A Personal Note
This term (ADHD) recently entered my life. My five (5) year old daughter is being tested and observed for the next several weeks, as her teachers and those close to her have come to realize that she is a strong candidate for the disorder. It is not something that just jumped out of no where, for the past year I have questioned if this was a possibility. I started to notice about a year ago that although highly intelligent, I was unable to keep her attention on anything for longer than five to ten minutes at a time. Around the same time I was told by a pediatric healthcare professional, who had worked with her, that ADHD was something I needed to look-up. I started to see how many of the indicators were closely identifiable with my daughter.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
ADHD can be catagorized into three subtypes: inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive and combined (most common). Inattentive symptoms seemed to border the pattern of an active child and are listed as follows:
- inability to pay attention to details or a tendency to make careless errors in schoolwork or other activities
- difficulty with sustained attention in tasks or play activities
- apparent listening problems
- difficulty following instructions
- problems with organization
- avoidance or dislike of tasks that require mental effort
- tendency to lose things like toys, notebooks, or homework
- distractibility
- forgetfulness in daily activities
Hyperactive-impulsive symptoms can also border the same characteristics of an active child, but there were several that stood out and I could identify them as traits my daughter often displayed. Following is a list of symptoms for hyperactive-impulsive:
- fidgeting or squirming
- difficulty remaining seated
- excessive running or climbing
- difficulty playing quietly
- always seeming to be “on the go”
- excessive talking
- blurting out answers before hearing the full question
- difficulty waiting for a turn or in line
- problems with interrupting or intruding
A combined type is a combination of the other two types, the most common and seemed to be a checklist for my daughter’s behavior. I have come to realize that she is HIGHLY intelligent; in fact so much so that when she was 2 she could memorize a password to get into her brother’s tablet, without the knowledge of numbers and letters. This same little girl barely made it through preschool last year and had more than 30 citations at the end of the year and is on track this year with 2 citations in 2 weeks. Anyone that knows her, loves her. She is a sweetheart and probably the funniest little person I have met. Yet, her teachers and those that have to keep her attention, don’t find her sweet or funny. Hence the 30+ citations.
Hesitant To Label?
I was still hesitant to “label” my daughter ADHD, as this can often cause teachers to cringe at the thought of having them in their class. I decided to research the facts a little deeper and that is when my hesitation completely diminished and I found that I was then researching holistic remedies and a way to better help her become educated.
The research that led me to my ultimate resolve was found in an online article that offered information about women who take antidepressants during pregnancy are more likely to have children with ADHD. I have not always maintained a lifestyle of holistic health. In fact, it was shortly after my daughter’s birth that I chose to go holistic and much of that decision was based on health complications she endured at birth. Those complications were caused by the medication that I stayed on at the direction of my Doctors; who offered their dish of ‘fear psychology’ and told me that she and I would both be in danger if I did not remain on the medication. I have gone more three years without antidepressants or any of the other medication the Doctor’s offered upon diagnosis of my disease and yet I am now the healthiest I have been in years. I can speak from experience when I offer my suggestion of: follow what you know to be best for you and your family, regardless of what letters follow their last name.
Healthline posted an article October 2013, where they cite the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) as showing an increase in prescriptions of methylphenidate (Ritalin) by 500% since 1990. Medline Plus lists this drug as habit forming along with several other side effects, including: nervousness, difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and the list goes on and on. I have met several adults that have told me that Ritalin was the “gateway drug” for them to start down a path of addiction and drug abuse. If you are considering taking the route of prescription medications to treat ADHD, I highly suggest researching the side effects and articles that others have written.
Still Stuck on Holistic…
I continued my search and was encouraged to continue my quest for using a natural, holistic approach to help treat my daughter’s ADHD. I was able to locate an article by ADDitude that lists not only helpful foods, but also lists supplements and vitamins that researchers are starting to look further into for possible solutions in treating ADHD based on vitamin deficiencies. I also found an article on helping my daughter in being less of a “picky eater”, which apparently stems from my actions based on my lack of knowledge as a parent. I also located a six-week detox plan that I am willing to research further and possibly write a follow-up article on it’s success. I am committed, as a parent, to enhance my children’s lives in every way possible; especially in researching every possible means of improving their lives rather than damage them with chemicals that have less history and background than herbs and vitamins that have been used for centuries.
Holistic Thymes 