Goodbye Ritalin! Nonmedical Approaches to ADHD
by Sue Douglass Fliess
In this diagnosis-driven society, it’s very easy to tell the doctor what’s wrong and get a quick prescription to cure what ails you. And thanks to modern medicine and advances in technology, it often does.
But to believe there is one undisputable remedy for every symptom, condition, syndrome, disorder, and disease you’ll ever encounter, you might as well believe in dragons, fairies, and the monsters under the bed too. In the real world, even though the doctor can give you some medication – even a free sample if you’re lucky – there are almost always multiple ways to approach every health problem. And ADHD is no different.
“Sometimes people seek diagnosis, but it is not necessarily the first place to start,” says Dr. Amy Rothenberg, a Connecticut-based physician with a private practice in Classical Homeopathy and Naturopathic Medicine. “Often a child will be labeled ADD/ADHD because he has behaviors or emotional temperaments that are challenging in the classroom. That doesn’t mean he has ADD/ADHD,” she says. “There are a lot of reasons kids are the way they are.”
When it comes to ADHD, one of the first words that pops into most heads is Ritalin. But with side effects including nausea, insomnia, headaches, blurry vision, psychosis, and in some rare cases, death, it is no surprise that many parents are looking for nonmedical treatments for their children.
According to Dr. Rothenberg, no matter which route you take in helping your child, all practitioners should begin by asking the question "What is it that is most limiting the child at this time?" You may be startled by the answers.
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Other readers' comments on this article:
Posted by Vicki Blaylock on Aug 9, 2007 4:54 pm
Sounds like your son is quite a handful! First, stop blaming yourself. It is typical for two-year-olds to throw tantrums and not uncommon for them to bite. Of course, this sort of behavior can tip to the extreme, so it is important that you arm yourself with parenting strategies to manage his moods. You should take a look at the following article on how to manage tantrums:
http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Temper_Tantrums_How/
Second, folks will most likely have a variety of opinions on this topic. More moms might see your question if you post it to the discussion board. Just click the orange, "Start", link in the upper left portion of the page:
http://www.education.com/communities/boards/
Good luck and don't be so hard on yourself!
Posted by Laura Compian on Aug 9, 2007 7:34 pm
I have been trying to keep him busy every since he was born. His father left and married and has never returned and has made several promises to him that never came thru. So he wants lots of attention from the people he interact with and he is very sensitive. I just want more information because he is startinf 3rd Gradew this yr and I don't want to go thru what I went thru in the past. Should I let the school test him or should I do it privately? And if the school tests him what extra things can i do to help him be a GREAT student with medicine?
Thanks
Amelia
Posted by Amelia on Aug 10, 2007 1:58 pm
Modern life can be overwhelming and overstimulating. Even taking five minutes to let your mind sit still can really help bring back some sanity and calm.
Massage therapy might be a good idea too. Of course if a child is involved, you won't want to send the child to the massage therapist alone. Find a therapist who will let you be in the room or who is fine with working through clothing if you or your child has any issues at all with exposure/nudity, even with draping. It can be an intimidating situation the first time, even for adults. Make sure your child is totally comfortable communicating with the therapist about areas of discomfort, or if something the therapist is doing hurts or makes your child uncomfortable in any way. With some ground rules in place, massage can be intensely relaxing and calming.
Posted by Nick on Oct 9, 2007 8:55 pm
Posted by Michele on May 23, 2008 11:00 pm