Father of a child with ADHD writes about ADHD news, information, and current ADD/ADHD research.

How To Learn About Controlling ADHD Without Medication

The first thing to learn about controlling ADHD without medication is that a multidisciplinary approach is by far the best way to cope with ADHD in children. In Northern Ireland, the Education Minister has granted £2.5m to the setting up of the Pupil Emotional Health and Wellbeing (PEHAW). A similar programme exists in Scotland called the Mental Health First Aid Programme. Lots of teachers and parents are aware of child protection issues but when it comes to mental health problems like autism and ADHD, there is a severe shortage of knowledge.

The second thing to learn about controlling ADHD without medication is that medication itself cannot solve ADHD problems or even treat it in an adequate way. The most commonly prescribed drug is Ritalin whose main component is methylphenidate which is a Schedule II controlled substance. That puts it in the same category as cocaine! We now know that over 7 million children consume eight tons of Ritalin every year and the alarming thing is that a lot of these kids are getting it from other kids in the schoolyard and not from their family doctor. ADHD drugs can lead to substance abuse, have serious side effects and are risky for some categories of children with heart problems or psychotic disturbances. It is just another element in the insatiable appetite in the USA for drugs, both legal and illegal.

In Australia, there are worries that ADHD children are prescribed these medications for a very short time. The main worry is that unless other supports are up and running, then the child will risk having ADHD for life. What are these supports? How can we reduce medication by psychostimulants or indeed find an alternative ADHD therapy which will calm symptoms of ADHD?

ADHD behaviour therapy is now regarded as an essential support and that means learning parenting skills which will solve a lot of the problems associated with ADHD such as inattention, hyperactivity, oppositional and defiant behaviour and so on. Behaviour therapy is now recommended as one of the best ways of controlling ADHD without medication or at least reducing it to a bare minimum.

How else can we get away from medication ? There are now natural cures for ADHD which use homeopathics and they have no side effects nor do they carry any risks for the child’s health. They restore balance in the child’s brain and soothe the nerves while calming the child. These homeopathic remedies which are in the link below are made by one of the most reputable firms in the USA, carry a one year guarantee and have a facility which is approved by the FDA.

The Truth About Fish Oil and ADHD

The topic of fish oil and ADHD has been often discussed lately in the news, magazines and on the internet.  By the time you finish reading this, you’ll have a better understanding of how the use of fish oil impacted a group of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and also why fish oil and ADHD are so often used together in the same sentence.  From the findings of this research you will be able to draw your own conclusions on whether fish oil is an effective means of treating ADHD and if it is a course of action you would want to take in your own life either with yourself, or a loved one.

ADHD has perplexed many researchers, doctors, behaviorists, therapists and dietitians for decades.  It has received growing attention in recent years as the estimated number of affected children has been estimated to be 3-5%.  Most notably, the condition has reached epidemic proportions with American children.  It is thought that ADHD is caused by low levels of the brain chemical dopamine, and that if levels of this chemical could be restored either by synthetic or natural means, the condition could be reversed or at the very least, controlled.  Ritalin has been the preferred method of treatment for many doctors over the years, and its effectiveness has been attributed to increased dopamine levels the medication causes.

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Information

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder information which is unbiased, must be the most difficult to come by. It also must be the longest acronym in the world so it is conveniently shortened to ADHD, which makes everybody’s life much easier. Where can one get information on ADHD and can it be considered reliable?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder information is not hard to find or to discover. Actually it is often noticed first at school and the teacher may well bring it to the attention of parents. However, there are often signs of ADHD in the child’s behavior at home so the two will usually dovetail. If the problems are completely absent in the home setting, it may be time to look for a similar condition which mimics the symptoms of ADHD. Very often ADHD is mistaken for food allergies, parasites or thyroid problems. Secondly, diagnosis of ADHD should not be just sought from the school psychologist or specialized nurses or indeed the teachers. Paediatricians (especially those with ADHD experience) or child psychiatrists specializing in this area should be sought out, before any definite diagnosis is made and certainly before any treatment is decided on.

Dr Amen is a famous ADHD expert and he is very keen on doing brain scans so that certain patterns can be spotted which will help in the diagnosis of ADHD. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder information is biased, wherever you look, but Dr Amen has remarked that it is ridiculous that diagnosis is actually made without ever looking at the organ involved which is the brain! Can you imagine a cardiologist giving a heart condition diagnosis without ever listening to a heart but rather relying on a questionnaire?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder information on treatment is even harder to find and even more controversial. ADHD treatment by psychostimulant drugs is now hotly debated. The drug companies claim that 80% of children with ADHD can be treated with these amphetamine type drugs and that side effects and long term health hazards are all insignificant. The opponents of this view maintain that complementary medicine and behavior modification techniques are the answer. There is now a slow reluctance on the part of medical authorities to acknowledge that child behavior programs are the key. In addition, the medication and its effects do not seem to have a long term beneficial effect on ADHD and that homeopathic remedies are much safer and less expensive. You can decide what is right for your child by investigating what exactly is involved in this type of ADHD homeopathic remedy by clicking on the link below.

Problems And Challenges On How To Define ADHD

If you were to ask a doctor, paediatrician on the best way to define ADHD, you would probably get quite a few varied responses. There might be an ADHD definition as a mental disorder which should be treated as a mental illness and therefore the use of antipsychotic drugs would be perfectly acceptable. Nobody can agree or knows the cause of the disorder, the diagnosis is sometimes vague and the treatment of this condition has led to fierce arguments among child carers, teachers, parents and doctors.

One of the main problems is the actual diagnosis of this condition which is also why it is so hard to define ADHD! Brain scans on a massive scale are advocated by ADHD expert Dr. Amen. Others claim that there is no great difference in the brain scans of ADHD children and those of normal children. One doctor said that ‘diagnosis is a mess’. There are rating scales, such as the Connors rating scales used and questionnaires are given to teachers and parents but it is generally felt that diagnosis can sometimes be hit and miss.

There seems to be some evidence that some genes are responsible and indeed the strong hereditary link would seem to support that theory. Others say it is a result of an imbalance in the neurotransmitters which carry messages to the brain and these control our moods, impulsivity and our hyperactivity or lack of it. While this seems a most reasonable ADHD definition, the problem is that nobody knows exactly how the ADHD drugs work on the brain and what the long term effects could be!

Once a diagnosis by a specialist has been made, then the next challenge begins about how ADHD should be treated and this very much depends on how the doctor wants to define ADHD. If he believes that it is neurological imbalance , then he will recommend the prescription of psychostimulants. These will certainly reduce the symptoms of inattention, lack of focus but they will not teach the child self-control or how to modify his behavior in any way. The problem here is that this type of treatment has considerable health risks and seizures, heart attacks and psychotic episodes such as hallucinations and suicidal thoughts are not as rare as doctors would like us to believe. This is why ADHD homeopathic remedies are now a much sought after alternative as there are no side effects and the risk to the child’s overall health will not be compromised in any way.

More enlightened doctors and pediatricians (supported by the more prestigious medical and psychological associations) recommend a complete and comprehensive plan which must include behaviour modification in addition to or even without medication. However you may want to define ADHD, ADHD behaviour is quite different in many ways from a normal child. The great challenge is to influence that in a positive way through good parenting which takes into account ways of reinforcing acceptable behaviour and trying to discourage inappropriate behaviour. This is basically what ADHD behaviour therapy is and I know many parents who have found it to be a life saver.

ADD & ADHD Disorders – Must Know Facts For Parents

Is there a difference between ADD and ADHD? ADD and ADHD disorders are usually lumped together as one disorder, the only difference being that ADD is sometimes used to distinguish those children who have the inattentive type while the hyper and impulsive kids usually get the ADHD label. In some of the older manuals used by doctors,ADD and ADHD disorders were one and the same thing.

If we are still using the ADD label or (ADHD Inattentive type) as it is most commonly called these days, these children frequently are spaced out and have a lot of problems in finishing a task and may flit from one task to another. These children are daydreaming types as well and often do not cause any behavior problems at school. It is for this reason that because they do not disturb the class, they are often neglected and never diagnosed at all with ADD ADHD disorder.

In many ways, the children with hyper and impulsive tendencies have more problems with behavior at home and at school because they are noisier and more intrusive in every sense. They often are diagnosed with a co -morbid disorder called OCD (obsessive Compulsive Disorder) or ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder). The ADHD Inattentive type child is more likely to suffer from co-existing conditions such as depression and anxiety.

As regards treatment for ADD and ADHD disorders, here are some facts for parents. Using psychostimulants is full of unknowns and there are lots of uncertainties about their efficacy and the long term effects. It is true that ADHD drugs can work in as many as 70% of cases. But when we say ‘work’, we should be cautious. Certainly these drugs are great at calming children down and helping them to get focused but the behavior problems will remain.

The drugs themselves such as Ritlain, Adderall and Cylert, to name the most popular ones, are quite powerful mind altering drugs. The most alarming thing is that nobody knows exactly how they work on the chemical neurotransmitters in the child’s brain. The drug companies are equally coy about their long term effects although Ritalin has been on the market now for over forty years and has been used extensively in treating ADD and ADHD disorders. So, where is the research? We should remember too that we are dealing here with amphetamines and they are still regarded as Class II substances so there are all sorts of problems there.

The above information is hard to find and many drug companies do not want to tell the full story about ADD and ADHD disorders. That is why thousands of parents are turning to homeopathic remedies which are gentler and will be equally effective in soothing and calming the child, although they too will certainly not solve any behavioural problems associated with ADD ADHD disorder. The best way of all is to opt for a homeopathic medication which combined with ADHD behavioral therapy will be the most effective in the long run. No pills of whatever kind will teach the child how to cope, socialise, manage tasks and generally grow up to be a well balanced adult.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – How Can ADHD Behavior Therapy Help?

Whoever invented the longest name for a mental disorder such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder maybe suffered from the condition himself and was not able to focus and was all over the place! Anyway now this condition is referred to as ADHD. That’s a relief. Now it has become a four letter word! Can ADHD behaviour therapy help?

ADHD behavior therapy together with medication is now recognized as the best way of treating ADHD . The great example is Michael Phelps who was diagnosed at the age of 9 years. He was put on medication but apparently that did not last long and then went on with ADHD behavior therapy.

As we are talking about Michael Phelps, it is interesting to note that the best sports for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder children apparently are swimming, horse riding and martial arts. The latter is great for helping with focus and concentration which are two of the problems with ADHD children. They also learn to control their bodies and minds. So, whether you opt for ADHD behavioral therapy or not, keep in mind sports for kids is a great way to help with this condition. Buying an indoor jungle gym is a great way for hyperactive kids to let off steam and can be used in breaks from homework too.

ADHD behavioral therapy can help the parents with strategies in the following situations. The child is starting to lie and cheat and is also abusive towards his or her siblings. You can also learn about being a role model and the importance of practising what you preach. Children ape their parents in almost everything so if you never read a book and prefer to watch TV, then why should you be surprised to never find your child engrossed in a book ?

There are also great strategies to learn how to cope with a meltdown. You can learn about using the time-out technique and applying it to yourself when you are about to lose your self-control. If you despair of the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medications which are risky for your child’s health and have neglected considering how and why your parenting techniques are going to be crucial in your child’s development, then check out the links below. Learning and adopting ADHD behavioral therapy together with a natural cure for ADHD could be the best thing you ever did to treat your ADHD child.

New British Ritalin Usage Advice

LONDON (AFP) — Parents should be taught how to cope with hyperactive youngsters and Ritalin should only be prescribed as a last resort and never given to the under-fives, a health watchdog said Wednesday.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued new guidelines on how to cope with unruly youngsters suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The disorder affects 365,000 children in Britain, and youngsters with ADHD are easily distracted, forgetful and have difficulty keeping still.

Doctors have prescribed Ritalin — which can cause insomnia, weight loss, nausea and an erratic heartbeat — to 37,000 children, but NICE says parents should instead be taught how to create a structured home environment, encourage attentiveness and deal properly with misbehaviour.

NICE — which examines the cost-effectiveness of particular treatments by the NHS — said drugs still remain the first option for children over five with severe ADHD, but only as part of a broad treatment plan.

“Quite commonly, people tend to revert to offering methylphenidate or atomoxetene…because the child has got what appears to be ADHD and that’s what’s available,” said Tim Kendall — the joint director of the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health which assisted NICE in framing the new guidelines.

“Its easier to prescribe a drug when other options like parent training programmes are not available,” he added.

The ADHD charity ADDISS questioned the new guidelines.

“Parenting programmes are extremely important, but they need to be specific for ADHD. The ones that NICE are recommending were designed for the parents of children with conduct disorder, which is completely different from ADHD,” said ADDISS chief executive Andrea Bilbow.

ADHD Child Bill of Rights

I was cleaning up the hard drive on my laptop and I found the following text. I can’t remember where I found it and the author is listed as “unknown”, but there is a lot of good stuff here. It might be a good document to pass on to your child’s teacher to help them to understand how to teach and communicate with the ADHD child.

Study Examines Stigma Associated with ADHD

Is there a stigma surrounding being a child with ADHD? If you have a child with ADD or ADHD, you probably know the answer. According to a recent study published in the August issue of Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, there is a negative perception surrounding ADHD.

The study examined stigmatization of Asthma, ADHD, and Depression. Surveys were administered to 1,318 children and adolescents ages 8 to 18 years old. The participants were randomly assigned to depression, ADHD, or asthma conditions and were presented with a vignette about a peer with one of the conditions.

The Conclusion of the Study

Respondents were more likely to make negative attributions about peers with ADHD and depression versus asthma, particularly regarding the likelihood of antisocial behavior and violence.

Other resources about the stigma surrounding ADHD:

Overcoming the ADHD Stigma – Parents Universal Resource Experts (Sue Scheff) ADDitude Magazine on ADD/ADHD. An expert psychologist shares his secrets for fighting ADD ADHD stereotyping in children and adults. read more digg story.

The ADHD Stigma – According to a study reported in Science Daily, nearly twenty-five percent of the 1134 parents in the study reported that they would not like their children to be friends with a child with ADHD. These parents then went on to say that …

Overcoming the ADHD Stigma – Steven Hinshaw, Ph.D., shares his secrets for fighting stereotyping.

Free Guide to Alternative ADHD Treatment Plans

ADDitude magazine, the leading publication for families and adults living with attention deficit disorder (ADHD), today released an expert report on the non-medical treatment of ADHD symptoms. Top ADHD doctors and treatment specialists contributed to the free ADDitude Guide to Alternative ADHD Treatment (available online at http://www.adhdreports.com/alternative-adhd-treatment/), which investigates and clearly explains the benefits and risks of natural ADHD therapies like fish oil.

For the nearly 2 million parents of American children diagnosed ADHD, Adderall, Strattera and Ritalin are household names – familiar and well-documented treatments for ADHD symptoms. Natural ADHD treatments like neurofeedback, working-memory treatment and omega-3 fatty acids may be less recognizable, but are they any less effective in combating distractibility and impulsivity? Read more »