ADHD.

Newsgroups: alt.folklore.herbs
From: regret.iglou2.iglou.com (Leah Gadzikowski)
Date: 06 Nov 1995 00:34:17 GMT
Subject: Re: ADHD

Graham Sorenson (Graham.fragrant.demon.co.uk) wrote:
: > Looking for a "natural" either herbal or homeopathic application for the symptoms of hyperactivity and attention deficit in young children. Thank You. .
: Diffusing lavender essential oil around hyperactive children has worked in nurseries and kindergardens.
: A couple of drops on the clothing can help as well, and has the added advantage of them carrying it around with them :-)

The only problem I see with this is if the child with ADHD happens to be a boy older than around 9. The other kids can be quite cruel, let me tell you.

I have an 11 yr old who is attention deficit without the hyperactivity. He was on ritalin for a while but was so bad about taking it at school that it was pointless. A friend suggested a method that was used by her mother for her brother who was exhibiting the same symptoms. She had him exercise for a half an hour in the morning and then gave him a cup of coffee. She also restricted his diet to exclude heavily processed foods and sugars.

We have found that the exercise coupled with the removal of foods containing nitrates such as hot dogs and most lunch meats has made an improvement in his behavior. He actually looks forward to his "workout" in the morning. We are currently using an exercise tape called "Walkaerobics" which is a fairly short, VERY low impact workout. I'm trying to avoid the caffeine though.

From: Deborah Ruppert <deborah_ruppert.ccm.jf.intel.com>

>>Have you also removed ALL sources of caffeine from their diets?
>Actually, a friend of mine has a "very rambuncious" child, and their pediatrician RECOMMENDED giving him coffee. My friend says it calms him down! Don't know why, how, etc.

I do. ADHD, as near as the medical research has been able to ascertain, is in part a function of underactivity in the attentional and impulse-control areas of the brain. Stimulants (in this case caffeine, and in more routine methods, ritalin or dexedrine) stimulate more activity, and thus allow the ADHD person to pay more attention, slow down, and control impulses.

Caffeine is not as effective as the other stimulants because it is not as narrowly focused in its effect, but it does help.

Removing allergens (food allergens, especially) also helps a great deal. In addition, behavioral modifications, a structured and disciplined lifestyle and classroom, and therapy and social-skills training help a lot. It's a complex problem to address.

How do I know? I have an ADHD son and an ADHD husband, I advocate for my son in the school system regularly, I started a support mailing list for parents of ADHD children, and I made it a point to learn all I could about it.

From: Kristine McCutcheon <kmccutch.ra.isisnet.com>

I was a ADHD child. The only thing that worked for me was a strict adherance to a diet - as follows
NO sugar (natural and otherwise) and
NO spice (all peppers, salt and any of the hot spices and ginger)
NO additives (yes they are in everything but especially food colours)

This was very hard to adjust to. I got in the habit of just saying that I was allergic to these things.

Good Luck

PS This diet and some herbs from a Tibetan doctor in Toronto also cleared up my endomitriosis.