Add Supplements

A big concern of parents these days is that if and when they are going to receive the official diagnosis - that their child has ADD or ADHD. They are aware that their child is a bit overactive. But the official diagnosis would mean that they were expected to do something about this problem. And that something was perhaps expected to be a drug like Ritalin. Many parents are informed by teachers and health care professionals that they will be failing their children if they decide to go against putting them on Ritalin or other drugs routinely used to treat ADD.

Lots of parents want their children to lead happy and productive lives and in order to do that give in to the pressure because of a lack of information about alternative treatments. Some parents are however, starting to question the wisdom of stringing their children out on drugs like Ritalin and other amphetamines which are routinely used to treat ADD/ADHD. Neurochemically, these drugs also share a similarity to cocaine.

Countries such as Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Britain do not actually routinely prescribe stimulants for ADD or ADHD as we do here in the U.S. As a matter of fact, stimulants in the U.S. are prescribed for ADD or ADHD at a rate which is five times that of all the other world's countries combined. The UN recently reported that between 3 and 5 percent of all the schoolchildren in America are currently on Ritalin.

But things are starting to change as more and more parents are also beginning to learn about the natural ADD supplements. They are beginning to seek other alternatives to stimulants such as Ritalin, Cylert, and Dexedrine, or antidepressants such as Prozac or Wellbutrin, or other commonly prescribed medications like Desipramine and Clonidine.

Although the diagnosis of ADD or ADHD could be justified for some kids, it is felt that in a lot of cases the diagnosis is mostly misplaced and undeserved. Most kids are naturally quite active and curious as it is the nature of the child. But in this daycare oriented society, the model child is one who should sit still all day and is seen and not heard.

Ad per Ward Dean, MD, the major contributing factor to the ADD epidemic is the little-known fact that public or government schools all have federally-supported programs for the learning disabled. The more children who are actually diagnosed with ADD, the more federal money the schools can receive, giving public schools a tremendous incentive to maintain as high a number of children with ADD as possible.

A growing school of thought seems to point to the child's diet as a significant contributing factor in his or her inability to remain on task. Unfortunately, this subject is beyond the scope of its discussion. However just briefly, a diet rich in protein and fat and low in carbohydrates, has been shown to add a lot of focus to hyperactive children.

As for the nutrients and homeopathic remedies that are gaining in popularity for their effectiveness, let's look at a few of them. DMAE is one which occurs naturally in such foods like as sardines and anchovies. DAME has been shown to be a real brain booster for many.

• Juliana Breckinridge
• 10/06/2009, 12:59 AM
• 0 Comments