Natural Treatments for ADHD Symptoms

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), formerly known simply as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), affects nearly 2 million children in the United States. It is a condition that is most commonly diagnosed in early childhood or during a person's teenaged years.

Some adults who are not properly diagnosed as children may be diagnosed as having ADHD later in life. It's important for children and adults who are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder to clearly understand that they are capable of achieving great efforts and that ADHD and its associated symptoms are manageable through, not only with ADHD medication, but also with behavior modification therapy, herbal therapies and other alternative treatments.

ADHD symptoms include:

• An inability to sit quietly
• Poor concentration
• A lack of control over impulsive behavior

When a doctor makes an Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder diagnosis, children are most commonly prescribed ADHD medications, such as the stimulant drug Ritalin, in an effort to neutralize the ADHD symptoms. It's important to note that ADHD medications do not cure ADHD. Instead, stimulants work at masking the symptoms of ADHD and can often have serious side effects on a child's health. Such side effects may include, but are not limited to:

• Paranoia
• Social withdrawal
• Loss of appetite
• Tics
• Mood swings
• Restless feelings
• Heart palpitations
• Seizures,
• High blood pressure,
• Migraine headaches
• Aggression
• Depression,
• Hallucinations
• Bizarre behaviors
• Death (from damage done to young heart vessels)

Non-stimulant ADHD medications, such as Strattera, are also popular in some treatments and have the following side effects:

• Headache
• Queasiness
• Abdominal pain
• Lethargy
• Irritability
• Faintness

Resourceful parents with children or teens who have ADHD are encouraged to empower themselves with education. Knowing the possible origins of an ADHD diagnosis and the side effects of ADHD medications before consenting to their children taking a drug is crucial to any optimal health strategy. Accompanied with nutritional changes and behavioral modifications, it's also advisable that parents consider herbal treatments such as Skullcap, Ginko Biloba and Valerian as all of have been successful to some children with ADHD symptoms.

Recent discoveries in treating ADHD symptoms suggest that holistic health practices such as Kinesiology, or muscle feedback, can help distinguish and correct imbalances in children with ADHD symptoms. In both adults and children with ADHD, engaging in behavioral modification techniques equip those with ADHD symptoms to be able to self-control and self-monitor their symptoms.

Parents of a child with ADHD symptoms are a child's best advocates for holistic health and positive therapies for ADHD. Therefore, to sufficiently guard children against the risky side effects of ADHD medications and to help those with ADHD manage, thrive, or completely recover from ADHD symptoms, parents are advised to be very proactive in learning about ADHD and gain a solid understanding of both the pharmacological and the natural options that are accessible to their children.

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  Resources:

  http://www.helpguide.org/mental/adhd_medications.htm

  http://www.healing-arts.org/children/ADHD/treatments.htm http://www.icpkp.com/Story?Action=View&Story_id=1636

  
  
  

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