Overcoming Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Without Medication: A Parent's and Educator's Guidebook - Softcover

From the Publisher

What is ADHD and what are the symptoms? What can parents do to help children overcome ADHD? Can this be accomplished without medication? What drugs are being used for ADHD and are they effective? What are the side effects and are they serious? What can educators do to help children with ADHD to be successful? What about childhood depression? Can anything be done to help children naturally?

These and many more questions are answered in this concise and practical book. It assists parents and teachers to help children to succeed. It also has valuable information for professionals such as pediatricians and psychologists.

There is much that parents can do to help children overcome ADHD symptoms, and medication rarely provides a permanent solution.

Through practical measures and lifestyle changes, parents can help children be successful. This book provides many additional resources, websites, books and organizations, that can help parents to help their children. It provides ideas for teachers, special education teachers and principals.

* Illustrated
* Recommended Reading and Resources
* Well Researched - Expert Sources
* Extensive Bibliography
* Fully Indexed

Six years of field work and research went into the production of this book and it is thorough and accurate, including the most recent educational and scientific information. The methods and ideas described here have been field-tested and do work.

Sometimes the results are astounding, with rapid progress in a short period of time.

This book represents the life work of many public school educators and other professionals who work daily with children who have special needs, and was developed by public school educators.

Unique Features of Ovecoming ADHD WIthout Medication

* Did you know that, many children with ADHD are highly visually-oriented? As a result, they may respond to visual stimuli more than other children. Regularly engaging in artwork can be stabilizing for many children as well as adults with ADHD.

* Diet can make a difference. Cutting back on sugar and refined carbohydrates can positively affect the behavior and focus of some children.

* Educational remediation is recommended before experimenting with medications.

* Sleep disorders and child abuse can mistakenly be diagnosed for ADHD.

* ADHD treated with stimulant drugs can sometimes result in symptoms of bipolar disorder and clinical depression.

What Children Need and What Works

- Children need love and attention.

- Children need good nutrition and a healthy breakfast daily.

- Minimizing the time that a child spends watching TV and playing video games can yield positive results for many children.

- "Green therapy," regular time outdoors, and with nature, is effective therapy for ADHD and childhood depression.

ADHD and the Medical Model

Many reputable child psychologists and child psychiatrists do not agree with the current, prevalent view of psychiatry based on the "medical model" of labeling and prescribing drugs.

There are other models in mental health which more adequately and holistically describe the many interrelated factors of mental health, especially when touching on the mental health of children.

From the Author

Please see Spanish Translation of Overcoming ADHD Without Medication - Superar el Trastorno por Déficit de Atención con Hiperactividad (TDAH) Sin Medicación: Guía para Padres y Educadores  on Amazon.com - Paperback and Kindle e-libro (ebook)                                                                                                                     *****        Parents need to be aware that there are many field-tested and evidence-based non-pharmaceutical options in the way of self help and professional help, that are effective. Rarely, does a child need to take stimulant drugs for symptoms of ADHD if parents first evaluate what positive adjustments can be made first and utilized non-pharmaceutical professional support is available.
The methods described in this book have been used successfully by parents for their children who were struggling with symptoms of ADHD. As one example, a ten year old boy who was getting Ds in math and was one year behind in math skills became an honor roll student within one year, using some of the ideas developed in this book and, as a result, did not need to take stimulant or other psychiatric drugs.
One reading coach who works regularly with children with ADHD states that in all her years of working with children, she has only had three children who she felt fully met the criteria for ADHD, and that all of the children with whom she personally worked were able to get by without taking medication, by utilizing support from professional sources such as herself and the children's parents, along with initiating simple lifestyle adjustments. One boy who she assisted for a number of years was diagnosed with ADHD and went on to complete college, without ever taking prescription drugs. She feels that is is a rarity for any child to need to take a prescription for ADHD, and her work, and the work of several other professionals like her, formed the foundation for the inspiration of this book.

One preschool teacher and special education student had difficulty accepting the fact that so many of her students were on psychiatric medication. Her feeling was that the majority of them needed more attention and nurturing rather than medication.  

Sleep disorders and child abuse are often misdiagnosed for ADHD. Parents need to make sure their children are properly nourished, especially if they experience symptoms of ADHD, depression or bipolar disorder. Children need a good and healthy breakfast every day, something that they might not be getting regularly in school.

Art can help some children, teens and adults to focus, contributes to self-respect and helps some children to focus. It is a recommended natural therapy for children with ADHD.