Looking for Information on ADHD / ADD Diet

Dear K.,
Greetings!!!

It's wonderful to hear that you are looking to take your son off the medications and are researching natural remedies and different diets instead. Sugar, dyes, different food combinations and even toxins (in the environment and home) can truly make a difference in a child's behavior. But, please also remember that kids are ALIVE and have feelings and spirit and do not deserve to be labeled or medicated. I definitely know from experience that these medications do more harm than good and that, in fact, there are many natural solutions that can actually help with what your son is going through.

I highly recommend contacting Dr. Anita Pepi who is truly an amazing Chiropractor and Nutritionist and would definitely be able to help your son naturally.

Here's her data:

2950 Los Feliz Blvd. Suite 101
Los Angeles, CA 90039
(323) 666~1088
http://www.drpepi.com

If she is too far for you, please let me know as I may know of an incredible nutritionist that is closer to you.

I'd also recommend checking out 5 organizations validating why going the natural route is best for you and your son:
http://ablechild.org/
http://www.cchr.org/
http://www.fightforkids.org/
http://www.psychsearch.net/teenscreen.html
http://www.labelmesane.com/

You'll also find some amazing data regarding alternatives at: http://www.cchr.org/solutions_and_alternatives/

And, K., please watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Xjx0gdL83I
http://www.psychconflicts.org/

Please free to contact me at: (323) 906~2784 or via e~mail me at ____@____.com.

I'd love to help you however I can.

With love,
L. (Mama to 42 week old Dylan Orion) : )))

2 moms found this helpful

Hi K. P,
I was just reading your request and it immediately reminded me of a company founder Leslie Montie. Your situation sounds like the Challenges she was up against with her two sons similar dietary restrictions. I really believe in her mission and I think Wildtree can help. When you have a minute please feel free to visit http://www.Wildtree.com click on the about us link and you should fine her story. There is a copy of a article that was published in Woman Day Magazine about how one mom was able to get her son completely off his meds. Just that these story would help.
D.

2 moms found this helpful

K., I've worked in special ed for 30 years. For the kids that respond to medication right away ( of course there sometimes is a need to see which med really helps), that "proves" to me that these kids bodily chemistry really is not typical. For the kids that are "hyper", but don't respond to meds, that tells me that their issues really are behavioral/environmentally based.

I have not had experience with the Feingold diet. I do know that some people are sensitive to sugars and additives. Apparently your son is, but you are managing that aspect.

Kids who truly have issues with ADHD/ADD need a structured school program with clear expectations, visual supports (planners, check lists, etc) with short breaks as rewards and logical consequences for behavior. All kids respond to these good teaching techniques. The only thing is "typical" kids are able to curb their impulses better than these other kiddos. As adults/educators we need to help children like your son develop the supports they need to be successful. These are needed for ADHD kids to help to teach them the supports/modifications they need whether or not they need medication to help as well.

I hope this doesn't sound like a soap box. It's just reflections from my experience. It doesn't sound like y our son has been on medication very long really. Have you throughly discussed your concerns with the physician? What prognosis does he give for medication duration?

1 mom found this helpful

No disrepect, but if your child was diabetic would you be tring to "wean" him off insulin? If your child truly is adhd his body checmistry requires medication. As he gets older, he may be able to develop coping mechanisms without it, but you have to weigh your medication issue with the potential damage that will be done without it. I'm sure he's been a handful, but manageable, but you're there to consistently attend to him, and I doubt you're asking him to sit quietly and focus for 45 minutes at a time, all the while filling the room with distractions.

You're right, there is no way a teacher is going to have the time to deal with him if he's acting out. Instead, he's going to become the "kid in the class" who is the troublemaker, as well as not physically able to learn anything. He's also reaching the age where the other kids are not going to put up coping mechanism.

I'm sure I'm going to be in the minority here, but there is no way I'd take him off hs meds at this point. Based on your son's success' it's clear that this is legitimate use of medication, and that you're not looking to medicate a child for yoru own reasons. The media has made medication into such a pariah, and so many folks have an uneducated knee jerk response to it.

A sugar free diet would help all kids, but don't look for it to replace the medication. Please give your child every chance to be successful.

1 mom found this helpful

maybe this was mentioned, but have you considered food dyes as a contributing factor? google "food dye" and behavior in children. dyes have been banned in seven european countries for health reasons. some cases where parents have eliminated the dye from their children's diet, the ADHD diagnosis has been revoked. its worth a try if you havent already. good for you for looking for non med alternatives for your son!

1 mom found this helpful

Have you had your son tested for heavy metals or for candida?
My twins had ADHD and one had tourette's with a violent temper with no impulse control. We never put them on medicine since stimulants constrict the heart muscles and has many other undesirable side effects. But we did have great success with addressing their diet and supplementing them with amino acids.
I wrote a book Victory Over ADHD- How a mother's journey to Natural Medicine reversed her children's severe emotional, mental, and behavioral problems. www.victoryoveradhd.com
If you have questions please email me at ____@____.com

1 mom found this helpful

Hi K.,

I'm a 28 year old Master's candidate who was diagnosed with ADD (not ADHD) in 6th grade. For the past ten years, I've been managing without meds, but now that I'm in school again, I'm making an appt to go back on them -- the program requires a degree of focus that I just don't have on my own.

As far as diet goes, there is a big difference between ADD and ADHD. Since I have ADD, I've found stimulants to be very helpful (the only thing that is, actually). I have a coffee with a shot or two of espresso in it once a day, and try to get all my work done before it wears off. Of course, you'd never load a kid up on caffeine and sugar; I'm just letting you know what works for me. As far as things you can give him, Dr. Sears claims that omega 3's might help. They sell a mercury-free omega 3 (DHA/ARA) supplement for kids on the website www.askdrsears.com. I don't know if it really helps with ADD, but it's certainly integral to brain development and a good idea all around.

What I really wanted to say is this. As a parent, I completely, totally understand your desire to not have your child go through life medicated. I actually feel the same way about myself, which is why I chose to not take the medication for 10 yrs, and use various coping methods instead. However, I made that choice knowing that fighting this on my own, without the help of meds, would be a daily battle. Moreover, it's one that I sometimes/often lose. My life is much harder than it would be if I just took the meds; for instance, I can't tell you how many all-nighters I pull to get my work done because of poor time management. Despite that, it was worth it to me to not take the meds while I was working instead of in school.

It's hard to make that same decision for a 10 year old, though. When he's older, he'll be in a position to decide about the meds himself. But for now, please just think about the wonderful school year he just had. I know you're probably concerned about the long term and side effects of medication; any parent would be. But please please also think about the long term effects of a childhood where every day is a struggle, fighting a battle that you can't win and don't understand why you always fall short. You only get one shot at childhood. If your son spends these years realizing his full potential, he'll grow into a much more confident adult who knows what he's capable of and who will make his own decisions regarding the meds. If he spends them never quite fitting in at school, never quite fulfilling his own and everyone else's expectations, fighting to succeed and often falling flat on his face, he will probably grow up with lingering self-doubt. I only sporadically took the meds growing up, & I can tell you that I often deal with this & low self-esteem, despite having what appears from the outside to be a successful life.

Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that I completely understand why you feel the way you do, but to please consider the effects of a childhood that's much harder than necessary. Weigh the risks of medicating him against that. The last thing I want to do is offend you, and I apologize if I have. But having gone through this myself, I just try and provide the kid's perspective when I see requests like this.

Regards,

R.

1 mom found this helpful

Dear K.:

My son was also diagnosed as ADHD/ADD, but I too was loath to medicate. When he was 9 I took him to the doctor to have a wort frozen off his finger and the doctor asked me if he was allergic to sugar. I had never heard of such a thing. He then asked what my son had had for an after school snack... cookies and milk. Turns out my son was allergic to dairy and sugar. His reaction to sugar was the same as ADHD/ADD symptoms. He can have the natural sugars that come in fruits, fruit juices and honey. He is now 15 and the healthiest, smartest teenage boy most people have ever met.
It took about two weeks to clear the sugar out of his system to see the difference. But it was worth it, the difference was a whole new child!
Talk to your son. He has to be willing to try this or it will never work. Sugar is to readily available and to addicting for you to be able to take it away without his help. My son wanted to learn power tools to work with his dad in the garage. My husband told him when he was off sugar for one week he would start to teach him. But if he went back on sugar, the tools would be off limits again. He explained to my son that these tools were too dangerous not to have his full concentration and that on sugar he couldn't do it. That was all it took for my son. Find an incentive for your son. It will help.
Also, find sugarfree treats for your son. (Stay away from artificial sweeteners. They are worse!) This makes the transition easier. Example: honey or 100% fruit juice can be substituted in nearly all recipes for sugar.

No bake cookies:
heat 1 cup honey in pan till warm and runny. Add 1 cup peanut butter. Stir and remove from heat. Add oats until desired consistency. Spoon onto wax paper or into cake pan as bars. Cool and eat.

Watch out. Sugar is in everything.
It's more work for you, but in the long run it is so worth it. Honey is expensive, but less than medication.

Good luck!
A.

1 mom found this helpful

Our son is 4 so we don't have a diagnosis at this point but I have suspected ADHD or possibly Asperger's since he was about 2. The Feingold diet helped but it is hard to stick to with a child because you aren't always there to monitor what they eat. I have since modified the diet to only exclude additives, preservatives and sugar because those were the things that caused the most problems with his behavior. We do allow some sugar or aspartame on occasion and usually pay for it for several hours after he has it...but he's a kid and we can't cut out everything that other children eat because it becomes almost cruel to tell your kid they can't have birthday cake like everyone else.

So I think the Feingold diet does work as long as it's coupled with behavioral therapy. Studies have shown that the only way to successfully manage ADD/ADHD requires both medication and behavioral therapy but not just one or the other. Myself, I don't like the idea of giving children methamphetamines so I would always opt for diet restrictions over medicating unless there is a multiple diagnosis such as bi-polar disorder, depression, etc. You can't drug free spirited children who aren't harming themselves or anyone else but spend more time helping them to develop the skills they need to self manage. If you think about it ADD/ADHD didn’t just start one day but has been around for many years without having a label and those kids did fine without being medicated but their teachers weren't telling the parents that the child had something wrong with them; they were just working with them which is the way it should be. Now with all the over crowding of schools, lack of school funding and low wages being paid to teachers; it’s just easier for them to ask you to medicate your kid. I hope you have an IEP for him; if I would suggest you get one because that will force the school to provide him with the services he needs to be successful in his education. Schools fail to tell parents about the IEP (Individualized Education Plan) but it’s imperative for a child who has special needs. Best wishes.

1 mom found this helpful

This hit close to home. I have the same worries as you.
Exercise is trememdously helpful, as is no preservatives, food dyes, or junk food.

Hi There: I am a granny of a 17 year old boy, whom we have raised for all but one year of his life..yep, we made it through..and he was diaganoised in the 3rd grade with ADD/ADHD. In the 5th grade he was registered into the Special Ed program under state law AB3632 and was able to get therapy and group support along with his medications..through trial and error, due to so many side effects his condition improved and by his 9th grade year..the success of his medication then found was a blessing.
His grandpa and I had attended every therapy session and some group programs for parents of these poor individuals with this diagnoisis. There had to be reward systems put in place also. We even had therapist come into the home to be able to put guidelines on for my grandson to follow when he got so angry at us. We were ready to put him in residential care when that came about. Being senior citizens we did not need to be going to the E.R. through his anger.
I feel there is no magic wand to wave and the ADD/ADHD child will havethe condition disapear. To make a long story short..if Special Ed and IEP's are not put into the childs life..it will not be beneficial no matter drugs or no drugs. These are wonderful tools for the student and the parent and the teachers are well trained to deal with all aspects of academics to have the child succeed.
I cannot see my grandson without meds, to have a kid maintain a certain diet without supervision is asking for alot..when they are in school or at a friends etc. there is going to be difficulty in keeping a hard reign on their diet. Kids love sugar..no matter how they get it. My grandson just graduated from high school..in the 11th grade he decided that he would try and do better..and he did his grades were so improved and in his senior year he had a 3.8 GPA..A's dominated his last two years of school. I would also like to state that if were not for the love of his teachers, and the fact we were hands on with knowing what was going on with him accademically and socially..he may have not had such a good outcome! Keep being invovled and keep an open mind about your options. Thank you for listening to this ol' granny!!!

Hi K.,
My little guy too has innatentive AD/HD, we just started on Concerta last week to get him used to it before summer session and fall semester begins. Here's our story: We too battled the diagnosis, I knew by the end of kindergarten something was up...finally got his testing done in 1st grade, was offered an IEP, but we chose to privately place him in a State Certified Special Ed program within a private school. So for the last two years he has had 1:1 or 1:3 group sizes for reading/math/spelling/expressive writing, then is mainstreamed 1:13 for his other subjects. He has done amazingly well, but still tunes out/daydreaming a good portion of the time, is off task, or blurts out answers out of context/turn. He is on a behavior modification program there which works wonders. However, the off-task thing always comes up during conferences and at home for homework, it is so difficult to get things completed w/ him. He BEGGED us to try meds because he wants to do better in 4th grade and catch to his peers academically. He also is embarrassed and feels that he if different from other kids. We just recently had the public school district re-test him, still qualifies for special services uder an IEP but what they offered was so minimal (30 min 2 x week for writing & spelling) we opted to keep him privately schooled and try the meds. It seems to me a lot of parents don't understand this disability unless the experience it for themselves. I too am nervous about being stuck on meds but at this point I know we need to help him, it seems to be the last missing link. I've looked into the elimination diets, wow...seems very difficult and we are already very strict about his diet. I guess I just wanted to reach out to other parents that are struggling like us. Can you tell me more about these crashes your son experienced? Also, have you found any good social support groups for parents/kids like us?
Please respond, any info would be welcome.
Thanks! ~~L.

Read the book Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma and Allergies by Dr. Kenneth Bock.

As an ADHD mom and a high school teacher, I would advise NOT quitting the meds altogether. Just because you can deal w/ him un=medicated during the summer, doesn't mean that he is ready for a full day of concentration at school un-medicated. Maybe you could do the meds and try the diet at the same time and then taper it off. Measure it by his success at school -- after a great year it would be a shame to get off to a bad start.

Some parents have their students quit meds between 8th and 9th grade and as a teacher I find this is usually a big MISTAKE. (Some parents don't realize what a problem it is until their child FLUNKS several classes the first semester.) Irregardless of meds or not, keep the teacher informed and work together to track progress.

I have ADHD students who were previously medicated that are successful without it -- by about 10th or 11th grade, but freshmen year is not the time to try something new because of all the changes from middle school to high school. While others are still out of control in 12th grade -- there are so many factors -- each child is different.

You might be able to get off meds before 6th grade, but keep in mind puberty may have a different effect -- so just watch out for changes.

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Most people don’t realize, or even believe, that the products they use in their homes can be extremely harmful to themselves and their families. I didn’t either. I did know that a lot of the products that I was using were supposed to be “kept out of the reach of my children”, but I didn’t know that merely by storing them under my sink, that they could emit vapors that could emit vapors that could literally pollute the air in my home! And I was using most of these dangerous item, many on a daily basis...like Soft-soap, Spray ‘n Wash, and formula 409*
The National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health analyzed 2,983 chemicals used in personal care products: a personal care product is defined as anything we use to clean our bodies, make ourselves look or smell good. The results are as follows:
884—were toxic
314—caused biological mutation
218 – caused reproductive complications
778—caused acute toxicity
148—caused tumors
376—caused skin and eye irritations

CHLORINE BLEACH: is a strong corrosive and can burn or irritate skin, eyes and the respiratory system. Can cause vomiting or coma if swallowed!
AMMONIA: is very volatile and damaging to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract!
AIR FRESHNERS: ToxinsFRESHENERSair fresheners include
Formaldehyde: highly toxic, know carcinogen; also found in J&J Baby Shampoo!!
Phenol: can cause skin to burn, peel, and sweat. Can cause convulsions, coma, circulatory collapse and even DEATH!
DISHWASHING DETERGENTS:
Contain dry chlorine that is highly concentrated.#! Cause of child poisonings, according to the poison control centers.
FURNITURE POLISH: contains Petroleum distillates, which are highly flammable and cause lung and skin cancer!

*The safe shopper’s Bible byshoppersteinman and Samuel S. Epstein M.D. 1995

**DID YOU KNOW..???
· Cancer is the number one cause of death for children
· There are more that 3 million poisonings every year. Household cleaners are the number one cause of poisoning of children
· Tide contains lye and is the #1 polluter! It is also the #1 seller
· Some symptoms cause by formaldehyde are: Allergies, cancer, immune system failings and asthma
· More products that contain formaldehyde:
Antiperspirants, Mouthwash Toothpaste, Permanent Press clothing, floor waxes and furniture polishes
Some symptoms caused by phenols (which are absorbed by lungs and skin) are: Caustic burns, kidney and liver damage, hyperactivity and possibly even death

What Alternative Do We Have ???
Now that we are aware of this serious problem, what do we do about it? Look at the labels on the products in your home. You may see ingredients like formaldehyde, phenol, benzene, toluene, deet, dioxin (Agent Orange– found in Lysol), ammonia,Orange, lye, PERC or bleach. These are just a few of the high toxic chemicals that can be found in many name brand items we are buying, using, and ingesting everyday. Educate yourself. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but product labels were designed to protect the manufactures, NOT the consumer! By placing various toxins on the label, we are fooled into feeling a false sense of security that these products are safe. If it isn’t save, they wouldn’t put it on the shelf, right? wouldsThey do and they will continue to sell us these harmful, inferior products as long as we continue to buy them!
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Dear K.,

I would RECOMMEND getting him off food dyes, preservatives and MSG!!! another very important factor to find out is if he has a high heavy metals issue in his system. Please feel free to contact me directly.

God bless you,
O.

my husband hs ADHD and has found significnat results from a few natural resources. he wanted to go off his meds so we researched natural cures. he used threelac-it is a candida cleanse- you can find it online. he also takes coromega- an omega 3 supplement- daily and that also helps. exercise daily is also ESSENTIAL!!

good luck and keep me updated on what you find

L.

Dear K.,
Have you look into Omega Fish Oil for children? You can find information about on line. I bought the pure fish oil from health food store, free of mercury.
Best wishes,
L. r.
____@____.com

As a teacher I've seen a lot of great things with feeding some sort of protein at least once an hour, no preservatives, and little sugar.

Hi K.:

I would refer you to my doctor, Dr. David Karaba, with East West Medical Group in Fullerton. He is certified in allergy elimination techniques that may cure the problem for you son, as sometimes ADD/ADHD is the cummulative result of food allergies. He will give you a free consultation so you can learn more about this non invasive process and decide if its a good match for your situation.

M.

Meds are for people who are sick. "Diets" are tough to stick with.

What about good solid nutrition?

http://liveitdontdiet.isagenix.com/us/en/isakidssystem.dhtml

Dr. John Gray reccommends it.

Hi K.,
I Have some wonderful all natural supplements to tell you about, specifically natural cellular defense (a.k.a zeolite). It helps rid your body of toxins which are the base for many illnesses and diseases. I know that this has helped many children with add. Take a look at these amazing testimonials http://www.testimonyinfo.com/ I have heard many more than these but they give you the idea. Please feel free to contact me for more information www.healthyeatinghealthylife.com
~E.
____@____.com

I do not have personal experience with this, but a friend of mine has a son who is 15 who has severe ADHD along with another neurological disease and she swears by the cassein free diet. And I think she mentioned the FeinGold diet to me. She said that within a couple of weeks she noticed a distinct change in behavior with her son. He became more manageable and less self violent (he does lots of head banging to himself and hitting to others). She basically removed almost all processed foods from his diet, no artificial sweeteners, only fresh veggies and fruits, only raw sugar, no cassein/wheat, and only antibiotic and hormone free meats and poultry.

And she said that his teachers (he goes to Special Ed school in Poway) noticed the positive changes too in his personality and his ability to concentrate on the task at hand.

Because of her sharing her and her sons story with me, I looked into the cassein free diet for a bit. I have always been a label reading Mommy and our family has gone organic and hormone/antibiotic free for meat and dairy, but it was interesting to read how these "chemicals" of cassein and artificial sweeteners can affect kids with ADHD and ADD.

Sorry I have no personal advice here, but hope my friends story helps you.

Look into Dr. Sears' theories on the Omega-3 defiencies that other posters recommended. Of all the theories I have been reading up on it is one that makes the most sense to me.

Hi K.! I totally agree with Leah's post. Dr. Pepi is great. There's also a great guy I met - Steve Plog. He has an organization called The Results Project. First of all, he shifts the viewpoint that there is "something wrong" with these children. He actually thinks a child like yours is MORE gifted and re-lables them Quick Smart Kids. He has some videos on his website and some natural handlings. I would check it out as there are some real solutions there.

http://www.resultsproject.net/

Good luck!

Pick up a book called ADHD and Me and give it to his teacher to read. Do this before school start so she can be aware of how they learn and both can be on the same playing field from the beginning. ADHD children learn in a totally different way than other children. I highly recommend this book to anyone who deals with children and ADHD medicated or not. When you read it you pick up on things your child is doing and understand why they do them too.

My 10 year old has ADHD. Like you we are trying to find a different form of medication or find alternatives or not medicate him at all. Most of the summer he is not meicated either. We take him off to give his system a break. He is a hand full but to us around him everyday he is tolerable, but to most think he is a trouble maker who needs to be displined. I have read this book and have given the principal the book for his teacher and anyone else who wants to read it at school. You can not teach a child if you do not understand ADHD. The School District needs to make this part of their summer Continuing ED class, so teachers can understand how to teach children with ADHD. The number of children diagnoised with ADHD is rising every year.

I didn't stick to the Feingold diet but you can find it online by google searching it. I found that for my son, now 14, that vitamins and supplements have been tremendously helpful. If you're interested, contact me and I'll let you know more about our experience.

Look at labels and dont let him have red dye#5 or the yellow #3or5.m Y SON suffered for years.Also beware of kids juice boxes and drinks they are loaded with it.P.

K.,

Great responses. I just wanted to put in that you should remove all food items that contain High Fructose Corn Syrup. This low cost sweetener can cause awful side effects like spikes in energy (manic type) and is found in an alarming amount of today's food (check your bread). Google it and you will find some of the studies that have been done.

Evelyn

Hi K.. I do not have personal experience with ADD/ADHD but do have a recommendation. I am a licensed massage therapist and take advanced classes to help me better understand how my own body can function better and to help others reach that goal. Recently, I took a nutrition class that also focused on essential oils. The class is taught by Deborah Devar who also has a son with ADD. She mentioned many times through the class how this was the catalyst for her beginning her own business. She formulates essential oils to help with all kinds of immune/physiological/psychological challenges; ADD is one of them. She also leans heavily towards the "Eat right for your Blood type" diet that Dr Diadamo(sp?) the natrapathic MD discovered. She claims that it is always a struggle for her son, even when diet and treatments are optimal. But that there is an alternative to prescription drugs which she says "today diagnosis is still a judgment call". Her book is called A Path to Perfect Health. You may be able to consult with her directly through the school, Santa Barbara Body Therapy Institute- ###-###-####. She is continuing to offer courses on diet and essential oil blending. I have experience with the blood type diet and can attest to feeling at my healthiest when I stay true to it. I find a balance mentally and physically with energy and endurance. I also find that some foods were feeding my body the wrong messages and causing me to have arthritis type symptoms and probably similar internal blockage that is not as obvious. It is difficult to stick to if your son has a different blood type than any one else. But if he has a common blood type than either you or your husband can share in his experience of adding & cutting things out of the diet. I hope you find some helpful advice in here- please email if you have any questions.
Best of luck to you, your son & the whole family.

Peace,
E.

Definitely try the Feingold Diet. My brother had TS (Tourette's Syndrome) and he is a successful, happy adult w/ his Tourette's in remission. He was diagnosed age 4 and they put him on meds briefly, but side effects were too severe. My mother monitered his behavior carefully and discovered that when he was mentally engrossed in an activity (reading, painting, playing musical instrument); engaged in daily physical outlets (playing soccer, throwing a ball, running around in backyard, on beach, etc.) and Feingold Diet (emphasis on no artificial colors, sweeteners and flavors, no corn syrup, etc.) his tics were lessened or non-existent and he was able to stay off meds from age 5 on. My mom made homemade granola, and other snacks for him and he had his shelf in the fridge that he knew he could go to and eat anything. Artificial flavors, esp yellow, are really hard for ADD/ADHD kids to process. Good Luck and Bravo to you for trying diet!

Hi there:

We saw tremendous results from the Feingold Diet. I actually thought it was pretty easy to implement and everyone noticed - myself, my husband, and teachers. Also, there have been a few studies linking ADHD symptoms to lead, so you can ask you physician to do a simple screening. Even the medication pamphlets suggest ruling out lead prior to starting ADHD meds.

www.bluedominoes.com has an ADHD resource guide that has links to diets and an article on artificial food coloring.

My daughter was diagnosed with ADHD in first grade (now 8th) I did homeopathic, flower essence, essential oils, joint compression exercises which all worked and helped but still couldn't get her to pay attention to her homework.

Finally, I tried an amino acid protocol with Dr. Greg Cantu.
A chiropractor that does mostly Neurological feedback and works with amino acids. It really helped but finally with the school grades, had to put her on medication. Concerta was a disaster and Adderall helped the most with doses of Gaba
Calm (Jimbo's) or 5HTP to bridge the crash. Finally we took her to the Amen Clinic (Dr. Amen wrote Change Your Brain, Change Your Life). We went to the one in Newport Beach.
###-###-####) The take Spec Scans and an MRI to see what the brain is doing. If someone has actual ADD or ADHD is shows up as these dark areas in the brain......she doesn't have it. She has high anxiety which brings on ADHD kind of symptoms. Diagnosis.....off the Adderall and much higher doses of the amino acids I had been giving her. He didn't know I was giving them to her by the way. The dose of L-Tyrosine I was giving her was only 500mg, their recommendation was 1000 = 2000 mg daily. It has helped her a lot and she isn't on medication. By the way, Dr. Cantu started her with the amino acids but at lower doses. He is a lot less expensive than the $3,000 for the Amen Clinic.

It is also important to recognize that it is not a disability these kids have but a new way they are evolving. They text, play video games (which much be limited - too much brain stimulation)gameboys and their world is so much fuller and faster than ours was and schools have not changed to accommodate the way more and more of them learn. These are kids that will change the world,we just have to direct that energy and brilliance in the right direction. Dr. Cantu's number is ###-###-####. I also work with a person that does
Allergy Elimintion and can test for foods that are suitable for your body. Katherine ____@____.com number is from the East coast but we work in Solana Beach.

Hope any of the above helps.

N.

The most valuable thing I've come across for ADD/ADHD is a natural product called Total Balance, in part because it addresses problems the diets try to manage. It is a completely safe concentrated blend of mineral waters encoded with the frequencies of organic fruits and vegetables, counter-frequencies to neutralize the harmful effects of dietary toxins (like sugar, preservatives, food dye, etc.) and additional energies for mental focus and concentration.

It is safe because the child's (or adult's) body will just draw on the frequencies it needs to restore its own balance and will ignore the rest. So you can't even overdose on it. It's also rapidly effective, in that one can often feel the effects immediately.

Total Balance is available in a convenient oral spray and also as drops that can be put on basic acupoints on the head and/or added to water to drink.

You can read more about Total Balance on the website of the company that makes it, Developmental Natural Resources. Their website is www.DNRsite.com
If you'd like to try Total Balance, you can either contact me at ###-###-#### or order directly from the company with a distributor discount under my number 102-285.

I've been using DNR's products for over 10 years and find them to be heads-and-shoulders above anything else in both safety and effectiveness. As a psychotherapist, I've seen their benefits for my clients. Total Balance has even helped some of my adult clients with paranoid delusions from schizophrenia!

Best wishes for you and yours,
T. Holter, LCSW

Hi K.,
My mom's best friend co wrote a cook book called The Kid Friendly ADHD & Autism Cookbook. it's by Pamela J. Compart and Dana Laake. Commom to both autism and ADHD is the negative impact certain foods, esp milk products and Glutens have on children and this gives lots of good recipes and info.
Hope this helps.

Hi K.,

I so applaud you for wanting to find another way to work with this. Diet is very important and checking out the Feingold or even a gluten free and casein free diet has proved wonders. Remove all color dyes from food and go as organic as you can have been very helpful. For our 14 year old adding in some amino acids worked a miracle.

www.tacanow.org for lots of diet and behavior info
www.amenclinic.com for learning more about add and their supplements are great. My son uses the Neurolink.

Think of the brain with some foods acting like opiates to it. Certain centers in the brain get overactivated and stimulated thus the behaviors of add and adhd. Good luck with your journey and know you aren't alone:o)

HI K.,
I recently read a large article on strong evidence against food dyes. I would avoid any processed food or candy which contains dyes. There has been a move to outlaw many of the colors, but the food companies are putting up a fight because the color makes it more attractive to children. I am sure you are already aware of this, but I think it is worth keeping your eye on. The best of luck to you.
S.

K.,
This isn't going to be the response you are looking for but I had to respond. I am a Special Education teacher and have been for 6 years now. I was very disturbed by your comment "we also know that school is another issue and his teacher won't have the time (nor patience) to cater to one child in a class of 34+ kids". The teacher and the school have to make accommodations IT'S THE LAW! ADD/ADHD are recognized disabilities under IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and if he doesn't qualify for Special Ed he can have a "504 plan". This is a legal document that is designed for just a need; a student who needs to have accommodations made for him. With that said, special education is not what it used to be. There are many students who qualify for special ed that are included in the regular classroom with support from specially train staff that can come into the classroom or pull the student out to work on specific things. As I said before if he doesn't qualify meaning he is performing at grade level and his disability does not significantly interfere with his learning then a 504 plan can be created with the help of a school psychologist. Advocate for your son as I am sure you do and he should get the accommodations he needs.

M. P

While I personally have no experience with raising a child with ADHD, my husband has ADHD in a major way. He and his parents decided to take him off medication in jr high and he has learned to live his life without medication since then. It was not easy. I can't even imagine what it must have been like. But, as a person who was in school with him during that time, I can tell you he was entirely NOT memorable when he was on the medication. I don't have a single memory of him when he was on the medication, and we were in the same class. But, (unbeknownst to me at the time) after he went off the medication, he got a personality, and I have tons of memories of him from 8th grade on.

Anyhow, the job that he has now requires a certain amount of ADHD to manage it, he runs processes on 40 different computers at one time and has no trouble managing it all. He makes lists of things that have to be done and picks up a trinket to remind him of each thing on the list. Everyone in his office knows if he came in carrying a tape, he better have that tape in his hand when he leaves again!

I guess I just wanted to drop in and encourage you that there is no one way that is right for every person with this disease. And, contrary to some folks' beliefs, there are plenty of people who choose to treat even diabetes with dietary changes instead of medication. They simply choose to monitor the situation more carefully and be more diligent about that monitoring.

Finally, let me suggest that you look up a blog called Momtomy6pack. Dawn, who writes the blog, is hilarious! And, she has a son who has ADHD and she does the diet you mentioned... If you go back far enough in her posts, you can find the part where it was suggested for her to try it, the shopping she did to start it, and detailed descriptions of how it affected her son for the positive! I believe it would be a light hearted read for you that might give you an idea of what you can expect with this diet!

Remember that while this seems like a major trial right now, it will turn into a blessing if and when you and your son find a way to harness it for good, lol... That is what I believe my husband has done, and I know it is possible for you and yours to do so as well!! :D

Huggles!!
~S.~

Hi!! my son have Adhd and i also work in a pharmacy
i never NEVER!!! will give hem medication after i meet the grow up children ........the chindren that takes medication when they grow up they are so adicted to meds and they also have so many problems......the doctor that i work for very often feel bad for the kids .... me too is not fair
the parents dont know ... with time is not good for them please search about the medication and make sure that you know what you are giving hem ok,
my son is fine with out anything and he be 9 in Sept

Have him tested for wheat and gluten allergies. It is simple blood test. There have been children who have ADD symptoms, but really have celiac or wheat intolerance. Have the testing before trying a gluten free diet, because then you will know if he has celiac which is a life time inherited disorder. If you put him on a real stringent diet before testing and eliminate too many things, it makes it hard to tell what worked and he will have to stay on the stringent diet.

My older son was tested for ADD when in Kindergarten and the psychiatrist said since he could concentrate when he wanted to, it was not ADD. Just a very hyperactive boy and bord with the restrants of the class. Since he is already 10, I would try to check the allergies before continuing on medication. I believe the Feingold diet does eliminate wheat but also takes away sugars and food coloring among other things. Try to find out if it is just wheat or gluten because that diet is easier to keep kids on. Do reduce sugar and junk food and artifical coloring though.

If he does need a gluten-free diet, I would be willing to give you information on websites, recipes, etc. to stay on one and still have waffles, pancakes, pizzas, muffins, brownies, etc. (____@____.com)

I wish you the best,
H.

K.,

I joined the Feingold society and read through their info for my 4.5 year old son who has autism and is extremely hyper. The diet is pretty intense and my son is very self-limiting as far as his diet goes. I haven't really followed the Feingold Diet because my son doesn't really eat anything other than chicken nuggets and mac & cheese - but I've made a great effort to find healthier versions of the few things he will eat and I've eliminated thing with a lot of artificial flavors and colors and preservatives (fruit snacks, ice cream, etc...) When he's eating food with fewer artificial stuff and chemicals, his behavior is way better. I think if I could follow the Feingold Diet more specifically, he'd do even better. We are currently doing occupational therapy for eating issues and I'm hoping we can do it at some point.

So the basic answer is there are plenty of parents on my autism (lots of kids with autism are very hyper but don't get labeled ADHD because it is just a "normal" part of autism - but lots of things that work with kids with autism work for other kids too) lists who swear by the Feingold Diet. It works extremely well for some kids. You won't know if it helps your kid unless you try it.

I highly recommend trying it. It is a very low risk experiment. If it doesn't help, it certainly won't help. I like to try all of the "won't hurt" stuff first and then go from there.

:-)T.