I am planning a large teleseminar program--unbiased--with presenters representing many of the various treatments available for ADD/ADHD. Be watching for this, as it should prove very enlightening. It will give you a chance to compare the pros and cons of most of the known treatments.
Many people just can't stand the idea of taking any "drugs" into their body. They insist on treating diseases and problems "the natural way."
Many non-drug "treatments" have been devised. Some of these are helpful. Others have never been shown to help at all. Most of these treatments have not been well studied, and therefore we have not real evidence whether they really work or not. Many studies are in progress, and someday we'll have a better handle on what really works and what doesn't.
In the mean time, I will be monitoring these treatments--first for safety and then for efficacy(how well they work).
In medicine, we know that there is a "placebo effect". In up to 1/3 of people, when they start any new treatment, if they really believe it will help it does. This occurs even if the patient is given a "sugar pill."
Keep this in mind--this is critical:
Just because you get better after a new treatment, it doesn't prove that the new treatment was the reason.
Many unscrupulous vendors, trying to make a quick buck, will try to sell you a "treatment" based on this false assumption.
I will try to clarify some of these treatments. I will give you the facts as I understand them, and let you know what medical evidence we have regarding whether or not these treatments are of value.
1. COUNSELING:
a. Counseling is often beneficial if the patient has a lot of "baggage", such as abuse issues, abandonment or separation issues, PTSD(post traumatic stress disorder, etc.
b. Group sessions are often helpful for Social Skills Training or Anger Control, which can accompany ADHD.
c. Counseling parents individually, or in groups, teaches new, effective ways to deal with and discipline the child with ADHD.
d. Counseling has not been shown to be helpful for the ADHD core problems--hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and inattention. Studies are still in progress and many new techniques are being tried.
2. DIET: Many different diets have been proposed and used for ADHD.
a. SUGAR. Excessive sugar is, of course, not healthy for children or adults. Many people, including teachers and doctors, feel that sugar causes children to be more hyperactive. After eating a candy bar or a large dessert, they seem to be more wound up--more hyper. When carefully studied ( so that neither the Doctor, parent, child or teacher knows when the child is getting sugar or a substitute) there was no increased or decreased hyperactivity associated with sugar. If the parent or teacher know the child is getting sugar, they often rate the child as more hyperactive.
b. HEALTHY DIET. Eating low fat, low sugar diet is overall healthier, but, according to the studies, does not directly help hyperactivity.
c. DYES. Eliminating yellow and red dyes from the diet has been thought to reduce many of the symptoms of ADHD. Careful studies, however, have not been able to show any measurable effect on ADHD.
3. VITAMINS, MEGA-VITAMINS, OR MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS
a. Many are advertised and highly recommended as treatment or even cure for ADHD. These may or may not help, but none are based on scientific study so far.
b. Some Vitamin or Mineral may someday be proven to be helpful. It would be wonderful if one or more of these someday prove to be helpful, as they have less side effects than currently used drugs. If you have found that something is working really well for you or your child, continue to use it. The vitamins and minerals, in standard doses, seem to be safe. Some of the herbal stimulants can have significant side effects and interactions with other medication, so be careful of these. It would be a good idea to check with your Doctor before taking these.
4. TRAINING OR RETRAINING SPECIFIC MUSCLE GROUPS OR BRAIN WAVES
a. EYE EXERCISES (OPTOMETRIC VISION TRAINING)--Proponents assert that the behavior problems of ADHD are due to faulty eye movement and sensitivities. Some programs also use various colored lenses for the child to read through. Studies are in progress to determine if these procedures are helpful. One use for optometric vision training may be to reduce the misdiagnosis of ADHD--when poor binocular coordination mimics inattention.
b. INNER EAR TREATMENT--Treat with anti-motion sickness drugs. I have not been able to find any evidence that this is helpful.
c. CANDIDA (YEAST)--The "yeast connection" has been blamed for many diseases, including ADHD. So far, no scientific proof that this is actually connected.
d. EEG BIOFEEDBACK--Some very promising research indicates that neurofeedback treatment for ADHD can change brain wave activity. Beta waves can be increased only if they are low, theta waves can be reduced and failures of alpha blocking during tasks can be reduced. There is a lot of active research ongoing.
e. APPLIED KINESIOLOGY--Realigning bones in the skull. I can find no scientific proof that this is helpful.
f. RETRAINING LARGE MOTOR MUSCLES--Belief that many hyperactive kids went straight from lying down and scooting to walking--completely skipped the crawling stage. They recommend--whatever age the child--that the child needs to practice crawling, and this will somehow help the hyperactivity. Schools are available that practice this. Absolutely no scientific proof exists for this treatment program.
g. FOOD ALLERGIES--Group of allergists who practice the "Wrinkle Technique" believe that food allergies are responsible for many of the cases of ADHD. There are many anecdotal claims that this treatment helps, but I have not been able to find any scientific proof.
If you have any comments of ideas of things that would really help you, email me at:
DrJerry@ADHDStrategies.com
I want to help you "be the best person you can be"
Dr. Jerry Is Online
Jerry Rodgers, M.D.
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