I've been looking at some different treatment options for children with ADHD. I liked the idea of alternative methods for this, because I was looking at one site, where they talked about a child being on medication for three years. Frankly, that's horrifying to imagine to me. I wonder what that does to their liver? And, this will probably upset some people, but I would not do it. If someone told me I had ADHD, I would not take the drugs. If for some reason, I had a child and they told me that they wanted to put him/her on this medication for possibly three years, I would not do it. I looked up the side effects of the drugs that are taken with ADHD, and it says for the most part, they're minor, but that you can experience decreased appetite, insomnia, increased anxiety, and irritability. You can also have mild stomach aches or headaches. I also would not put my child on this medication, because they would probably be like me, and I always experience every side effect that comes with the medication.
depression-guide.com/adhd-medication.htm
Just for some statistical fun: In 2000, 19 million prescriptions were filled for Ritalin, Strattera, and Adderall, all were labeled for ADHD. These drugs are actually helpful for all people. They can help you to focus your attention more easily, depending on the dose. Just in case you guys need to focus on your classes in the next month.
focusas.com/attentiondisorders.html
Some of the different treatment options include a special diet, biofeedback, herbal medicine, nutritional therapy, herbal medicine, nutritional therapy, homeopathy, physical discipline and vitamin supplements. You can also do art therapy, acupuncture, and biofeedback. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics and Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder did not endorse any of these therapies. The first one art therapy, I thought was kind of neat, because that's something enjoyable that the whole family could do. I don't see brothers and sisters adhering to a strict diet, just because one of their siblings has to. The whole family could sit around the kitchen table, and work on crafts together.
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I find these optional treatments to ADHD very interesting, but I am also wondering if there were any tests done on these as to wheather they make a significant difference in behavior or not. According to a website I found, the best non-medicated treatments known to work are behaviour therapy, diet and supplements, elimination diet, the Feingold diet, and parent education programs.
ReplyDeleteThese practices I feel should be first practiced by families of children with ADHD before medication treatments.
http://bestpractice.bmj.com/best-practice/pdf/patient-summaries/adhd-what-treatments-work.pdf
After searching the internet I came across an article of a study that was done regarding non-medication treatments of ADHD. Here were the results:
"Researchers at Lehigh University's College of Education and Lehigh Valley Hospital have found that non-medicinal interventions are highly effective in preventing behavioral and academic problems associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Titled 'Project Achieve,' the study was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and was the largest study of its kind involving children between the ages of three and five who have shown significant symptoms of ADHD."
"Over the course of five years, a team of researchers led by Dr. George DuPaul, professor of school psychology, Dr. Lee Kern, professor of special education, and Dr. John Van Brakle, chairperson of the department of pediatrics at Lehigh Valley Hospital, charted the progress of 135 preschool-aged students with symptoms of ADHD. They evaluated how effective early intervention techniques were in helping children decrease their levels of defiant behavior and aggression, while enhancing their academic and social skills."
"The results were significant. Using a variety of early intervention strategies, parents reported, on average, a 17% decrease in aggression and 21% improvement in their children's social skills. Teachers saw similarly strong results; in the classroom, there was a 28% improvement in both categories. Early literacy skills improved up to three times their baseline status."
http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1035212/new_study_suggests_nonmedication_treatment_for_preschool_adhd_is_highlyeffective/index.html
I found this study very interesting. This study has given me a much better outlook on using non-medication treatments over medicated treatments for ADHD.