ADHD/ ADD where to start?

Also need to add that you do feel like a super mum after going there every day for three months! But the results were certainly worth the pain! But wanted to make sure you know that there is pain with the gain!;)

I agree with valt too. I think a good start might be to do an assessment and find if The Brain & Learning can help your child. THey get my thumbs up! I had an amazing experience with my child!

Oh I am so glad I saw this post! Because I might just have your miracle cure! First of all here is the email of this lady Rachel Jex who organises the ADHD support group: [email protected] The nest one will be on late September. As for my own case, Dr Bakti from Dubai Community Centre told me to take my son for an assessment at The Brain and Learning. They have a research based program from US and do attention and brain training. It is very intensive (5 times a week for 3 months) but it was LIFE CHANGING not only for my son but for my whole family. He is a different child. So if I were you I would at least go for the assessment and check it out. My neighbour started her daughter's training this month and I know they are really really full and putting names on waiting lists but I would do any thing to get on that list. The only thing is I am not sure what age they start with. Just look for them on google! Let me know how you get on. Good luck! Be BRAVE. There is help out there.

What a shame...i was hoping it was a miracle cure as well :( Lucky my order got mixed up so maybe i won’t get it. My DD has just turned 3. We are curently at Child Learning, Jumeriah for OT & SLT. OT is going great for her but SLT very slow. They are now recommending that she does ABA therapy which i am researching. My DD has epilepsy (from 14mths) so is on medicine's for that so it’s hard to tell with her behavior what is what as the meds screw her up. She is behind so we are trying to catch her up as long as there are no other issues so to speak. Haven’t had much luck with Kids First due to hours etc but still trying to work something out. Andria was one of the SLT they had suggested. Cost wise therapy is EXPENSIVE but what to do :( Which brand are you using for the Magnesium, Calcium and Zinc tablet? Its all so confusing at times as to what way to go and whats best especially as they are so young

I should also add- we use Omega Fish Oil too- Eye Q i think it's called.

Hi Scotchanddiet Just bumping this post seeing if you are back.... Also have you started the Natural Calm? Is it working?? Thanks Honestly? No I don't think it made any real difference. I was hoping it would be the 'wonder drug' but not so much. What I have found to be reasonably effective is a regular generic Magnesium, Calcium and Zinc tablet. I ground it up in the mortar and pestle and put it in a drink for my son. I give it at night and in the morning. Still doesn't make a massive enough difference to make us yell its praises from the rooftops... I think we will be heading back to the doctor soon and exploring other options, especially with school going back in a few weeks. We are at Kids First and are happy there. My son does Speech with Andria (who has a lot of personal experience with ADD/ADHD and I believe an *excellent* choice for our son - I would recommend her for any child presenting with similar difficulties) and he did some OT as well over the summer. They have not recommended that we continue down the OT road (phew!!! Appreciate that for our wallet!) so that's good. I had his hearing tested at the American Hospital with an audiologist and an ENT- just to rule out any hearing loss to explain the speech and language delay. How old is your little one Missymoo?

Hi Scotchanddiet Just bumping this post seeing if you are back.... Also have you started the Natural Calm? Is it working?? Thanks

Hi Scotchanddiet Thats great news - I plan to use Aramex Shop & Ship is that the same? Which tablet are you using? brand name? how many? Do you use at night ir morning? I see you have used or using Kids First - they have offered us some sessions on Speech, do you use them for that or behavoir? How have you found them? You also mentioned you had your DD hearing tested? can i ask where? We are also planning to do this but trting to find the best place. Sorry for all the questions but i bit excited that this might work for us. Thanks

Yes I found it on Amazon and got it delivered here with no problems via my USA mailbox. Another thing to try until it arrives is a tablet of Magnesium, zinc and calcium. I ground this up in a mortar and pestle and put it in my sons milk. The difference was immediate and noticeable by us, our nanny and the teachers at his nursery. Good Luck!

Hi All as anyone managed to get the Natural Calm in Dubai or deleivered to Dubai? Thanks

Found Natural Calm online but the kids version is flavoured. Has anyone used the adult unflavoured version with kids and reduced dose? There's no way my son would drink the fruity one. He will only drink water and milk at breakfast time. Would it mix in with warm milk? Thanks! It's effervescent so not sure how it would go down with warm milk, but to be honest I've not tried the unflavored type, just orange, lemon and raspberry. FYI, all of the women in my family swear by this, too.

Hi all- Sorry to have dropped the ball on this. The one we use is http://www.vitacost.com/natural-vitality-natural-calm-orange But I also have this - http://www.vitacost.com/natural-vitality-kids-natural-calm-multi The first my son drinks every night. He asks for it, and has been drinking it since he was 4, on and off. As I said before, there's a link between ADHD & magnesium levels, as well as proper assimilation of calcium. Mag helps to better absorb calcium. The second link is what I've used in the am, before school, with great success. It's quite tart, but doable mixed with juice. The first one is also tart, but it's something he really loves, as he loves what it does for him. Also, as I said before, we are major fans of this fish oil, which tastes like candy, I swear. http://www.vitacost.com/barleans-omega-swirl-omega-3-fish-oil As below, omegas are huge for adhd kids. Re the diet below, I've read about that, too, but have found the same effects with fish rotated with flax oil. I can really swear by natural calm for us moms, too. And as I said, magnesium & weight loss are linked. I'll take it! Hope that helps!

Amazon! Quite a few different formulas from what I could see, but the reviews all seem really positive.

Searched several pharmacies and nutrition type stores today and couldn't find Natural Calm anywhere. Which website are you ordering from Mrs Bing?

Found Natural Calm online but the kids version is flavoured. Has anyone used the adult unflavoured version with kids and reduced dose? There's no way my son would drink the fruity one. He will only drink water and milk at breakfast time. Would it mix in with warm milk? Thanks!

I just returned from Ireland and was staying with a friend who is a trained naturapath. She has just completed studies with Dr Natasha Campbell–McBride in London and her findings were quite remarkable. The UK doctor had an autistic child and she started to specialise in this and other psychological-related disorders amongst children and noticed that in almost all cases each child presented the similair digestive ailments (ie. leaky gut syndrome, constipation etc) and the children were often fussy eaters. A lot of it is related to sugar and chemical intake but the main findings were the uniformly low levels of fat in the parents, breastfeeding mums and kids diets - and she has put together an extensive diet and eating program with great results. The low fat eating habit is a modern phenomenon as is the number of illnesses which have arisen over the last 20 years or so. The brain is made up primarily of fats and is very affected by the fats that we eat. She has famously removed the autistic symptoms her toddler had and my friends ezxema has disappeared after 20 years of chronic itching.She calls it Gut and Psychology Syndrome of GAPS for short Here is a helpful website [u'>http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2010/02/the-gaps-diet-what-it-is-and-why-you-might-consider-doing-it.html [/u'>and also http://www.gutandpsychologysyndrome.com/ There is a lot online but to be honest its very medical (her books) and complicated and much easier to get help with a consultation where you could get a specific diagnoses. It seems that its easier to get the whole family to eat the new food a its a radical shift away so not an overnight cure thats for sure. From what I could see my friend had gotten out the old enamel crock pot and started to cook (at very low temps) large joints of meat and organic fowl, say over 4 hours in the oven, adding veggies and seasoning, but the most important thing was the broth created. She drank it and used it every day in some or other format, even drinking it like a mug of soup. The broth slowly captures all the oils from the animals bones, organs etc and this is vital for growth and development. She was a vegetarian before hand so imagine the change! It seems that we are designed to digest these fats but as long as they are not cooked quickly at very high heat like bbq or frying. She eliminated all sugars, rice (for a year - hard on a kiddies gut apparently) and of course wheat foods. Interestingly she gave up all dairy and started to eat LOTS of goat and sheeps products which are easier to digest, and have the right fats and probiotics in them - she at a large bowl of kefir (goat milk soured - I found some at the organic shop today) and sheeps yogurts for breakfast. I was amazed to see the improvement in her health and she didnt gain an ounce of weight even though she upped the fat / meat intake and that really was evidence of how much sugary foods are responsible for much of our weight gain. Sorry to ramble away but just to get back to the point - the eating plan was developed by a GP and not a naturapathic person and is specifically aimed at kids with ADHD/ autism etc. Very best of luck to you and your family

Food intolerances are responsible for a great deal of attention deficit problems. They induce lot of stress the body responds to by producing high level of adrenaline. In addition the body is no longer processing the vitamins and minerals properly leading to deficiencies. It is a vicious circle and you should start by checking that first before considering going on medication with heavy side effects. A good naturopath should help you get the tests done and put your kid on supplements that he does need. It is not always supported by allopathic practices as it just requires a different diet, so no expensive medicines for life, so no profits for laboratories and no more doctors visits. Try also brain gym / kinesiology. it has worked so well for us in just few weeks. Not mentioning that we have said good bye to ENT infections and huge doses of antibiotics at the same time! Good luck

Uaerocks, what do you think you got out of the assessment? We've had an OT for our son in the past mostly to help with his writing (he's left handed) and various suggestions that he has mild dyspraxia to being on the ADHD spectrum. We've been told he's very bright but finds it difficult to focus at times and getting a full diagnosis has been put out there. I think we manage him well he has a great diet and he also self manages now. I'm concerned that he might not reach his full potential but other than gaining extra time for exams I don't know what 5k on an assessment is going to give him other than a label. Confused! Thanks for any advice! but its a necessary evil, that you have to pay so much money in order to be able to tick the box for the school authorities to gain extra time, but its not just that there are other concessions that can be awarded depending on what the outcome is, and you may not even come away with a "label" there doesnt have to be its not that easy to say he has a b or c. but you will want to try and give the child the best possible chance of coping with the tests etc, as they are not on the same playing field as other kids perhaps if they cannot "focus/cope" the same way as "other" children.

My DD has been having Eye-Q for years now - I don't think its brought any substantial change. I continue to give it to her. As I have ADHD myself and remember feeling this way from my first memories of being 2 years...I very much agree with the latest findings that diet can help only marginally in improving the condition. Its probably true sugars can trigger worse behaviour or hyperactivity but its not necessarily directly related to ADHD/ADD per se. Recent studies are moving towards the understanding that cases that go away or improve drastically with diet was never ADHD/ADD in the first place. ADHD/ADD is different wiring of the brain. Certain stimulation/brain training can possibly help develop new connections in the brain, certain foods, medicines may help in that - the different wiring of the brain remains. Medicines often stop being effective after a while. I loose it with DD too sometimes, but as my brain and hers are similair, I know how helpless she is sometimes. Its a crippling condition and often bring depression with it, as others around don't understand. I am going to start EFT on DD soon to see if that can take us anywhere. edited by summerdream on 16/05/2012 I've been told that I have ADHD, too, and that it's genetic. My father, too. I used to get moved in classrooms all of the time, and I can recall that I always had report cards that referred to my talking to much, disturbing others, not paying attention, etc etc. Similar to my son, I was in the gifted program, and found when I was challenged, I did much better. As an adult, I am known for taking on a million things at once, and my house is always in a bit of a state, and yes, melancholy sets in too often. I've thoguht about taking drugs but people I know with ADHD say the side effects are worse than the benefits, and to be honest, I've been this way for 43 years so it's not really impacting me (but don't get me started on perimenopause!) Yes, the brains are wired differently, which is why I'd like to pursue neurofeedback. It's supposed to help make some important neuron connections (sorry if I'm not saying it correctly). But I don't agree that if diet helps, it's not ADHD. Food is critical to brain chemistry, which is why omega oils are considered very successful for ADHD kids/adults. And Natural Calm (as I said, effervescent magnesium) has worked wonders, as has Bright Spark. Our dr, who specializes in ADHD & autistic kids, was the one who suggested that dairy & all sugar be removed, and it has made a huge difference. Strangely, the double whammy that ice cream gives has our son bouncing off the walls, and he had a soda (maybe 4 oz) at a party a week ago and he was a wreck coming off of it. He DOES have ADHD, has been diagnosed by a multitude of people, but I've buried myself in research and attended an ADHD symposium and for us, drugs will be the last resort. But that's our choice. Re behaviours, when our son was 4, magic stones, coupled with a chore chart, worked wonders. I'll post more on that soon as I've got to take my youngest to school Oh, and I'd try to buy Natural Calm online. It's cheaper, anyway. And it's GREAT for moms, too. Women are said to be low in calcium & magnesium quite often, and magnesium helps you better assimilate calcium. There's also a link between magnesium and weight loss, not a bad side effect!

My DD has been having Eye-Q for years now - I don't think its brought any substantial change. I continue to give it to her. As I have ADHD myself and remember feeling this way from my first memories of being 2 years...I very much agree with the latest findings that diet can help only marginally in improving the condition. Its probably true sugars can trigger worse behaviour or hyperactivity but its not necessarily directly related to ADHD/ADD per se. Recent studies are moving towards the understanding that cases that go away or improve drastically with diet was never ADHD/ADD in the first place. ADHD/ADD is different wiring of the brain. Certain stimulation/brain training can possibly help develop new connections in the brain, certain foods, medicines may help in that - the different wiring of the brain remains. Medicines often stop being effective after a while. I loose it with DD too sometimes, but as my brain and hers are similair, I know how helpless she is sometimes. Its a crippling condition and often bring depression with it, as others around don't understand. I am going to start EFT on DD soon to see if that can take us anywhere. <em>edited by summerdream on 16/05/2012</em>

Lik I mentioned below , we are very much in the early stages of diagnosis and treadment etc. Also our little one is still so young- only three and a half. Things that make a massive difference to him is having consistency in his day and routine. For example, he must have his bath at 6pm or within say 45 mind of that time, followed by dinner followed by milk, three stories read to him and bed. If for any reason we aren't able to adhere to that, our nanny will step in to ensure it happens if we are out or attending to our older boy. Likewise, in the morning he has a set routine regardless of whether it's a nursery day or not. Giving him time limits and warnings of when we are to change activity are vital. For example, I might say when the sand timer runs out we will stop playing with the cars and get our shoes on to go out. Then moving onto 'the next thing' is done with little resistance. If I say 'okay put the cars away and pop your shoes on' with no countdown then all **** breaks lose! This is still very new to us and so far these strategies are working. We will be booked in to do a course soon and both of us as parents and our nanny will attend it. The nursery teacher has also expressed that she'd like to be involved too (for her own professional development as much as helping our son).

Uaerocks, what do you think you got out of the assessment? We've had an OT for our son in the past mostly to help with his writing (he's left handed) and various suggestions that he has mild dyspraxia to being on the ADHD spectrum. We've been told he's very bright but finds it difficult to focus at times and getting a full diagnosis has been put out there. I think we manage him well he has a great diet and he also self manages now. I'm concerned that he might not reach his full potential but other than gaining extra time for exams I don't know what 5k on an assessment is going to give him other than a label. Confused! Thanks for any advice!

Sorry for the hijack, but thanks for the post Perces. We are early stages here as well. I'm investigating diet right now, but thanks for all the supplement info.

After a 7 hour drive yesterday, it's going to either be my son on something, or me on valium! I have also heard great things about neurofeedback but haven't tried that yet. Frustrating process, isn't it? Oh I hear you on the valium! My user name isn't just an random name I plucked from thin air beleive me! ;) I've not read much about neurofeedback but I think Banana Muffin/Bran Muffin/Baked Moussuka (or whatever name she is up to these days!!) had explored this a bit. Agree totally with the frustrating part- but I feel we are on the right path at last- or at any rate off the rough and onto a semi beaten track ;)

Hi Perces- firstly wanted to say that you are not alone and that there are people that understand that complete feeling of frustration when you start to try and find out relevant and useful information. I am sure that I don't have to tell you that there are great places here in Dubai to seek help and some very very average ones that are very keen to seperate you from your dirhams. For what it is worth, we've found Kids First at Al Wasl very good so far. We are very much in the beginning of the diagnosis process ourselves (having done the usual hearing tests, audiology, speech assessments and now educational psychologists) and I'm thrilled to hear that there is a support group here- [b'>thanks Plum2[/b'>- that will come in handy down the track I'm sure. [b'>Verdeque-[/b'> is Natural Calm available here in Dubai? We are currently trialling extra Omega 3,6,9 suppliments, in the form of Kids Smart (think they used to be called EyeQ) with our three and a bit year old with moderate results (certainly no significant improvement). Obviously we are trying natural solutions first (food elimination, behaviour, therapy etc) but we are open to medication if necessary in the future. Our view is that if you have high blood pressure (for example), you would modify your diet and exercise but also might also require medication. ADD/ADHD should be considered the same way, in that you should feel comfortable to tackle it with everything available in the arsenal. Just my own humble opinion of course ;) Best of luck to you Perces... Hi there. Yes, I agree about the medication comment, and I've got friends who've gone that route. I'm open to it as a last resort, only because I've seen it take away a lot of the kids' personalities. But, adhd kids have a drug use & high suicide rate, and they don't know if that's attributable to the being in trouble all of the time (leading to poor self esteem) or to adhd, itself. So, of course it's better to drug them if it'll end up with a bad outcome otherwise. My son is sooooo skinny, too, and I know that the medication decreases their appetite, which is why I've held off. Also, I've gone to a few symposiums on the topic, and a lot of professionals try behavior first. I honestly don't know if we'll end up on the drug route, ourselves. After a 7 hour drive yesterday, it's going to either be my son on something, or me on valium! Yes, re the omegas. Forgot to mention that!! I found that the liquid form gives the dosage you need. Can you get Borleans brand there? Re Natural Calm, you can look it up on vitacost.com to see the product and go from there. Sorry, I don't know if you can get it there yet. If not, I'll buy boat loads before I come. It's essentially effervescent (more readily available to the body as it goes more quickly into the bloodstream) magnesium, and they have some with calcium, too. Also, nativeremedies.com has a great product called Bright Spark that worked well for us, too. I have also heard great things about neurofeedback but haven't tried that yet. Frustrating process, isn't it?

Hi Perces- firstly wanted to say that you are not alone and that there are people that understand that complete feeling of frustration when you start to try and find out relevant and useful information. I am sure that I don't have to tell you that there are great places here in Dubai to seek help and some very very average ones that are very keen to seperate you from your dirhams. For what it is worth, we've found Kids First at Al Wasl very good so far. We are very much in the beginning of the diagnosis process ourselves (having done the usual hearing tests, audiology, speech assessments and now educational psychologists) and I'm thrilled to hear that there is a support group here- [b'>thanks Plum2[/b'>- that will come in handy down the track I'm sure. [b'>Verdeque-[/b'> is Natural Calm available here in Dubai? We are currently trialling extra Omega 3,6,9 suppliments, in the form of Kids Smart (think they used to be called EyeQ) with our three and a bit year old with moderate results (certainly no significant improvement). Obviously we are trying natural solutions first (food elimination, behaviour, therapy etc) but we are open to medication if necessary in the future. Our view is that if you have high blood pressure (for example), you would modify your diet and exercise but also might also require medication. ADD/ADHD should be considered the same way, in that you should feel comfortable to tackle it with everything available in the arsenal. Just my own humble opinion of course ;) Best of luck to you Perces...