Natural Remedies for ADHD and ADD

I have given my son who has dyslexia and ADHD 1/2 Livolin Forte which has phosphatidyl choline in desperation and surprisingly he has immense changes to his reading ability, cos at age 10 he couldnt read, and he will struggle to spell, but now after barely 1 week on livolin, he has the ability to grasp the phonetic sound some 40% of the words shown to him on sight. Can anyone tell me if it is harmful for him to take that supplement? I have been giving him fish oil but there is not much changes. I check into the internet which say phosphatidyl is helpful for brain problem like alzheimer and dementia. But I will like to share what I had learned so as to help other desperate parents.

WARNING!

I was giving both myself and my children high vitamin cod liver oil with butter as recommended on westonprice.org and was hospitalized w/ hypervitaminosis a. I had increased intracranial pressure and almost died. I had only been taking this for about a month, and I belive I took 200000 units total during that time.

Theresa, I am so so glad I found your blog!!! I have been fighting the schools, Dr.s, myself, etc on drugging my child. This whole process started in Nov 2011. I finally gave in and took my son to a Nuro Dr who diagnosed him with ADHA, High Focusing Difficuilty, Lack of Impulse COntrol and ADD. So we went thru the entire list of drugs till we found Dexa something that does work. However, IT'S A DRUG! And it scares me to death. I am in the begining stages of finding a healthier way to treat him. He is seeing his PCP tomorrow and I will have him tested for delayed food allergies as you suggested. I just wanted you to know that I am glad I found you and your story. I want the best for my child and I do not think that the doctors know best for our kids. Thank you! -Jennifer

When I was a kid I there was no label for this but they recognized that some kids had these issues-sometime the problem is not the child but what they are learning-they are not interested and see no real reason to learn it-they tested me because they were so concerned but turned out my IQ was higher than most of my teachers. I just was not interested.... but of course that wont sell any drugs.

This message is for Francisca from Michelbach-Le-Bas: Francisca, Wheatgrass is grown from Wheat Berries, the same grain which is ground into flour to make bread.

Hard Red Winter Wheat is the best to grow wheatgrass from, but if it were me, I'd grow whatever I could get. Surely someone near you has got it, even if you go to an animal feed store, or maybe a bakery.

Barley is another grain which grows a highly nutritious grass which you can juice the same way.

The grass juices are very healthy, and Wheatgrass takes about 9-10 days to grow from seed to juicable harvest.

Wheat and Barley for grass-growing can also be ordered online. There is an excellent and informative website called "Sprout people" which should explain how to do this further.

Or you can google "how to grow wheatgrass"

I grow my Wheatgrass in cafeteria trays in the kitchen.

It's a great and easy thing to do, especially if you have an electric juicer to juice it.

Regards, Linda

Very interesting post Ted, and thank you for the advice! Another great site with information about ADHD, including how to use a symptom rating scale, can be found at onlineceucredit.com/edu/ADHD-td. I found it very helpful!

Eeore,

There is a book which should do you a world of good, "Alcoholism and Nutrition", written by Dr. Roger Williams, MD. It is an old book, mine is a paperback. Dr. Williams had great success healing alcoholism using the tasteless, colorless amino acid named L-Glutamine, often added into food or juice, etc.

According to Dr. Williams, L-Glutamine stops the "craving" for alcohol, making it easier to quit drinking.

You might have to find it in a used bookstore, but if you will, I am sure it will be tremendously useful for you and your son.

Kind Regards,

Linda

There is an amazing success story of a family with severe mental illness (suicide, attempted suicides, homicidal tendencies, extreme behaviors) who cured the symptoms using vitamins and were able to become "normal" and eliminate all allopathic medications. They are marketing the vitamins "Empowerplus" or EMP.

Eeore, Dr. Hoffer also had great success treating alcoholics with Niacin therapy so your son will be helped so much with the niacin alone. Here is a link to the article. Please research this website for Dr. Hoffer... Lots of great info. Also alcohol depletes your body of many nutients including Vitamin E so maybe you could add some to his diet and also colloidal minerals (liquid form).

http://www.doctoryourself.com/hoffer_niacin.html

Eeore for ADHD, research iodine supplementation. There has been great success with it. Also for schizophrenia Dr. Hoffer cured people with mega doses of Niacin. Go to Doctoryourself.com and search "schizophrenia Dr. Hoffer".

The iodine does need companion nutrients with it. Go to the remedies section here and read up on iodine - the companion nutrients are listed.

Maybe once the ADHD and the schizophrenia have been healed you can look at the vegetables.

Hi Eeore - You mentioned that your 26-year-old son was diagnosed with schizophrenia, as well as ADHD. Have you seen these pages on Earth Clinic regarding schizophrenia?

https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/schizophrenia.html

Unfortunately, since you mentioned that your son consumes 1 large bottle of rum a day, I imagine any vitamins or diet would have limited impact. Is it possible for him to be admitted to a rehab facility? Once there, he will find others at rehab who are going through the same thing he is and he won't feel so alone. He may even find a buddy who can help him through life's up and downs when he gets out.

It must be very difficult for you - don't give up. Your son probably feels that the doctors let him down (sounds like they did) but I hope he is open to getting the professional help he so desperately needs. Take care, Bess

My son has ADHD, refused drugs, tried diet as teenager taken cannabis and developed schizophrenia went to doctors and the drugs started till he had put on heaps of weight and got type 2 diabetes. They then decided his time with them was finished and they changed their diagnosis ( after 2yrs) He has taken to alcohol ( lge qty - bottle rum a day- straight ) to cope and refuses all drugs even his diabetic meds and insulin. He now refuses to eat any vegetables and I try to make food with veggies grated in to disguise when he eats with us. He is 26 now - he has no friends as refuses to go out- and does not want to even talk to us. Any ideas from anyone that I might be able to suggest to him?

The moment he was born he showed aggression and the midwives said "We've never seen a baby do that before". My son has adhd. It seemed as if the lights were on, but nobody was home for his first 11 years, we couldn't seem to get through to him. He's 27 now. I did the diet, did the ritalin, did the chiropractor, did everything. Somehow, I knew that preserving his self esteem was paramount. In class he failed, with friends he failed, with family he failed. We had to get some success into his life. We tried a few things and found acting was what he could succeed at, others admired him. He took to computers and was the 'expert', others admired him. His diet was clean, that was a biggie that actually helped all of us in the long run. We decided to forgo the ritalin. I had to become an expert in child rearing, long before the Nanny gave us a few pointers. I was his advocate, having a few standups with doctors and teachers who didn't believe ADHD existed at that time. He's turned out a sociable, happy young man. He still can't organise his way out of a paper bag, which brings a few work related problems, but if his bosses can work out his strengths and use them, then he becomes their most valued employee. Same with his flatmates, if they can ignore the mess, he's great fun to live with.

My mum and sister have ADHD, and so do a lot of my friends (I'm the only one who understands them and will be their friend). As far as I'm concerned, ADHD is simply a variation of normal. Nature makes a variety of people so that we can survive. When war, tsunami, earthquake or hurricane hits, who is out there first on the front line with fearless and boundless energy? Not me.... Them. We need them. Don't try and fix what ain't broke, just manage them, small doses helps!

Rubigirl, magnesium deficiency has been linked to ADHD (do some research on that). Kids given magnesium have geat results. Iodine deficiency as well has been linked to ADHD.

I read recently that for kids with autism the parents first reach for magnesium and iodine to supplement the kids with.

Jus wondering if ACV will help my sons with their learning troubles of adhd and add deficeit.. I have started to take if for the weight loss part of it.. And I rather like it.. But.. They have been medicated for soo long with the troubles.. If I could find a way to mask the smell and the taste.. They would drink it like juice I would hope... pls get back to me thank you ..

Hi Sal,

My kids who are both ADHD take a few drops of Omega 3 and 6 Oils with Scotts Emulsion. The difference is amazing. And coffee does actually calm them down as well.

Hi Debbie, I appreciate the information. I am thankful that my kids don't do anything with aspartame but I think some yogurt has it~ so I do need to check on that. MSG is a bad one too and will keep that in mind. I have been trying to cut way back on any food with preservatives, artificial colorings and sweeteners etc. And fruit juices, sugar etc. I am eager to read this e-book and will get to that in the next day. Thank you!

I also read recently that most/if not all illnesses are actually related to a mineral deficiency.

Here is a great ebook for you to read (only 80 pages). It is by a Japanese Doctor. Really eye opening. I wish every Doctor would read it.

http://www.adyaclarity.biz/uploads/5/5/1/2/5512066/mineral_deficency_e_book.pdf

Hello,

I am so glad to have found this website. Both of my children are affected by a genetic syndrome called Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome. Basically, they lack an enzyme necessary to create enough cholesterol in the body (our body manufactures some cholesterol). They are mildly affected on the spectrum of this disorder. They were both originally mis-diagnosed as autistic.

Fast-forward 9 years! Some of my childrens' issues may be a result of this syndrome but I still think much of their problems can be helped. My son has ADHD bigtime. He can hardly concentrate. I have always told my husband and mother that I could tell "where he is at" just by looking at him. He seems foggy sometimes, very distracted and out of it. But he is NOT always like this. He has really great times of clarity too and is more focused and less hyper and has no volatile outbursts. WHen he is "in the fog" he is more hyper, unfocused, volatile and aggressive and so forth. He has been gluten free for 3 months now and it has helped with the over-all fatigue issue I was seeing this summer. He is also dairy free for the most part. As a little boy he had so many ear infections I lost count. He was on antibiotic after antibiotic. Through the years he also took Risperdal for aggression and we tried other ADD/ADHD meds which did not help. He always has bad side effects and I can't stand seeing my son not acting like himself. He is complicated but I really believe there is a more optimum level of health for him! I have to believe that!

Now for my daughter. She is much less affected by the syndrome and is in a private school and at grade level. She began having these throwing up episodes and had an upper GI. Later, through much prayer, I discovered she had a Salicylate Sensitivity. Now her diet is so limited and challenging and I am afraid she is not getting enough healthy foods to eat.

I am also gluten/dairy free now because of being diagnosed with Celiac disease. I have been dealing with overall fatigue for years and now more recently brain fogginess.

Honestly, between my son and I being dairy and gluten free, my daugters Salicylate issues and my husband not doing dairy or red meat~~~ mealtime is stressful and causes me anxiety.

TED, I need your help! Or anyone for that matter!

thank you very much!

Hi there..... what are your views on cod liver oil? more specifically for treating ADD.

Also mmsg, and Francisca in Ann Wigmore's book about Wheatgrass, she put some wheatgrass juice in water and it took the flouride out of the water. They did a test on the water. It would be worth reading her book.

Francisca, you can easily grow wheatgrass in Europe. I have. Just buy wheat (the grain itself, that IS the seeds! ) in a health food store and grow it! I did it in earth and cut the young grass with a scissors, and I also did it without earth, by sprouting - only water (soaking, then rinsing a few times a day).

Hi Francisca. Are they so keen to save people in the third world? How long have these poor people been without infrastructure. What about desalination plants for water? The country is on the sea.

Scientists know all about excitotoxins and how toxic they are for the brain. That will cause dementia for sure but they are not warning people about it. Google "Abstract Excitotoxins" to see all the studies that have been done.

The author of the book I read said that reporters attempting to write about Excitotoxins are fired or demoted. Why? People need to research for themselves.

Hi again Debbie, the problem with wheatgrass is that it is something not really known in Europe. At least I have never found any seeds or anything and I have access to four countries (France, Germany, Switzerland and Britain). I wouldn't know where to start although my juicer, an Oscar, does make wheatgrass juice.

You are probably right about the poisons in foods and everywhere but then, why are they so keen on saving people in the third world? My husband says that they do it in order to make sure they will have enough slaves to mine mineral resources. Why are they seemingly always searching for cures for illnesses? Yesterday I read an article in a paper suggesting that if you take Paracetamol every day you will have a lot less chance of dementia and men will have a lot less chance of prostate cancer. Such an article is enough to have hundreds of thousands of people heading for the pharmacy with no regards of the side effects of constantly taking such a drug for the rest of your life (yes, because you are not going to stop if you know you will get dementia or prostate cancer?). Just imagine the profits.... Not only Big Pharma but also pharmacies and the governments through taxes on all of them and on us and moreover the treatment of all the illness that will come from the excessive taking of medication! One such article is the equivalent of a gold mine!

Hi Francisca, the best thing you can do to ensure you eat healthy is to grow your own wheatgrass and juice it. There is a great book by Ann Wigmore on wheatgrass. It is a "superfood". She said that you could live on wheatgrass juice and be healthy. It also remove radiation and heavy metals from the body. It is wonderful. If you grow some wheatgrass you can also harvest the seeds for future juicing or even grinding and making bread.

Why are they adding poisons to our diet... I have my own theory. It's called eugenics and it is happening worldwide.

Hi Debbie, you are right, MSG seems to be everywhere nowadays. My question is why? Does anyone have any idea why they are doing it? Someone must have a lot to gain from it? And why can't these people be stopped? As far as yogurts go I make my own. I agree that one can try to eat healthily only to discover one is not. Sad world..... It is an ongoing worry, what to eat, what to drink, where to live...... Trying to protect oneself from all the attacks. We will be moving to the countryside soon but don't think that we will be in paradise. Searching for a house in a not too polluted place, a bit away from all the pesticides, etc was a pain. We will have a lot of sun flower crops near the house though but they don't seem to spray a lot of stuff. We just hope for the best, nothing more we can do! I would have prefered to be somewhere in the woods but we liked this house. And to think that we are supposed to live in the free world.... We are maybe free to worry!

Francisca, I agree it is best to avoid processed food, but apparently they are putting MSG in meat and even spraying it on crops! It is also in milk powder which is in yoghurts. You think you are eating healthy but you are not.

They are putting it in baby foods and even in baby formula. Apparenty there is even MSG in most vaccines!

Here is a list of the hidden names that MSG comes under.

http://www.truthinlabeling.org/hiddensources.html

Debbie, I think that flavors can contain MSG or not, that is the misleading bit. In the book Excitotoxins the author includes a few lists of what is indeed MSG and what may contain it so in the end unless they really state it with its real name there is not really a way for you to know. The best thing is to eat as little processed food as you possibly can.

Anyone who has a child with autism, learning difficulties and even ADHD must look at the following video. There is much evidence to suggest that consuming Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is linked to these problems.

I didn't realise how dangerous it was until recently and that it was linked to the above.

I went to buy some chocolate recently and discovered it contained MSG (under the name Flavors), also went to buy a "Gluten free" chocolate chip cookie... It also contained MSG (under another name)

MSG is also the reason people are becoming "addicted" to food, can't lose weight even if they lower their food intake, get headaches... There are so many diseases linked to the consumption of MSG. If it is in so many foods imagine the accumulative effect over one day.

There are some foods that can block the Glutamates from being harmful. Magnesium and Tumeric are two foods that will negate the harmful effects.

Be careful trying Theanine, for my son it caused him to be groggy(sp) and grumpy - you know like when a child is overly tired. He may have been calmer after taking it but like a tired child he was not able to function emotionally. Someone else wrote on this site that for ADD/ADHD stimulants (like caffine) usually work better than calming remedies (such as theanine) and that is what I have found as well. Green and Black tea both have theanine in them. I wonder, since they both contain caffine too, if it wouldn't be better to try that instead of the theanine supplement.

My son was diagnosed with ADHD and ODD(oppositional defiance disorder) when he was 4. I know that is a really early age for that type of diagnosis, but he would have horrible temper tantrums and bang his head on the floor or destroy everything he could get his hands on. It didn't matter what we did. We thought, at first, he had a touch of autism, but after taking him to a doctor that specializes in pediactric nerology we were told ADHD/ODD was the diagnosis.

He was too young to go on meds so we were assigned an in-home therepist by Family Services. She talked to us at length about diet and how it effects kids. One thing she mentioned was Red dye #40. It was in EVERYTHING. From Kool-aid to jello, and even in some chocolate products. She convinced us to get rid of the dye to see if it made a difference.

It did. We got rid of everything with dye and taught our boy that he couldn't have it. While we still have some issue now and then, the effect of removing the dye was noticable in about 3 days. The temper lessened and he was easier to talk to and even quit getting into as much trouble at school. He is now 8 and we have introduced Red dye #40 a few times to make sure that the results were from taking the dye away. Each time we have given it to him, even in a small dose, and then removed it, it has been several days of horrible tantrums and anger and crying. Once it is out of his system again, he is back to normal.

Hi!!

Thanks Debbie and Lisa for your feedback and updates. I am going to start with the supplements and I will decide which diet that would be more suitable for me to start. I look forward to hearing any more updates and improvements. I will also post updates.

Best wishes! G Clark

A must read for children with ADHD : "The Hidden Drug Dietary Phosphate" by Hertha Hafer, a German research Pharmacist who has had hands-on experience - raising an extremely hyperactive son. Many success stories documented when patients followed a low phosphate diet.

Thanks Lisa I will investigate the Body Ecology Diet. I did see the Donna Gates video on youtube with Dr. McBride. I had actually started making a sourdough fermented bread about a month ago but stopped because I got sick and didn't stir the starter enough and it "died". The fermented food products make a lot of sense to me.

G Clarke, something else that I have been doing and it seems to be working for my son is Vitamin C. When I started he did have the croup and some asthma (and ended up 1 night in hospital). I started giving him the Vit C to clear his congestion (Dr had prescribed antibiotics and he had had 3 doses of Prednisone) and had read that Vitamin C detoxes the body of heavy metals and I though it may help him if that were a problem. I was juicing lemons and adding honey and vitamin C powder - put the mixture in a small container on top of a cup of hot water long enough for the honey to melt and mixed it all together. I then used the plastic syringe for medications to syringe that mixture into my son's mouth. (About 1/4 tspn Vit C - 4 or 5 times a day).

I did notice a marked improvement in his speech in a couple of weeks. He wouldn't sing except maybe one word at the end of each line in a song if that and he had to be coaxed for that one maybe two words. He is about to turn 4. He has the speech of about a 2 1/2 year old.

Anyway it is now about 4 weeks after I have been giving him the vitamin C. He has started singing songs without prompting from me. I was waiting in the Doctors office a couple of days ago (I wanted his blood tested to see if he was lacking in any nutrients) and my son was singing on the top of his voice the song of Twinkle Twinkle little Star. admittedly he missed quite a few words but he has gone from only singing one word when I sing with him to belting out a song in the Dr's office with no coaching from me (and to applause from onlookers). He is also wanting now to sing other songs and rhymes - never interested before.

I can't quite believe it is a coincidence that he has improved so quickly. I definitely think the Vitamin C has helped to detox his body.

Also I have been giving him Cilanto (corriander) chopped up in a yoghurt & garlic sauce mixed in his food. Cilantro also is know to get rid of heavy metals in the body. I also give him probiotics and digestive enzymes every day.

His speech is still not there but there is a lot of improvement. I am also going to try either of the GAPS/ and the BED diets. I need to get the books and study which one we may be doing. In the meantime keep adding to what I am doing. As I type this he is singing Twinkle Twinkle to himself so something is working.

Hi Debbie and G Clarke,

I have been following your thread and wanted to mention some things that might help you both in your journey. Besides the GAP diet there is amazing info by Donna Gates and her Body Ecology diet. She has a whole group dedicated to turn autism and ADD around through her diet. I have heard her speak and she is amazing and dedicated to this mission. She has been at it for over 10 years. You might want to go to her site and read about it. There's lots of really good info there. She offers recipes and you can get her book The Body Ecology Diet which I use myself and have given it as gifts to friends. She also recommends fermented foods. You can watch her making them on youtube.

I know you both are referring to ADD but this info might be very pertinent to you. I know Debbie that you mentioned you were trying to get green coconuts. Is that to make fermented coconut water? Donna's products are made in Australia and I know she is the only one to offer unpasteurized fresh coconut water which is bottled. It is offered here in the US at health food stores in the frozen section so you might want to check into that. Her group she has for families incorporating her diet, BED is called BEDROK. It's a support group for helping implement fundamental diet changes to families. Anyway, I hope this info helps you.

G Clarke yes the GAPS diet is a lot of hard work. I am wanting to start my son on it as he has a developmental delay (will probably do it myself). I am trying to find the green coconuts. I just found some grass fed beef (to help make the broth).

Here are some amazing stories of people who have had great results:

http://gapsguide.com/about/gaps-results/

Thanks for the advise Debbie. I have taken a look at the GAPS diet. I may give that a try as well. There seems to be a lot of perparing involved. I really appreciate the advise. Thank you!

G Clark, I have mentioned this a few times (I don't have any relationship to this Dr at all) but have you heard of the GAPS diet. You can google it. It has had some excellent results with ADHD kids. The reason I am looking into it is that my son has speech developmental issues and I think it will help. Basically Dr McBride is saying that the ADHD is caused by toxins in the body, namely the gut and to fix the problem you have to heal the gut and rid the body of the toxins. I would be interested to hear what you say after you see her youtube videos. Many of these kids have digestive issues (including my son).

Thank you Theresa for your insite and personal experience with ADHD. I am currently having the same issues with my son. They are trying to diagnosis him with ADHD/ODD. He is hyperactive as well and doesn't listen to the staff at his school. After reviewing your post. I decided to do research as well as take your advise and Ted suggestions. I have cut out the sugar, processed food and artifical flavors. You don't say how often and how much of a dosage that was given to your son. Please give me any advise or further instruction that would help.

Thank you!! Best wishes!

Michelle, this site is wonderful, and I would try the supplements and suggestions for AD/HD suggested here. However, I don't agree with the majority of opinions here that all AD/HD drugs are terrible. No one but you can make that decision, and if you've tried other things and they haven't worked (incidentally, does anyone realize how hard - no, impossible - it is for those of us with AD/HD to consistently stick to a routine?), go ahead and try pharmaceuticals. When I went on Vyvanse it changed my life. Not just in terms of completing tasks, but in so many other ways I just assumed I was "bad" or "weak" at -- setting boundaries in relationships, because I was no longer highly distractible and could no longer be railroaded by more focused people in my life; having the energy to have a social life, because I was no longer exhausted from the hamster-wheel of thoughts running around my brain; having people realize I was intelligent, because I didn't ramble on like a crazy person but could follow a thought to its logical conclusion; the ability to clean a kitchen counter from one side to the other without having to consciously think through every step, paralyzed over what to do first; actually having fun with my kids (imagine that! ) because I wasn't rattled by every single sound/action they did that distracted me that I could get it together to go somewhere and be in the moment with them. Etc., etc.

I'm not on it now anymore because I had side effects and I didn't want to increase my dose when the effects wore off -- so I'm hardly an evangelist for pharma drugs, and I agree they can be over-prescribed/falsely prescribed. But now, I know what my true "normal" is like. I know what to aim for. I've ended the cycle of shame and unmet expectations that's haunted me for all of my life. Currently I'm working the supplements, diet, sleep, exercise (3-5x aerobic exercise/week stimulates the same part of the brain the pharma drugs do) and it's working out fine for me. Also an AD/HD coach helps keep me on track (look for a therapist who works with AD/HD). All good, but don't let anyone judge you for cautiously, judiciously trying something to see if it works for you and your body. You've already spent your lifetime judging yourself and being frustrated on a daily basis.

Thank you to Amazinggrace... I just went online and watched the clip on l-theanine. Just placed an order and I am hopeful that this will help my son with his ADHD. I will post my results.

I saw a special on CBNnewschannel.com where l-theanine was used to replace drugs to treat ADHD. The testimonies were very convincing.

I dont think ADHD is an illness. You are up on other people and I see it as a good thing. Find your own space and time and do your own things apart from others when and if necessary. Try balancing your chakras. Go to youtube and search for them. The singing bowl is soothing and great.

If I were you, I will not poison myself with doctor's prescription.

My son dealt with Add his school years. Most people with this are low on EFA. Take evening primrose oil, flaxseed oil is good too. B complex helps, as well as melatonin 5 mg TR (time release) at night. Its hard to relax and wind down at night, this will help you sleep and keep you sleeping all night but not too much to wake up in the AM. Good luck and I hope this helps.

The thing is, I already take zinc supplements...

You might want to do a search on pyroluria and it's relationship to ADHD. Taking vitamin B6 and zinc may be helpful to you.

Need Advice

Ok so I am 19 years old and was just diagnosed with ADHD. Now my mother is a special education teacher and so never had me tested because she thought that it would just negatively affect me, since I was a straight A honor role student. The real issues started now that I'm in college; I failed some of my classes and 3 of my teachers recommended that I get tested independently, so I did. Turns out I have ADHD (like my mom, and 3 siblings) I was prescribed Ritalin for test/exam days and wanted to hear someone's opinion, I don't speak to my mother so asking her isn't really an option.

Everyone says meds for kids is bad and I agree with that, but what about for adults?

My son has been on Melatonin for a few years now. We started at 3 mg and it did nothing to help him sleep. We are now on 5 mg. My pediatrician says that it cannot harm your child. It is completely safe. I have my child on FOCALIN 40 mg. We deal with ADD as well in the mornings.

I am just getting on board with homepathic remedies b/c I do not like the side effects of this controlled substance. We have been on it for a while and it has not made my life easier at all. My son deals with ticks/twitches, has anxiety and has trouble sleeping. I need some guidance in this aspect as well. I did want to comment on the MELATONIN though. My son is also on TRAZADONE at night to sleep. This was not working until I added teh 5 mg MELATONIN to it. I think it(Melatonin) is wonderful and start off low first then increase if need be. I just want my children to be normal...

Actually, Maskeen--I have been taking Mg since I was diagnosed and it hasn't been helping me one bit with ADHD. It has helped with my migraines (nearly gone), but the ADHD symptoms haven't changed. Most natural healers I have spoken with have said, when I asked, That Mg deficiency is NOT a cause of ADHD "proper" (being the lack of neurotransmitter function).

Try magnesium supplements instead. Mg glycinate/lysinate with bioperine. Adhd is the result of mg deficiency.

WARNING!

I was diagnosed with ADHD with my severity level being somewhere around the 97th or 98th percentile while in college--studying psychology, ironically enough. I was part of a research study where cat scans and brain imaging was used to "map" the brains of the participants after different interventions. The researcher at my school and I began discussing the different results and I was surprised when she told me coffee would help people with ADHD. Often ADHD's underlying cause is a lack of functioning neurotransmitters in the synaptic cleft of the neuron responsible for passing along information. Basically--there aren't enough little message carriers making it to their destination--the next neuron. So, the message that came from the original brain neuron intended for another brain neuron will often stop before it reaches the final destination. It's sort of like the neuron short circuiting and stopping temporarily--the signal gets lost. (I wish I could draw a diagram on here--it's how I finally understood it! ) Ritalin, Concerta, and many other ADHD "medicines" are really just stimulants. They work the same way coffee does. Basically, they stimulate the neurons to release more neurotransmitters than they are used to--which helps the message get to where it needs to.

However, some research in its infancy is starting to show that these stimulant drugs (and coffee falls into this category) can do more harm than good in the long run. Yes, the child may be sitting still right now, but with repeated stimulation of the nervous system comes issues. That means that the neurons are being overworked and overstressed constantly. In addition, your body has to process out much more stimulant than it is used to. Think about it--if you overstimulate your pituitary glad for too long, what happens? It breaks down. While much more research needs to be done on these effects, using caffeine and other stimulants to treat ADHD may not be the best idea.

I know EC already has remedies for ADHD and Autism, what I'm referring to here is more specifically "Frontal Lobe Disorder or Syndrome" or "Executive Dysfunction Syndrome" (EDS) I mentioned ADHD and Autism in my post because they have some similar symptoms too. Diet and brain acidity seem to have a lot to do with ADHD and vaccinations seem to have a lot to do with autism. In my case, as a baby and child, I had a few bad falls and my head was hit hard (plus toxic lifestyle) which seems to be cause of my EDS. Maybe the treatment for ADHD and Autism (and brain damage) may help with EDS? What else? Thanks.

Simply put, when we are a child and become an adult, a change happens, we call it "maturity" but for some that change does not happen "the executive function" to be able to be responsible, mature, hold a job, etc. You often see this is ADHD and autism, etc. It seems to be on an epidemic rise in the moden world. What causes it and how to cure it?

Possible causes: head trauma, maybe upbringing (eg. Physical and mental abuse), vaccinations (heavy metals) and toxic foods (excitotoxins like MSG ad aspartame and excess fattening and fried foods and vegetable oils, etc) and lack of oxygen (e. G. Home or office bound and lack of exercise due to sedentary lifestyle behind a PC or TV), etc. Lets say it is a combination of these things: hit hard on head as a baby a few times and a toxic lifestyle growing up. Possible cures: Could oral hyaluronic acid help heal? I know it exists naturally between the skull and brain to cushion it. Smart drugs? Do these need prescription and are these expensive(eg. Hydergine and l-pryoglutamate)? Amino acid L-glutamine (rid body of MSG)? Alkalization, especially with malic acid (eg. Apple cider vinegar) and baking soda for its metal chelating properties and other chelating agents (e.g. EDTA, Cilantro, etc), mostly alkaline diet, cooking with extra virgin coconut oil, exercise in fresh air, etc

But is this enough? Could it be this simple? What is the key, what am I missing? Thanks.

I have two boys and when they were young, people told me they should get checked by a Dr. And me, being all into natural remedies, I told them they are crazy! I would NEVER put my boys on anything other than vitamins or minerals! I found that Vitamin B, D, folic acid, fish oils, primrose oil, and Castor oil rubbed onto their tummy under their diaper, or later - under their pj's did the trick. They are now 12 and 11 and they are both wonderful, beautiful boys that are healthy and have no problems! They are A, B students with no signs of hyperactivity! And no - I did not mix it into their food - when they where little, I got the liquid forms and put it into orange juice or any other type of juice, and now they take them in the pill form.

I feel that kids should not have any caffeine through drinks or chocolate and they should be on a high vegetable and fruit diet, with meats. You can ask your health food store for the vitamin mixes that can be added to juice, they have them in liquid form and some, like calcium have them in chewable form. We still give them a calcium in chewable because they always liked the taste - it tastes like vanilla. I would never put my child on to a drug to cure hyperactivity though!

The feingold diet was being used back in 1975 for ADD/LD. It is now finally being accepted by the so called medical society. Good luck... It was our immediate answer some 30 years ago.

Try your organic store, or whole food store for the fish oil and primrose oil.

In follow up to my son's treatment. Nystatin was not very effective in eliminating his systemic fungal imbalance. We have started lemon, baking soda, and sea salt drink. We noticed a DRAMATIC Improvement in overall neuro function by substituting a cayanne capsul for the b injections and other b supplements. The cayenne has had such a huge impact on my sons behavior. He stopped spinning, putting holes in the walls and making disjointed sentances. He is no longer considered autistic, the ADHD label stands. I have high hopes for tumeric and the baking soda drink. Curiously he craves apples and sunflower seeds.

Would he be best served by magnesium gluconate or citrate, granulated lecithin or kelp? He refuses to take so many supplements and the cost of a taylored multiple is not possible. Also. I know he has heavy metal poisoning. He reacts severly to changes in his chemistry. Would Epsom salt cream applications suffice? It seems the more you learn the more your realize you do not understard. I am grateful for this site.

Ps I cant remember my password sorry

My son, now 7 years had sleeping problems since a few months old. Started with colic. After almost 3 years of ear infections, stomach viruses and not sleeping well... I researched possible issues. I took him to a neurologist because that is what his pediatrician suggested. He said he thought he had sleep apnea. He wanted to do a overnight $5,000 dollar test on him before trying anything else. I brought up to him the idea of food allergies. He dismissed it instantly and said there was no proof of that. So I decided to try an elimination diet, before we had this test. Within 2 days of taking wheat, dairy, nuts, soy, corn, sugar, food dyes, etc. From his diet he slept peacfully through the night. Never in 3 years did he sleep so good. His digestive system was out of balance from all the antibiotics he had taken every month for almost 3 years. I have had to help with enzymes and supplements and diet to restore his digestive tract to normal. I give him a gluten/dairy free diet. It is hard, but worth all the work to keep my son from having nightmares and get some sleep myself too :)

I Concur! Adults with ADHD are made more mellow w/ caffeine -- My Favorite Choice is Chocolate--It has Magnesium, which, ADD & ADHD people are typically deficient in. Its hard to take Mag in pill form, cuz it causes the runs :-(... Chocolate is easier, although the refined sugar isn't so good, so if you can stand 70% cocoa Dark Chocolate... That's the way 2 go :-)

Hi Corinna, ever thought of having him try a trampoline? It seems to work wonders and it is a lot healthier for a child than coffee. I have sessions with someone in Zurich because of my myopia and he told me that trampolining works well for children like your son because they get very worked up only in order to find the balance they miss and calm themselves down. I bet he would love the trampoline and you can buy a small one for the living room which is what I have.

Actually, for adults with ADHD.... Potatos & Potato Chips Are AWESOME!!! They have Tyrptophan... So it helps my insomnia... I sleep so much better when I eat them before bed. Eggs have it also.... Americans have it all wrong... They eat hash browns & eggs for Breakfast... When actually they should be eaten as a Bedtime Snack.

I used coffee with my 10 year old son who has mild adhd. It worked a miracle - a difference between manageable and unmangeable. I have since found out that coffee for adhd is a common advice in Germany and is recommanded by many doctors before going down the ritalin route. My son has one or two cups a day. However, if he eats anything with food colouring in it he is terrible for two days. He is otherwise on a immaculate diet free of any additives etc.

At one point, my 8 year old's supposed ADD/ADHD was at it's worst peak. He would throw "big kid" trantrums and become very easily frustrated. At this particular time, I realized he wasn't getting enough sleep. So I had him go to bed earlier, and the tantrums mostly stopped. He's still fidgety and has issues focusing, especially in school, but whenever he has a poor night's sleep, I know it's going to be a bad day. I don't know about his diet, but I suppose it's what might be considered normal, and without much sugar or fast food. No plans on changing that.

I am skeptical on the medical stance of ADD/ADHD. Of course, most of us here want to stay away from drugs. But I'm sure some children do have real issues, and some children just need real boundaries. This is a world where children gain instant gratification from tv, video games, internet, ipods, cell phones and the hundreds of other electronics they are exposed to. I mean, why does a 7 yr old even need a phone, let alone their own Firefly? It's so rare to see the child whose daily life consists of the enjoyment of reading, hiking in the woods, fishing, and the like. Even sports have, for many, lost its value of just playing the sport. I am not surprised to hear so many more of these ADD/ADHD cases in today's world. And here I am, young myself, in my 20's. My son, how surprising, is very calm and focused on the occassions he plays video games. Imagine that!

I tell him to turn off that tv and go play outside.

I have adhd and acne (i'm detoxing and starting oil pulling). I have heard that vinegar is not good for acne or skin problems is that true????

My son has autism spec. Disorder. I have taken him to every specialist imaginable. Psych neuro chiro holistic I found the most benefit was from a center where the biologically balance. Lots of blood urine stool hair was taken and the results showed he had pyroll disorder. We went gluten Carsin free. We cannot eat or drink sugars even in juice. We take melatonin to sleep. A vitamin was made us for his personal needs. He takes ltyrosine acetyllcarotine primrose oil pro dha insitol cal/mag liquid insitol methionine

The most dramatic results occured with injections of b methalcobalamine. This allowed him to make sentences. He receives ot and speech. To address his sensory integration disfunction. He still suffers from auditory processing disorder which causes him to have significant learning disability. GABA did not work for him nystatin helps his chronic internal yeast I fection most of the time. We also use enzymes with meals. He is able to attend school and was down graded from profound autism to his separate ailments. It is costly but very beneficial to determine the weak spots in an individual bio chemical make up.

My son has struggled with ADHD since he was about 3 years old. He had constant ear infections for the first 3 years of his life. Antibiotics were given every time. I believe he has leaky gut do to these antibiotics. He would contsantly be sick, throwing up, diahhrea. The doctors never told me to replenish his body with acidophilus after being treated with the antibiotics. I since discovered with my 2 year old son that dairy was the culprit for the ear infections. Food allergies can cause many problems for your child. Elimination diet and a food allergy test not done by a main stream doctor. You need to find a Naturopathic Doctor that specializes in food allergies. Look on the internet in your area. Meridian Valley Lab in Renton, Washington does this test. You might even be able to get a test kit mailed to you and mail it back to them. Dairy, wheat, soy, corn, nuts are in everything and hard to digest. Doris Rapp, MD "Is this Your Child" is an excellent book for children with ADHD/ADD. There are many alternative foods out there for you, it just takes time to learn about them and change your way of eating. Every health problem you come across can be treated with what you ae putting in or on your body. Knowledge is key and reading all the info provided here helps. Both my sons have not been to a doctor except for a check up in 3 years. Not so much as a runny nose. This is after I changed our diet to allergen free foods. They can have these foods once in a while for special occasion and I can still keep them healthy. It is also important to take pro biotics (refrigerated), digestive enzymes, flax or fish oil (cold pressed) and good multi vitamins made from whole foods that do not have wheat, soy, dairy, corn etc. You and your children are worth it. Never give up!

Hello, My eldest son is also very active. He's very hyper and constantly jumpy and fidgety and loud. I was wondering where you got your Fish Oil and Primrose? I'm searching online and cannot find it. Do I buy each separately and mix them together with his food? He is 4 years old. and I'm constantly getting hassle from my family about his hyperness. I took him to his doctor to review him, but he hasn't really given me an answer. I would like to try this in the mean time. Thank you. Melissa

Has anyone considered just MORE SLEEP for children (and adults) with ADHD and ADD? My brother, who is now 28, and both of my sons, 10 and 3, have been suspicioned to have ADHD or ADD by teachers and others, and I seriously believe that it could just be a sleep deficit in all of them. I have read a book since my 9-month-old daughter was born called Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Dr. Weissbluth. The book is mostly for parents of babies but it also covers older children a little bit...and the doctor suggests that a lot of kids who are diagnosed with these attention disorders may just be lacking sufficient sleep! I thought about it, and both of my sons have been terrible sleepers in the past. My 3-year-old still is. I blame myself because, now that I have read this book, I see where I made the mistake of going into their rooms too much at night when they cried as babies and toddlers, so they never really learned how to put themselves back to sleep. My now 10-year-old was still coming into my room a lot at night when he was 6 and 7 years old. I had always stayed by his bed until he fell asleep when he was younger, and I always soothed him back to sleep when he woke in the night. He never learned! My 3-year-old still wakes up screaming in the night all the time, and some nights he tries to fight going to bed. The books suggests putting them to bed way earlier than we think is sufficient, like 6:30 or 7 instead of 8 or 9 at night, and NOT going in at their every cry when they are young. There were studies done, and just making those changes alone improved many children's supposed ADHD and ADD tendencies! It also improved other problems, like strange body tics and twitches. Think about it: our lifestyles are getting crazier and busier all the time and good sleep is getting harder and harder to come by! Could this be why there are so many more cases of attention deficit disorders and other neurological problems than there were before there were busy families with both parents working, electronic games, etc. to keep kids up later??

Please consider just getting more sleep for the victim of one of these problems before trying anything else! I did see that Ted mentioned sleep being a problem and was trying to go into what to give so they can sleep better. According to Dr. Weissbluth, sometimes just going to bed earlier makes it easier to sleep because if you go too late, when you're too fatigued, you actually CAN'T get to sleep because of hormones you release when overtired. So consider just an earlier bedtime!

My son has been taking Melatonin for almost 4 years now. He is now taking up to 6 mgs at age 10 and he sleeps great and has had no side effects. He is ADHD and never slept well thru the night before melatonin. It really makes a difference in his behavior as well. I would strongly recommend it.

I've been dealing with ADHD for 22 years now and I can tell you all without the slightest degree of hesitation that Ritalin is pure evil. As of late however I've reconsidered subjecting myself to the self imposed zombification that is induced by this medication. I'm scared shitless. Finding this site and these articles has been rather encouraging. I'm now aware of supplemental vitamin and dieting that may help alleviate the more...constraining aspects of ADHD. Obviously I don't sound like someone who suffers from it, but I assure you all that I do and it is a constant struggle...battles are not won...it is a constant fight. However stubborness alone will no longer suffice. As for children I've read that you should have the doctors check their tonsils. Sometimes the removal of them can be beneficial. Also I've begun taking an anti-stress pill. It's a vitamin pill, not a drug. I've always been against drugs...I suppose drinking counts as well, so in light of my current lifestyle I'm something of a hypocrite.

Someone here wrote something about structure...and they are absolutely right about saying how children need it, regardless of their psychological state of being. Order within ones life often produces order within the mind. What you see your child doing is merely the tip of the ice berg. It is chaos...untamed wildness. If I had to compare my mind today to what it was then...

Today my mind is as a rabid animal. Then it was as a race car that kept going faster and faster. It is torture.

Unfortunately I'm rather absentminded so I've left my email on the off chance that someone has any questions about my life experience with ADHD. If you have the right questions I'm sure I can answer them. I'd like to help as many people as possible...it makes me feel useful, and by extension...normal.

Which brings me to my final point.

You are your childs best friend. Without you they will crumble. This is true with many children, but only with children who suffer from ADHD is it a certainty. No matter what you decide to do, you must be with them every step of the way. No amount of medication, drugs or otherwise, will be an adequate substitute for a parents love.

I speak from experience, because I have seen many others who were not so lucky as I am. You see...I thrive in isolation. But when I was a child and my mother had left my siblings and I for whatever her reasons were at the time...two years...the foundation on which our lives are built crumbles when the only person who loves and understands us abandons us. I can think of nothing so horrible as a child suffering from ADHD forced to confront it alone.

Of course I'm perhaps being a bit melodramatic, or over exaggerating things to make us seem as though we are as delicate as glass houses. But even if you won't believe how terrible it really is to suffer from this monstrous thing...understand that we are listening on some level. We do hear and understand what you say and how you say it. When you tell us you love us we hear that too...and it can make all the difference.

Right then...hopefully that helped someone.

Hi all was wondering if anyone was sure if melatonin is safe for kids to take, I have heard that they can and some say they cant I am a mother of an 11 year old boy with ADHD and severe anger issues and need help. I have tried medicating and and decided to take him off the concerta and clonidine he was taking that to help him sleep, but he stays up till 2 and 3 in the morning which is really starting to affect him at school failing grades are a big issue right now, not to mention the phone calls from his teacher several times a week, So I am wanting to try the melatonin 3mg. to see if he gets some better sleep and hope maybe he will start doing better in school. Thanks for any feedback I am desperate at this point, Tasha

Is Terese from Cedar Rapids still checking this website? I need to talk with her. My 3 year old son was just diagnosed with severe ADHD and severe ODD. The developmental pediatrician wants to put him on Clonodine. In an attempt to avoid medicating him, we have removed all processed foods, preservatives, food colorings, wheat, gluten, dairy, nuts, and fruits with high levels of salicylic acids. He has improved but we are still having issues with him at school (he has a one-on-one facilitator in a special program at his preschool). My husband and I are at our wits end. I was wondering if I could talk with or e-mail Terese who seemed to have some good ideas and got her son on the right track.

The Doctor wanted to put my son on ADHD medicine when he was 4 years old, I almost fainted I told him I would have to think about it, but I knew there was no thinking about it that was not going to happen I would have to find another way. This was in 1978 so I went straight to the library after about 3 hours I wasn't finding anything and then it hit me like a ton of bricks it had to be what he was eating. AT THAT MOMENT everything changed I pulled everything that was processed, sugared, refined or had artificial flavoring or colorings in it and got rid of it. He had whole grain cereal fruit and fruit juice in the morning all he wanted. fish,eggs salad,fruit juice in the afternoon and chicken, green vegetables and whole grain bread with real butter for dinner fruit and fresh veggies were always available at anytime.He had no difficulty with dairy so that was always there.He had a marked improvement in 24 hours and I don't know if people realize how much food dye is in kool-aid just removing that will make a difference but removing sugar and processes food for 48 hrs will show a big difference in kids. He is 34 now and I can still tell weather he has been eating right or junking it up. I tell everybody I know with small children if you cant make big changes remove food dyes, processed food and sugar. I know its hard to cook like that I used to cook everything on Sunday and freeze it and pull it out as needed you will get the hang of it after a while. I was hard when he started school because he would slip up sometimes but if I kept everything else in range it was manageable. There were no food allergies.

Believe it or not, I work with a lot of parents whose children have ADHD. My 14 year old son just told me last week that he needs medical help. He is tired of not being able to concentrate and getting in trouble in class. He also has a predisposition for anxiety that he inherited from me, which does not help things. I have been trying out different vitamin supplements and ACV to no avail. He just recently began living with his father and I cannot control his diet. He would probably starve if I were to enforce the removal of sugars in his diet anyway, and just sneak junk food other places. It's funny how I have a whole lot of advice for other parents whose kids have ADHD, even though I never advocate medicine. But now that he is REQUESTING meds, I am flabbergasted and do not know where to turn. I will start to read the websites mentioned but I am really upset about this. Anyone with teenagers having any success, please respond!!!

Here's more for Lehigh Sue. This came from Dr. William Douglas, ll's newsletter. She will find a lot of doctors agree with this.

"Dear Friend,

Consumer advocacy groups are working overtime trying to get the FDA to wake up to the dangers of artificial food colorings--especially for children. As usual, the FDA has turned a deaf ear. The consumer advocacy groups claim these additives could cause hyperactivity and behavior problems in some children.

From Dr. Jonathan Wright's Health e-tips for Sue from Lehigh Valley:

"Many of your kids or grandkids probably headed back to school this week. And on that first day back -- and every day since -- half of his or her classmates probably made a trip to the nurse's office for their daily dose of Ritalin or Adderall.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has become such a common diagnosis and the drugs are looked at as such a cure-all that it seems like both are taking over the school systems in this country.

But the fact is, these drugs are powerful stimulants that mimic things like speed, which I'm positive most grandparents and parents would do anything to keep their little ones away from. The good news is, you can keep the kids in your life away from these medications and improve, if not completely reverse, their ADHD....For nearly 30 years, Dr. Wright and his colleagues at the Tahoma Clinic have been using natural approaches to help parents do just that. In the upcoming September issue of Nutrition & Healing he outlines the various approaches they've used with such tremendous success over the years. It's an issue no parent or grandparent should miss, so keep an eye out for it to arrive in your mailbox soon. (And if you're not already a subscriber, visit www.wrightnewsletter.com for details on how you can become one).

Yours in good health,

Amanda Ross
Editor
Nutrition & Healing

In the 1960's my brother was diagnosed with ADHD. Caffeine was his first choice to help him, in real ADHD patients, they react to sedatives as if it is speed, and anything that causes a normal person, to be hyper caused him to calm down, coffee has been a big help in my family to my brother, and cousins and nephews. It's only part of their therapy, but it helped keep them off ritalin and other strong drugs. A cup in the morning before school and it helped alot with my brother, during the morning etc.

To Sue from LeHigh: Hello again Sue, I just left a site that I want you to visit. Mercola.com. He has something that you might find you really need in talking with the other parent. The head of the CDC admitting that vaccines can cause autism in subsets of children. Another one that will probably come in handy is the recent case where the federal government settled a claim for damages to their child from the vaccines. I don't remember when it was but it was probably in the last 6 months. Probably will turn up somewhere, if you just search on-line for autism. Dr. Mercola also mentions a book written by neurosurgeon Russell Blaylock about childrens' neurological problems related to vaccines. I have a lot of respect for this man and think if you do land in court, this book will come in very handy. In discussing this with the other parent, all the ammunition you can find to back up the fact that the vaccines recommended by the CDC is what caused the autism, should at least make him want to look a little deeper into less harmful ways of helpin his son to get better health through nutrition and other non-medicated routes, because there are no medicines without unwanted side effects. I think EC posted a release from health authorities in Atlanta (which was probably the CDC although they weren't named)a week ago and I found in our newspaper the next day. I think if you look at what they said and what I found wrong with this picture - it will make the other partner more willing to dig deeper and look at your opinion. Go to Mercola.com and click on autism, vaccines, and any other thing you find relevant. One very important question you might give the other parent to think about is "Have you ever heard or read about any autistic child who had not had the vaccines?" If anyone has ever asked that question, it nor its answer was not released. The answer to the question would definitely provide the answer as to whether the vaccines are the cause of it.

Sue, I am not sure how helpful this will be for you, but there's a book called NonViolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg that I want to suggest. There may be some techniques to help you with your situation. Funnily enough, I heard one of the guests on Charlie Rose last week (the mayor of Denver, Colorado re the Democratic Convention) talk about how he deals with an angry person and sure enough, it was an NVC technique. Charlie Rose asked the mayor to give an example of how he would respond to an angry person he encountered in the public and the mayor's response was exactly how Rosenberg would have you do it - to repeat back what the person just told you (which validates that you heard everything they just said). It has an instantly calming effect in most cases. Anyway, that's just one of several NVC techniques, but I thought it was quite remarkable to hear it employed by a public figure!

Please keep us updated...

To Sue from Lehigh Valley: Hello Sue, you do have a battle ahead, but I side with you. When the doctor wrote a Ritalin prescription for my then 5 year old son - I took it in my hand, left, tore it in half and threw it in his waste can on the way out. If you and your son's father can sit down and talk - I mean really calmly discuss this situation without yelling and screaming and hurling accusations - do so. If not write him a letter beginning with "I know you love our son as much as I do and I think we both want to do our best to protect him and keep him healthy" then proceed to ask him to at least look at why you feel differently about medicating him than he does. Then either print out references your opinions based on or give him sites and topics to look up for himself if he has a computer and on line. One site I highly recommend is International Medical Veritas Association (IMVA) and the free down-loadable "The Terror of Pediatric Medicine". There are many web sites by doctors such as Dr. Mercola, Dr. Jonathan Wright and many others to gather information from. Printing out copies for yourself & your lawyer in the event that you do go to court will also be helpful. If you know the name of the medication he is wanting to put him on - be sure and get a complete report on it and any unwanted side effects, both for you and his father. You will also probably find helpful information on educate-yourself.com. I have seen many questionable medications for children - one of the most dangerous was when a mother brought her 6 month old in and showed me a prescription to start him on one of the hypercholesterol drugs for adults, and asked my opinion. After looking up the drug in the PDR, I told her about the possible side effects and after telling her that I wouldn't tell her not to do it, but if it was my baby, I definitely wouldn't give it to him. Hopefully you and co-parent look at why you have different opinions and what they are based on and make an intelligent decision and keep this child out of the courts.

To Answer questions re children's or animal dosages: A reference found on curezone.com from Dr. Richard Schulze's Patient Handbook recommends figuring dosage by weight alone. Just put child's or animal's weight over l50 lbs (average adult weight) and do your math. child's wt. 30 lbs over l50 lbs. would give you l/5th of the adult dose for the child. Go to curezone.com for more detailed explanation. Even better print it out and keep it for ready reference when needed.

Parents have separate opinions on medicating their autistic ADHD son. I know medicating my son is my choice and no one can tell me to do so. I do not want to medicate him and my ex spouse wants to in a bad way. He is trying to get documentation to his advantage to get ready to take me to court because he says I am neglecting to do what is best for him by not medicating him. HELP!

How much apple cider vinegar and how often? My son needs constant redirecting his attention and focus in school. Thanks.

Sodas are made with High Fructose Corn Syrup. Corn is a GRAIN NOT a veg. They give corn to cows before slaughter to fatten them up. HFCS turns directly into fat NOT energy like normal sugar. HFCS not only makes you fat it damages the liver and pancreus. It was linked to mine and 3-4 other friends diabetes. I stopped all sodas diet or HFCS and my fasting sugar has went from 130 to 90.

Thanks for the info in ADHD. I am so excited to learn more on the subject. I know I had it as a child, but learned how to cope, and have a son now 10 diagnosed with ADHD and ODD. I have to share custody with his father and their family doesn't even want to hear about diet being an issue, so he gets lots of fast food and processed foods no matter what I try. so I try to do what I can when I have him, He was breastfed for 2 years, mostly for security and comfort during the last year, just at bedtime, we had experienced a hurricane and then his father and I seperated so the comfort was mainly before bed to help him to fall asleep. We had to move 5 times that year until i was able to get us settled. I raised him on my own for the most part until he was 8, his dad was moving away and back and away, and so on, now he is close by and so involved more which my son needs, but not having the same views on nutrition and such make it hard. I am chef and teacher, so food is not something I take lightly, but I am made out to be the bad guy when I get upset when I find out my son has been to fast food joints with his fathers side. I plan on trying many things on this site that I haven't tried, and if anyone has any suggestions please feel free to respond! May God's peace surround you always.

I read the article on ADHD by Terese written on 5/13/08. I found all the information very helpful. I would like to talk to her and get some more information on how her son is doing now and how to start this process for my son. Thank you for your help, Jill