subject: Finding ADHD Treatment Without Drugs [print this page] Finding ADHD Treatment Without Drugs Finding ADHD Treatment Without Drugs
For many parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD treatment without drugs is the preferred solution - and the good news is that there are several easy-to-implement treatment options.
Unfortunately, most physicians will opt for drug based treatments first, last, and at every step in between. If your child presents with symptoms of ADHD, you have other alternatives such as the following:
Brain Training
One of the challenges that people with ADHD face is a difficulty focusing their brain on specific activities. Brain training approaches this challenge with the goal of teaching this skill to provide ADHD treatment without drugs. On average, 40 sessions are considered a course of treatment.
During each session, electrodes are placed at various points on the head and the participant watches a screen that provides direct feedback each time their attention wanders. As their ability to concentrate improves, they are "rewarded" with prettier pictures, a lovelier scene to watch, and so forth. It is believed that after they have learned to stay in this focused state during sessions, they can carry that skill into other environments.
Homeopathic Remedies
For many individuals who wish to try ADHD treatment without drugs, homeopathy is one of the paths taken. Homeopathy is a treatment methodology based upon the work of Samuel Hahnemann based upon a belief that taking very dilute quantities of a specific herb that causes similar symptoms in a healthy individual can help the body learn how to counteract specific illnesses.
Certain homeopathic remedies are designed to help people with ADHD concentrate better, feel calmer, and focus more effectively and for longer periods of time. Ingredients commonly used in the treatment of ADHD include verta alb, arson iod, and hyoscaymus and should be present in any natural remedy you try.
Dietary Options
There are a number of foods that are recognized as detrimental to attention; sugar, caffeine, and chocolate can cause elevations in distractibility and a lack of focus. If your goal is ADHD treatment without drugs, then you need to address the question of nutrition.
There are two approaches to dietary treatment; elimination and adaptation. Certain foods help reduce blood sugar fluctuations which can contribute to distractibility and behavioral episodes. For example, including protein in every meal and snack can decrease the chances that blood sugar will spike and drop all day long, thus producing a calmer individual.
Additionally, removing a number of foods that might be associated with inattention and hyperactivity, such as sugar, flour, refined foods, and food coloring and artificial ingredients has been shown to help as well. A two pronged approach is probably best.
Design your Own Treatment Plan
Each individual responds differently to treatment, which is why it is best to approach ADHD treatment without drugs as a process. Start with the least invasive options, such as homeopathic lozenges, and record any changes you observe. Make dietary changes and see where they lead. Consider new behavioral plans and go from there.
While you may not get the same quick results you might see with a drug, you will see changes occurring gradually. The advantage is that you don't experience the side effects that come with drug use and you can adapt the treatment plan as needed. Best of all, there are great online sites out there that can guide and help you learn to embrace ADHD treatment without drugs, making you more empowered in your own health care.
