My oldest (4yrs) just got an ADHD diagnosis. I’m looking for resources to help before medications. What foods we should avoid, podcasts to listen to etc. thanks!
5 Likes
I avoid red dyes. I also did cbd oil with my son and it helped.
1 Like
Red dyes sugars
And I use essential oils on my son to keep him focused
I’m going to try my 10 year old on coffee
1 Like
Red dye is s hugr trigger and my daughter loves the core cucumber water.
Take the kid to brain paint
Definitely avoid red dye 40…and if you can all artificial dyes!
2 Likes
Every child is different. I have mine in pediatric therapy which provides coping skills to help her with her ADHD and her ODD. Cbd may also help. 
I have a 7 yr old with ADHD, ADD, ODD, and anxiety. He sees a counselor and psychiatrist. He is on medication and doing good. The medicine he is on doesn’t make him hungry until the evening. I am working with his psychiatrist to figure out something different in that aspect. Some doctors will not do medicine until they are a certain age. Limit screen time. Play therapy is a good thing to help regulate emotions and impulsiveness. I hope this helps. My son has been diagnosed since he was 4-5.
Admin, please delete if not allowed, but this is my jam! OP, I actually have a guidebook that answers all your questions! I have the same thing, am a behavior therapist & parent of the same thing. Idk about posting links here, but if interested, I can send it to admin or you can DM me. It’s too much to type here, but I really go over every topic, especially the ones not always commonly known.
Get all blood work checked, multi vitamins, DHA fish oil supplements, probiotics, avoid artificial food dyes in foods, processed foods, try a heavy metal detox, Google for a basic one. Get your child into an OT. All the best x
2 Likes
4 is too young to be diagnosed. Most 4 year Olds act like they have adhd because of attention span and need to run and play. I’m surprised anyone diagnosed your child that young. It’s not normal practice. 4 year old do not have the brain development to focus for long periods of time. I’m not being rude I’m just so surprised. What symptoms did they base this diagnosis on just curious
Looking for the SAME advice! Let’s be friends! Message me I have some tips 
Join adhd female fb group
Not all kids are the same. Red dye doesn’t affect my son at all not does sweets. Also don’t automatically shut down medication as it can and does help. If it’s needed it’s needed and that’s ok. A lot of people do what’s called med vacations in which they don’t give medications on breaks from school so that it allows the child time to decompress, clear it from system so that the body doesn’t risk becoming dependent and work on natural coping skills.
5 Likes
Has he been diagnosed by a psychiatrist? If not, I suggest you do so as pediatricians are not expertises in diagnosis. Usually behaviors displayed in a 4 year old are age appropriate and not ADHD.
2 Likes
My son on meds for 4 years and best decision we made after contemplating for quite some time. He’s had CBT group and individual therapy to assist in coping skills.
Dr Russell Barkley go have a look at his videos about ADHD I myself have a kid with it and everything he says makes sense, it’s a great help
1 Like
I had a private test done for allergies and it showed up a few different e numbers both different for both my boys who are adhd so maybe try this c
We are going through a holistic practitioner and just starting the process. I’d personally like to get to the root cause and not just cover up the symptoms with meds. We are starting with adding Whole Foods (fruits, veggies, feremented)into her diet and eliminating inflammation as much as possible.
2 Likes
A little caffeine coffee with milk has the opposite effect prior to puberty. It works in many cases.
Lots of exercise, change up activities like doing 10 minutes of math homework, then 10 minutes of English homework, then 10 jumping jacks, then back to math. Schedules and routine. If I can put something in muscle memory I’m more likely to do it. So chores are always done at the same day and time each week, e.g., make bed at 7 am every weekday, vacuum room after school every Tuesday, load dishwasher every other day at 7 pm, collect laundry every Thursday at 8 pm, etc. At work I’d always try to schedule meetings at 10 am and 2 pm to make it easier to remember.
Use lists and technology to make things easier. I put two alarms on my phone for things I have to do, make lists of stuff I have to do. Chore charts with gold stars. It’s so satisfying to check off or cross off to-dos and get those gold stars!
Losing track of time is a problem. There are watches that vibrate to help keep you on time. I set my clocks ahead to get me out the door faster. I tell my boyfriend to tell me the wrong time (1-1/2 hour earlier) so I’ll be on time. Give lots of warnings. It helps to put a time with everything needed to get out the door: 7 am wake up, 7:05 wash up, 7:15 get dressed, 7:20 eat breakfast, 7:40 check backpack, lunch is ready for school, 7:45 brush teeth and final comb hair, 7:50 coat, hat, etc., any last minute things forgotten, 8:00 out the door.
See if the school will allow stress balls, poppers, or other fidget items during class. See if the teacher can use your child to physically help out as much as possible, handing things out or collecting them, erasing the board, pointing to things on a list, a map or globe—whatever doesn’t require sitting still for long periods.
Karate or other martial art is good for focus. So is Tai Chi (actually a martial art also). We ADHDers tend to be extra creative so find the art form/s your child likes and let them express themselves. I hated violin but loved dance, and would have loved to learn the drums or electric guitar. My son enjoyed both dance and violin (and Scouts and baseball and football and karate, and…).