Adhd

[smalltownmom3]

My son is diagnosed ADHD, with some possible bipolar tendencies (we're still evaluating for that, but his father is diagnosed bipolar). When I lost my insurance coverage I tried a more natural (and cheaper) route. Fish oils, cutting out some sugars, limited red meat. I spent a lot of time looking for answers online. All in all is was a complete failure. I never got the results that I did from the medication, and it was near impossible to cut sugars out of his life.

Is anyone else dealing with a child with ADHD? Anyone else feeling as : as I do most days? I really hate paying the hundreds of dollars each month for his medication, but without it he is impossible to handle.

[fostermomcchr]

High levels of caffiene helped me cope with my ADHD before I finally went for meds at 40 yrs old. The caffiene stimulates the part of the brain that does impulse control.

[smalltownmom3]

Really? But did you have any negative effects from the caffeine?

[oregongirlie]

I found that generic ritalin is pretty cheap. Maybe you can use a different medication?

[rstump]

I am confused why you find it hard to cut out sugars from his diet?

Diet usually plays a BIG role in ADHD. Many times allergies/chemicals/food dyes/sugars can be a huge factor. Many of these ingredients even mimic symptoms of ADHD.

[Aura_Kitten]

i would use the Feingold diet (again! ) before ever thinking about medication.


this is the official site http://www.feingold.org/

but Mothering ran a comprehensive article on it a couple of years ago. i'm sure it would be in their online archives by now......

[fostermomcchr]

Originally Posted by smalltownmom3

Really? But did you have any negative effects from the caffeine?

Yes, actually I did, but didn't realize it was the caffeine until I went off the soda last month. I always had horrible periods w/severe cramps and diarhea, as well as just a general sluggish feeling. I have been off soda completely now for a month, not only did I lose 5lbs, drop 2 jean sizes, but my period was cramp and diarhea free!!! Oh and the flow was much slower than ever before!

[J-Max]

Originally Posted by Aura_Kitten

i would use the Feingold diet (again! ) before ever thinking about medication.


this is the official site http://www.feingold.org/

but Mothering ran a comprehensive article on it a couple of years ago. i'm sure it would be in their online archives by now......

As a mother of a child with Adhd and bipolar tendencies, I would defiantly reccomend checking into this, it has canged our lives!

[AuntRayRay]

I could've wrote your post myself. My 10 yr old has ADHD with bipolar tendencies and his father was diagnosed with Bipolar. Oh and most days I feel : ! I had tried the feingold diet and think it helps, but now I'm having the problem that he's old enough to go to the corner store himself and buy the candy that I keep away from him UGH! It seems like the more I would prohibit things he would see them as I gotta have it...such as things with artifical colors and preservatives. We've never done med's because he's already on meds for a heart condition. Anyway your not alone and I hope the other mama's have some helpful advice for you and your son (and of course I'll be listening too )

RayRay~

[twindaze]

We're evaluating my 10 yo for ADHD. I just got his teacher forms home today and I filled mine out. Just from those forms I can see that we're headed for a diagnosis. I had no idea that so many of his misbehaviors were symptoms of ADHD. My main concern has always been his impulse control, which I'd always hoped he'd outgrow, but at 10 he has not. And honestly, it's not his school performance that leads me to treat the ADHD. There are issues there, but they could be addressed with homeschooling. It's more his social problems. He's very intrusive to people and it's not winning him any friends. He still has some, but I can see issues developing. I see it at home as well, he disrupts our family quite often. So I think that the ADHD needs to be addressed. I wonder if I could do Feingold immediately and see if it helps prior to getting meds.

[Velveteen]

I would highly reccomend the Feingold diet, we have done this for about 4 years now. However, this past year we did have to go on medication, and we still do the diet. I find both of these things together work best. I was anti-medication, but we needed to at this time.