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Alternative Treatments
”My 11 year old daughter was recently diagnosed with ADHD and after having bad experience with (the medications) Concerta and Strattera, we are looking into homeopathy,” Helen Smith of Aston, PA says. Alternative treatments can be used alone or in conjunction with traditional medications. Most conventional treatment already makes use of behavioral strategies and family support. Alternative treatments might include biofeedback, vitamins, diet changes and chiropractic treatment. However, Thomas Power, PhD, director of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s ADHD Center, warns that none of these alternative interventions appears to have strong empirical support. In other words, research does not support their effectiveness. Jeanne Ohm, DC, a practitioner of chiropractic pediatrics, says that although there is not much published research on “noninvasive natural care,” there are “significant clinical findings which are showing improvement in children diagnosed with ADD/ ADHD. She says such treatments include spinal adjustments by chiropractors, precise body movements and exercises, the incorporation of cranial techniques, changes in diet and the use of homeopathy. “What is exciting to see is that all of these techniques are safe, gentle and noninvasive, unlike the use of drugs,” Dr. Ohm says. She urges parents to be proactive about seeking treatment for their children. “Seek out options and choose those that empower you and your child.” |
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by Mary Ann Carrado
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder — ADHD — was first talked about in the early 1900s, when it was thought of as a type of brain damage.
Medical scientists now believe a brain chemical imbalance causes the disorder. Understanding, treatment and even what we call ADHD have continued to evolve as researchers learn more about it. For parents of children affected by ADHD, keeping up with the latest developments can be daunting.
“All families coping with ADHD need to be well educated about the disorder,” says Thomas Power, PhD, a psychologist and director of the Center for the Management of ADHD at the Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania.
Based on the comments of Dr. Power and other experts, including a medical doctor, a behavior specialist and a pediatric chiropractor, here are five things many parents don't know about ADHD.
ADHD is permanent. A chemical imbalance in the brain causes the symptoms of ADHD. Specifically, people affected by the disorder are thought to be born with lower levels of neurotransmitters.
“ADHD is a lifetime disorder,” says J. Jordan Storlazzi, Jr., MD, of the ADHD Behavioral Learning Disabilities Center, Wilmington, DE. “The goal is to put children back to normal,” he says. “We can make children normal, but we can't cure them.”
Robin Hegvik, PhD, a behavior specialist with the ADHD Behavioral Learning Disabilities Center, agrees. “It doesn't go away.”
“ADHD is a chronic condition,” says Dr. Power. “Treatments need to be applied over a long period of time. When families develop effective strategies, they need to continue using those strategies for a lifetime.”
Kids shouldn't take a summer break from treatment. A recent survey by Eli Lilly and Company found that 46 percent of parents of children with ADHD planned to reduce or eliminate their child's medication during the summer. Medical professionals don't usually advise it. “The majority of these children benefit from continued medication during the summer,” says Dr. Power.
“Kids are learning all of the time,” says Dr. Hegvik. “They are learning how to be a family, a safe driver, social skills. Some kids really have a hard time socially, and we are selling them short when stopping medication during the summer.”
“You don't treat high blood pressure just during school time,” says Dr. Storlazzi. “ADHD affects every area of a child's life. Now we know that it is important for psychological well being to maintain treatment. Sports, focus and home life are all affected.”
ADHD is genetic. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, several studies show that there is a definite genetic connection for people with ADHD; the disorder tends to run in families. A child affected with ADHD has a 40 percent chance that at least one parent also has the disorder.
“It is quite possible if you have one person in the family affected to have another,” Dr. Power says. He recommends that parents of children with ADHD get evaluated for the condition themselves. “Seek out help and get intervention,” he advises. “Proper treatment will help an adult to parent better. Treating ADHD in adulthood has become a big focus in research in the last ten years.”
“ADHD is an 80 percent or better genetic disorder,” Dr. Storlazzi says. “It is important for people to get specialized help.”
New medications have aided perceptions. School officials and the public at large might once have had the impression that ADHD was grossly over-diagnosed.
“There was the perception that every other child was being diagnosed with ADHD, but the reality is that more children are under-diagnosed than over-diagnosed,” Dr. Storlazzi says. “There was this perception in the school because kids had to go down to the nurse every few hours for medication. Kids teased other kids saying 'you're going to get your dummy pills.'”
With advanced new medications, children don't have to interrupt school time for a dosage. “Long-acting compounds are more feasible to us,” Dr. Power says. “You don't have to give the medication as often, and you don't have to give it in school. The availability of long-acting stimulants is a real advance in the treatment of ADHD.” New non-stimulant treatments are also available.
“These medications are always in the system, making it much easier on children,” Dr. Hegvik says. They are solving a lot of problems people still think are problems. Researchers are currently working on a patch that should be out in the near future.”
Every patient is different. Experts emphasize that every child is affected by ADHD in a different way. Unlike many other disorders, there is not a one-size-fits-all standard of care. From types and dosages of medications to counseling and behavioral therapy, each family should have its own strategy for treatment.
“We treat the impairment, but not everyone needs the same amount of treatment,” Dr. Storlazzi says. “Everyone has to be carefully evaluated.”
Dr. Power agrees that patient care needs to be individualized. He recommends a complete diagnostic evaluation with an intervention program. This program should include family behavior therapy and be tailored to meet the needs of the individual patient.
According to Dr. Hegvik, once treatment for ADHD begins, other issues can surface and need to be addressed. “The patient might not know good study habits or might need some behavioral changes,” she says.
More common are companion disorders that are associated with ADHD. “Only one-third of patients have only ADHD,” Dr. Storlazzi says. “Generally there are two or more additional conditions.” Companion disorders include anxiety, depression, OCD, oppositional defiant disorder, sleep problems, learning disabilities and Tourette syndrome.
ADHD treatment is an ever-evolving process. “The best thing parents can do is to keep educated and informed,” Dr. Power says.
Mary Ann Carrado is a local freelance writer.