How To Help Your Child With ADD Or ADHD

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If you are a parent who needs to know how to help your child with ADD or ADHD, you're not alone. Childhood health problems, behavioral problems and other issues can be difficult for a parent to deal with. This is especially the case with both attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and attention deficit disorder (ADD). These conditions affect behavior and create problems with paying attention, focusing and choosing appropriate behavior.

Parents of children with ADHD or ADD often seek help in learning how to deal with a child's behavior problems, helping them to have normal relationships and learning how to get past the hurdles that come with the condition. The first step in helping your child is to understand what you're dealing with in the first place.

What Is ADD Or ADHD?

ADD or ADHD are both conditions that affect behavior. They are neurological disorders in which the affected person displays the inability to control their actions and a variety of other symptoms. The diseases are usually broken down based upon the three sets of symptoms most commonly displayed in patients. These will be addressed in the following segment.

The cause of ADD or ADHD is not known. There is speculation that they may be genetic disorders, the results of chemical imbalances or caused by deficiencies in neurotransmitters of the brain. Both are sometimes linked to heavy metal toxicity.

What happens in a person who has ADD or ADHD is that the brain does not process stimuli properly. In someone without the disorder, stimuli help the brain react appropriately to given situations. In a person with ADD or ADHD, the stimuli are often a distraction, rather than a helpful cue.

A person with ADD or ADHD is more sensitive to external events than other people, and may react by being unable to concentrate or sit still. Their reaction to the stimuli is how the disorder got its name. The hyperactive reaction and problems paying attention are highly typical in patients with these disorders.

The Three Classifications Of ADD Or ADHD Symptoms

The symptoms of ADD or ADHD are broken into three categories: inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity. These three categories help to pinpoint the behaviors that are seen in children with ADD or ADHD. Understanding the symptoms can greatly help in the process of treating and caring for a child with ADD or ADHD.

• Inattention symptoms include trouble paying attention, being easily distracted and having a hard time focusing.
• Impulsivity symptoms involve acting before thinking, improper reactions, talking too loudly, aggression and difficulties with relationships.
• Hyperactivity symptoms include trouble sitting still, restlessness and an overabundance of energy.

The three categories of ADD or ADHD symptoms all involve the reaction to stimuli and the inability to handle it properly. The symptoms can be heightened in situations where there is a lot going on or when the child feels uncomfortable. This may occur in any new situation.

Diagnosis Of ADD Or ADHD

Diagnosis of ADD or ADHD is something that involves a co-operative effort by the child's medical providers, educational providers and caregivers. Diagnosis is not something that happens quickly or easily.

The process for diagnosis starts with a complete medical exam. During the exam the doctor looks for other possible problems that could be causing the symptoms. They assess the general health of the child to eliminate other factors and concerns.

Next, the doctor will review reports that have been written by parents, teachers and other caregivers. These reports document the child's behavior and the issues that have been occurring to cause the suspicion of ADD or ADHD.

To diagnosis ADD or ADHD the doctor will follow guidelines set by the American Psychiatric Association. These guidelines specify a range of different physical, neurological and psychological tests that must be done to rule out any other possible diagnosis.

Common Treatment Methods

There is no cure for ADD or ADHD. Treatment involves a combination of methods consisting of behavioral therapy, counseling and some type of medication.

Behavioral therapy and counseling help the entire family learn to live with the disorder. It also helps the child learn to control their behavior better practice appropriate responses.

During counseling, parents will be given plenty of tools and information to help them learn to help their child. Some tips given to parents provide general help while others may direct them in very specific actions to take that can help their child. Some of the things usually covered in therapy are:

• The importance of sticking with treatment methods and being consistent in therapy.
• The importance of making treatment a group effort by working together with teachers, doctors and other caregivers.
• The need for consistent rules with rewards for good behavior.
• Creating a behavioral modification plan.
• Encouraging schedules.
• Maintaining organization.
• Providing a special distraction-free space for homework.
• Encouraging interaction and play with other children.

There has been some concern about administratoring medication for this condition. The common medications used can cause side effects, including loss of appetite, headaches, stomach aches, tics, twitches and sleeping problems. There has also been concern about addiction and the possibility of usage leading into use of street drugs in older children.

There are other treatments that are being explored. Chelation therapy has been shown to be quite effective and safe for treating ADD or ADHD.

Chelation Therapy

Chelation is used to detoxify the body. It was first used in WWI to help treat exposure to poison gas. It has been routinely used by the military following wars to treat exposure to chemicals and other hazardous substances. Since the 1970s it has been used as a therapy for detoxification in the general public.

Relation To ADD Or ADHD

The cause of ADD or ADHD is not known, but one suspected cause is heavy metal toxicity. Chelation is a detoxifier that helps to draw out heavy metals. It is thought that Chelation therapy may ease the symptoms of ADD or ADHD will disappear as the heavy metals are removed from the body. Chelation therapy has been used for treatment of ADD or ADHD with many positive results, and the use of Chelation therapy is routinely prescribed by some doctors who specialize in heavy metal toxicity.

Heavy metal toxicity is not a well studied or recognized subject in the medical field. Many doctors may not understand the problem and will not even test for it when diagnosing ADD or ADHD in a child. If you suspect that heavy metal toxicity is to blame for your child's disorder then you should seek the help of a doctor trained in heavy metal toxicity. A simple hair test can be done to diagnosis the condition.

Using Chelation Therapy

Chelation therapy can only be done by a trained professional. It is very important to ensure the person administering treatment is trained because improper administration of the drug can be toxic. With proper administration; however, the side effects of chelation therapy are minimal.

Side effects are a low risk. The most common is burning at the site of administration and blurred vision. Rare symptoms that may occur are fever, headache, nausea, upset stomach, vomiting and low blood pressure.

Chelation therapy involves the use of an IV drip to introduce the substance into the body. Usually, detoxification of the body is suggested before therapy begins as it aids in the process of cleansing the kidneys and liver and gets the waste system of the body working efficiently. When Chelation enters the body it attaches to the heavy metals and then carries them out of the body. After successful therapy some patients have reported a complete eradication of symptoms.

How To Use Chelation Therapy

Chelation therapy should be used as part of a complete care program for ADD or ADHD. It is important to include behavioral therapy and counseling to help the family and child learn to live with ADD or ADHD. While under chelation therapy there is not usually a need for other medications to treat the ADD or ADHD.

Chelation therapy has been a source of some controversy because there is a risk for kidney toxicity, which leads to death. However, as mentioned, proper use of chelation helps to ensure that chelation therapy is successful and not harmful to the patient. Also, the lack of proven research in its favor prevents the traditional medical community from fully backing it. However, there are both doctors and parents pushing for more research and supporting its positive effects based on experience.

As more and more doctors become aware of chelation therapy, and more research is done, it is possible that it will become a main source of ADD or ADHD treatment. The success rates so far, and the low occurrence of side effects, make chelation therapy a tempting alternative to many medications which are known to cause disruptive side effects in the majority of patients.

Summary

ADD and ADHD are very disruptive disorders. Families dealing with the disorder will face challenges, and it can be overwhelming. That is why a complete treatment program is very important. There is support available, and a wide array of standard and alternative treatment options.

Alternative treatments like chelation are encouraging, but yet unproven. However, these alternative methods to standard medicines with side effects offer hope to parents and children. Learning how to help your child with ADD or ADHD is something that takes time and a true team effort. As with SSRI and other supplements, it is imperitive to seek out medical guidance before beginning a regime.