ADD ADHD Research: The Good and the Bad of Natural Remedies
Are you a parent of a child who has been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD? Are you concerned that the treatment prescribed by your medical professional involves prescription drugs? Well if you are not concerned, perhaps you should be.
There are alternatives to prescription drugs involving a number of natural remedies. But first, what is wrong with having your child take prescription drugs? Millions do so why not my child?
The initial answer concerns side effects. It’s not just medication for ADD or ADHD which produces side effects; many prescription drugs do that. With the hyperactive child on medication, it is not uncommon for the patient to experience dizziness, headaches, insomnia and/or nervousness. Bowel problems can occur as well with constipation and diarrhea. The claim by those supporting natural remedies is that these side effects will not occur if prescription medication is ceased.
Another claim against the use of prescription medication is that it becomes a masking agent. Parents and medical professionals are not able to see the true nature of the child’s behavior because the medication overpowers them. It stops their natural reactions from occurring and thus prevents appropriate adults from discovering the symptoms of their disorder. Natural remedies do not mask the child’s behavior.
No parent wants their child becoming a drug addict but it is possible that a prescribed form of medication for ADHD may help a child develop a drug dependency. Think carefully before agreeing to the use of prescribed drugs.
At the risk of being unfair to prescription drug manufacturers, they have a vested interest in your child taking their product. There is a significant investment in the research and manufacture of prescription drugs so claims by drug manufactures should always be considered in the light of the profit of those companies.
And speaking of costs, parents should understand that there is a substantial difference in price between the use of prescription drugs and the price of natural remedies. The latter are often free or of little cost. Think of your hip pocket in these matters.
Some governments including those in Canada and Britain have actively discouraged parents from giving their child certain prescribed drugs for ADHD. Health officials have been worried about the side effects of certain drugs and in some cases have withdrawn permission for some drugs to be made available. Parents should acquaint themselves with the details of these cases and be fully aware of what is and is not recommended.
Many health experts argue that prescription drugs should be the last resort for parents with a child diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. There are many natural remedies and homeopathic treatments available all of which should at least be considered first. There are no side effects from natural treatments, there is often little or no cost and there is no likelihood of your child becoming drug dependant.
Thanks largely to the internet; research information on treatment for ADD and ADHD sufferers is freely available. Parents are urged to read this information.
Here are additional resources you might be interested in:
