subject: Medication For ADHD - The Pros, The Cons And The Alternatives [print this page] Medication For ADHD - The Pros, The Cons And The Alternatives
Medication for ADHD is a hot topic and causes many arguments and has always been controversial. There are millions of parents who will swear by these meds as it has helped their children to cope with the most demanding of the ADHD symptoms and has made life bearable for them.
Consumer Reports, in a recent survey, found that of the 900 parents of ADHD kids interviewed, 67% reported that the meds were the most effective treatment. It must be said though, that almost half of the parents said that they wished there had been alternative treatments available. It is obvious that they found the side effects of the meds troubling and worrying.
Then we have the other end of the spectrum where the whole ADHD scenario is one of complete denial. One of the foremost critics of ADHD and the way it is diagnosed and how medication for ADHD is dangerous, is Dr Baughman. He is convinced that ADHD is a fraud and that it has been created to line the pockets of the pharmaceutical and the psychiatric cartel. He also claims that the medication for ADHD such as Ritalin, Dexedrine and Adderall, are both addictive and dangerous.
Let us move away from this rather fruitless argument because every child is different and they may well react to medication in a different way. One of the alternatives for ADHD is using Dr Edward Bach's flower remedies and I have always been very pleased with the results when I have used them for myself. His basic premise is that all illness has its origin in our mental and emotional health. For a cure, he turned to Nature and identified 38 different flower essences which could restore balance and harmony in our troubled states. Just in case you are interested, Bach's floral remedies are FDA approved.
There are lots of other alternatives to medication for ADHD. These include equine therapy, pet therapy, psychotherapy, physical exercise and green time, dieting, meditation, yoga, acupuncture and some others which are even further out on the fringe.
One alternative which I know has worked for millions of parents is using an ADHD homeopathic remedy. The great advantages are that they have no side effects at all and there are no question marks about their long term effects. They are easy to administer and there will be no interference at all with your child's appetite and sleep patterns. Do not be put off by the fact that this type of treatment has been scorned by the medical community in general. You just need to judge the results you get and let the doctors argue among themselves. If homeopathy was a fraud, then I would not be writing this article as I would be laughed out of court.
So there you have it. What is right for your child? You may not want to have to worry about heart conditions, stunted growth and loss of appetite which many children on medication for ADHD have to put up with. This is one reason why an alternative treatment is so attractive. Whatever works best for your child with the minimum of upheaval is the yardstick I have always used. Why not discover more so that you are better informed?
