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Alternative Medicine for ADD or ADHD (Attention
Deficit Disorder)
What works?
Tired? Mentally and physically? Is there anything that you can do to make
them sit down for a while and concentrate on something?
Attention deficit disorder seemed to be on the rise nowadays, thanks
to what we feed our kids and the kind of environment that they are exposed
to. Can alternative medicine for ADD helps these kids? Maybe. Below are some alternative
therapies for ADD that could help your kids be a little bit calmer.
Biofeedback
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What is it?
This technique trains people to improve their health by using a machine
that measures body signal, such as brain waves. It is designed so that
the patient would be able to recognized and control previously uncontrolled
responses.
Introduced in the 1960s, sensors from the machine will be attached
to the persons body – either to measure muscle tension, heart rate and
translate them into beeps or lights that a patient can understand.
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Is it an effective alternative medicine for ADD /
ADHD?
Although scientists cannot figure out how or why it works, biofeedback
has been shown to be effective in alleviating certain health problems.
And one of it is in treating ADD. A study done at the University of Tennessee,
Knoxville has found evidence that biofeedback is useful in treating kids
with hyperactivity disorder without drugs.
There are many biofeedback techniques. Among those techniques, Electromyogram
(EMG) biofeedback is one type that focuses specifically on developing
the child's ability to recognize and reduce his own muscle tension. A
s a result the child should feel more relaxed.
Electroencephalogram (EEG) biofeedback therapy meanwhile, was developed
after it was observed that a group of children with ADHD appear to have
excessive theta (slow) wave and decreased beta (fast) wave activity on
EEG. It is believed that teaching children to alter their EEG pattern
through biofeedback may help normalize their cortical function.
Several studies have suggested that EMG biofeedback can decrease hyperactivity
and problem behaviors such as impulsivity and aggression
Note: 1
These research however was done on machines used by trained
counselors, not home biofeedback devices.
Note: 2
The number of sessions could be high ( as much as 30 - 50 sessions although
the result can normally be seen after 15-20 sessions )
Benefits of Massage Therapy
What is it?
Massage therapy is an alternative medicine technique that touches the
skin and affect the muscles directly under it, sometimes with the use
of massage oils. It helps in making sure that blood flows in the body
more effectively. Although it is normally used to induce general relaxation
, massage has also be found effective in treating illnesses like high
blood pressure, sinusitis, headache and insomnia
Is it an effective alternative medicine
for ADD / ADHD?
Massage therapy is believed to be able to improve the mood and behavior
of kids with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
In studies done at the Touch Research Institutes, Florida, adolescents
with ADHD rated themselves as happier and were observed to fidget less
after massage sessions.
At the same time, children with ADHD showed more on-task behavior in
the classroom and were rated as less hyperactive by their teachers following
one month of twice weekly massages.
Music Therapy
What is it?
Music therapy is the use of specific music to help people with a variety
of disorders like depression, Alzheimer and for people who suffer from
intellectual impairment or having difficulty learning. It is said that
between the years 1600 and 1750 Baroque music composers such as Handle,
Vivaldi, Corelli and Bach specifically set out to create music to lift
the spirit and free the mind from earthly concern.
Is it an effective medicine for ADD /
ADHD?
There have been claims that white noise could help. At the
same time, make sure that your kids listen to more slow tempo music. One
study in 1981 has found that hyperactive boys made more errors than healthy
boys while listening to fast-tempo music, whereas both groups performed
as well when listening to slower-tempo music.
Please contact your nearest music therapist to get more advise on the
kind of music that is suitable for ADD/ADHD.
The Feingold diet
What
is it?
The Feingold diet comes from allergist Dr. Benjamin Feingold's
observation that the rise in hyperactivity and learning disabilities among
children appeared to coincide with the rise in use of artificial salicylates
in food additives and colorings. He reported that when foods containing
artificial and natural salicylates (like aspirin, Pepto-Bismol, apples,
berries, citrus, cucumbers, grapes, tomatoes, tea) are eliminated in the
diet, the behavior of children with ADHD improves by 50%.
Is it an effective
Medicine for ADD / ADHD?
Eliminating or reducing sugar seems to be one of the cheapest
solution that parents with ADHD kids could try. The medical world however
believes that it does not work since studies done on the Feingold diet
seemed to show that it is not as effective as claimed.
Our opinion? Every kids are different and we have seen parents who
reported that reducing food that contains lots of sugar works for their
kids. We think it's worth a try. Just make sure that you are conscious
about your everyday food. Most food that are thought to be healthy may
contain great amount of sugar (e.g. look at your breakfast cereals, how
much sugar does it contain? - in most cases 40 % of your cereals are just
plain sugar)
Our Final Words
Despite these encouraging findings keep your doctor informed if you decided
to try any one of them.
If you are thinking of using any of these alternative medicines and
would like to get a cheaper treatment, you may want to check out the
MedExpress Benefits discount card too.
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