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Non-Drug Treatment Touted for Preschoolers with ADHD
Posted by: Dr. Mercola
August 27 2007 | 33,276 views

A five-year study of 135 preschool students with symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) found that non-medicinal interventions work effectively to prevent the related behavioral and academic problems in infants.

The study -- the largest of its kind to date -- evaluated early intervention techniques and their ability to decrease aggressiveness and behavior problems, while improving academic and social skills, in children aged three to five.

The interventions, which included individualized programs that emphasized positive support to reinforce behavior at home and school, were highly effective. Specifically, children who received the intervention techniques had:
  • A 17-percent decrease in aggression and a 21-percent improvement in social skills at home
  • A 28-percent improvement in both categories at school
  • Improvements in early literacy skills of up to three times over their baseline status
While medications for ADHD may treat the symptoms, said George DuPaul, professor of school psychology at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown, Pa. and lead author of the study, they do not improve the children’s academic and social skills the way behavioral interventions may.

ADHD, which affects about 7 percent of school-aged children, makes it difficult for children to pay attention and control their behavior. Up to 40 percent of toddlers with ADHD symptoms are suspended from preschool, and 16 percent are actually expelled.

School Psychology Review August 2007 Vol. 36, #2 (Registration Required)

Eurekalert August 21, 2007



Dr. Mercola's Comments:
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Behavioral interventions using positive reinforcement are an excellent choice for children with ADHD, one of the most common chronic conditions affecting school-age kids, especially if they're used alongside nutritional changes.

Sadly, the first choice that many physicians make in treating kids with ADHD -- medications like Ritalin -- is not a strategy that will solve the underlying issue the way behavioral and nutritional interventions may.

Doctors prescribe drugs including Ritalin to about two million children with ADHD symptoms every month, according to Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital.

Ritalin is not a weak stimulant -- it is actually more potent than cocaine.

And other ADHD drugs have been linked to a host of side effects, including hallucinations and cardiovascular problems. The last thing that children need when they’re just starting out in life is a barrage of drug side effects to overcome, particularly when ADHD often improves dramatically with some natural lifestyle changes.

In my medical practice at the The Optimal Wellness Center, here’s what I recommend for kids, and adults, who suffer from ADHD:
  • Increase your intake of omega-3 fat from krill oil. This is the single most important nutrient for ADHD children.
  • Drink only water for a beverage, taking care to avoid fruit juices, soda, and pasteurized milk
  • Restrict or eliminate all processed foods, sugars and most grains from your diet
  • Avoid processed foods, especially those containing artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives, which may aggravate or cause ADHD symptoms
  • Spend more time in nature
Another important element that you can teach your children, or do right along with them, is the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). This is a form of psychological acupressure that you can perform anywhere (it involves only tapping with your fingertips and repeating some positive phrases), and that would make an excellent addition to any type of behavioral therapy your child is receiving.

Anytime your child becomes frustrated or is having a hard time sitting still, performing EFT is an excellent form of natural relief.

It is the rare event when the above applications do not help dramatically with ADHD. So please, instead of looking for a quick fix in the form of a potentially dangerous pill, invest the time in these natural lifestyle modifications… and experience side-effect-free relief from ADHD.



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