Treating kids with ADHD will involve more than just the quick fix provided by medication; they need help on the educational, behavioral, and social level too.  As such, the best way to treat ADHD is through a comprehensive, multi-modal approach – a treatment that involves various techniques like diet, detoxification, and psychosocial treatments.

Psychosocial treatments are among the more well-studied non-medical treatments for ADHD. Also known as behavior modification or behavior therapy, psychosocial treatments are a series of behaviorally-oriented treatments designed to correct the problems posed by ADHD symptoms in daily life.  Children with ADHD are plagued by problems that go beyond hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention.  Inability to make friends, poor academic performance, and defiance of authority are just some of the difficulties they have to deal with everyday. It’s important that they overcome these problems because their presence will make a long-term impact on a child’s relationships and academic success. Below are some of the psychosocial techniques that can help your child:

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The last few weeks of winter break are wonderful – lazy evenings by the fireplace, a delightful holiday vacation, and delicious meals with your family.  With all these exciting activities, the last thing on any child’s mind is going back to school once winter break is over.  Don’t end the winter with panicky feelings as you and your ADHD child rushes to get organized.  Set aside some time to prepare during the last few days of the break so your child can slowly ease into the school year.

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Research and experience shows that there is a relationship between the food ADHD children eat and how they act, think, and feel.  Neurotransmitters, the chemical messages that transmit actions and thoughts along the brain’s neural pathways, are affected by nutrients and minerals. Since food has this direct effect on neurotransmitter action and neurotransmitters are responsible for mood and behavior, it makes sense to conclude that food does affect mood.  This can also explain why ADHD diets are a popular natural treatment for the disorder. Some children are more sensitive to certain foods like bread or milk, while others can eat a sandwich without any changes in mood. While it’s easy to identify these kids, it makes you wonder how much of the ADHD behaviors we encounter are actually the effect of nutrition.

While the food-mood relationship tends to vary from child to child, here are the most common effects of different food groups.

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ADHD parenting can be particularly challenging when the weather turns cold and snow starts to fall. Kids have to stay indoors, and the four walls of the house might not be enough to contain their excess energy. Here are some activities that will help manage hyperactive behavior during the winter.

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The holidays are supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, but you can’t deny that it also comes with its own set of stressors.  When you work ADHD parenting magic while dealing with holiday havoc, it’s easy to see why you might feel frustrated, exhausted, and overwhelmed.  The fast and busy pace of the holiday season stimulates an ADHD child and increases his or her need for instant gratification. Unfortunately, this also aggravates the symptoms he or she might have.  Here are some ways to help your child during the holidays and keep your sanity.

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“What toys should I buy for my ADHD child?” This is one of the most common questions parents ask from experts, especially during Christmas or birthdays.  Kids with ADHD need the right kind of toys that allow them to express themselves. The tricky part is making sure they find these toys stimulating and exciting; otherwise, these presents end up gathering dust at the back of a closet.  Generally speaking, simple toys that encourage pretend play and artistic ability are enough to capture the imagination of kids with ADHD.  These Christmas gift ideas for kids with ADHD feature some toys they will surely love playing with.

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Well-meaning relatives, friends, and magazine articles have probably given you lots of advice on how to parent your ADHD child.  However, the so-called “rules” of good parenting don’t always work, especially when many of these techniques are only fads. Here are the five most ineffective ADHD parenting approaches and how you can make them work for your child.

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Ever wonder why your ADHD child gets more lethargic and fidgety after lunch? That’s because popular lunch time options put the brain to sleep rather than wake them up. Here are great lunch ideas that will help your child stay alert, calm, and attentive all afternoon.

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The holidays are a great time to catch up with family members you haven’t seen, enjoy good food, and simply relax for a couple of hours. That is, assuming that your ADHD child will behave. In the typical family gathering, adults usually gather together in one room while the kids play in another. Although you try your best to pay attention to the relatives you’re talking to, you’re also alert for any signs of trouble. After all, you don’t want family members to judge your ADHD parenting skills or assume that your child is in the middle of any trouble that might happen. Here are some tips you can use to help manage your child’s ADHD symptoms and make your holiday family gatherings fun and tantrum-free.

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Using ADHD medications has become the modern solution for a child’s behavioral and academic problems. Medicating troubled children has become even easier with the American Academy of Pediatrics’s new ruling last month. They declared that children as young as 4 years old can receive the ADHD diagnosis and get treated with dangerous amphetamines like Ritalin. It just goes to show how drug companies have successfully marketed their “chemical imbalance” theory as the root of childhood behavioral disorders.

However, alternative theories to the causes of ADHD are also becoming widely accepted. One of these is the idea that family stress can be as toxic to children as it is to the parent, triggering troubled behavior and other symptoms that resemble ADHD.

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