I have a very hyperactive child who I think may have ADHD. I refuse to put him on meds. What can I do for him

Question

I have been told by a doctor that he has it. The dotor wanted him to be on meds at the age of 3. Needless to say we never went back to that doctor. I will not put him on drugs. He is 6 years old and I belive he should not be on meds. Yes I have seen and in fact was forced by mother to take meds and I will not subject him to that.

Can anyone one out there tell me what else I can do to calm him down? We have tried changing his diet but should we try again? Please help!!!!!

Just a note: He NEVER has caffine and almost never has sugary foods(birthdays only for sugar)

Answer 1

My son has ADHD and i don't medicate him, but i dont the following and it helped whether your son does have ADHD or is just hyperactive:
I would take your son to lots of parks, sign him up for sports or some kind of physical activity where he can run about and burn enery that's built up from sitting still in school all day. When he does homework, have him sit in a quiet place, with little distractions. In school, make sure he sits in the front of the classroom and away from windows. Try to keep your home a calm and relaxing enviorment (easier said than done, at least in my house.) The calmer it is, the calmer he will be. No soda, low amounts/no sugar and lots of veggies, protein and fruits. Have him take a vitamin and if you want, an Omega 3 (fish oil. Can help keep kids focused and stay calmer) every day. Praise him for good things and instead of yelling when he does something bad, correct him and explain why it's wrong. Read lots of books and ask questions as you read them (helps improve listening and logic skills)Try and keep a routine (wake up at 7, eat breakfast at 730, homework at 3:30, bed at 830 ect)

I did tons of research and reading before doing anything about my son because i too had no interest in putting him on meds. I would aso suggest looking up the symptoms of ADHD and keep them in mind while your son continues school in the future. The test that determines if your child is ADHD, hyperactive or just immature is school. Can he sit still, stay focus, follow the rules, work well with others, grasp concepts well ect. At 6, much less 3, it can be difficult to diagnose.
My son is now 9 years old and in the 3rd grade. He does pretty well in school learned to stay quiet and focus. In addition to ADHD, he also had some learning issues that he's now out grown.
Hope this helps. Best wishes you and good luck!

Answer 2

My 7 year old son has recently been diagnosed with ADHD. For over the last 2 years I said the same thing you did, "I refuse to put my child on medication" Well after two years of struggle, a strict diet, sports of all kinds, charts in school, punishments, privileges given and taken away. He is now on Adderall xr and is doing fantastic! Medical Technology is so advanced now. It's not the same as it was when your mother forced you take medication. ADHD is a chemical imbalance, it's something that can be delt with without medication but only at lower levels. If you have tried the things I've already listed above and still nothing is working you really should try the medication. He may need a very very low dose just to clear his head a bit. If you decide it's not working or you just don't want to keep him on it, take him off and keep trying the the other stuff. As he gets older he could grow out of it and learn to deal with it, however, he may not and at that point it may be too late. Good luck to you. I hope you are able to get some new things to try but I would recommend checking out www.adderallxr.com and read up on the medications they have today, it's not zombie medication like they used to have when ADHD was first discovered.

Answer 3

My son has been diagnosed with ADHD and cannot take meds due to his low weight and our inability to pay for them. Here are some helpers.

Diet-wise: Eliminate all refined sugars and corn syrup, orange and red dyes and processed foods (chicken nuggets, processed lunchmet, mac and cheese). Only whole grain breads. Don't stop just because it doesn't work right away...it can take up to 6 months to notice significant changes as the body detoxes itself. My doctor actually suggested caffiene as stimulants typically have a reverse effect on children with ADHD, but if your child has already shown a sensitivity to that, then it's best not to try it.

Exercise: Outdoor activity (one hour MINIMUM) will help immensely. Give him physical activity that will tire him out. If the weather is bad and you absolutely have to stay indoors, have a "fitness day" where he can have a positive outlet for all his energy. Do yoga/pilates to help build attention and focus.

Positive reinforcement - Even though there should be consequences for "bad" behavior, focus on rewarding GOOD behavior. All rewards or consequences MUST be done immediately for most effective results.

Bedtime: Insist on a consistent bedtime, even on the weekends. ADHD children are very sensitive to sleeptimes and disruption of them will only bring you headaches later. Find a bedtime that works and stick with it! Get him up at the exact same time every day as well.

Homework - Tutoring and homeschooling during the times when he's out of school will help build confidence and give him an edge when his focus isn't entirely on his studies. Being organized and having a daily morning and evening routine will eliminate some of the hassles as well.

Answer 4

In reference to the lady above who gives her son Mountain Dew in the morning; you are more or less doing the same type of thing that a drug for ADHD does. An ADHD drug will overload the system somewhat with stimulants. This causes the body to even out. If you're giving him caffeine every morning and it's working then great. But, as the other reader noted, ADHD is a medical condition. If it were any other medical condition requiring medication, would you deny your son of that. It appears as if you've been scared off by all the media surrounding bad side effects and what it could do to your child. There are a bunch of different meds out there. If one doesn't work, try another or change the dosage. Don't believe everything you hear. Every drug has side effects. If you were thinking that son was going to be the same kid after taking them then you went it to it expecting the drugs to fail. I work with medicated kids on a daily basis who are able to focus better in school, get better grades, and are more socially accepted becuase of the drugs they are taking. You realy should look into medication more rather than taking the now common motherly stance of "I am not putting him on medication". It's tough to hear that your child isn't perfect but I suggest taking the blinders off and doing the right thing.

In reference to the person below, you don't "grow out" of ADHD. It's a permanent medical condition that you are generally able to work better with later on in life once you have learned coping mechanisms.

Answer 5

Okay, find a therapist that is willing to help you with behavior modification. There are strategies to use with an ADHD child that is not on meds. The problem is, each child is an individual, and it is a hit and miss to see which approach will work the most effectively with your child. Also, go to your local library or research on the net about children with ADHD and no medication. There is a lot of information out there. You just need to find what works best with yours. Good luck!
Signed, Another Struggling Mother

Answer 6

I have a three year old who has ADHD, combined, and ODD with bi-polar traits. I am a mother who will totally go over board when it comes to her child and research everything first before making a decision that will affect them for the rest of their lives. After doing my research and finding out everything I possible could and keeping an open mind with my doctor. I decided to medicate him. Before giving him any medications though, I researched all the drugs and their side effects. The medication I have him on now has very few side effects, such as insomnia, and lower appetite. My son has always had these problems without the meds because he can't shut himself down at night, and he can't sit still long enough to eat at the table. So it doesn't effect him. If you so choose not to medicate your child, there are other ways to help him. Believe it or not, energy drinks, coffee, and Mountain dew do help. Sounds funny, but it actually does. You see ADHD is a chemical imbalance in the brain, so sugar actually helps to counter act it. You could also see a child physcologist on this. The one I seen let me make my own decision after giving me the facts and said we could try either way. After trying the way with out meds method, I chose to go with the meds. You can find doctors who support your decision either way and will teach you methods to try with your child if you do not wish to use medication. I've been lucky with my doctors. Also, you should check out the effects it could have on your child later on in life if you so choose not to medicate. Your sweet child could turn to things that help him get a quick fix for the lacking of chemicals. Such as arguementiveness, drugs, sex, alcohol, stealing, and so forth. Good luck and I hope I helped in some small way. By the way, just because you had bad expeirences, doesn't mean your child will. They have came up with much better medications for children specifically of this age. And you are his mother, you will know best if something is working or not. It's a matter of trial and error. If one medication doesn't work. Try another. We have went through four different kinds before finding one that works. Usually you can tell after just a couple of days. The medication I give my son does not make him groggy, or unresponsive. He actuallys communicates better, and plays better with others. Plus, I couldn't get him to use the potty to go number two, until after I got him on the right meds. He uses it all the time now.

Answer 7

Here is my suggestion. My son has mild ADD not hyperactive just trouble paying attention. I also will not put him on meds that can later cause him to have a heart problem or drug problem. Caffeine actually has been proven to cause children with ADHD to calm down it has the opposite effect on them, so this may be an option. I personally use herbs from Native Remedies check out there web site. He has been on them for about a year and his teachers tell me that they noticed an improvement in his attention span about three weeks after using them. They have no side effects and they are safe. You can ask your doctor to be sure, mine said they are fine. He even tells me that when he doesn't take them he notices a difference in his concentration. Good luck, try them they work.

Answer 8

There are no easy answers for children with ADHD, and their parents. As an adult with ADHD, a mother of a son with it, and an educator I wish that people would not keep giving you such cut and dry answers. The only thing I can tell you is, to make sure you read as much literature as you can, so that you can make the most informed decision for your child. I have friends and family who have traveled both the medicate and not to medicate path. As a parent, you have the right to make any choice that you want. Please keep an eye on the teacher that you pick to educate your child, and watch for a change in your child's attitude toward school. Many ADHD children do not have positive experiences every year in school, and it only takes one bad year to create a negative attitude about school and learning. Good luck! I am sure that you will make the best decision for your child. By the way, caffeine acts as a stimulant for non ADHD people; it works the opposite in people with ADHD. I drink a cup before work everyday to help me focus. However, I am not recommending this for your child. :~)

Answer 9

You can try to take away any foods that contain #40 red dye. This is a cause of hyperactivity and its in alot of foods that you think are ok for your children to eat. Yogurt has it, some jouces even though they are not red contain this, you have to read the nutritional facts on the container to see if it containd this dye. Also you should talk to your doctor about medications that have not side effects or less side effects, as he will only have trouble in school and not be able to concentrate.

Answer 10

Diet is key. I give my children loads of protien in the morning and wow what a difference it makes. Actually I give them what you might consider as a lunch. I give a 1/2 wrap of their favorite lunch meat, a little dry fruit and even a small yogurt. Stray away from sugar and cimple carbs in the morning. Make snacks count like give cheese sticks or a slcied apple with peanut butter. Push water as a beverage instead of juice. I struggled with that with my son he even had sensory issue with it but we overcame it and he can drink 16 ounces of water, so do not give up.

Now the other essential key is take care of you! Eat right rest and try not to be anxious. It took me 4 years to accept I have to take care of me and when I began that my son improved drastically. I was approaching him stressed out all the time and when I changed my approach he changed his reaction or behavior, but that is just me.

Good luck and look into behavior modification strategies in books and from other mothers network online in the many Yahoo groups and those gracious mothers will share volumes of helpful information for many of your day to day challenges.


ALso there are many many techmnological devices that can help remind him of things (as they can get off track) We use these things with my add husband:)