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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
 ADHD and Symptoms
Conventional Treatment
Homeopathic Approach
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD or ADD) is a condition in
which some children have difficulty controlling their behavior and/or paying attention.
The main characteristics of ADHD are hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity.
Not all children with ADHD have the same symptoms.
People with ADD and ADHD display their stress in different ways depending on their unique
make-up. They may show distraction, spaciness, boredom, compulsive tendencies, depression or
aggression, and lack of self-confidence. Though the symptoms displayed can be very diverse
for each child, conventional
approach tends to label each child with one diagnosis. The symptoms are controlled as long as
medication is administered. What happens when the underlying causes are never
resolved as the
child goes into adulthood? The symptoms such as anger and/or depression have
manifested for a reason and will not
magically disappear unless they are addressed.
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Children suffering from ADHD perform very poorly in school, may have behavioral issues at home,
and have difficulty in
social relationships with other children.
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Children with ADHD have difficulty concentrating and paying attention,
especially when they are forced to sit at their school or home to complete
their homework assignments. If a child suffering from ADHD chooses to do an
activity himself, he may well sit and do it for hours and be completely
involved in it.
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For a child with ADHD, it may be extremely difficult to follow any instructions.
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Children with ADHD misplace books, homework assignments, jackets etc.
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Children with ADHD have trouble making and keeping friends.
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Children with ADHD can be uncomfortably intrusive, interrupting others, and
verbally loud to make sure
their needs are attended to. They are often also described as silly and immature.
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ADHD children may be perceived in the school environment as troublemakers.
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ADHD children may be very bright, but may not succeed in any task that requires sitting still,
paying attention, and concentration.
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Parents of ADHD children complain about having to repeat instructions again and again even to get
the simplest things done.
Conventional Treatment  Top
The most commonly prescribed stimulants for children with
ADHD are Ritalin, Dexedrine and Cylert. At least 2 million children in the United States are prescribed stimulant medications for ADHD.
This number doubles every two years. A report by the United Nations in
1996 revealed that 3 to 5 percent of school aged children in the United States
were taking Ritalin.
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Stimulants provide only short term superficial healing
and do not in any way treat the root cause of the problem.
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The effect of stimulants last only for four to eight hours.
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Stimulants do not treat all the symptoms manifested in
children who suffer from ADHD.
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Stimulants seem to be effective only in 70% of the
children with ADHD.
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Stimulants can cause side effects such as appetite loss,
insomnia, anxiety, headaches, tics and stomachaches.
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Parents of some children with ADHD who were administered
these stimulants report other side effects such as increased heart rate or blood pressure, drowsiness,
social withdrawal, irritability and moodiness, and involuntary movements or sounds.
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Stimulants get children into the habit of taking drugs.
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Stimulants may need to be taken throughout life as they do not address
the problems from root cause of the problem..
Ritalin is derived from the same family of drugs as cocaine. In some schools, 30 percent of the
children are on these stimulants. Many stop using Ritalin because of side
effects; however, a few patients never outgrow their need for the stimulant. The Food and Drug Administration
released a
study in 2001 showing that high doses of Ritalin given to mice may
cause hepatoblastoma, a rare form of liver cancer;
however the FDA still
regards the drug as safe and effective.
If prescribed stimulants don't seem to help the child with ADHD, the physician may recommend
Antidepressants or 'Off label medicines', which means the medicines that are approved by FDA for use in adults
or older children, but not for younger children.
Homeopathic Approach Top
Homeopathy offers natural, effective remedies for children suffering from ADHD. Rather than suppressing the
symptoms of restlessness, difficulty in focusing, and lack of behavioral control, Homeopathy gets to
the root cause of the problem and works to bring the system into a state of balance. Homeopathy
individualizes the child by his/her unique qualities and conditions such as
genetic predisposition, anxiety, depression,
fear, grief, low self-esteem and anger, rather than labeling the child with one
general diagnosis. Children with symptoms of ADD can also have very wonderful qualities.
They are often curious, communicative, passionate and lively. Homeopathy will not diminish these
qualities, but works only to address the symptoms that are out of balance.
As Homeopathic remedies are chosen to treat the whole person rather than to
treat a disease, it also
takes into consideration physical symptoms such as asthma, frequent ear infections or whatever health issues
the individual may have when choosing the most suitable remedy for the child.
Also very important, Homeopathic remedies do not produce any side effects
if administered correctly.
Children with
ADHD who undergo homeopathic treatment may experience results in a few weeks
and will continue to experience improvement over time. Under Homeopathic treatment,
children with ADHD will experience improved
concentration, improved behavior at school and at home, better grades in
school, and better social relationships. In addition, they will be less restlessness,
less impulsive,
and they will experience improved overall health and general immunity.
However although improvements in behavior and health will be observed
in few weeks, it may be necessary to continue the treatment for a year or two
in order to obtain the complete, more long-lasting
benefits of homeopathic treatment.
If the child is already on stimulants and Homeopathic treatment is being
considered, the child can continue the
stimulant medication while taking homeopathic remedies. The stimulants can be slowly reduced
under the recommendation of the child's doctor.
DISCLAIMER: The information provided is for educational purposes only. It is not
meant to diagnose or treat any health condition and is not a replacement for
treatment by a healthcare provider.
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