Natural Remedies for ADHD

It is not easy to have a child diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder). Children who are diagnosed with ADHD often have poor performance in school, lack social skills, have few friends, suffer physical health problems and have poor relationships with their parents and other family members.

ADHD is a chronic syndrome of age-inappropriate inattention, distractibility, impulsivity, and restless over-activity. It is the most commonly diagnosed behavior in North America, occurring in 3 to 8 percent of school children. ADHD affects not only the person with ADHD but also parents, siblings, friends, and school staff. The main issue now is to educate the people close to the ADHD person - parents, family members and their significant others (in the case of adult patients) regarding its causes, prevention, treatment and alleviation.

There are well-established medications and behavioral treatments for ADHD, including the two-best documented stimulants methylphenidate and amphetamine. There are also other treatments proposed for treating patients with ADHD in a natural way. These were based on scientific documentation and clinical trials. One example is an elimination diet (Feingold, oligoantigenic, few foods) which have proven in some selected subgroups to be as good as some drugs and behavioral techniques.

Some alternative treatments were also highlighted during the November 1998 NIH Consensus Development Conference. These include;

· enzyme-potentiated desensitization which targets food or additive sensitivity

· elimination of sugar alone

· amino acid supplementation which is a precursor of catecholamines and serotonin

· essential fatty acid supplementation

· L-carnitine which promotes essential fatty acid metabolism

· Vitamins

· iron supplementation which is a co-factor in making catecholamines

· zinc supplementation which serves as a co-factor for many enzymes

· Chinese herbals which are based from clinical experience

· homeopathic preparations

· laser acupuncture which stimulates foci for calming

· EEG biofeedback which acts by suppressing theta while increasing beta

· relaxation training which lowers arousal and enhances muscle tone

· meditation which promotes autonomic effect and enhances focused attention

· hypnosis which lowers arousal

· mirror feedback which improves deficient self-awareness

· channel-specific perceptual training which enhances basic readiness skills and focus

· vestibular stimulation which modulates behavior, attention, perception

· massage which provides muscular soothing.

· Vaxa Attend is a formula that includes nutritional, homeopathic and herbal ingredients for Attention Deficit.

However, it should be noted that when using alternative treatments for ADHD, the family should consult an expert clinician. This does not mean that these alternative treatments are ineffective but that the family doctor should know of treatments being used so that they do not interfere with prescribed medications. When considering prescription medications, the doctor should discuss these treatments comprehensively with the family as well as the risks that may come along with the treatment and the scientific basis for efficacy of the treatment. This will help the family decide whether the possible benefit is worth the expense and risk and will aid the family in choosing the best treatment for their loved one. While no treatments will cure ADD, per say, the treatment’s goal is to reduce the symptoms associated with the disorder.