ADHD And Caffeine?

while i am not a mother of a child with ADHD - i am a mother who has ADHD - and i can tell you from my own personal experience that Caffeine (at certain times) does help "calm" things - which actually makes sense if you understand the condition. Most medication used for ADHD is a stimulant and therfore you can see how caffiene would help!

The way it was explained to me is that in "normal" brains there are two "poles" (i dont know what they are called exactly) and in "normal" brains there is an electrical type current that bounce back and forth easily and rhythmically but in the ADHD brain the electrical current has a problem bouncing back and forth - it goes sometimes, and sometimes it leaves one side and then cant go to the other and basically it cant get into a rhythm - so therefore the medication- the stimulant "jump starts" that current - thus creating a more consistent rhythm to form. SO that means that Caffeine also will (somewhat) cause the same effect.

The other thing i can tell you is that you may want to check out what type of medication your son is on - because he may need that adjusted and/or when its taken. I personally have found that caffeine works the best for me in the following areas/times; (1) when the medication hasnt yet set in totally (2) when i am trying hard to concentrate on a lot of different things (like at work) (3) early evening when the medication is starting to wear off.

I hope i was a help - there are some REALLY great books out there, if you want some suggestions - feel free to email me: ____@____.com

Hope this all helps!
S. w.

Actually, for us, it's totally true. My 11yr old has ADHD and having a small cup of coffee (with milk) or a shot of cola (not a whole can) actually calms him down significantly. His doctor mentioned this to us years ago when he was 5 and it actually works.

Hi A.,

Try these web sites:

www.TOMATIS.com.au

http://www.healing-arts.org/children/ADHD/educational.htm

Don't give your child caffeine. Hope this helps. D.

I had a 5 yo in my care that the mom was told by her doctor to give her a cup of coffee. I myself calm down & can concentrate better with coffee. I have researched this and found that coffee is recommended for children with ADHD. There is a website (Progressive Health) that has good info about this how much is appropriate etc.....
Here is the link
http://www.progressivehealth.com/caffeine-adhd.asp?&u...
If this link doesn't work -- You can google (caffine and adhd)
Good luck & God Bless.
M.

Well I also have a son that is ADHD and yes this has been proven to work. I have tried it on my son he is 11 now but have been doing it for a while. Although I only do it at home and not for school purposes. My son is unmedicated. I get alot of grief for this from other adults and that is why I recommend you only do it maybe on the weekends. It does bring a calm to my son and he is only allowed a 12oz cup of coffee with cream and sugar to his liking dont overload sugar though then you will have a new problem on your hands. Again I wouldn't suggest this to help with school. My son looks to this as a treat on the weekend at times, and its not every weekend, but little does he know I am doing it for my own selfish reasons..haha. If you dont believe in medication i would just recommend what I do, open communication with teachers and school , his dr. and alot of redirection and rewarding for good behavior.

hi A.. I have never heard about caffeine and ADHD, but I have heard that a diet high in veggies & protien and cutting out as much sugar as possiable including the hidden sugars in juices, fruit, breads etc. can help as much if not more than medications. A friend of mine did this diet method and her son has been VERY successful since the change. They are to the point now (it's been a couple of years) that she can allow him to have that occisional soda, ice cream or cake without him "bouncing off the walls". It was hard in the beginning, but the entire family has seen the benefits of their diet change. Best wishes!

I have never tried it but when I taught school there was a boy with this problem and his parents would give him a cup of coffee in the morning and then bring him one to have at recess and it really did help him. Hope you find the answers you are looking for.

Hello A.,

My 16yo daughter has severe ADHD,and I also was a teacher for 17 years, so I have quite a lot of experience with this...even though I am not a doctor. Yes, caffiene has a calming effect on those with true ADHD. Prescription ADHD medication are actually stimulants, as is caffiene. Stimulants have an opposite effect on those with ADHD.

Also, a funny little story I'll throw in. Whenever we would take kids on a field trip, we would always stop at a place where the kids could buy sodas for the trip home after the field trip. (I was a junior high and high school teacher). The students thought they were getting a wonderful treat, but the teachers were doing it so that the kids would calm down for the ride back to school!!!

I have allowed my daughter to drink coffee since she was 3 years old, and I have allowed soda on occasion. When my daughter was young, I would give her about 1/2 cup of coffee and 1/2 cup of milk, and put sugar in it so she would drink it. It helped her concentrate on her school work.

We tried 3 different ADHD medications and with all three, the side effects weren't worth the benefits she recieved. So, caffiene is our ADHD medication of choice.

Okay, I know it doesn't sound like the healthiest alternative, but I did ask our pediatrician about it, and she said, and I quote, "She can have all the caffiene she wants."

Oh, and my stepson (to be) has ADHD and Asperger's Syndrome, and when on a long trip to upstate New York, we gave him Monster Energy Drink, and he went right to sleep! He is 14. I wouldn't recommend this for a 5 year old, however.

Hope this helps,
L.

What does your doctor say? I have a son with ADHD and would never try to self-medicate my child...especially one so young...that's why the doctors go to school for years...

The other posts are correct...the adhd meds are stimulants...but I would still check with a doctor who is very versed in ADHD before going this route.

My eldest son who is now 21 had ADHD. The doc suggested a small cup of coffee once in a while. He didn't like it too much but it did seem to help for the short term, but didn't last long. It didn't seem to be a consistant and reliable tool for my son. I think that's why it's not suggested that much. Give it a try.

K. B
mom to 5 including triplets

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Yes, it's true that caffiene has a calming effect on ADHD symptoms. But you have to be careful not to give your child too much.

My daughter has ADD and while in school she had trouble concentrating especially doing homework. We discovered that drinking a cup of regular tea helped her concentrate better and she could get her homework done.

Chamomile tea is also very relaxing for everyone and doesn't have caffiene.

When my grandchildren would spend the weekends, we would of course get really wound up for a while but then we would all sit down and have a cup of Chamomile tea before bed and everyone, including myself, would be able to get right to sleep. Again, be careful not to give too much.

No medication or solution should ever be a substitute for discipline and attention from a parent.

Love In Christ Jesus,
D.

I have no experience with giving caffeine to a 5 yo with ADHD. But my son, who is now 21, dealt with these issues with a little added caffeine, and he says it's very helpful. In high school, he'd have about a half-can of Mountain Dew before tests and exams. In college, he says he finds that coffee helps him concentrate when he has a hard time concentrating and his other attention deficit coping skills aren't quite enough to keep him focused.

I have a friend who did this with her son and she said that it was helpful. She would give him a small cup of coffee each morning before school. I tried it with my son and it made him worse! I would give it a try it can't hurt. It was coffee with milk that we both used.