Want advice on non-medicated treatments - ADD / ADHD Message Board

faithinhim · 01-20-2003, 05:19 PM

My son is in third grade and was diagnosed at the end of his first grade year with the inattentive type ADD. He has no behavior problems at all in school. He scores exremely high on his report card in conduct and is usually easy going and very happy. This is probably his main strength is he has a wonderful personality and kids and teachers love him for that.

However, since he was about 4 he has just kind of zombied out when he has to concentrate on something. He cannot complete school work without a teacher standing right over him redirecting him to his work. He would even stare off into space so much in 1st grade that his teacher thought he might be having petit mal seizures. We went to two different pediatric neurologist who both said he wasn't having seizures after having several EEG's (even a 8 hour EEG).

The neurologist referred us back to a pschiatrist for the ADD diagnosis who put him on a small dose of adderall about one year ago. It has been miserable on the adderall. It has changed his personality so that he is always somber and moody while on the medicine. He cries when he gets home from school because he's on the rebound of coming off of it. Although it has made him attentive at school and he makes A's and B's. He never eats lunch while at school and gets so pale and sick to his stomach often.

So last week I decided enough was enough. Maybe we were getting the desired results in his school work, but what a price we were paying. We were losing his wonderful personality! And his health!

Since last week I have been to the health store and purchased "Attentive Child" supplements which contains magnesium, DMAE, phosphatidtlserine, DHA and a soft gel capsule which contains docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which is suppose to be the equivalent to fish oils but it's derived from sea weed. We're also taking "Pedi-Active" supplements which has more phosphatidtlserine and DMAE also. I hope this will help but I have no idea if I'm on the right track or not. We go back to the doctor on Feb. 5th and he wants to put him on straterra since he has had such bad results with stimulants.

However, isn't straterra an anti-depressant? I could be wrong but I think I read that somewhere. I really don't want another mediciine that will change my little boy's personality like the adderall.

We're struggling in school since he's been off the medicine but the teacher is supportive of me taking him off the medicine. She said he's actually getting in a little bit of trouble for talking to other kids but she was glad to see him acting normal because he was so somber and serious on the adderall that he was almost "abnormal".

I'm afraid though that he will start failing. We live in Texas and they have a state test they have to pass on March 4th or they don't pass third grade so we have a lot at stake.

Any suggestions or information would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Markie Mark · 01-21-2003, 01:14 PM

I have had GREAT luck with Fish Oil. I take 2 1000mg gel caps per day. I would recomend the same amount even for a child. It did take almost 3 weeks before I noticed any improvements. Significant took several months, but the results have been anything short of a miracle. I have been on fish oil over 1.5 years now and have been able to reduce my Dexidrine by over 90%, hope to quit soon. if he has problems with the size of the gel caps there is some orange flavored stuff from Cor Mega that is easier to take.

help · 01-21-2003, 03:58 PM

Straterra is a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, and it's proven by the FDA for AD/HD. However, it probably will be used for depression in some people. Just because he didn't do well on adderall doesn't mean he won't do well on other meds.

Everyone responds differently to meds because everyone's biochemistry is different. Try other meds, i.e. ritalin, metadate, concerta, dexadrine, etc. Try the XR form of adderall since rebound has been a roller coster problem.

He may do better on an antidepressant such as SSRI class of AD's, like zoloft, prozac, paxil. Ask you doctor if children can take wellbutrin, which is considered a very safe AD. It helps some people for AD/HD but not a lot. Ask about children and effexor.

Increase his protein intake, for example protein shakes, chicken, fish, turkey, beef. Cut out simple carbohydrates, for example bread, pasta, bananas, candy bars, etc.

Add in supplements such as L-tyrosine, DL-phenylalanine, quality omega-3 fish oil.

There is a lot of things that can be done, and he shouldn't have to settle for discomfort. A medication should yeild a complete or near complete remission and tollerable side effects. It's a trial and error process to find the correct combo but you must be patient. Once you find the correct combo you'll understand why treatment is so important.

rebecarooni · 01-22-2003, 07:06 AM

Don't start tweaking your child's medication with out talking to the doctor!! I can understand completely your concern inregards to the medication but please, talk with the doc before making any changes, even to "natural" supplements. Many have not been researched by the FDA and could possibly cause problems. My son has ADHD and Asperger's Syndrome and we are in the doctor's office constantly trying to manage the two conditions. We are currently using Wellbutrin for the ADHD but are most likely going to switch to Strattera. The Wellbutrin is working OK but there are still a lot of times when he is hyper or has tics.

faithinhim · 01-22-2003, 12:11 PM

I called my doctor before taking my son off adderall and he agreed that it was best. I knew it would be alright to take him off because he never took the adderall on weekends or holidays and there was no adverse reaction when we stopped during those times. Also, my doctor was not opposed to me trying the natural remedies, he was just doubtful that they would work. But I figured it was worth a shot!