Digest Number 4002

[Guest guest]

Exuse me, but ADHD is a REAL thing

I have suffered from ADHD all my life. Now, at the age of 28, I can say this.

My mother NEVER ONCE gave me a drug nor attempted to medicate me in any way at all. Being a special education teacher, she new the effects of the drug of choice at the time, Ritalin.

My mother instead taught me to DEAL with my ADHD and now I have a good job, as opposed to many ADHD adults that sadly end up as criminals (from what I have heard).

I do not agree with the idea of medicating the ADHD issue, but with a proper healthy diet, exerise and attetive parents who discipline their children, ADHD doesn't have to be an issue for a child.

It never was for me.

 

 

 

 

 

The Myth Of The ADHD ChildThe Myth Of The ADHD ChildBy Thomas ArmstrongPreventive Psychiatry E-Newsletter #204

6-7-5Over the past ten years, attention deficit disorder (ADD) orattention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has emerged from therelative obscurity of cognitive psychologists, research laboratories

to become the " disease du jour " of America's schoolchildren.Accompanying this popularity has been a virtually completeacceptance of the validity of this " disorder " by scientists,physicians, psychologists, educators, parents, and others.

Upon closer critical scrutiny, however, there is much to be troubledabout concerning ADD/ADHD as a real medical diagnosis. There is nodefinitive objective set of criteria to determine who has ADD/ADHDand who does not. Rather, instead, there are a loose set of

behaviors (hyperactivity, distractibility, and impulsivity) thatcombine in different ways to give rise to the " disorder. " These behaviors are highly context-dependent. A child may behyperactive while seated at a desk doing a boring worksheet, but not

necessarily while singing in a school musical. These behaviors arealso very general in nature and give no clue as to their realorigins. A child can be hyperactive because he's bored, depressed,anxious, allergic to milk, creative, a hands-on learner, has a

difficult temperament, is stressed out, is driven by a media-madculture, or any number of other possible causes.The tests that have been used to determine if someone has ADD/ADHDare either artificially objective and remote from the lives of real

children (in one test, a child is asked to press a button every timehe sees a 1 followed by a 9 on a computer screen), or hopelesslysubjective (many rating scales ask parents and teachers to score achild's behavior on a scale from 1 to 5: these scores depend upon

the subjective attitudes more than the actual behaviors of thechildren involved).The treatments used for this supposed disorder are also problematic.Ritalin use is up 500% over the past six years, yet it does not cure

the problem (it only masks symptoms), and there are severaldisadvantages: children don't like taking it, children use it asan " excuse " for their behavior ( " I hit Ed because I forgot to takemy pill. " ), and there are some indications it may be related to

later substance abuse of drugs like cocaine.Behavior modification programs used for kids labeled ADD/ADHD work,but they don't help kids become better learners. In fact, they mayinterfere with the development of a child's intrinsic love of

learning (kids behave simply to get more rewards), they mayfrustrate some kids (when they don't get expected rewards), and theycan also impair creativity and stifle cooperation.ADD/ADHD became a popular diagnosis in the 1990's because it served

as a neat way to explain away the complexities of turn-of-the-millenium life in America. Over the past few decades, our familieshave broken up, respect for authority has eroded, mass media hascreated a " short-attention-span culture, " and stress levels have

skyrocketed.When our children start to act out under the strain, it's convenientto create a scientific-sounding term to label them with, aneffective drug to stifle their " symptoms, " and a whole program of

ADD/ADHD workbooks, videos, and instructional materials to use tofit them in a box that relieves parents and teachers of any worrythat it might be due to their own failure (or the failure of thebroader culture) to nurture or teach effectively.

Mainly, the ADD/ADHD label is a tragic decoy that takes the focusoff of where it's needed most: the real life of each unique child.Instead of seeing each child for who he or she is (strengths,limitations, interests, temperaments, learning styles etc.) and

addressing his or her specific needs, the child is reduced toan " ADD child, " where the potential to see the best in him or her isseverely eroded (since ADD/ADHD puts all the emphasis on thedeficits, not the strengths), and where the number of potential

solutions to help them is highly limited to a few child-controllinginterventions.Instead of this deficit-based ADD/ADH paradigm, I'd like to suggesta wellness-based holistic paradigm that sees each child in terms of

his or her ultimate worth, and addresses each child's unique needs.To do this, we need to provide a wide range of options for parentsor teachers.________50 Ways to Improve Your Child's Behavior and Attention Span without

Drugs, Labels, or Coercion (for detailed information about each way,see The Myth of the ADD Child) Order book by calling: 1-800-247-6553.1. Provide a balanced breakfast.2. Consider the Feingold diet

3. Limit television and video games4. Teach self-talk skills.5. Find out what interests your child.6. Promote a strong physical education program in your child'sschool.7. Enroll your child in a martial arts program.

8. Discover your child's multiple intelligences (link)9. Use background music to focus and calm.10. Use color to highlight information.11. Teach your child to visualize.12. Remove allergens from the diet.

13. Provide opportunities for physical movement.14. Enhance your child's self-esteem.15. Find your child's best times of alertness.16. Give instructions in attention-grabbing ways.17. Provide a variety of stimulating learning activities.

18. Consider biofeedback training.19. Activate positive career aspirations.20. Teach your child physical-relaxation techniques.21. Use incidental learning to teach.22. Support full inclusion of your child in a regular classroom.

23. Provide positive role models.24. Consider alternative schooling options.25. Channel creative energy into the arts.26. Provide hands-on activities27. Spend positive times together.28. Provide appropriate spaces for learning.

29. Consider individual psychotherapy.30. Use touch to soothe and calm.31. Help your child with organizational skills.32. Help your child appreciate the value of personal effort.33. Take care of yourself.

34. Teach your child focusing techniques.35. Provide immediate feedback.36. Provide your child with access to a computer.37. Consider family therapy.38. Teach problem-solving skills.39. Offer your child real-life tasks to do.

40. Use " time-out " in a positive way.41. Help your child develop social skills.42. Contract with your child.43. Use effective communication skills.44. Give your child choices.45. Discover the treat the four types of misbehavior.

46. Establish consistent rules, routines, and transitions.47. Hold family meetings.48. Have your child teach a younger child.49. Use natural and logical consequences.50. Hold a positive image of your child.

ResourcesArmstrong, Thomas. The Myth of the ADD Child: 50 Ways to ImproveYour Child's Behavior and Attention Span without Drugs, Labels, orCoercion. New York: Plume, 1997.Armstrong, Thomas. " To Empower, Not Control!: A Holistic Approach to

ADD/ADHD, " Reaching Today's Youth, Winter, 1998.Armstrong, Thomas, " ADD as a Social Invention, " Education Week,October 18, 1995.Armstrong, Thomas " ADD: Does It Really Exist? " Phi Delta Kappan,

February, 1996.Armstrong, Thomas. " Labels Can Last a Lifetime, " Learning, May/June,1996.Armstrong, Thomas. " Why I Believe Attention Deficit Disorder is aMyth, " Sydney's Child [Australia], September, 1996.

Divoky, Diane and Peter Schrag. The Myth of the Hyperactive Child.New York: Pantheon, 1975.Goodman, Gay, and Mary Jo Poillon. " ADD: Acronym for Any Dysfunctionor Difficulty, " Journal of Special Education, Vol. 26, No. 1, 1992.

Griss, Susan. Minds in Motion: A Kinesthetic Approach to TeachingElementary Curriculum.Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1998.Kohn, Alfie. " Suffer the Restless Children, " Atlantic Monthly,November, 1989, pp. 90-100.

McGuinness, Diane. When Children Don't Learn. New York: Basic, 1985.Merrow, John. " Attention Deficit Disorder: A Dubious Diagnosis, " (Video). The Merrow Report, 588 Broadway, Suite 510, New York, NY

10012,212-941-8060; 212-941-8068 (fax).Patterson, Marilyn Nikimaa. Every Body Can Learn: Engaging theBodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence in the Everyday Classroom. Tucson,AZ: Zephyr Press, 1997.Reid, Robert, John W. Maag, and Stanley F. Vasa, " Attention Deficit

Hyperactivity Disorder as a Disability Category: A Critique, " Exceptional Children, Vol. 60, No. 3, pp. 198-214.http://rense.com/general65/mth.htm

__________Message: 23 Tue, 7 Jun 2005 22:09:02 -0400 (EDT)

exodia yugi <exodia71RE: Natural Remedies Against BeesHi Kelli,lol, i dont really remeber how it goes. it has something to do with the venom in the stinger, it counteracts the pain faster and longer than the pills she was taking for the pain.

Kelli Bever <kelli wrote:Isn't that like smashing your toe with a hammer to take your mind off the splinter in your thumb? ;)Kelli, who doesn't like to get bee stings

herbal remedies [herbal remedies

] On Behalf Of exodia yugiMonday, June 06, 2005 11:24 PMherbal remedies Subject: Re: Herbal Remedies - Natural Remedies Against Bees

with regards to the helpfullness of bees.....my aunt has really bad arthritis in her knees. i saw something on discovery channel that i put to the test. they were using be stings to counteract the joint pain. so i told her about it and she was actually using that as a therapy. when her pain flared she would get a bee in a jar and let it sting her knee, that pain went away.

Federal Law requires that we warn you of the following:1. Natural methods can sometimes backfire.2. If you are pregnant, consult your physician before using any natural remedy.3. The Constitution guarantees you the right to be your own physician and to

prescribe for your own health.We are not medical doctors although MDs are welcome to post here as long asthey behave themselves.Any opinions put forth by the list members are exactly that, and any person

following the advice of anyone posting here does so at their own risk.It is up to you to educate yourself. By accepting advice or products from list members, you are agreeing tobe fully responsible for your own health, and hold the List Owner and members free of any liability.

Dr. Ian ShillingtonDoctor of NaturopathyDr.IanShillington