ADHD Counsellor

by Diana Ketchen
Hyperactivity in children has received a lot of attention in recent years, with many suggested causes and treatments. It’s a subject that gets much debate. Should children with hyperactive behavior be medicated? Are they simply eating the wrong food? Are we labeling “bad” behavior as a disorder, instead?
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by Laura Ramirez
Let’s face it, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is on the rise and parents need to be better informed about their options, so they can make the best possible decisions for their children’s treatment. In this article, you’ll learn why drugs may not be the best choice for your child and find out about alternative ways to effectively treat this disorder.

1. When your child is first diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, your doctor will prescribe a medication. Typically, this medication is a stimulant. Although it may seem counterintuitive to give a stimulant to a child who is hyperactive or agitated, children tend to have paradoxical systems which means that the stimulant has the opposite effect–it calms them down.
2. Although ADHD drugs may work for kids who have severe attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, for other kids, the costs of taking the drug are not worth the benefits. This is because all drugs have side effects and some people are more sensitive to these effects than others. Common side effects for ADHD medications are stomach problems, loss of appetite, difficulty falling asleep (or staying asleep), agitation, etc. Of course, there are also more serious side effects, like psychosis and suicidal ideation. As a caring parent, you have to decide if the short term benefits are worth the health risks.
3. Even somewhat benign side effects should be seen as serious. If your child is on an ADHD drug and this is causing him to eat and sleep less, than his growth and development are being stunted by taking the drug. This is why I recommend that parents only give their children drugs when there are no other options.

So what are the alternatives to drugs? The best alternative is a healthy diet (full of fresh vegetables, fruit and lean protein), regular exercise and a good, natural supplement designed to treat ADHD. Because we’ve been sold a bill of goods by drug companies, most parents do not know that natural remedies work just as effectively as drugs at suppressing symptoms. Best of all, when natural remedies are taken daily, they actually heal the brain because they provide it with the nutrition it needs to restore proper function.

It’s important to note that drugs do not heal ADHD; they only suppress the symptoms.

Since natural remedies have no short or long term side effects, they are completely safe for any child who has attention deficit disorder. Since they do not interact with drugs, they are 100% safe to use with other medications your child might need to take and can also be used safely when weaning your child off ADHD medications.

Since all natural remedies are not created equal, make sure you find a quality supplement to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder that is FDA-approved and proven to be effective.
 

About the Author

Laura Ramirez is a dedicated researcher of natural remedies for ADHD and other health issues. Read more about her research by going to http://www.treating-adhd-naturally.com/

Ms. Ramirez is also the author of the award-winning parenting book, Keepers of the Children: Native American Wisdom and Parenting and is the publisher of Family Matters Parenting Magazine. She is a parenting educator and speaker.

by Robert William Locke
How about this for a scary post on an ADHD blog recently? A mother reports that her daughter had been given Ritalin for ADHD and as a result, got tics. She was then put on Clonidine for ADHD which worked fine for the tics. Now, the scary part is that IF she had been given both Ritalin and Clonidine, then she was at enormous risk as there have been deaths caused by this deadly combination. There have been up to four deaths reported – all four did have heart problems but should never have been given this combination.
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by Caterina Tomaselli
In our society, an increasing number of children are being diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), and nearly 2.3 million of them are currently taking medication to control the disorder. I am a parent and am related to a child with the ADHD, and have been very concerned about the possible side effect that the medication can produce, since I know that some of it can be very harmful. I was therefore very excited to hear of a new study, recently brought to light, that showed how a simple, effortless technique know as Transcendental Meditation can treat ADHD in a safe and non pharmacological way.
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by Felicity Maris Modesto
Children would always behave like—well, children. Hence, instances whereby parents like you find yourselves struggling to cope with your child’s innate rambunctiousness and inattention are nothing short of ordinary, explaining why such scenes have been woven into the daily tapestry comprising common family life. Especially during the stages of infancy up to childhood, as a parent you are expected to be at your most patient, most tolerant, and most understanding self. What with an innocent baby waking the entire neighborhood in the middle of the night or tearing the house down as he begins to explore his new world, you are given no choice but to obtain the necessary strength and tolerance from your unconditional love for your baby. Despite the inevitable annoyance and chagrin brought about by episodes of hyperactivity and public tantrums, you could surely depend on your unfaltering attentiveness to your child’s welfare to help tide you over until your child matures and outgrows such tendencies.
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by by Elaine Lerner, MSW, CSW
“Every child born into the world is…another fresh and radiant possibility”. Kate W. Wilkin

It’s Monday morning and the start of a new week. Families all over America are getting ready to send their children to school. The Jones family, however, is late once again. Their child won’t get out of bed on time. Their child won’t listen when they say to get dressed. A simple routine of getting up, getting dressed and getting ready for school creates insurmountable obstacles, conflict, hostility and utter chaos. By the time he gets down the stairs for breakfast, the school bus has already left. This is not an unusual occurrence, this happens every day. Their child has been diagnosed with ADHD. They feel out of control and out of balance all the time.
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