Forum Thermomix
Welcoming Center, Management and General Chat => Chit Chat => Topic started by: dede on September 19, 2011, 12:34:20 pm
-
My 13 year old DS was diagnosed with ADHD when he was 3 and has been on and off medication ever since, I have taken them off him a few times over the years to see if they really do make a difference or not (OMG they definitely did).
I know there is a lot of people who totally disagree with medication but when you see your child suffering at school, with his friends and family because they just cant control their behavior then medication some times becomes a necessity.
Anyway as my DS has become a teenager the only medication he can have is now causing him to have constant headaches and migraines even on the lowest dose so I have come to the decision to take him off them and concentrate on his diet to try and help with his behavior problems.
I really need to do something as his school and social life really suffer when he is misbehaving and not concentrating.
Anyones help with what to avoid and how to substitute foods would be of great help.
Thanks in advance
Mandi
-
Dede, sorry cant help you there but
BIG HUGS
Hally :)
-
I have no advice except to google & read as much as you can on this matter but to also seek help from the professionals who have obviously been treating your DS all this time. It may be time to try something different though and perhaps see a Naturopath in relation to this Mandi? Good luck with whatever you can find to help your DS.
-
The failsafe families on the forum may be able to assist with some resource suggestions for you Mandi. The failsafe elimination diet involves placing your child on a restricted diet and gradually reintroducing food and monitoring the child for reactions to the food. It involves a huge committment but is the only way that I am aware of to really see if your son is reacting to food and which foods they are. Sometimes it can be natural goods such as grapes or tomatoes that trigger the difficult behaviour. Generally though just avoiding refined sugar and preservatives, flavours, colours etc will all help him. Good luck Mandi! :)
-
Mandi, I'm not much help either, as I have no personal experience with ADHD. I can only try to imagine what you and your poor boy go through :(
My son is only 2 (will be 3 in November), but I am very conscious of what he eats as I notice a big change in his behaviour when he's had preservatives & additives. My daughter never reacted like this, so it was a bit of a learning curve - and the TMX has been a tremendous help in this.
So, I can only tell you what I do - and perhaps it could be a starting point for you. I really love Julie Eadie's book "Additive Alert" & in it is a little yellow card that I now carry in my wallet & refer to it when I'm grocery shopping.
I've never tried to include a photo in my posts, so I'll give it a go now, so you can see this yellow card with the main "nasties" to avoid.
I am not trying in any way to say this is the answer... Just thought I'd post it & perhaps it could be something you could look into. I just can't imagine how difficult ADHD must be for the whole family.
I wish you all the best,
Karen
-
Thanks Chelsea. That's about what I thought I might have to do. Willbe really hard for him but I think it could be a big help. He suffers depression as well when he's not on the medication because he gets insolvent much trouble and his friends dis own him. And I have noticed it's got worse as he gets older.
And Karen thank you. I actually have that book and forgot about it. I got it when I brought my TM.
-
Dede just be careful how you stop the meds, i know you will . Big hugs and kiss for him
-
Failsafe to start, then we also did gluten free and dairy free. We tried Ritalin, but it has both gluten and dairy in it and the result was a child on speed who ran everywhere and stuttered because he was talking so quickly. We have been living by the FedUp and RPA Friendly Food books for about 3 years. Yes it can be tough but DS is accepting because of how much better he feels. Also, find yourself an understanding and supportive dietician. I have been experimenting with failsafe recipe's and must start posting some! Thermomix has been a life saver!!! Goodluck ....
-
Good luck to you and your son dede. I have taught children with ADHD and know how difficult life can be.
-
So glad for you dede that there is forum members, with the same understand with what you are going through. not glad but you know what i mean
-
Thanks guys, I think I have a better understanding already about what failsafe is. And as for the medication he is on a real low dose at the moment as the higher dose was causing a lot of head aches, but sadly he seems to be suffering to many on the low dose as well now.
The doctor did mention giving him a preventative for the migraines as well as his ADHD medication at the same time but I'm not keen on that. And as he is nearly 14 he should grow out of it (Or learn to deal with it) pretty soon. I just don't want him to suffer at school.
Lots of reading and research coming up for me I do think, And another appointment to see the Paediatrician.
-
Dede one of the main triggers for my DS (17yo) is shop bought bread. I know as soon as he comes home if he has eaten it at a friends place. He too has been on and off meds over the years. Back on a very low dose to get us through years 11 & 12. He comes off them for holidays - just so I can tear my hair out a little more :D
He gets insomnia generally on his meds so they wanted to put him on a sleeping tablet as well :o :o NO THANK YOU - lets just give him uppers for the day and downers for the night :(
I think you will find it will just be a case of trial and error as you go but definitely you are doing the right thing already by avoiding preservatives and additives in general.
Remember we are always here for you :-* :-*
Oh and when you really feel like you want to knock him into next week- just so you can have a break ... just mutter under your breath... there is a reason some animals eat their young! Generally makes me giggle every time :-* :-* :-*
-
Wouldn't you love to know just what is in shop bought bread. Since making all my own my husband barely snores however if he buys some when out I know all about it.
Good luck Mandi,I guess it comes down to trial and error. So easy when you know exactly what to eliminate.
-
Parenting certainly can be hard at times that's for sure. But I guess it all just comes down to we want to do the best for our kids. And I think all parents deserve a reward if their kids make it to adult hood without killing them. (or eating them lol)
Interesting note about the bread. Even more reason I need a new oven.
-
Failsafe is probably a good idea! I would definatly avoid all food additives, especially supermarket bread! Wheat, dairy and sallicylates and sugar can have huge impact on behavior too, mu son is not ADHD but behaves like he is if consumes these foods so I imagine they would probably effect a child with ADHD as well. There is also a natural homeopathic ADHD remedy that friends of mine have had success with I will find out what it is called and get back to you. It might be worth seeing a good kinesiologist as they can test to see what foods are effecting your son and also can do exercises etc to help with left right brain integration, concentration and learning issues!
-
I have had a good read of the additive alert book and made note of the types of additives that are know to cause hyperactivity and behavioral problems. It will take me some time to aliminate a large amount that's in everyday foods I buy but at least I can identify them and see how that helps. Would be great to go completely medication free for him.
-
I notice significant behavioural changes in one of my sons after eating store bought bread too. Not nice stuff! Fingers crossed you find another oven soon Mandi. :)
Golly you make me laugh Kathryn. You are such a champion!
-
Hi Mandi
Failsafe is a good place to start with eliminating preservatives and additives but I would recommend looking at the GAPS protocol.
(Gut and Psychology Sundrome)
A Neurologist/Doctor by the name of Natasha Campbell-McBride developed this program after curing (yes, curing) her son of autism.
It is recommended for Autism, Aspergers, ADHD and ADD. She has worked with hundreds of patients since then.
It is heavy going and it is a big lifestyle change but there are amazing results to be had if you can stick it out. In a nutshell, the program works on the connection between the state of the patients gut and the functioning of the brain. To anybody who hasn't researched this before, it sounds a bit foreign but once you start reading up on it you will really start to see the scientific sense in it.
There is heaps of info online, just google GAPS or Natasha Campbell-McBride.
Fermented foods make up a big part of the diet, re-establishing gut flora and healing the gut - there are lots of things that will be off the menu but your Thermomix will be a very handy tool to have in the kitchen if you follow the diet.
-
I have just started investigating the GAPS diet after talking to a customer of mine and then 4 days later attending Jude Blereau's work shop with Holly Davis ... seems something is trying to tell me something as I had never heard of GAPS and now I have heard it about 6 times in 2 weeks :D
-
we are FS for ds, different child all together, pead thinks he would be classed as adhd in years to come without the diet.
Takes a bit to get your head around, the new fed up website has shopping lists. Bread, safeway baked in store, brumbys and bakers delight are FS if you are stuck.
Tomato, citrus, dried fruits, peppers, herbs, onion, berries, are all very high sals, which can cause adhd like reactions.
Check out allergytrain.com.au, they have the rpah hand book with all the details of every food and its rating :)
-
I second what tarosuma said about reestablishing gut flora- super important! Also essential fatty acids super important for brain function eg, mercury free fish oil or udos oil ( more expensive but balanced properly).
-
The ADHD remedy is called synaptol ( sp?), my friend was able to stop her sons medication when she started using this so it's worth a shot as homeopathics don't have side effects!
-
Gee there is so much information out there in big world wide web. Been having a bit of a read ona few different sites. OMG my head is spinning. Lots of reading to do yet and see if we can have a bit of a life style change and make some improvements. ( it won't happen over night but it will happen)
-
my husband has some laminated cards with all the bad numbers on them to avoid
it fits in your purse and is very easy to use
it take a while to read all the numbers on products on the supermarket shelves
but once you know the product it gets easyier
but is well worth the effort
l can send you a card if your would like just pm me your address
it has helped my son a lot
l give my son i q tablets which help him to concentrate its like fish oil and vitamin mix
you can buy it cheaper online from pharmacy direct
-
feel for you dede...thankfully my kids dont have ADHD but I grew up with my brother who has severe ADHD (i say thankfully as we went through and my parents still go through alot of heartache with my brother..this does not speak for every child who ever has ADHD)..I think diet can help but only to a point...my mum spent years on and off different diets with him and medication was the only thing that helped for him but he was diagnosed at 8 which is very late as it was all new back then...true ADHD is due to a chemical inbalance in the brain which is why teh medication helps so much which Im sure you aware of...unfortunately in most cases it comes down to the individual and the severity of the illness as its primarily behavioural management (not that im telling you anything)...my brother can control himself hwen he wants to but is as impulsive as he always was and he is now in his mid 30s, he still has trouble sleeping, keeping a job etc etc...i hope you find hte answers as I know how difficult it is not only for the person who has the illness but also for family who stick by them...i hope this GAPs protocol has some answers for you...sounds promsiing as I have always heard that these illnesses are closely linked...sounds promising :)
-
Agree with all that's been said so far-great to be with like minded people who know first hand what a difference diet makes to behaviour. I cringe when I see what my JP class pull out of their lunch boxes at school each day!!
Try all the diet and supplement suggestions Dede. Then check out the following websites:
www.thelisteningprogram.com
www.rhytmicmovement.com
www.movetolearn.com.au
I've had great success using these methods with children who have ADHD and ODD. All have eventually come off their medication and most have gone from being suicidal at a young age to functioning well at school and home socially and academically. It may not work for everyone but sounds as though you're prepared to give anything a try-good for you!
-
Thanks thermie crew, Any suggestion are helping me with deciding the best way at doing things. We have started with slowly eliminating the additives that are linked with hyperactivity and behavioral problems, I brought some alternative items from the supermarket yesterday that were additive free rather than the usual items I buy. I'm know it will take some time but slowly we will get there and hopefully see some improvements. The best part is that DS is really keen to give the diet change a go as well as he hates feeling like he is different at school.
-
Advice is not forthcoming on this topic Dede, but I have seen the suffering in families and for the individual if the condition is not managed. I can only offer virtual hugs and thoughts for you and your precious family. :) :)l
-
Thank you Robyn, But I cant complain as ADHD is the worst condition we have in our family. There is so much worse conditions that parents have to deal with where there is no cure or diet that will ever make things better. I am just so grateful that I have happy healthy children. I have a lot of compassion for those who deal with a lot worse problems than ours.
-
My DS 7 was diagnosed with ADHD last year. I always knew he had it, but because he is well behaved and well mannered, everyone thought I was mad. He has just never stopped since he was born. He is on the go 24 hrs a day.
After he was diagnosed I started changing the way our family eats. I downloaded the numbers to avoid card on Fedup website, laminated it, and gave it to my husband, mother and mother in law. It defiantely helps. One day our lovely school decided to reward with children with GREEN icypoles >:( That night I had tantrums and things been thrown around the house. I have never given my son anything brightly coloured and it sure tested the theory that colours in foods affect behaviour. He also won the book parade last year, and his prize was a small block of Dairy Milk Chocolate which of course he ate straight away. That night my DS had terrible night terrors.
I found that he still needs Ritalin to help him conentrte at school. I only give it to him in the morning as I found he couldn't sleep when having a tablet at lunch time. I also give him Eye Q tablet in the morning.
The diet has helped change his behaviour but not his hyperactivity. Haven't done the full RPAH elimination diet or gone totally failsafe and would love to onow how you go on it if you decide to try it.
Good luck hun, I know how you feel and what you are going through.
My thoughts are with you through this journey.
DG xxxxx
-
Sorry forgot to mention that my lovely mother in law bought me a book called "Low to No Additives".
It contains recipes and a shopping guide to assist you on what products to buy.
It has become my most used cookbook. If only I was brave enough to try and convert the recipes to thermomix.
The book is available at most book shops and the website for further information is
http://www.lowtonoadditives.com/
-
I to have my son on ritalin..but still watch his diet closely as I know food still affects him as like most of the children on here.We have a great paed who has had to put my son on medication to help him to relax and sleep at night. But he wasn't even sleeping before medication. He was on the long realease tablets but they gave him headaches and heart pulpitations. (so now back on low dose) I don't particularly like it but he feels so much better about himself when he is on it. The medication for night time is periactin. Works well and increase appetite. The headaches may be hormone changes too as most teens seem to be getting them! Best of luck... it is a world of info and different opions out there!! :-\
-
The little boy I am having this weekend is on ritalin.
Make my own bread & pizza dough.
Meals for him,
Dinner beef, veg & pasta, is home made pasta ok, flour, eggs & oil, or would rice or potato be better
Desert, a little ice cream?
Breakfast both days, i biught organic weetbix & harvey fresh milk
Lunch home made roll with home made butter & ham, salad sticks & yoghurt
Afternoon tea, hime made cake?
Dinner, pizza with home made dough & sauce with ham, bacon & veg
Desert, a littke ice cream?
Is snacking on fruit OK?
Suggestions please
H :)
-
Hally,
Be careful with ham and bacon.... they are full of perservatives. Cook up a leg of lamb or free range chicken and use for sandwiches, pizza etc.
All pasta is fine Hally.
My DS has weetbix or porridge every morning. I also mash up a banana and add to it for some extra flavour or add a teaspoon of honey.
Home made cakes should be fine. As a treat a make vanilla cupcakes, vanilla frosting mixed with some home made jam (makes a lovely colour) and add a smartie on top. Make sure you use smarties and no other brand, as smarties contain no artificial colours or flavours.
Good luck DG
-
DGwhen did u change your profile pic ?
-
Oh weeks ago. I haven't been on here much. Personal problems.
-
i hope its all good now :-*
-
Thans DG, have taken mt barker free range breasts out the freezer to cook, so sandwiches & pizza.
Its good that home made bread makes a difference.
Of course I am doing this for him, but also for us to make life easier while he is in our care.
He finds it hard to sit still, be still & concentrate even on eating.
H :)
-
Uni, getting there.
Hally, if he has trouble sitting still whilst eating, I suggest something that is quick to eat. My DS7 has that problem, so I make sure it is all cut up ready to be scoffed down ;D
I also have a spoon on the table for DS to use as he finds eating peas and corn hard to pick up with his fork. He also uses it for his mashed potato.
-
Great tips DG
Hope your getting through whatever it was
H :)
-
Take care DG
-
For DG
(http://dl9.glitter-graphics.net/pub/509/509999el0j21g0xr.gif) (http://www.glitter-graphics.com)
-
Last Friday was 3 months since dad passed away and Sunday was his birthday.
A dear friend of ours also passed away with cancer last Friday.
Also having a few problems with DS at school.
Hope to get back on track soon.
Thanks for all your love and support
DG xxx
-
We are always here for you DG - life is hard at times :-* :-*
-
Ginormous hug. As ds would say to the universe & back infinity times.
H :-*
-
Would love some advice on how to get a child with adhd to sleep. Went to bed fine, but didnt stay in bed!! Couldnt sleep, kept calling out, ds had to move out of bedroom. He finally went to sleep.
H :)
-
Sorry cant help you there H.. My dB still Hardly sleeps and often calls me at odd hours for him Over here.. Dont think there is à solution as i know several adhd who just dont sleep much.,
Think its just part of their condition but maybe Nicole might have some light to shed..cOnsidering she has à child with adhd and there are Surely new techniques or not.. Who knows..
So many nights dB used to get up and cook to eat at an ungodly jour or get up and watch Tv.. À few times hé too thé car for a ride.. Hé had sévère adhd and still has but finally at 30 odd hé has learnt to calm down à bit
Stay strong.. And keep him active during thé day which im sûre you already do..
-
Halex, my son has liquid firm vitamin B6 in the mornings and liquid Manganese at night. Given to us by his chiro/kinesthesiologist and working wonders on the sleep front. A friend uses melanin tablets with her daughter which promotes a natural sleepy state.
-
Good timing Thermie18, I was rang yesterday about having the boy again, my heart sank. I ave agreed to have him one sat afternoon until sunday morning.
Can you buy melanin over the counter?
H :)
-
Would you be allowed to give a foster child medication that isn't prescribed?
-
Over the counter yes, but I would still check first with the agency, also as he is on medication.
:)
-
Have a talk to your pharmacist and tell him the situation.