Stimulant_Free_Children

STIMULANT FREE CHILDREN Stimulant Free Children In the United States, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) have become an epidemic among our children. In some schools, there are as many as 30% of students who are on Ritalin or similar medications (J. Reichenberg-Ullman & R. Ullman, 1996). Although medication definitely has its place, there are many serious side effects that parents need to be aware of when treating their child. ADHD and ADD are believed to be genetic neurological disorders. However, what many people do not realize is there are also many studies that point to diet and nutrition as being an additional contributing factor in both the cause and treatment of ADHD and ADD. There are many natural remedies available as well. It is the intention of this paper to show the reader that the best management of ADHD and ADD happens when one employs a combination of all treatment and management options available as opposed to using medication alone. The most common drug family used to treat ADHD and ADD are stimulant drugs such as Ritalin, Adderall, and Dexedrine. These are believed to work by increasing Dopamine levels in the brain. These drugs can be very helpful. Most of these drugs are on the controlled substances list and require identification and a signature in order to be filled. There are also many side effects associated with this class of drugs such as: a) Feeling restless and jittery b) Difficulty sleeping c) Loss of appetite d) Headache e) Upset Stomach f) Irritability and mood swings g) Depression h) Dizziness i) Racing heartbeat j) Tics In addition to these side effects, they have also been known to cause people to become withdrawn and less spontaneous. For others, they may become aggressive or even develop obsessive-compulsive disorders. Worse still is the fact that many researchers now believe these medications interfere with normal brain and physical development in children and adolescents. So, although medication has its place, parents need to be aware of what these medications can do and be wary of steadily increasing doses. Parents also need to be aware of the many other treatment options available to them. Diet and nutrition can be a large contributing factor in both cause and treatment of ADHD and ADD. With today’s high paced life style and busy schedules, both parents tend to work outside of the home in this day and age. This causes a dramatic drop in health management and the increase in the amount of processed foods consumed by the average modern day family. An article from the Harvard Mental Health Letter in June 2009 talks about the link between diet and ADHD among children. It goes beyond mere diet however, and talks about studies which are researching food additives and artificial coloring. (McCann, D 2009, Harvard Mental Health Letter Vol. 25 Issue 12, p4-5 2p). There are many facets to what one should and should not eat, and it varies by each individual. For some, there may be a food allergy that is a large cause of the problem. Odd as it may seem, the foods many people with dietary allergies crave the most are the foods that are causing the problem. This is called an addictive food allergy. There are ways of discovering what these foods are. There are tests a doctor can do, or be performed by the child’s parents to test at home by simply keeping a daily food diary and then eliminating one food from the diet for a week at a time. Then the parents can watch for changes in their child’s behavior to see if the correct food has been eliminated. Some of the more common food allergies include: wheat, corn, rice, oat, peas, soy, peanuts, milk, artificial colors, pure baker’s chocolate, eggs, cane sugar, chicken, beef, pork, tomato, potato, orange, lettuce, broccoli, green beans, coffee, cheese, and alcohol (Bell and Peiper, 2006). Bell and Peiper include the following table in their book for general eating guidelines: | |ADD |ADHD | |Protein |More of |More of | |Starch |Moderate |Less of | |Vegetables |More of |More of | |Fruits |Some |Little to None | |Fats |More of |More of | |Oils |Some |Some | |Sugars |Individual |Individual | There are, in addition to dietary and environmental changes, Homeopathic treatment options available. The treatments used vary according to each patient because homeopathy is based on the individual and overall health, not just managing the symptoms as traditional western medicine does. There are many advantages to homeopathic treatment, such as: a) Treats the whole person at the root of the problem b) Considered safe, without the side effects of Ritalin and other medications c) Uses natural, nontoxic medications d) Treats each person as an individual e) Heals physical as well as mental and emotional symptoms f) Lasts for months or years rather than hours g) Is inexpensive One of the most common questions asked about the use of Homeopathy in treating ADHD and ADD is whether or not it can be combined with traditional medicines already being taken. There is not a set answer to that as the answer will vary on a case by case basis. However, if patients are seeing an experienced and reputable homeopath, and have a good physician with an open mind, the chances are good that they will be able to combine treatments if that is what the parents feel is best. Patients should always take an active hand in their care. The good news is many children will eventually be able to be tapered off of their heavy medications once the correct homeopathic treatment has been found (Reichenberg-Ullman & Ullman, 1996). So, in conclusion, my research (as well as my personal experience in dealing with ADHD), show that medication alone is not a viable treatment in truly learning to live with or overcoming ADHD and ADD. Medication used in conjunction with controlling the diet, providing a clean living environment and seeking the help of a trained and licensed Homeopath clears a path to true healing and a better life for our children. Prescribing harmful drugs only covers up the problem and attempts to manage the symptoms, but does not treat the root cause. The good news is many people in our country seem to be trending in the direction of using more natural remedies and not immediately turning to medication. It is a matter of educating oneself to the alternative options truly available, to reduce the ADHD and ADD epidemic among our children. References: Bell, R and Peiper, H (2006). The ADD and ADHD Diet, Massachusetts: Safe Goods Publishing McCann, D. (2009, June). Diet and ADHD. Harvard Mental Health Letter; Vol. 25 Issue 12, p4-5, 2p; Retrieved April 5, 2010 from Kaplan University Web Library: http://web.ebscohost.com.kaplan.uah.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer'vid=2&hid=2&sid=21b1b587-b6bb-4e1e-802b-ce6cc267b574%40sessionmgr10 Reichenbert-Ullman, J and Ullman, R (1996). Ritalin Free Kids, California: Prima Publishing