How often can my child with ADD\ADHD take nutrional supplements for ADHD and how do I take him off of his adderall, he currently takes 5 mg of adderall 3 times a day!!!
Thanks Alaina
Re: ADHD|ADD
Greetings Alaina,
There is a section at Dr. Amen’s website entitled “Supplements to Enhance Brain Function” which provides info on supplemental alternatives that he uses.
Dr. Amen is a nationally recognized ADD expert and is author of the book Healing ADD. Checkout his website at http://www.brainplace.com.
Blessings, momo
Re: ADHD|ADD
You should talk to your doctor about any nutritional supplements you are considering because some supplements, even all natural nutritional supplements, are not safe for some people. Ask as well about any need to taper off the adderall, although my understanding is that this adderall is out of the system in about 12 hours. Also, your three exclamation points led me to think that you are concerned your child is on a very high dose of adderall. Actually, 5 mg is a low dose — many kids would show no response at that level, even if it is given three times a day. Of course, even a low dose may be too much for your child — there is no universal response to medication. In any event, I would urge you to talk with your doctor about any supplements you are considering.
Andrea
I suggest you buy a book called “The LCP Solution: The Remarkable Treatment for ADHD, Dyslexia and Dyspraxia.”
LCP stands for long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Many children with ADHD seem to be deficient in these fatty acids which are necessary for healthy brain development. This book by Dr. Jacqueline Stordy will explain it all. You can get it from amazon.com in a few days. She also has a web site called drstordy.com. You can also go to a web site called borntoexplore.org and read the section on fatty acid deficiency and ADD.
This is not a quick fix. It can take several months to see a difference in your child but it is worth it.
The other intervention I recommend is neurofeedback. It is a kind of brain biofeedback where the brain is retrained (new neural pathways are laid down) to use different brain waves (this is a crass explanation). This has also made a huge difference for my son. You can search the web for neurofeedback. There are two professional associations that have professional referrals. The most important thing is to find a practitioner who really knows what he/she is doing. You don’t want an amateur or novice.