Natural Cures for ADHD in Children

Lets face it, Parents of children with ADHD are faced with difficult choices on treatment. There are many commercial drugs that doctors and mental health professionals will prescribe. Maybe because the doctors themselves are given incentives to prescribe the high priced chemical cocktails. However, is this the best or only choice for parents? What about the side affects and possible dependency issues? Many parents may not realize that there are natural cures for ADHD in children.

What is ADHD?

Finding the best treatment means understanding the disorder in the first place. ADHD or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is becoming an increasingly common diagnosis. ADHD is marked by an inability to concentrate, impulsiveness inappropriate for the child's age and easy distraction. It has been described as living in a world where a thousand thoughts are running through the mind at any given moment. This leads to confusion and jumping from one activity to another. For this reason, the child with ADHD may become increasingly solitary, as other children tend to shun them. Teachers and parents can be left feeling helpless to aid the child.

Diagnosing ADHD in Children

There are currently no physical diagnostics widely available to diagnose ADHD in children or adults. To come to a determination the symptoms are assessed and weighed for frequency. Following are some symptoms that figure into the diagnostic process:

Inability to sit still
Inappropriate response, blurting out words or answers
Lack of concentration
Impatient
Difficulty controlling actions
Can be aggressive

Any of these in excess can be an indicator of ADHD in children. A trained professional should also take into consideration any home or school problems that could be contributing to the behavior. In addition, ADHD should never be diagnosed in a child who has emotional problem like depression or anxiety. Unfortunately due to the lack in adequate diagnosis the incidence of multiple diagnosis is very high leading to the over use of prescription drugs.

Causes of ADHD in Children

The causes of ADHD are generally found not to be environmentally related. In other words, parenting skills are not the likely culprit. In studies done it has been shown to be a chemical or brain issue more so than a parenting issue. There are also a few other triggers and they are as follows:

1. Allergies or food intolerance
2. Hypoglycemia, low blood sugar
3. Nutritional issues
4. Hyperthyroidism
5. Genetics, there is a tendency for ADHD to run in families
6. Brain issues such as trauma
7. Chemical imbalance

These are just a few causes and triggers of ADHD you may experience some variations of any of these.

Help for Children with ADHD

While traditional medication is the normal treatment for children with ADHD it is important that you know there are alternatives. Changes in diet and exercise is a great place to start. Some parents will even begin eliminating some known food allergens like sugar and red dye. Herbal additives and remedies can also be quite successful in treating ADHD. While ruling out allergens and other issues teaching your child relaxation techniques like meditation will help control behavior while treatment is worked out. Work with a doctor who is sensitive to your desire to use natural treatments, they can be helpful in giving you information on the latest finding.

ADHD can be a nightmare disorder that leaves parents feeling depressed and hopeless. There is hope in new treatments that are coming forward every day. Relax and realize that it is not your fault and begin to work a treatment program that is comfortable for you and your child. Sometimes a change in sleeping habits will go along way in alleviating symptoms. If your child is having trouble sleeping there are herbal remedies for that as well. ADHD is treatable and curable with natural methods.