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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
The problems experienced by a person may be the result
of long term suffering or from associated conditions. Homeopaths take
complete history in to consideration to select the right remedy as
everything is connected and inter dependent. Homeopathic remedies work
towards improving the constitution of the person.
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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