A Parent’s Guide to Alternative ADHD Treatment Options

The following is a guest post. Please let me know if you enjoy the topic, as it can definitely be discussed in more detail in the future. Thank you! -Kelly

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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has become more commonly diagnosed over the last decade, and whilst the diagnosis of a child with ADHD can be a controversial one- the subject still does need further investigation- despite the fact that drugs are now available to treat it.  If you have a child with this disorder and don’t want to go the pharmaceutical route for treatment, then you should consider alternative treatment options.

It is not surprising to see that a majority of people don’t want to get treated with drugs that carry serious side effects. This is also the case when it comes to those suffering from ADHD. Many parents still prefer to treat their child using alternative medicine instead of the stimulant medications commonly used to treat the disorder. Medications are often effective and so are the alternatives to medications. But what alternative ADHD treatments are commonly available?  Alternative medicine ADHD options include:

Diet for ADHD Treatment

It is believed that the diet of the ADHD child can affect him in many ways. There are certain types of foods that are included in his diet that are not beneficial to him and there are certain foods in his diet that will help him reduce his symptoms of ADHD. The Feingold Diet removes all of the artificial additives and colorings from the child’s diet, and is one example of dietary intervention.

ADHD and Behavioral Modification

The behaviors and actions of the child with ADHD are often the main signs of his disorder. Due to his behavioral outbursts, he finds it hard to get along with others sometimes. He should be taught how to deal with the people around him in an appropriate manner and how to act in school. This will help him to reduce symptoms of ADHD such as hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and inattentiveness. The child’s behavior should not be the only subject of change, but also his parent’s behaviors too. The parent’s behaviors toward the child will affect him also, so they should know how to handle him appropriately.

Interactive Metronome Training for ADHD

In this training, the child is taught how to monitor his physical and mental actions by using and mimicking a rhythmic beat. He will learn how to concentrate by being taught to focus on mimicking the rhythmic beat. Some success with this method has been demonstrated, within one study.

Chiropractic Medicine for ADHD

Some individuals believe that an ADHD child’s spine is incorrectly aligned with his skull, which is why his brain does not work well. His spine can be aligned with his skull with Chiropractic Medicine. This method is not well supported by research, at this time.

Neuro-feedback and ADHD

The electrical activity of the brain is detected by the cortex through electrodes placed on the scalp. The electrical activity activates a computer game. The child experiences success with the game when the electrical activity meets certain criteria.

The child, in essence, plays the computer game by using his brainwaves. Through neuro-feedback, the child will learn to change the workings of his brain. Until he knows how his body is supposed to react on its own, the machine will show him how he should react. Eventually, he will not need the machine to react appropriately.

Homeopathic ADHD Remedies

Doctors who use Homeopathic ADHD remedies as a treatment for ADHD generally report good results. Additionally, a placebo-controlled double blind study of 43 ADHD children showed that homeopathy can effectively treat the disorder. At two months after the end of this study end, 57 per cent of children showed improvements with homeopathy, even though they discontinued the homeopathic treatment. 24 per cent had relapsed two months after the study, and the remaining 19 per cent of children continued to have positive results, but only when taking the homeopathic treatment.

About the Author: Jemma G is one of the people behind the popular GPS Bites website.  Jemma regularly contributes to blogs on technology and health matters, and is also an expert on GPS devices.