"Life with AD/HD" thread

[Arielle]

Healing ADD by Daniel Amen for about $17 WELL worth the money!! Many to do's

HE also has an online questionaire but like most questionaires the results are not necessarily definative. BUt it certainly helped me to clarly understand that I know my son has ADD whereas I cant get the medicals people to see it yet. He shuts down in interviews and is not himself.

Recently I realized that his brain worked better if I yelled at him to get going on his project as he was running out of time; of coure now I read that Dr AMen warns never to yell at ADDers as they become adicted to that response and will set up /instigate responses. Oh I feel so bad becaue I purposely yelled at my son because he could then get his work done. ( I do cry a lot over him as we dont have support in place other than what I can pull together.)

The book--MANY steps to try to diagnose your own type of ADD, and then pages on each one with possible treatment options. Includes MANY "alternative" methods as well as SAMe, valarian root etc, and then the pharmaceutacles as they can be helpful too. Carefully note that treatment options are not the same for each of the ADD types. SOme that are helpful for one, makes sypmtoms worse in another.

A list of basic must do's that really apply to all of us for better health. Including NO caffeine and no alcohol. A daily multivite, and other vit/min supplements.

 

[Arielle]

Here is Dr Amens on line store.

http://store.amenclinics.com/healing-add-at-home-in-30-days-with-free-add-type-report

I'll look up his other websites and post them for your use. Generally speaking I can see that a practitioner that is very expereinced with ADD would also be key to pulling together a "treatment" protocol.


I did the online report for my son, and found it listed 4-5 types and that in itself made me think that sometimes there could be minor over laps and perhap only a brain scan could distinguish between the 7 types.

For now I am focusing on the ONE type and see if some of the "other" issues also improve as they may be incidental to the issues of the Type 2 ADD.

 

[chickenchick123]

Wow so much to read on this thread!
My middle son has adhd and autism. He is only 7, he has the behaviour of a 2year old with the intelligence of an 11 year old. (he had a cognitive test at school!) although in school he won't get on with his work its so frustrating. He finds it boring and would much rather talk about his every thought than listen to a teacher. I have reciently decided to medicate, been trying to find the right one for months, it's been a roller coaster! I felt as if I was setting him up to fail daily at school. So I just wanted to try something, anything so he can fulfill his potential. To be told that your 6 (he was at the time) year old had the intelligence of an 11 year old but didn't appear to be capable of doing the work set really made me cross. I know he's bright but the teachers were letting him fail as they couldn't be bothered to give him the attention he needed. On the medication he doesn't eat much and won't sleep but he is now capable of sitting still and doing some work for some lessons. It's hard to know what is best to do. I live in England and I'm finding it impossible to get a statment of special needs. If he had 1-1 time at school I feel he would be able to concentrate and keep on track. Arrrrgh!

I've seen on here people talking about different diets to help with adhd. What seems to be the best help for you or your child?

 

[Arielle]

Hi CHicken CHick--

I have been trying to educate myself for 2 years because my school will not do what they need to do to help my son-- he is the opposite: quiet , sits tries to pay attention but really is not, can read well ( now) and is smart enough to pull off good/excellent grades BUT I know he is not living up to his full potential-- I can see the slip ups and forgotten homework and the "i'm bored" is both a slow class room and the ADD effect.

I have read MANY books on executive function which is his main issue along with social interactions. He has manners, but is as one phychologist put it "quirky". BUT NO one addressed how to help the brain function better.

Can you get Dr Amen's book Healing ADD?? At 422 pages please find a copy you can read-- or better yet a copy you can write in!! I have notes scribbled all over my copy. THe second copy is for a friend ( with a masters in social work and wants a copy).

To get you started though, I'll try to put up all Dr AMens websites. THere is an online test that you can use to better diagnos which of the 7 types your son may have. THAT is CRITCAL according to Dr AMen. It is why some meds work and some dont. He uses different meds and supplements for each of the 7 types.

You can start here and I hope Dr AMen will understand ( I pd lots to get all his materials because he was the only one that made sense!!)

1.take a multivitamin-- find one with 100% of everything
2. NO caffiene or alcohol
3. Fish oil 1000-2000mg per day for a child under 10
4. exercise ( strong walk) 30-45 min/day
5. screen time 30 min/day MAX
6. high protein low simple carb diet
7. NO yelling at the child

this is the basics for everyone. THere is much more to add to this.

Green tea is a great antioxident and I function much betteron 3 green tea bags steaped in hot water a day. I'm trying my 12 yr old on 2 cups a day.


I'm adding several things for us as I think we have type 2 ADD = like the hyperactive type but quiet instead. ANd a bit of the other types of ADD.


Green tea--helps with relaxation and focus
magnesium-- helps with relaxation and focus = 200-400mg twuce a day
calcium with vit D--most people are lacking in Vit D
zinc
Iron
the B vitamins
methionine when I can find it-- he has a cuation about SAMe for some types of people-- my son and I dont have the underlying problem
chocolate
grape seed extract
5HTP
For memory-- ginko ( many other options)
DLPA-- when I can find it

I'm not doing everything at once. I need to see which has a positive effect and beaware that a negative effect could be possible but far less common than the drug approach.

Dr amen talks about the benefits of the supplements and the drugs-- no one way is right or wrong. IT is about find what works best. THis isnt a cure, it is management.

He has 100 other to do's to review.











BUy as much organic as possible . IMO if you cannot buy everything organic, go for the meat. I raise much of my own poultry and lamb and eggs.

Dr Amen talks about the severe lacking of many vitamins and minerals and these are the building blocks for nerve function , memory, etc. I push my kids to eat lots of vegies because they never eat enough.

 

[Arielle]

Here are websites that Dr AMen lists. I have not checked out all of them. Many to do's like questionaires

mybrainfitlife.com

amenclinics.com


In general-- the harder a person w/ ADD tries, the more the brain malfunctions. Having experienced this myself, I am willing to beleive much of what else Dr Amen writes. THe great thing is we can give it a trial run; see what works for each individual.

I make a sugar free bark combining high quality cocoa, coconut oil, butter, splenda and nuts. My kids ove it too.

Dr Amen cautions about dropping all food dyes and synthetic sugars. In the end I think we get to choose.

 

[chickenchick123]

Great, thanks Arielle, there is lots of information to digest there! I'm going to look for dr Amens books now. Much better suggestions than our last doctor, who told me to give him sweets or cakes at snack time! My kids rarely have these anyway. Luckily my son was too busy playing lego to listen to the doctor! I have always cooked most of what we eat from scratch. My daughter has so many food allergies I don't have much choice! We obviously have free range eggs! Will check that our meat is organic from now on too. I didn't realise there are so many different types of adhd, So off to amazon now to look up dr Amen! X

 

[Arielle]

THere is a lot of info in Dr AMens book to process.WHen you have that under your belt, have a look at the 30 jump start pamphlet as it is the step by step how to; yough you can use the book to make your own as it is just a synopsis of what is in the book.

I learned from some friends on a low carb website, that green tea has wonderful benefits for all of us: http://www.greenteanutritionfacts.com/green-tea-nutritional-information/green-tea-nutrition/

Sorry if I already posted this; that is one of my issues: memeory. Too distracted to remember everything. lol


Dr AMen started doing SPECT studies of the brain manyyears ago and he started to see different patterns, and then noted the different behaviors that went with each once. All ADD based with other contributing issues/

Depression and drug abuse is apparently fairly common among ADDers. THis particularly bothers me. I went thru a bad period of depression at the end of my high school years and into my college years-- all undiagnosed despite a visit to a psycologist. Stupid man missed it!! ALl driven by self doubt, glass half full thinking; all driven by the ADD as I can now look back with clarity. THese days IMO kids are more suseptable to both these issues as the pressure in school is much higher. I have always tried to portect my son from stressful sitatins, and now I am glad that I did. He has grown slowly but with more confidence than I had at that age. Still more work to do in that realm though.

Let me know what you think of the book---

 

[Arielle]

L-tyrosine-- looking at WM tonight to see if I can find it at a good price.

 

[Arielle]

Ordered the L-tyrosine-- 500mg x300 capsules. Dr Amen recommended 100-300 or was it 100-500? , for children. Based on the feedback left for the product I think there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. So will figure out how to divide the capsule at least in half. Perhaps in hallf again to start out with and go slowly.

I wish I had ordered this yesterday as my son is leaving on vaca on Sunday for a week and will be back in time to have 3 days before school starts. Fort the first time I am scared he will not do well in school. Terrified really.

I'm trying to declutter the house as I think this makes the symptoms worse; of couse having a cluttered house is a symtom itself. I repeat to myself which is worth more-- keeping every item incase I need it, or working out a storage system which includes the recycling and trash bin. ADD is such a struggle on many levels.

My son has soccer practice today-- trying to convince myself it is a good time to walk the fields for 30 minutes at least. I did a 4 hour hike the other day and survived, with little pain the next day, so perhaps I am in better shape than I realized. MOre on the endurance side but as Dr AMen says 1 hour 5 times a week at a brisk walk, perhaps I am ok.

 

[Arielle]

I decided to use the L-tyrosine on myself and I am rather surprized by the results. At 1000mg three times a day. Higher level of energy and a bit quicker thinking. A real plus.

THe extra energy I'm using to declutter the house.