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The No Medication Route

The No Medication Route

I have often wondered if there are alternative methods for helping a child with ADHD to calm down to the state where they can listen and learn without medication, but I still have not found it. Do you use The No Medication Route? If so, what works for you?

Route Medication The

I don't know how much this will help, but here are some learning tricks I learned when I was a child. For every hour one studies, one should get a 10 minute break. For children I believe the time is study 20 minutes get a 10 minute break. Also, he may need some extra sleep. This is just stuff I was reading about on the internet. I googled "ritalin substitute" to get the sleep information. Other than that I really can't say much. As he gets older he will learn to cope with it, if not control it.

The No Medication Route Health & Special Psychology

I am trying to find as much as possible information about this. I suspended the medication (Concerta) from my ADHD son, these couple of days he has not taken the meds. I am very concerned about the side effects, he lost weight, he is never hungry...it is a struggle to get him eat something!, he has a hard time falling asleep and last night he had a terrible headache. BUT without the meds, he is not interested at all about doing his work (I homeschool) and is extremely hyper. You all can well imagine that without the medication he is almost impossible to handle.

I research about Behavior Modification (there is a thread about it) and I am still weighing options.

How do you handle your special need's son WITHOUT medication?

Edited: LDS_forever on 13th Sep, 2006 - 8:50pm

Route Medication The

It's somewhat funny that the reason I found this website was when I was researching alternate ways to focusing without medication.
I have ADD, my mother had once started me on this program where you have to listen to Mozart for so many minutes, and there are certain pieces he has written which I am told actually "rewires" your brain. Though I am not sure if this actually "rewires" the brain, I do now actually listen to it when I do homework. My little sister, who is home schooled as your son is, is forced to listen to classical music. She listens to classical music, or any real instrumental music during sessions where she has to read or do work on her own. I am not sure if it is a cure, but it does for some reason help, it least people in my family focus. I hope this little tip helps you, and I am very sorry about the side effects for the Concerta. It works wonders for me, perhaps lowering the dose?

Route Medication The

Bugs, thanks for sharing your experience. Could you tell me the name of Mozart's pieces you are referring to?

The No Medication Route

After very careful thought, I am resolving to go down the line of homeopathy, and am going to take my Daughter to see a homeopathic practicioner in January.
I was recommended this treatment as it is all natural made from plants, herbs etc. To be honest I have got to the stage that I'm willing to try anything that doesn't involve prescribed chemical type medication that is going to knock her off her feet. I believe that there are too many side effects to be risking these prescribed medication on her (at this stage, and only personally speaking for my own case)
Obviously you must follow what your GP is saying to you, as all cases are different.
I don't fully understand how homeopathy works, but from the bits that I have gathered, the person is treated for the whole body and self, and thus brings back the person from an imbalance, to ensure that they are 'balanced' again.

I have been recommended this a few times, but have always put off looking into it. Now that I have looked into it, it appears for the practicioner that I have got (I am guessing they are all priced individually) he charges £50 (around $75) for the first consultation, which lasts 1-2 hours, and then followed on by monthly to 2 monthly visits at £35 (around $52) including the homeopathic treatment.

After carefully weighing this up, I felt that it was quite reasonable, and although it's extra money that I've got to find each month, she is now at the stage that we have got to try something to calm her down, without 'dosing' her up.

Because of her behavioral problems I don't think that I am looking at a 'quick fix' cure here, but hopefully over time I will see some improvement!

The Medication Route

It has been quite awhile since we gave any kind of prescribed medication to our son and we are glad that we did. We do give him vitamins and cod liver oil, but we are not sure if he derives any kind of plus from that or if it is just that as he gets older he is able to calm himself down a little more. At times we do feel like we need some kind of prescribed drug to make him calm down, but at the same time the side effects are just not worth it. Since stopping the medication Felipe has put on a lot of weight and has a tremendous appetite, we often wonder if he does not use food as his new medication.

The Medication Route Psychology Special & Health

Drugs for ADHD 'not the answer'

Giving children drugs for ADHD works no better than doing nothing in the long-term, according to a BBC report.
Ref. https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7090011.stm