Does Mountain Dew help children with ADHD?

Question

My mother told me that the lady she works with uses it with her son and I should try with mine. Does anyone have experience with this method?

http://come-over.to/FAS/MtnDew.htm

From the answers I am getting, I have the impression that some of you think that I feed my kid crap. First off, my son gets no sugar, at all. He only drinks 100% fruit juice, milk and water. He loves fruit and I have a fruit bowl, so he has access to the apples, orages and bananas. He is also a very picky eater, so it makes it difficult to get him to eat meat.

Answer 1

no but weed does it counter acts and makes them less hypher.

Answer 2

If your child is not on medication now for ADHD (but has been diagnosed as such), it couldn't hurt to try it. Most people who claim ADHD medications are crap don't actually know anything about the subject. At all. So ignore them unless they've got founded research to support their argument. Contrary to popular belief though, the jury is still out as to whether ADHD really is a neurological problem. There are doctors out there who don't feel the research is conclusive. With that in mind, trying alternatives to medicine to treat ADHD might be a good idea. I've heard of parents regulating their child's diet to help. Since you already provide your child with healthy foods, this might be an alternative to look in to. Try the Mountain Dew. The worst that could happen is that it does what everyone else is predicting and makes him more hyper. Then you'll know. :)

Answer 3

Mountain Dew Add

Answer 4

No but I have heard of coffee being used - the thing is that caffeine is absorbed into the body differently in children and affect them differently than adults. Some Mountain Dew could not be construed as morally wrong or even a self treatment however, if it works all the more power to the Mom who thought of it. I do not think it is a cure - I think it simply helps the child to calm down some.

Answer 5

I have a son with ADHD. I have tried many many things, as I am sure you have as well. Only people who have experienced this disorder have any room to speak on it, IMHO.

That said, it has been my experience that Mt. Dew is horrid and will only make matters worse. Yes, caffiene reacts differently in adhd kids than people without it. But, soda has so much sugar in it that it negates the fact that it has caffiene.

Also, in my experience, fruits are good, but they have sugar in them too, so be careful how much he gets and when. Also, oranges and citrus cancel out some ADD meds. So, only give those at night or when you don't care if the meds don't work. Sugar spans more than just junk food. Even cereal that is 'healthy' has a large amount of sugar, ketchup has 4 grams, some breads, etc. It is amazing, lol.

I hear your plight though. I definatley would not give him soda. For a drink that is low in sugar, you can use Propel, which is flavored and has very low sugar, less than Gatorade or juice (which if you look is huge on sugar). I have found Propel cheapest at Walmart.
I have also found that watching the diet a little, without it getting unreasonable (as he is a kid and deserves a treat once and again), making sure there is a strict routine at home and school and meds work ok. There is no miracle cure (and if there is dear God let me know, lol). You just have to wait it out for them to hopefully grow out of it during puberty.

It is hard, every time they go through a growth spurt, your med dosage has to adjust. It is a constant balancing act. But giving them any kind of sugar is just never a good idea. And usually ADHD kids would have to have so much caffiene that by the time you get enough in them to make a difference, the amount of the sugar winds them right back up.
If it helps, try hard to look at this as a blessing. These kids access a part of the brain that we don't. Therefore, when focused are highly intelligent. They think differently, they process data and information differently. You have to work with that. What works for one kid without it will most likely not work with the child with it. (as far as routine and discipline). The blessing is that hopefully, during puberty, most of the impulsiveness leaves them and they have taught themself how to focus and the heightened intelligence stays with them!
I know it is hard and I have tried so many stinkin things looking for the one thing that works. My neighbor uses the soda trick and her kid is on three meds to control his ADD. I told her that perhaps if she would stop with the pop, he would not need all of those.
I would definately not advise it. From one mom to another, keep the sugar down, find a doc that lets YOU adjust his meds accordingly with his guidance and hold on to the fact that your son has the potential for greatness in adulthood.
Watching the food helps, but we are human, and if you have other people in the house as I do.. You can't give to one and not the other. Sugar is not evil, lol. I just make sure that when I send his lunch, I use whole grain bread, no oranges if I send fruit. Bananas are the best, apples have tons of natural sugar. and the lowest sugared boxed juice I could find. Then I usually give him a cheese stick or something like that. The snacks like pudding or a piece of candy can wait til he is home for the night.
Sorry, I don't mean to preach. I just know that I feel like I am so alone on this and when I come across another parent and can just share info and save them from any frustration, I do talk a lot about it. I really hope this helps you out. Take a deep breath and remember the light at the end of the ADHD tunnel is not the train, lol. Good Luck with your lil guy.

Answer 6

From what I've read, Mountain Dew, can help a child who's on Ritalin to control ADHD, since the caffeine can help with the symptoms when the Ritalin starts to wear off. [1]

"Caffeine works in much the same way that Ritalin and Dexadrine and Adderall work, as a stimulant to get the brain to fire more efficiently. Mountain Dew® has ingredients that are different from Colas, so it is not just the caffiene, it might be the unique blend of ingredients. If the child does not have any serious mental health issues, then the Mountain Dew® just might help your child's brain function more efficiently." [2]

Answer 7

Fruit juice, milk, fruit all have a lot of sugar, and mountain dew is extremely high in sugar. They have had many articles explaining that mountain dew has the highest sugar content of all the soft drinks. I don't understand how a child amped up on sugar would help control his ADHD. I deffinately wouldn't give him any dew. Ask your physican what sort of diet would be best for him. Good luck.

Answer 8

You have certainly gotten a lot of mean spirited and uneducated answers. The medically approved treatments for ADHD/ADD, dexidrine and Ritalin are both stimulants-caffeine is also tried for milder cases.
That said,let me inform you that fruit juce and fresh fruit are both high in sugar, just a different type of sugar. It has less effect on blood glucose levels,so it is healthier in that way,but still very stimulating and caloric-just so you are aware of those factors.
In any case, I can't see that Mountain Dew would do permanent damage to your child over a short trial period. If it helps his concentration and behavior,you might talk to the doc about a comparable tretment without all the tooth rotting sugar. This can be a very frustrating disorder to treat and I'm sure you are just wanting to help your son.

Answer 9

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Does Mountain Dew help children with ADHD?
My mother told me that the lady she works with uses it with her son and I should try with mine. Does anyone have experience with this method?

Answer 10

Your mother was NOT pulling your leg or confused. Ritalin, Concerta, Strattera, etc. are all stimulants. Caffeine is also a stimulant and works the same way. I wasn't diagnosed until I was 19 with ADHD but learned that I had been self-medicating with Mountain Dew for years. I tried Ritalin (this was over 10 years ago) and it worked but had adverse side effects. I went unmedicated but continued my Mt. Dew addiction for the next several years. Then I decided to try Concerta which worked awesomely. I stopped taking Concerta when I got pregnant and I am still breastfeeding years later and am not taking anything for my ADHD, including caffeine and it shows!

It won't hurt your son to try giving him a glass of Mt. Dew at breakfast and lunch. I wouldn't give it to him close to bedtime, though, for obvious reasons! The same bedtime rule would go for any other type of ADHD stimulant-based medication. If it works, great. If it doesn't, then there is nothing lost. I would certainly try it before giving him a methamphetamine-based prescription remedy.

Good luck!

Answer 11

If your son is drinking 100% juice he IS getting sugar, it's called FRUCTOSE and is a natural sugar in ALL fruits as well as vegetables. As far as mountain dew goes...I wouldn't give it to my kid whether she was ADHD or not, and IF she were I would certainly consult a doctor about it BEFORE I administered anything to my child just because my mother heard it from a friend who supposedly gave it to her ADHD child.