Treating ADD

When it comes to treating attention deficit disorder in children and adults there are natural remedies and treatments that involve medications. Depending on the severity of the condition a doctor may recommend a balance of natural therapy and medications to help curb hyperactivity and impulsive behavior. Unfortunately, as with many disorders, no one treatment is guaranteed to work and parents of children with ADD may have to try several methods before finding a solution to their children's ADD. Also, medications have shown short-term improvement in behavior and calming down but have not been proven to better a child's achievement or behavioral issues over the long term. In addition there have been concerns from many in the medical community about the adverse affects of ADD medications on a child's brain development. Treating ADD is not easy and needs to be approached with caution.

When treating ADD naturally many experts recommend a balance of exercise, nutrition and sleep. Children who are prone to hyperactivity and attention deficit won't benefit from lack of sleep, poor exercise or a diet high in sugar. All of these can combine to worsen a condition of ADD. If you have a child that is diagnosed with ADD it is important that they get a healthy routine of physical activity that can help boost the brain's dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin levels that can help a child focus. Involving your child in exercises that require concentration and team sports is a good way to get them to focus on something they enjoy which can help establish a habit of focus that will carry over to their schoolwork.

In addition to exercise it is important that your child has a healthy diet and gets the proper amount of sleep. If your kid is going to bed at different times and consuming lots of candy and soda, the symptoms of his ADD will only become worse. By setting and enforcing a regular bedtime and reducing physical activity hours before bedtime you can help your child get the rest he needs to be less irritable the next day. Also discourage a child's use of television, electronics and video games prior to bed since these stimulants can keep them awake at night. Zinc, iron and magnesium are shown to be low in children with ADD so when monitoring a diet make sure to include foods and vitamins that will help restore levels of these minerals. You will also want to reduce unhealthy foods such as junk food, soda and candy that will only make ADD symptoms worse.

While there are medications that are prescribed for ADD, including Ritalin and Adderall, many doctors are reluctant to prescribe it because each has side effects that can include irritability, insomnia and loss of appetite. Also, most medications for ADD provide temporary relief but can't be counted on for a long-term solution. Doctors who prescribe ADD medications ask that parents carefully monitor their child when on the medication and stop the dosage if they don't notice any improvement or if the side effects are more damaging than the relief. Treating ADD in children and adults is not easy and needs to be approached with caution and care to ensure someone suffering from ADD gets the right treatment to improve their attention deficit disorder.

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