Natural Herbal Remedies and Cures

If your child has been diagnosed with ADHD, it’s important for you to research all your options. There are many effective natural treatments available that have no side effects.

Sometimes something as simple as changing your child’s diet can help a lot. Reducing the amount of sugar and caffeine your child is taking in can improve his behavior drastically. Sometimes a child has a food allergy that his parents aren’t aware of. Wheat and refined carbohydrates are prime candidates, as well as artificial coloring and preservatives. Removing these allergens can help reduce his symptoms.

You may want to consider massage therapy, which may help your child to relax and focus better. Feedback therapies can also help improve your child’s concentration. Reflexology, relaxation training, and music therapy may help, too.

There are also behavioral therapies. A psychologist can help your child change his thought patterns so he can get along better with others and be more successful. Social skills training can also help your child learn how to develop and maintain relationships.

Support groups for parents are very important too. You’ll find out you’re not alone in this, and you can get help and support from other parents who know what you’re dealing with. Educating yourself is very important so you can help your child.

Your doctor may not be aware of it, but homeopathic and herbal remedies are available that help your ADHD child to concentrate better. These remedies support your child’s brain and nervous system, and help him to feel better. Flower essences may calm your child and relieve hyperactivity.

Here is a list of herbs that are helpful for ADHD:

• St. John’s Wort is very good for depression, fear, insomnia, anxiety, feelings of worthlessness, nerve pain, and night terrors.
• Kava Kava relieves anxiety, stress, insomnia, tension headaches, ADHD, and pain from muscle spasms or inflammation. It doesn’t knock you out like some sedatives do.
• Siberian Ginseng helps your body adapt to stressful situations. It also helps with endurance and concentration.
• Skullcap works as a sedative. It’s useful for insomnia, restless sleep, agitation, and nervous exhaustion.
• Chamomile is a mild sedative that is really good for helping babies and children fall asleep.
• Green oat extracts are used for insomnia, and nervousness.
• Schisandra increases brain efficiency and work capacity. It’s also useful for insomnia.
• Lemon Balm helps to nourish the nervous system.

You may want to explore aromatherapy, which is the use of essential oils to relieve pain, reduce tension and fatigue and invigorate the entire body. These essential oils may be helpful:

• Lavender is a sedative. Rubbing a few drops on your child’s feet, shoulders, or chest can help him relax and go to sleep.
• Cedarwood stimulates brain function. You can rub a few drops on your child’s forehead and neck, or let him smell it for a few minutes.
• Vetiver has a musky, smoky aroma that can calm your child and help him be more patient and agreeable. It’s also helpful for depression.
• Frankincense is often used for improving mental function.
• Smelling orange essential oil can help your child relax.

Natural non-drug treatments for ADHD should always be your first step in treating your child. A healthy lifestyle and a good diet, combined with herbs and homeopathic treatments, can be very effective in controlling your child’s symptoms.

There is no correlation between people suffering from ADHD and their accomplishments in life. Albert Einstein, Nelson Rockefeller, Galileo, and Thomas Edison are just some of the few famous people who suffer with ADHD.

ADHD can be treated with new drug called Focalin XR. ADHD is more prevalent in boys than girls. There are three types of ADHD, namely predominantly inattentive type, predominantly hyperactive/ impulsive type and a combination of both.

As the name implies, the predominantly inattentive type has symptoms of inattention i.e. absentmindedness, distractibility, a short attention span, and difficulty organizing things. The person suffering from predominantly hyperactive / impulsive ADHA has symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity i.e. unable to be seated in one place for a prolonged period, difficulty for waiting his/her turn. In the combined type, both inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity is observed.

After dinner walks, playing in the yard and other outside activities reduces ADHD symptoms. Your diet is also a factor in treating ADHD symptoms. The brand of cookie, potato chip, and ice cream you select in the grocery shop, and the vegetable or fruit you prefer will have a direct effect on your health, ability, and behavior. The products you buy in the grocery shop may contain some chemicals that activate irritability or hyperactivity.

The holistic approach with naturopathic drugs proved to be more effective than the strong and addictive psychiatric drugs (Ritalin, Concerta, and Adderall) in the ADHD treatment. The herbal remedies are used to treat the symptoms gently and effectively.

Common herbal remedies for the treatment of ADHD are Ginkgo biloba, Scuttellaria laterifolia (skull cap), Matricaria recutita(German chamomile), Centella asiatica( Gotu cola) Avina sativa( Green oats), Utrica urens ( Umbabazane in Africa) and Aspalathus linearis ( Rooibos). A natural remedy is less detrimental to your overall health than that of prescription drugs. Children who are using psychiatric drugs such as Ritalin, Concreta and Adderall may develop an addiction and other side effects to their health.

People with ADHD may have other related conditions such as learning disorders, ophthalmic convergence insufficiency, conduct disorder, and antisocial personality disorder. ADHD patients are more likely to have a family member with ADHD or one of the related conditions, implying that ADHD may be genetic.

The popular way to treat a child with ADD or ADHD is to pump him full of Ritalin. This drug is popular because it works. But in the past few year, it has also become a very controversial treatment. This is because many parents whose child is on Ritalin have seen that it can have very unpleasant side effects.

Turing to alternative remedies

Because of this, many of these parents have turned to alternative remedies for these disorders.

In fact, there are studies showing a change in your child’s diet can be quite effective in treating the disorder. One recommended solution is to cut down on the amount of foods that are high in sugars and carbohydrates that your child eats. Instead, substitute more fruit and leafy green vegetables as this may help control the problem.

Vitamins, minerals and a proper diet

Many doctors also suggest you feed the child more vitamins and minerals as they can provide additional nutritional value. Plus, if they are used in combination with a proper diet, they can help smooth the change from medications to natural remedies.

There are parents who have used natural remedies and say that herbs are the key to treating these disorders. They say these herbs should be used in combination with specific oils, as well as vitamin B, and chamomile tea as a way to help reduce the child’s anxiety. These parents also say that the child should receive lots of rest and drink at least six to eight glasses of water a day.

Get the right diagnosis

There is another important factor to consider if your child is diagnosed as having ADD/ADHD. The problem is that most schools do not have the funds necessary for have qualified specialists on staff. This means your child can be incorrectly diagnosed by a social worker or school psychologist and may not have ADD/ADHD at all.

Your child should be properly diagnosed by a specialist M.D. You should also work with that person to decide your child’s treatment — whether it’s conventional medicine or natural remedies.

The good news is that these disorders can often be controlled by loving parents who are willing to work with their child to decrease the problems that can cause this disorder.