The Herbal Alternatives for ADHD

Children diagnosed with ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder are prone to poor concentration, hyperactivity, low emotional development levels and irritability. They are unable to sleep for long periods of time, and when awake, are unable to sit still or stay at one activity for long. This disorder affects both the parents and the children adversely – the older folks do not have a moment’s rest while the kids themselves suffer at school because they’re unable to concentrate on lessons or other activities. Some children are affected by thyroid disorders when they hit puberty. ADHD continues into adulthood, and if not treated, can have adverse effects on both personal and professional aspects.

Allopathic medicines do help in controlling the disorder but there are side effects that make this option dicey in nature. Most of the drugs prescribed in the treatment of ADHD are antidepressants that are mild forms of amphetamines and so tend to cause sleeplessness and a buildup of nervous energy in the children. Those with epileptic tendencies are also prone to seizures when on these drugs. Some children suffer from a reduction in red blood cells and platelet counts.

Herbal remedies on the other hand are as effective as their allopathic counterparts in getting the disorder under control when administered in the right doses. Some herbs that are exceptionally useful in this discipline are Gingko Biloba, Scuttelaria, German Chamomile, Hawthorn, Avena Sativa, Rooibos, Lemon Balm, Gotu Kola, Lobelia and Valerian. There are various readymade herbal prescriptions made using these drugs that are available at local stores or on the Internet that you could try as an alternative to antidepressants to treat your ADHD child.

The Chinese have a similar herbal cure for the disorder which they believe is caused by the imbalance of yin and yang in the kidney, with the yang overcompensating for the lack of yin. Accordingly, Chinese herbal remedies focus on enhancing the yin, calming down the excessive yang, and opening up the openings to the heart so that the brain is able to function efficiently. The herbs used for these purposes are rehmannia, deer antler gelatin, tortoise shell, lyceum, cornus, acorus, curcuma, dragon bone, dragon teeth, oyster shell, succimun, cinnabar, phellodendron, anemarrhena, alpinia, and polygala.

Other natural remedies you can try at home to calm your ADHD child include going low on the sugar in any form and getting your child to play outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine. Make sure their diet includes lots of fresh vegetables and fruits that provide adequate protein and other nutrients. Some foods cause allergies that may bring on ADHD, so get your child tested to see what foods agree with him/her and what don’t. You could also protect them from sensory overloads – visual, audio and mental – that affect their ability to focus and bring on the aggressiveness and irritability. Brain exercises that help them focus on one particular activity work well with some children while adults may benefit from both physical and mental activities. ADHD is treatable and controllable, with the right amount of patience, medication and care.

This post was contributed by Kelly Kilpatrick, who writes on the subject of the online nursing programs. She invites your feedback at kellykilpatrick24 at gmail dot com.

Tags: therapeutic, dietary supplement, herbal, ayurvedic, supplements

The little boy next door named Tim is a little bundle of worry. He just doesn’t obey anyone, not even his mom. He has been this way ever since we moved in two years back and he is already three now. Every half an hour we can either, hear him or his mom yelling and screaming at him. His condition is now an agony for his mom. When he was an year old, he was considered to be smarter than others because he was faster in moving, blabbering; his mischief too was a sense of pride; but the situation is becoming worse day after day and today it has already become a cause for concern.

I am sure this is not only the story of Tim. Around 10% of kids suffer this kind of a condition. They just can’t pay attention, they are restless, are inobedient and are at times even very sluggish and adamant. Though this condition is not fatal, it increases the challenges to be faced by the kid and many a times if not tapped at the right age can even progress to adulthood. This would then interfere in all aspects of his life. Thus the need to tap this disorder, (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD) is vital.

Though boys are more likely to suffer from ADHD, girls have not completely escaped from this threat. Hence we need to know more about this long winding disorder, so read on where a few commonly arising questions are answered.

Q - How do I know if my kid is having ADHD, restlessness is very common among many kids?
ADHD can be categorized by three main symptoms:
• hyperactivity and impulsiveness
• Inattention
• A combination of both

A hyperactive kid would have trouble sitting in one place, playing a single game for more than a few minutes and so on. He would be impulsive at times and act before thinking. Yelling and shouting would typically be his forte. On the other hand, a kid suffering the inattentive symptoms would be a dreamer, he would never be recognized by his peers, teachers or neighbours. He would be in his own world and talk very little. The third category of patients demonstrate both the earlier explained symptoms at times. However, the very fact that your kid is showing one of the three categories of symptoms doesn’t put him under the ADHD bracket.

A kid under seven years is diagnosed as having ADHD only when one of the three symptom categories is displayed by him for a period of at least six months at a stretch. Moreover, these symptoms should not follow any mis-happening or stress giving state for the kid in