Tag Archives: ADD

The Secrets to Overcoming ADD & ADHD

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 34:08 — 24.9MB)

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Dr. Linda Classen, resident expert on ADD/ADHD tells us how to handle and overcoming attention problems — what are often called ADD and ADHD. She tells about the prevalence physical problems in the brain, how to deal with presenting problems as a parent or educator, and even her personal challenges. Widely respected and giving easy to understand information that is not as widely known as it should be.

What do you look for?
What can a teacher do?
How can we handle this as a challenge of education?
What do we do in terms of behavior modification?
When are drugs really what we should be considering?
How can we talk to professionals about this problem?
Is this a death knell?

Secrets to overcoming.

RESOURCES

Dr. Classen has retired, so we do not have a link to her practice.

to hear Dr. Schnorr’s comments on drugs for ADD/ADHD when they are needed, go to here.
to find Tom Schnorr, compounding pharmacist, go to Austin Compounding Pharmacy

Here is a link to info about diagnoses of ADD/ADH today. It has been an open secret that “no single test” means that doctors take up (or should take up) a variety of reports and make a determination. In many cases, busy doctors just respond to pressure by parents to provide meds. This is unethical, but appears to be reasonable and effective. Notice: just a little caffeine would improve your grades too. The problem is that meds for ADD/ADHD are controlled substances — for a reason. Many children / youth have complications including insufficient nutrition. Sometimes these med have been sold these meds on the “black market.” Today, other drugs are in the headlines, but these are still worthy of proper attention. Some youth, particularly young men, have discovered that plenty of working out and plenty of coffee have obviated the need for meds like “speed.”

MY ADVICE

I advocate going up the protocol, starting with removing possible harmful substances like red dye, other similar agents known to cause ADD/ADHD like symptoms and any allergens.
Then, be sure that the student has great nutrition, plenty of exercise, and a calm environment in which to study. Often looking out into a green garden works better than a study carell.
Talk with wellness professionals.
Use meds only as a last resort. Do not make them the rush-to-go-to. It was this very tendency that made the legislature outlaw teachers urging the parents to get medications for children. While it has been prohibited for some time, I still hear of instances. Better to fix the problem than to medicate it. Worst is to not understand the problem and torture or be tortured by it.

Finally, by way of encouragement, let me tell you that I know some highly successful adults who credit some of their success to ADD/ADHD. Maybe. Maybe they can handle fast pace. Or maybe it is just a ploy to get aware with rushing away. Anyway — they say they are ADD/ADHD — and they do have high level positions. Be encouraged.

Ritalin has no side effects? What?

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The special on ADD/ADHD has gone on more, and now they are summing. up. No side effects? WHAT? Why then is it a controlled substance. This is deceiving. There are side effects – like not eating!
Now in the summary they say common/ What? 5% of the population is common?
All kinds of problems like frustration, relationship and underachieving? Wow! All I have to do to overcome that is to take Speed? Yes, that is what is being claimed, except they call it Ritalin and have doctorates and say it nicely.
I am ready to sign up! Here are doctors and actors an PBS telling me all I have to do to take care of my clutter, my email, my financial problems is to go to a doctor for speed!
Now, folks, let’s get real. People are all over North American going wow! And running out of their doctors to get a disorder with no specific markers treated with a controlled substance that is patented. People get angry with GSB when their particular position is not the one that is most advertised, and then something like this goes on. Dangerous. But so beautiful that PBS is funded by it.

Please vote for reality. Please vote for responsibility. Please vote for balance. Please vote for hope an faith an send GSB a donation. Help children, their parents an teachers – really.

ADD/ADHD PBS Special Driving Me Crazy!

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Listening to a PBS show on ADD/ADHD and going crazy. So many people say words they don’t understand – or know you won’t. Other affirm things that deceive.
“ADD is a real disorder and it is treatable!” Okay.(: Disorder means … lots of things including psychological. It really means that it got in a list somewhere based on what some group of professionals think this year. Treatable means we have a convention about what to do for it medically. Treatable means we think we can improve the symptomatology some percentage of the time.
“It is not cause by food additives.” Okay.:( Genes are not quickly changed by food additives. However that doesn’t change that fact that 88% of people are affected by food additives and have AD.ADHD like symptoms because of those food additives.
We covered it on GSB. Three or 5% of people have “brain wiring” for AD/ADHD. That means 3-5% of people have either genes (or brain injuries very early on) that show a difference in how the brain works. This does mean that ADD is over diagnosed and it says nothing about food additive or allergies. It does not give guidance on how to child rearing.
It is good news to a family who has done everything right, who really needs professional help. Okay. But we also know that many doctors are tempted by the money and the parental demands top give a diagnosis an the medication. Many school nurses sell it on the black market. And neither one has the expertise or time to help parents learn to properly parent.
It is not good news if it is used for excuses for bad money or time management, or just plain poor people skills – or the increasingly common just not caring. Someone who is disrespectful, slovenly, and lazy can just say, “Oh, well, I’m ADHD.” That is bad in lots of ways.
There is such a thing as laziness, inattentiveness, and bad morals. These need to be addressed in any case. (Yes not by the medical industry… ER, except on themselves.) THAT is where GSB comes in.

We had an expert on ADD/ADHD come in and explain her personal dealing with it, and then the scientific understanding and how she helped teachers. Then we also had a series on a “mother’s protocol” : a list of what to try, in what order. And then what to ask your health care provider.

Science is an unfinished business. We relate to you in simple terms what we can tell from science. Standard of care, unfortunately is more about convention and money than about science. We hope that changes Parenting and teaching go on all the while, and won’t wait for a return to righteousness in medicine, or for final results in science. We hail science, we consult health care prudently, and we share encouragement for parents.

Is my child ADD?

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Is my child ADD? Here are some mom-to-mom tips.

Your child’s teachers tells you she thinks your child has attention problems or is hyperactive. What should you do?

1. Listen calmly. Ask: “What are you seeing that makes you say that.” Children often act differently under different circumstances. Hear the teacher out; get her point of view.

2. No pressure. Realize that no teacher can diagnose. In Texas it is illegal for a teacher to tell you that you must put your child on drugs.

3. Think about these issues.

    *Is the child getting enough outdoor time? Is it really ADD or Outside Deficit Disorder?
    *Children, and boys especially, need active exercise time.
    *Is the child bored? Bright children, especially boys, if they are not challenged academically, may seek stimulation elsewhere.
    *Is the child being irritated by food dyes or other food sensitivities. (For more about that, hear our audio cast “GSB Get the Red [Dye} Out 120219” available at www.greatshalom.org player.)
    *Does the child have adequate, regularly dosed nutrition, especially protein? Hungry children have a hard time focusing
    *Might the child be depressed? Children sometimes display depression and tension differently than adults do.

4. Realize that only an MD can formally diagnose ADD/ADHD, yet other help is available.

    *Doctors do not have an objective marker to make this diagnosis; they will ask for reports from several people.
    *Doctors do not have education in pharmaceuticals or nutrition or complementary approaches, unless they taught themselves against the grain of the system.
    *Most nutritionists were trained in graduate schools funded by agribusiness and pharmaceuticals.
    *There are many wellness disciplines rising, such as ND s, OD s, and compounding pharmacists who specialize in understanding supplements. Network to find someone who is competent and trustworthy.

GSB has a CD set :
A Mom’s Protocol for Attention Problems

and has a recommended Book of the Month by a medical doctor who teaches wellness without medication when possible. Www.greatshalom.org