Alternative Medicine for ADD or ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder)
What Works?
Your little ones refuse to sit still. You are physically and mentally tired. Is there anything you can do to get them to stay in one place and concentrate on something?Attention deficit disorder (ADD) is on the rise these days. Some believe that the increasing incidence of ADD is due to the environment in which our kids grow up. Others blame it on the modern diet. Can alternative medicine for ADD help children with this problem? Maybe. Below are some alternative therapies for ADD that could help calm your kids.
Biofeedback
What Is It?This technique trains people to improve their health by using a machine that measures body signals like brain waves. The treatment is designed to ensure that patients begin to recognize and check previously uncontrolled responses.
The technique was introduced in the 1960s. The sensors of the biofeedback machine are first attached to the patient's body. The sensors then get to work, measuring various bodily signals like muscle tension and heart rate, transforming them into beeps or lights that a patient can easily understand.
Is It an Effective Alternative Medicine for ADD/ADHD?
Although scientists cannot pinpoint how or why it works, biofeedback effectively alleviates certain health problems. One of its success stories has been in treating ADD. A study conducted at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville found evidence that biofeedback is a useful, drug-free method of treating kids with hyperactivity disorder.
There are many biofeedback techniques. Among them, electromyogram (EMG) biofeedback focuses specifically on developing the child's ability to recognize and reduce their own muscle tension. The child thus feels more relaxed. Several studies suggest that EMG biofeedback can decrease hyperactivity and problem behaviors like impulsiveness and aggression.
Another type, electroencephalogram (EEG) biofeedback therapy, was developed following observations that children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have excessive theta (slow) wave and decreased beta (fast) wave activity on EEG. It is believed that teaching children to alter their EEG pattern through biofeedback may help normalize their cortical function.
Note 1
This research was conducted on machines used by trained counselors, not on home biofeedback devices.
Note 2
Sometimes, as many as 30 to 50 sessions are required. However, results are usually seen after 15 to 20 sessions.
Benefits of Massage Therapy
What Is It?Massage therapy is an alternative medicine technique that touches the skin and affects the muscles directly beneath it. Massage oils are often used. Massage therapy helps improve blood flow through the body. Although generally used to induce relaxation, massage is also effective in treating conditions like high blood pressure, sinusitis, headache and insomnia.
Is It an Effective Alternative Medicine for ADD/ADHD?
Massage therapy is believed to effectively improve the mood and behavior of children with ADHD.
In studies conducted at the Touch Research Institutes, Florida, adolescents with ADHD rated themselves as happier following massage sessions. They were also observed to be less fidgety following massage therapy.
It was also found that children with ADHD showed better on-task behavior in the classroom and were rated less hyperactive by their teachers following one month of twice-weekly massages.
Music Therapy
What Is It?Music therapy is the use of specific music to help people with disorders like depression and Alzheimer's. Music therapy also helps people with intellectual impairments and learning difficulties. It is said that between the years 1600 and 1750, Baroque music composers such as Handel, Vivaldi, Corelli and Bach specifically set out to create music that would uplift spirits and free the mind of earthly concerns.
Is It an Effective Alternative Medicine for ADD/ADHD?
There are claims that white noise could help with the condition. However, ensure that your kids listen to music with a slower tempo. One study from 1981 found that hyperactive boys made more errors than healthy boys while listening to fast music. Both groups performed equally well when listening to slower-tempo music.
Contact your nearest music therapist to get more advice on the kinds of music that are suitable for treating ADD and ADHD.
The Feingold Diet
What Is It?The Feingold diet originated in allergist Dr. Benjamin Feingold's observation that the rise in hyperactivity and learning disabilities among children appeared to coincide with the increasing use of artificial salicylates in food additives and colorings. He reported that eliminating foods containing artificial and natural salicylates (foods like aspirin, Pepto-Bismol, apples, berries, citrus, cucumbers, grapes, tomatoes and tea) from the diet improves the behavior of ADHD children by 50 percent.
Is It an Effective Alternative Medicine for ADD/ADHD?
One of the cheapest solutions is to eliminate or reduce sugar in your ADHD child's diet. However, the medical world largely believes that this system does not work. Studies suggest that the Feingold diet is not as effective as claimed.
Our opinion? Each child is different. We have met parents who reported that cutting down on sugar-rich foods works for their kids. We think it is worth a try. Just keep tabs on what your child eats everyday. A lot of food that is considered healthy may contain large amounts of sugar. A case in point is breakfast cereal. In most cases, 40 percent of cereals are just plain sugar.
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