No bashing, please i just need some advice. My son has extreme ADHD and im looking for natural ways to calm him down. Id try anything at this point as ive got a 5 week old as well and the two dont mix. We don’t want to try prescribed medicine because of bad past with it.
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I’d start with a better diet. Cut our sugars and processed foods and see where he goes. The more junk you put into him, the more junk will come out.
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Psychologist for behavior therapy
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Copaiba oil does the same as CBD oil
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CBD oil, my son loves the gummies, has helped with his behavior immensely
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I have heard great things about CBD oil for add and adhd. I myself have use it for anxiety and depression with great success.
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Lazarus is a good brand
Just dont order on Amazon. Or drug stores. They sell crap.
We didnt medicate our daughter either.
No sugar and find things that really grasp his attention. She likes to draw.
Her hyperness faded a lil now that shes getting older. Thankkkkkk the lordy above lol
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Coffee. Believe it or not caffeine has the opposite effect on some kids with adhd.
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Definitely CBD oil! 
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Have you tried the adhd diet? It worked for my son for a while but eventually he used rx’s and therapy. Therapy did help, they also did parent sessions to better understand adhd and how to parent a adhd child.
Weighted blanket or those sensory blankets for kids…I’ve heard good things.
A calm room with the reverse sequin box helps my son. Also sometimes just hugging him yes it doesn’t always work but take him out of the room that hes going mad in xx
Trs heavy metal detox
Chamomile tea helps!
Focus Factor for kids. You can get it on Amazon.
Eat clean food, no artificial coloring, minimal or no preservatives, and exercise
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No red dye 40. Change of diet. Give caffeine to calm him down.
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CBD and carful diet
No processed foods (hot dogs ect…) no sugars
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Some research says changing diet and cutting out food with dyes in them… google it! There is all sorts of natural ways!
Omega 3 fruit vitamin chews and evening primrose oil fruit vitamin chews 1 each every morning
Ask his doctor,and also look,and I’d look at his diet.Red dyes,sugar etc has been know to make adhd worse.You can look online for natural cures.I’d look into St. John’s Wort
My nephew has ADHD we found that no blue or red dyes help alot he would act up so bad when he would have them Google diets for ADHD different foods some food play a part Hope’s this help some
Cbd oil is WONDERFUL for ADHD. My daughter takes it for anxiety.
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My son does well with behavior therapy… but we chose to use rx to help him while he is at school focus and not be so bouncy…
Fish oil supplements and chiropractic care helped my kids
Try some valerian root! Also therapy and making sure they have the proper environmental stimulation to keep him busy and occupy his mind
ADHD Kids Care Support Group
Take him to the Dr have an evaluation done and get him on meds.
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Most everyone saying it, no red or blue dyes, no processed foods, no sugars, I would try eliminating gluten, watch his carb intake. Do more fresh vegetables , fruits, and meats. Talk to a nutritionist. It works!
No red dye 40 avoid sugars add a daily exercise routine put them in sports
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My son has adhd and we do meds but they only work for awhile…finding things to keep him busy burns alot of his energy…even though it be numerous activities that don’t entertain him for long skill building games, puzzles, drawing and painting one activity at a time and the diet definitely has alot to do with it and depending on the age my son was 5/6 at first now he is 12 my husband tends to do well with helping him work out sit ups and push ups when he gets too hyper burns energy
Occupational therapy can be a amazing tool. Plus a sensory swing for when he needs to calm his body. And if you haven’t tried compression vests or weighted vest I would. But definitely OT. He needs to learn how to self regulate himself and OT can help him figure that out
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I’m in a sales group called BTBBUTTERFLY Threads Boutique. They have a roll on, that people swears calms down their kids.
CBD oil if it is legal where you live. I have ADD & it helps me alot
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Have a sleep study done. If he has any airway restriction (super common) it makes the symptoms of ADHD so so so much worse. We have had a lot of patients get significant relief during the daytime after a sleep study. Sometimes they remove tonsils to help or expand the roof of the mouth.
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Eliminate red dye from his diet. There has been a lot of research done on the effects that dyes and preservatives have on children with ADD/ADHD.
This may sound counter productive, but try giving him some caffeine. Most medications are caffeine. A kid with true blue ADHD will respond positively to a stimulant such as caffeine.
If a child dosent, chances are it is more or not ADHD. Obviously, this will require a review from your sons therapist. I can’t tell you how often Anexity & ADHD mimic eachother in kids. Something to considered, especially if you or his dad have some Anexity.
Good luck.
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Look at his diet.
No dyes no sugar, and likely no dairy
Try melatonin and no sugar intake an hour or two before bed
My kids had wild ADHD … they Could not focus for more than a few minutes…I had to stop going places because I could not control them … I was always in tears… they were less than 2 years apart… Now they are 18 and 20… They have both told me putting them on medication was the best thing ever… “Their brain was to fast for their body”…their words… I cried for months …because I tried to listen to everyone and focus on all natural…diet… structure…etc. All the while they were suffering horribly, as was I…if they need medicine … They need it… If your child had a heart problem you would give meds if needed… their Brain is more Important!
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Lots & lots & lots of fresh air… before you say no … honestly give it a try. Give it a good try… I’m not talking an hour I’m talking most of the day. Just try it and see the change, if any.
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My 11 yr old son has ADHD as well and coffee and sode has the opposite effect on him. Most kid if hypes them up, with him it calms him down some
Occupational therapy
COFFEE it sounds crazy but my younger brother has ADHD and it’s pretty bad but the caffeine counteracts his ADHD
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Coffee and take away processed foods
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Exercise. ADHD happens from low levels of dopamine in the brain and exercise is known to increase dopamine levels. I have ADHD and have been my medication for a while. The exercise has allowed me to maintain my focus.
Try using picture timetables for routines that he finds hard (or any routines, boardmaker is accessible for parents at local libraries) and a fidget toy, something like a flick switch hand toy or twisters are good. Lots of praise when he’s doing something well like sitting still or listening. Xxx
Caffeine caffeine CAFFEINE
Works great for my kids when their meds wear off.
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Also the fresh air idea is a great one when the weather is good!!! Let them run it off! That worked great this summer on my two.
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I have ADD. I was medicated from elementary to middle school. In middle school we had a class that taught us ways to refocus our attention and gave us psychological tools to help us in everyday life. I was able to stop the medications. Which have had lasting effects on my body. I still struggle with it sometimes, if I’m in a really loud environment, or when my kids get too rowdy. I have even taught my kids some of the tricks to help them when they feel stressed or overwhelmed. I wish they would have had the tools to help me sooner then I wouldn’t have all the effects from medication. I’d talk to a neurologist they should have a list of resources for you. In the mean time. Taking a few minutes a day while baby sleeps put on some soft music and practice deep breathing with him. When he is having a hard day have a quiet place for him to be. Music has been super helpful for me and still is.
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Cbd or edibles would work wonders, i know there’s stigma and what not but it’s worth a try
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MEDICATE. You wouldn’t force your son to go natural if he was diabetic. You wouldn’t force your son to go natural if your son was depressed. The brain is complex but like any other organ sometimes it needs medical help. Some things CAN be managed naturally, I’m not denying that, but some conditions need medication and that’s not a reflection on your parenting or your son. The worst thing I ever did to my daughter was deny she needed medication for her ADHD. Her self esteem suffered, her academics suffered, her relationships with her peers suffered. The best thing about medication is if you dont like it or it doesnt work for your family YOU CAN STOP. It’s not a “no going back” type of thing.
If you absolutely refuse to medicate then I would go with a high protein diet (the brain needs energy), especially at breakfast before school. Adding fish oils (omega 3s and DHA are important)
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Occupational Therapy
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I heard black coffee my son has adhd to and it’s crazy insane I tell ya I know ur pain
Feingold Diet. CBD. And if he is 7 or younger, find a PCIT Therapist.
Try CBD can’t hurt to try and there’s no thc in it
We took all artificial red dye from my son’s diet. He’s an adult now and can tell the difference in himself when he has red dye.
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Coffee works also we have found avoiding red and yellow dye as well as chocolate helps a lot we also noticed french fries and eggs hype our daughter we switched her from Cheetos to sun chips and saw improvements as far as melatonin i cant help you my daughter slept 30 minutes and was more hyper after taking we tried cbd but she was getting bad headache she now on adderall and it works for her she is 6 and will tell us she needs her pill I hope you can find what works for your child hang in there it will get easier when you find what works
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Never tried it myself but I work at a pharmacy anf we have a a lot of people buy krill oil for ADHD
Coffee or caffeine in general does help a bit with my son but medication is the only thing that really helps. He still bounces off the wall but he is able to focus better so we use medication .
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I give my son green tea or a small coffee and he takes cbd. It calms him down and relaxes his impulses. But he has to be medicated during the day at school with concerta. He has been on concerta for almost 10 years and it worked great. But now he is changing over to vivance
I’ve always had bad ADHD. Coffee calmed me as a child. And counseling. As an adult I drink energy drinks and coffee which helps me. Sounds weird but it works. Lol
Eliminate red dye from the diet. My son takes omega 3 fish oil every morning and Focus Factor supplements.
Talk to your doctor to see if medication would work for you. You say you had a bad past with it, but there’s many different kinds of medication to try and find the right fit. ADHD meds are trial and error.
I just bought a weighted blanket for my son and he slept AMAZING since he got it.
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Coffee… CBD could help. You would definitely need to talk to someone more informed for dosages and stuff tho.
This might sound weird but give him banna and go on long walks
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I work with children with ADHD, the OT and psychologists
Coming to the school are looking at sleep. Sleep deprivation has the same symptoms as ADHD. There are studies that show that children who have a sleep disorder have ADHD symptoms. Fix the sleep and the ADHD goes away.
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My son has ADHD as well. I understand 100% you not wanting to medicate, I was just like that, however, it got too out of hand and started effecting his education. He is on 1mg Gaufacine. and let me tell you it’s made such a difference without taking away his personality because that’s what I was scared of and did not want to happen! I cried and cried when we had to make the decision to medicate him but now I wouldn’t change it for anything it was the best thing we could’ve done for him and I’m glad they put him on a low dose of something that still keeps him, HIM.
Diet has a lot to do with it, definitely try cutting out unnecessary sugars, artificial dyes. Change up his diet & see if that helps. Work with him, give him an outlet to use his energy. Cbd oil can help. But don’t rule out medication completely, I understand your hesitation, but if you can ask for a low dose & maybe only give it when he’ll absolutely need it(if that would work, not to sure)
I was on ritalin it made me a zombie I was on from 7 years to about 10 or 11 my parents took me off of it I control it naturally with out medications. I’m 40 now I do breathing techniques and it helps I do one task at a time so I dont get so overwhelmed.
Find out the proper diet he needs to be on as per his blood type and stick to it…no cheating with sugary snacks to pacify… and the electronics…find an activity that exerts energy and then relax time before bed. Routine routine routine
I medicated my kids who had adhd when they went to school only. They never took medicine on the weekends in holidays. The only reason I medicated them was so they could learn. They knew the medicine wasn’t for them to behave it was so they could learn.
Add coffee and extra physical activity. Remove sugars and red dye. 3 out of my 6 has ADHD. Which are now grown. Most punishments were outside jobs. Once they learned the onset, they would go out on their own to do yard work to let out the extra angst that would build from being stuck in school.
Jessica Lemieux is right!
It ACTUALLY SERIOUSLY works! I have ADHD, BUT I DON’T LEE TAKING MEDS, SO I MIX THIS IN MY WATER 3 TIMES A DAY OR MORE AND IT SERIOUSLY WORKS!
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Might want to add the child’s age
caffeine. It works in the opposite way it works in people without ADHD
He has a condition which usually requires medicine…theres nothing wrong with that just look into different medicines perhaps
I put mine in taekwondo and it’s been a big help.
Medication is the best thing for them, but have a look online for different things. You can get sensory jackets which are weighted which are supposed to calm them down etc xxx
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seriously just medicate and have him evaluated for a sensory disorder if her is angry about things. Trust me MEDICATE if he is bad. I hate patents who have kids that are so bad and they refuse to medicate. those kids are the worst in school…
I say this as a mother of a ADHD son who has many issues as well and was aggressive to his baby sister to the point he punched her in the head and shoved her off the couches.
You need to be careful because he could hurt his sibling
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My son is ADHD hyperactive impulse type and if I hadn’t made the choice to medicate I’d be going nuts. His is really bad to the point of violence (I’m talking choking kids out, throwing things at teachers eyes, etc.). He’s gotten better with meds and therapy. We were getting nowhere with therapy until after we got him on meds. May be the meds you’ve tried just weren’t a good match for him? There’s other options depending on his age and his doctor. Don’t give up on the idea of meds. Also, take red dyes out of the diet as much as possible (I know that’s hard but give it a try) it contributes to the behavior.
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Not all medications are the same… Perhaps look into trialling the different kinds there are… I had meds for depression and anxiety and hated one because of the effects it had on me but another type was perfect and I didn’t feel any negative side effects.
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There is an online store called IHerb. They sell a product called Behavior Balance that is all natural. Research it as far as ADHD, but it has worked wonders for my daughter, who has autism. You can also chat with a customer service rep who might be able to steer you in the right direction. Good luck.
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My son has ADHD and I’ve struggled for years with not meditating & hoping it’s something else well I’ve tried & it helped coffee half a cup daily & CBd honey stix.
i remember my 15 year old friend getting his first script as an independent no longer under his parents care he thrived he cried he felt cheated
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Have you taken him to a doctor for diagnosis? What did the doctor prescribe?
We help off on medicating our 10 yr old as long as possible . she was just recently put on 18mg concerta a week after her 10th bday and its made a world of difference.
For not meficating try using essential oils and cutting out red dyes and processed foods
Honestly, I was the same way with my son, we tried everything for 6 years, except meds because I didn’t want him on them, once he started taking meds he’s gotten a lot better, he still has issues and he’s not perfect but he’s getting more manageable everyday. The other day he cleaned the whole living room all by himself without any prompting, normally it’s a fight just to change his pjs. It’s the little things, the meds really do help.
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I would try some sleepy time tea I use to have extremely bad ADHD and had to drink it every night to sleep and maybe more exercise I dont suggest meds because no only did they not help it made me develop a lot of side affects
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Coming from a teacher, I had a student who was ADHD and the parents didn’t want to medicate. They chose to give him caffeine which actually works the opposite I’m someone who is already hyperactive and it calmed him down. Something you can try if you are wanting to try things before medicating. Some meds just don’t work for certain kids or aren’t considered until kids become a certain age. You just need to have open conversations with your doctor and be sure to follow medication dosage and time to a T with this particular thing. Give the medicine proper time to see if it is working or what the side effects are to your child, communicate that with your doctor and see what other medication you can try if a different one is needed.
I have a 6 year old with severe ADHD combined type. I also have ADHD but its mild.
With milder cases, the suggestions you’ve seen can and do help. I’m able to use coffee and energy drinks.
BUT for my son?
Its a JOKE. Seriously. No dyes, no sugar, extra vitamins, large muscle movements, caffiene…they help to a point. But they still don’t help…enough. I tried it ALL before he was even diagnosed.
He’s still out of control. He still can’t listen or follow the rules. He still can’t control his impulses.
My kid LIKES his meds and the fact that they help him. He’s still himself. He’s still a 6 year old with a ton of energy…but its manageable.
Just because you had a bad experience doesn’t mean that meds won’t work or aren’t worth it.
Everyone is different.
My nephew does great on tenex and strattera (not stimulants) my son is either a asleep, a zombie, or acts like he’s taken a line of speed on non-stimulants.
My nephews behavior got WORSE on stimulants (ritalin to be specific)
Stimulants improve my son’s behavior (even his ability to sit and eat a meal)…vyvanse is the best med for him (to be specific)
Its trial and error.
But let me tell you this. I was only diagnosed last year. I had it undiagnosed and untreated so long that it caused me to develop anxiety issues. Pretty severe ones if we’re being honest. Just something to consider before swearing off meds completley
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Crazy but true - COFFEE it helps and is effective. (caffeine)
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Avoid red dye. And try taw kwon do
Strong coffee or mountain dew. It may help. His body processes substances differently. Be patient.
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Honestly the first question is how old is your son? People are so quick these days to label a child with ADHD or ADD without realizing that kids are kids. We are all hyper from birth to literally ten or eleven years old but were any of us medicated? I was diagnosed at 13 with ADHD and was given meds but honestly how can anyone tell prior to then unless it is an extreme circumstance?
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Change his diet.
Eliminate ALL sugar including food with high sugar content.
It may take a couple of months to see the affects but it is worth it.
Red dye 45 I believe is a huge contributor