style," explains Dr. Bautch. "If we went to a conference where the speakers taught in a way we can't learn, we would be frustrated and would misbehave—we'd get up and leave or chat to the person sitting next to us."

The traditional medical model, however, seems to follow the cookie-cutter principle. The diagnosis of ADHD is based on a questionnaire. But this is not enough, says Dr. Robert Melillo, a chiropractic neurologist. "True ADHD patients have other signs — tics, tremors, balance or postural problems, or unusual sensitivity to touch, movement, sights, or sounds." Unfortunately, although medications can keep ADHD under control, they don't cure it. Eighty percent of patients have ADHD features in adolescence, and up to 65 percent maintain them in adulthood.

Doctors of chiropractic and chiropractic neurologists offer a non-drug and non-invasive treatment alternative for ADHD patients that targets the underlying problems, not just symptoms. "Motor activity—especially development of the postural muscles—is the baseline function of brain activity. Anything affecting postural muscles will influence brain development. Musculoskeletal imbalance will create imbalance of brain activity, and one part of the brain will develop faster than the other, and that's what's happening in ADHD patients," says Dr. Melillo.

Chiropractic neurologists are trained to identify the underfunctioning part of the brain and find treatments to correct the problem, to help that hemisphere grow. "On every patient, we perform a brain function exam," says Dr. Frederick Carrick, president of the ACA Council on Neurology. "We test visual and auditory reflexes through, for example, flashing light in the eye, or asking patients to listen to music in one or the other ear."

When the problem is identified, patients are placed on a treatment program—and most of the therapies can be done at home. "Patients are asked to smell certain things several times a day ... or wear special glasses," says Dr. Mark S. Smith, a chiropractic neurologist. "We also focus on their individual problems. Some children, for example, have difficulty with planning, organization, and coordination—so they benefit from timing therapies. They learn to clap or tap to the metronome, perform spinning and balancing exercises."

Although currently no studies comparing chiropractic neurological and medical treatment for ADHD are available, chiropractic neurologists are compiling the data. "We test children before they start the treatment and then every three months," says Dr. Melillo. "Within the first three months, the children get a two-grade-level increase on average—which is pretty dramatic. With children on medications, the improvement in academic performance is short term and lasts only as long as they take the medication. Our programs change the brain function and the improvement doesn't go away."

While chiropractic neurologists have found success in treating ADHD and learning disabilities by providing the necessary brain stimulation, they also recommend nutrition and lifestyle changes that may help correct or prevent biochemical imbalances that cause ADHD. Parents are encouraged to:

Remove as many food dyes, sugar, preservatives, and additives from the diet as possible.
Focus on natural, mostly organic foods with as few pesticides or herbicides as possible.
Determine if there is an allergy—usually starting with dairy and gluten and try elimination diets.
Stop using pesticide sprays in the house.
Avoid taking medications, nicotine, alcohol, and other drugs in pregnancy that may harm the fetus.
Find ways to relax during pregnancy. Stress on the job may affect the unborn baby's health, as well.
Breastfeed. The first months and years of a child's life are critical to physical and psychological development. Breastfeeding mothers' diets are important as well.

Chiropractic Care Can Help...
If you or your loved one is diagnosed with ADHD or has the symptoms, ask your doctor of chiropractic if he or she has experience treating patients with the condition. Doctors of chiropractic are trained to identify neurological problems and find individual non-invasive treatment modalities. They can also assess your nutritional status and help you find the diet that will help you manage your condition.

Chiropractic in Cyberspace...
For information on how to properly diagnose ADHD, the effects of stimulant medications, substance abuse problems related to ADHD, treatment of learning disabilities, ADHD causes and prevention, ADHD and diet, and other health and wellness topics, visit us today at www.acatoday.com or call us at 800/986-4636.




	adhd Sounds like the stim may be keeping he awake. How much Strattera is he on? For my son 60mg Strattera works & we didn't need to combine it with a stim. He takes the Strattera in the morning, & is finally able to sleep at night. Try putting him to bed later too if he's just laying in bed from 8:30 to 11:30 that is just making it worse. As a rule usually if you don't fall asleep within 30 mins of laying down you should get out of bed and do something relaxing. If you just lay there you could easily lay there awake all night. And of course no naps during the day.We have a eight year old little boy who has been diagnoised with ADHD since kindergarten. He is now in the 3rd grade. He has never in his life slept all night, he is on 2 different meds (straterra and concerta) he also takes benedryl to help him sleep at night (which doesn't seem to help). He has began sleeping in class this year and his grades are suffering. My husband spends half a day at school with him to try to keep him awake. The school will not help him, they say he's such a smart child, he's so sweet. And yes he is but there is a problem, if it wasn't for his teacher being a family friend I have no idea where we would be right now. Does anyone have any suggestions what I could do first to help him? Does anyone else have a problem with their child being up all night and wanting to sleep at school. I mean he isn't up all night we put him to bed at 8:30 and he finally goes to sleep around 11:30-12:00 but has to get up at 6:30 every morning... HELP!!!!!!!!! [QUOTE=tklb9009] Don't bite my head off because I repeated something told to me by a doctor.[/QUOTE] I didn't bite your head off, at least I thought I didn't. I thought I was just explaining the difference between the stim & non-stim. I don't believe I named names, or did I? My daughter turns 13 in February and was diagnosed with ADHD at age 5. It first started out as MAJOR rages that would last 3-4 or ever 5-6 hours. At the end, she would fall asleep and when she woke, she wouldn't remember what had happened. We took her to a psychiatrist who told us she had rage issues and put her on a multitude of different drugs. She was on Wellbutrin, Klonopin, Buspar, Depakote and a few others all at one time. I figured since he was a psychiatrist that I could trust him and that he knew what he was doing. The last rage outburst she had (age 6) she got mad at me because I told her to at least say hello to me before she just got into the fridge for a snack after school. We video taped the entire incident, she got extremely violent, decided to go after anything and everything she could. THrowing all my decorative knick knacks, punching us, biting, spitting, screaming, using profanity, and at the end she took a butcher knife from the knife block and went after my husband with it claiming she was going to kill him. I called our "trusted" psychiatrist, but never got a return phone call. He had been treating our daughter for over a year. The next day I called Charter Behavioral center. I went in to meet them and took the video tape with me. They wanted to admit her that afternoon. I went home, in tears, spoke with my husband and decided to admit her. We needed help and didn't know what else to do. When we got there and our daughter had figured out what was happening, she went into another rage fit. SHe broke my husband's glasses...they were titanium frames that she snapped in two. It took 6 adults to hold her down until she calmed down. She was there for a week of inpatient care and 2 weeks of outpatient. We were only allowed to see her for 1-2 hours twice a week. It was absolutely horrible and I thank God we don't ever have to go through that again. When the medical director of the center found out all the medication she was on, the doc took my daughter off it all. She was severely addicted (thanks to our "trusted psychiatrist) and went through DT shakes while she was there. According to her new doctor, the drug, Buspar, is an anti-psychotic drug when given to children under age 13!!! I could have died! I also found out that our previous psychiatrist was also the previous director at this very center and he was fired for abusing his prescription writing privileges, at that time he went into private practice where we found him. During the time he saw our daughter, I mentioned to him that our child was very hyper and wondered if she was ADHD. HE said no, that it was a symptom of her rage issues and to ignore it. Well, I don't know about you folks, but it's VERY difficult to just ignore a hyper active child who threatens to kill you with a butcher knife. THe new doctor had observed our child for a full week of inpatient care and at that time she was diagnosed with ADHD. They originally put her on Ritalin. The medication helped so much, our daughter was back to her old self again. Very pleasant, sweet, loving, etc. that we could barely believe it. When she turned 7 or 8, we decided to take her off Ritalin....as you know it's only good for about 3-4 hours, so she was taking it constantly throughout the day. We were introduced to Concerta which lasts all day as it is a time released medication. SO far things have been going well. She has an IEP at school, is now in 7th grade and is getting A's and B's. Even though things are going well for her, we fear that the prolonged use of chemicals will have effects that we have yet to see. I have done lots of research and am looking at putting her on a better diet....one geared towards healthier eating. My research not only suggests that a healthier diet might help to get her off the medication (or reduce it), but suggests that chiropractic care will aid as well. Studies have found that the majority of children with ADHD have cervical subluxations in ther upper neck and back. I have since divorced my husband and while my daughter was here to visit over the summer, I took her to my chiropractor. After only 4 visits, my daughter admitted to sleeping much better at night. (I admit she slept like a log, she never woke all night) ANd she admitted to feeling more calm during the day. If she can get these kind of results after only 4 chiropractic adjustments, I can only imagine the results we can get if we are to continue the treatment. However, she lives with my ex (he threatened a custody battle I couldn't afford) and now my ex refuses to continue with the chiropractic treatments, hasn't bought any of the ADHD diet books I've suggested, nor will he give her the Omega 3 supplements I gave her while she was here at Christmas. She eats horribly and he allows her to carbohydrate overload. She's a typical kid that likes bagels, pasta, bread, chicken nuggets, and very few veggies. I plan to visit her for her 13th birthday in February. While I am there, I have an appointment with her doctor to discuss whether this diet is something he would suggest. I feel this is the only way I can get my ex to do his part in helping to get our daughter off the medication. He claims he wants to take her off the meds, but only during a time when I have her for visitation over the summer. That way he doesn't have to deal with the hyperness and problems that will arise from going off her medication. He even keeps her on the meds while over summer vacation. Has anyone tried this healthier diet and chiropractic program yet? If so, have you seen any good results from it? I need to know. Thanks. tklb900938366.6129513889LOL many people are on Straterra and Concerta at the same time. There not quite the same thing so don't listen to that advice.[QUOTE=tklb9009] Unfortunately Strattera and Concerta do the same thing. You must pick on or the other but not both at the same time! What doc would prescribe both? Get a second opinion on that one. [/QUOTE] Actually that is not so. Many Dr. mix Stim's with non-stims. Concerta is a Stim, while Strattera is a 2nd line of defense med used for those that cannot handle a stim, those that have really bad rebound effects. The reason they mix them is the Strattera does not help enough with focus, so usually a lower dose of a stim is added to the Strattera. For my son, stims, even 5mg, sent him into a very bad rebound around 2:30, so we were able to up the dose of the Strattera to 60mg &, for him, it works great. He is gaining weight & finally sleeping, along with amazing grades & friends both old & new. The stimulant is what is keeping the child up at night. ANyone can see that. Talk to the doc about not giving the stimulant. I was told by an M.D. that Strattera and Concerta do the same. Don't bite my head off because I repeated something told to me by a doctor. Any way you look at it, giving kids chemcials isn't a good thing. Think about it. Are the chemical deficient? No. Try something else. a non-stimulant mixed with a stimulant mixed with a little Benadryl to help sleep. No wonder the child can't sleep....the drugs are confusing the body. Maybe here's some advice that you others will allow me to give: (crosses fringers) make bedtime later...try 9pm. Tell the child that it's lights out by 9:30pm. I did this with my daughter who wouldn't/couldn't sleep. I had the same problem with her. I told her she could read, play a quiet game or whatever she wanted as long as it was something quiet and calming. Usually she turned out her light before 9:30 ever came around. IS THAT OK ADVICE?????????????????????????????? Wow someone is super sensitive. [QUOTE=MafiaKiddo]Wow someone is super sensitive.[/QUOTE] Oh give it a rest. Super sensitive would be to go into hysterics over it, which isn't what happened. lol if that's not hysterics then I don't know what is. Oh well was fun while it lasted. Chiropractors can help children with ADHD - Look for a Chiropractic Neurologist in your area - Treatments to increase/decrease the rate of firing for a specific brain hemisphere is the key for the treatment. Read more... Chiropractors Offer Hope and Help to Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) In the past decade, prescriptions for Ritalin, a stimulant medication commonly used for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), increased five-fold, with 90 percent of all prescriptions worldwide consumed in the United States. As many parents grow leery of the traditional medical approach to ADHD, doctors of chiropractic are offering promising results with non-drug treatments that focus on postural muscles, nutrition and lifestyle changes that affect brain activity. Some children may simply have difficulty learning certain subjects, but the current system—in a sense—prompts school officials to encourage their parents to have the children diagnosed with ADHD, says Dr. Scott Bautch, past president of the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) Council on Occupational Health. "The higher the number of disabled kids in the school, the more funding the school can apply for," says Dr. Bautch. Some teachers might also have difficulty with students who have a different style of learning, according to Dr. Bautch. If the child is a visual learner—and the teacher is not—perhaps the child is not being taught in a way he or she can learn. Before diagnosing the child with ADHD, Dr. Bautch recommends doctors talk to the child and the parents: "Is the child too active? Bored? Has dyslexia or a different learning pattern? It can be a behavior problem, problems at home, or frustrations with the teacher's style," explains Dr. Bautch. "If we went to a conference where the speakers taught in a way we can't learn, we would be frustrated and would misbehave—we'd get up and leave or chat to the person sitting next to us." The traditional medical model, however, seems to follow the cookie-cutter principle. The diagnosis of ADHD is based on a questionnaire. But this is not enough, says Dr. Robert Melillo, a chiropractic neurologist. "True ADHD patients have other signs — tics, tremors, balance or postural problems, or unusual sensitivity to touch, movement, sights, or sounds." Unfortunately, although medications can keep ADHD under control, they don't cure it. Eighty percent of patients have ADHD features in adolescence, and up to 65 percent maintain them in adulthood. Doctors of chiropractic and chiropractic neurologists offer a non-drug and non-invasive treatment alternative for ADHD patients that targets the underlying problems, not just symptoms. "Motor activity—especially development of the postural muscles—is the baseline function of brain activity. Anything affecting postural muscles will influence brain development. Musculoskeletal imbalance will create imbalance of brain activity, and one part of the brain will develop faster than the other, and that's what's happening in ADHD patients," says Dr. Melillo. Chiropractic neurologists are trained to identify the underfunctioning part of the brain and find treatments to correct the problem, to help that hemisphere grow. "On every patient, we perform a brain function exam," says Dr. Frederick Carrick, president of the ACA Council on Neurology. "We test visual and auditory reflexes through, for example, flashing light in the eye, or asking patients to listen to music in one or the other ear." When the problem is identified, patients are placed on a treatment program—and most of the therapies can be done at home. "Patients are asked to smell certain things several times a day ... or wear special glasses," says Dr. Mark S. Smith, a chiropractic neurologist. "We also focus on their individual problems. Some children, for example, have difficulty with planning, organization, and coordination—so they benefit from timing therapies. They learn to clap or tap to the metronome, perform spinning and balancing exercises." Although currently no studies comparing chiropractic neurological and medical treatment for ADHD are available, chiropractic neurologists are compiling the data. "We test children before they start the treatment and then every three months," says Dr. Melillo. "Within the first three months, the children get a two-grade-level increase on average—which is pretty dramatic. With children on medications, the improvement in academic performance is short term and lasts only as long as they take the medication. Our programs change the brain function and the improvement doesn't go away." While chiropractic neurologists have found success in treating ADHD and learning disabilities by providing the necessary brain stimulation, they also recommend nutrition and lifestyle changes that may help correct or prevent biochemical imbalances that cause ADHD. Parents are encouraged to: Remove as many food dyes, sugar, preservatives, and additives from the diet as possible. Focus on natural, mostly organic foods with as few pesticides or herbicides as possible. Determine if there is an allergy—usually starting with dairy and gluten and try elimination diets. Stop using pesticide sprays in the house. Avoid taking medications, nicotine, alcohol, and other drugs in pregnancy that may harm the fetus. Find ways to relax during pregnancy. Stress on the job may affect the unborn baby's health, as well. Breastfeed. The first months and years of a child's life are critical to physical and psychological development. Breastfeeding mothers' diets are important as well. Chiropractic Care Can Help... If you or your loved one is diagnosed with ADHD or has the symptoms, ask your doctor of chiropractic if he or she has experience treating patients with the condition. Doctors of chiropractic are trained to identify neurological problems and find individual non-invasive treatment modalities. They can also assess your nutritional status and help you find the diet that will help you manage your condition. Chiropractic in Cyberspace... For information on how to properly diagnose ADHD, the effects of stimulant medications, substance abuse problems related to ADHD, treatment of learning disabilities, ADHD causes and prevention, ADHD and diet, and other health and wellness topics, visit us today at www.acatoday.com or call us at 800/986-4636.	Enter Your Email below to claim your Free Book