How to keep an ADHD kid still

[arabianequine]

I would not recommend giving benadryl every-time you wanna calm an ADHD child down that is not the intent of benadryl and you would more then likely be overdosing them. They would need it everyday every 4 hours for life. I would take them to the doctor and get them diagnosed and on the proper meds that work for them.

I have an 18 old with severe ADHD and Oppositional defiant disorder and still have not figured out how to get him to calm down and be rational completely. ADHD kids are sooooo smart. Wait till they get to the age you can't make them take the meds prescribed.

Coffee is a good one, I heard to give a spoonful of peanut butter if they can have peanuts (my son liked it frozen), stay away from red dyes in all foods and drinks.

Good luck!

 

[Elite Silkies]

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I feel ya! My 16 yr old is ADHD, ODD, Borderline Personality Disorder and Bipolar. All that wrapped up in one, I wonder sometimes how he functions. He is only medicated for his ADHD at this moment, so I have to manage all of the other issues in several different ways.

Those energy drinks also work.

 

[Elite Silkies]

I found that Added Attention for $11.99 at http://www.luckyvitamin.com/p-10763...-supports-childrens-learning-16-oz-lucky-deal

 

[ChooksChick]

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X2

Also, at Whole Foods and other health food stores, you can get supplements in the form of 'wafers,' gummies and liquids that are beneficial for ADHD...and I'm an expert on the ailment, lemme tell ya!!

Buried Treasure make an incredible liquid supplement called Added Attention that works on my girls (and me!) nearly as well as Ritalin, and it lasts for 4+ hours, depending on the metabolism. It's on sale at Whole Foods right now and I just stocked up.

When I was a kid, my mom taught me to knit, and if the Knifty Knitter had been invented, it would have been perfect. It's a hoop with pegs and a little hook. A single repeated motion around the hoop will create all sorts of things. I also did a lot of latch hook. I know you can get a set of 4 hoops for ~$15 at Michael's, Jo-Ann and Hobby Lobby. Get her a skein of yarn or two, and she'll be busy, busy!!

How much do you have to take a day of the Added Attention?

We use an ounce in the morning, then a half ounce for the afternoon.

 

[ChooksChick]

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OMG- that's a heckuva deal!! I'm on it!!

 

[ChooksinChoppers]

This is how we do iced coffee in Australia.
Heat up about 1/2 a cup of water and add 3 or 4 teaspoons of instant coffee ,stir, pour into a tall glass, top up with cold milk and leave room for a scoop of ice cream on the top.

 

[cuntryuppiechick]

One of the world's foremost dancers was one of those kids. I think it was back in the '30s when ADHD didn't exist. They sent her to the doctor where he examined her. He turned on the radio and told her he had to talk to her mom. They left the room and left the door open so they could observe. She immediately began moving to the music. His diagnosis...she is a dancer. She was sent to dance classes and then dance school and the rest is history.

I personally do not think that for a temporary situation like post surgery, as long as the doctors say it is ok, to use Benadryl for the child's safety.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Thanks for the awesome suggestions, y'all! I had already planned on heading off to JoAnn's to see what I could find. I love the bead/shirt idea and the knotted blacket kit. I just happen to have coupons!

She loves playing board games, but it often gets jumpy. Perhaps we can pile her up in bed with a seat belt and then haul out the games.

To clarify- The munchkin hasn't been diagnosed as ADD or ADHD. She is just constantly in motion. Literally. From start to finish of the day some body part is moving. She was in gymnastics for a while and loved it. They just finished up swim team which helped to wear her out. She runs cross country at school. I'm thinking at some point they will get her into soccer. Thankfully she has had teachers who love her and understand her need to move. They accomodate and find ways for her to get her wiggles out during the day. She is an A student.

My sister is not a big fan of medicating the kids unless they really need it. The benedryl was my tongue in cheek suggestion.

I will pass on the Whole Foods path and see what she thinks. None of us are coffee drinkers, but I'll pass that one on too. My sister is really careful about what they eat. The kids are not allowed sodas and their snacks are generally limited to fruits and veggies and such. At Nana and Grandaddy's house they do get sugar.

So I don't really know if she's ADHD. She's just a mover, a goer and a doer.

 

[Stacykins]

My best friend and former housemate is truly ADHD. Whenever his medication is wearing off for the day he'd get so wild that I definitely wanted to duct tape him to a wall or something. And it is true, caffeine HAS the opposite effect on ADHD people! He would drink an energy drink just to calm down sometimes, and it would have him napping on the couch. If he for some reason forgot his meds for the day, kiss any real work getting done goodbye, especially if he was paired up with my other friend and housemate who is bipolar (and when he was manic, watch out, omg!). Seriously, if I tried to go shopping with an unmedicated ADHD and Mr. Manic, they caused as much chaos in a store as an entire classroom of sugared up kindergarteners. I wish I had leashes for them both, or shock collars, heck even just a bell so I could find where they were causing trouble!

But true ADHD is different from an active and interested kid! I hope she recovers quickly from her tonsil surgery. She may not be feeling 100% for a week or so, so she may not be as active as usual. Especially if they did give her any pain medications for throat pain like tylenol 3 or vicodin.

 

[mikensara]

my daughter was 6 when she had hers out and we were told to keep up with fluids and no active activities such as sports. Its impossible to keep her still but we just had to keep her occupied sure its tiring. we went to the movies, out for ice cream, played board games, watched cartoons, walked outside, took her to visit relatives, spent more time coloring then one mother should have to endure, basically its boring being in one place for to long and they get fidgety when you expect them to sit for hours and not move at all. I let her use finger paint and draw on the sliding glass door to her it was so much fun for me cleaning it was a bit of a chore but it gave me an hour of mom time to return all the phone calls from friends and family asking if she enjoyed their many get well gifts which were a god send and put to good use.