Summer Months - The Ideal Time for a Drug
Holiday While Trying Alternative Treatment Approaches to
Medication for ADHD
With the school year rapidly whisking to
its final days, many parents of ADHD children on medication
question whether to give their child a summer drug holiday or
continue medicating through the summer.
For the large majority of children, the school environment is the
impetus for using ADHD medication. If the child’s Attention
Deficit Disorder symptoms present problems mostly at school but
the child functions relatively well at home, there is no real need
to continue with ADHD medication during the summer months.
Parents uncomfortable with giving their children stimulant
medication commonly give their children drug holidays when school
is not in session. Drug holidays are especially important for
children who experience negative
ADHD medication side effects.
Stopping ADHD medication during the summer does not need to be an
all or nothing decision. Parents can medicate on an as needed
basis. Medicate if the child needs sustained attention and focus
while attending summer school, summer camps or organized sports
activities and forego the ADHD medications for the more lazy hazy
portions of summer.
Stimulant medications like Ritalin, Adderall and Concerta can be
taken on an as needed basis. Strattera is the only ADHD medication
that needs to build in the body. Children on
Strattera
can still
take the summer months off but they will need to start back on
Strattera at least one month before the next school year if
continuing with the ADHD medication route.
Though some physicians recommend keeping children on ADHD
medication year-round, the National Institute of Mental Health
recommends temporarily stopping ADHD medication during school
breaks and summer months when focus and calm behavior are not as
crucial.
We refer to the “higher authority” on this issue, as well as gut
instinct, and also recommend that parents give their children a
break from medication whenever possible.
Occasional drug holidays also serve the purpose
of determining whether the child truly needs to remain on ADHD
medication. Although summer is not a true test of how well the
child will function in the working environment of school, summer
is a time to test general behavioral improvements without
medication. The three months away from the rigorous demands of
school also provide an ideal time to try alternatives to ADHD medication
for ADHD.
Each individual is uniquely complex. There is no cookie-cutter
treatment for ADHD and no one method can universally be applied to
all. Often, the most effective ADHD natural treatment plan is one
that incorporates many modalities. It is best to try many
approaches, stick with the ones that work and discard the rest.
The same goes for ADHD medication. If the ADHD medication route
does not produce desired results, find an alternative to
medication for ADHD that will provide success.
There are many ADHD treatment options
available. Some have solid research data to back the level of
effectiveness. Others rely on observational studies and theories
to back the treatment approach. The synopsis of ADHD alternative
treatment methods provided in this article is for general
informational purposes only and is not meant as a substitute for a
medical evaluation.
Nutritional Therapy as a Natural
Treatment Alternative to ADHD Medication:
The alternative treatment to medication
for ADHD that has received the most scientific research to date is
nutrition therapy. Study
after study conducted in the field of nutrition, Attention Deficit
and neurological functional continue to point to the need for
increased amino acids and fatty acids for optimal brain
functioning. Nutritional supplementation is necessary if the daily
diet does not provide ample amounts of essential fatty acids,
amino acids and other brain-friendly nutrients. The typical
American diet is highly deficient in the Omega 3 family of fatty
acids and many essential amino acids.
Attend is one
of the best - if not the best - natural nutritional
treatment supplements on the market today. Clinical studies
conducted on Attend show that Attend offers the same level of
effectiveness as ADHD medications without adverse side effects.
EEG Biofeedback (Neurofeedback) as a
Natural Treatment Alternative to ADHD Medication:
Over the past two decades EEG
biofeedback (neurofeedback) has emerged as a viable ADHD treatment
alternative. Neurofeedback trains the brain to control its own
brainwave activity through immediate feedback. Neurofeedback can
help improve sleep patterns, decrease anxiety and depression and
manage attention and out of control emotions. True ADHD people
generally respond very well to neurofeedback while people with
specific learning disabilities or conduct disorders generally
receive less benefit.
Patients usually need between 30 and 40 sessions to effectively
control their brainwave activity. The downside is cost - anywhere
from $2,000 to $4,000 depending on provider charges. Home EEG
Biofeedback machines, patient-directed biofeedback can provide a
cost-effective alternative to therapist-directed treatment.
Neuro-linguistic Programming as a
Natural Treatment Alternative to ADHD Medication:
NLP reprograms negative conscious and
subconscious attitudes and beliefs through a variety of techniques
drawn from hypnotherapy, linguistic analysis and psychotherapy.
Self-help guru Anthony Robbins popularized NLP but this ADHD
treatment remedy is generally considered outside mainstream
medical practice.
NLP has no documented adverse side effects so
trying this modification alternative can’t hurt and can quite
possible help. If NLP works, it will work quicker than EEG
biofeedback at significantly less cost. There is wide variety of
books, audio tapes and videos are available for people interested
in trying NLP self treatment. If using a trainer or practitioner,
seek out one with specific ADHD experience and training.
Behavior Modification and Counseling
as a Natural Treatment Alternative to ADHD Medication:
This alternative to ADHD medication is the most
accepted and mainstream. It is important to find a counselor
experienced and trained in the field of Attention Deficit. Like
many other ADHD alternative treatment methods, behavior
modification and counseling is not scientifically proven to help
but that does not mean it won’t help. After all, smoking is not
“scientifically proven” to cause lung cancer yet statistics
solidly connect the two.
Chiropractic as a Natural Treatment
Alternative to ADHD Medication:
Observational studies suggest that chiropractic manipulation as a
natural treatment alternative can help with ADHD and attention
issue. This alternative to ADHD medication works best for those
whose ADHD symptoms are caused by spinal nerve pressure or
irritation. Traumatic births, early childhood injuries, other
injuries and scoliosis can place the nervous system out of
alignment. Many chiropractors incorporate neuromusculoskeletal
adjustment alongside
diet modifications
and nutritional supplementation. There is debate about the safety
of chiropractic manipulation on children.
Acupuncture/Acupressure as a Natural
Treatment Alternative to ADHD Medication:
Acupuncture as a natural treatment alternative to ADHD medication
follows a similar vein of thinking as chiropractic but instead of
aligning the spine, acupuncture works to align and balance energy
paths within the body. Acupressure is used for children afraid of
needles. This alterative to ADHD medication likely receives the
most criticism by Western medicine as “quackery” but some parents
report benefits from using acupuncture on their children. The
acupuncturist might also include herbal and homeopathic remedy
treatment alongside acupuncture or acupressure.
Back to
Archived Newsletters page.
