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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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