ADHD Resources

This entry was written on Oct 08, 2008 by our ADD-ADHD Guru Stevan Toombs Jr.

1) CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)- CHADD has over 200 chapters throughout the United States. CHADD is a non-profit organization with a strong volunteer network that offers support, and information for individuals with ADD/ADHD, and their familes.

You can contact CHADD via their website CHADD.org or at 1-800-233-4050.

2) The National Resource Center on ADHD- A program of CHADD's that is funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. The NRC offers free information, and other services for people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Help4ADHD.org

3) ADDA (Attention Deficit Disorder Association)- A non-profit organization that provides information, resources, regional meetings, and networking opportunities for adults with ADD/ADHD.

ADD.org or 1-856-439-9099

4) The National Center for Girls and Women with ADHD (NCGW)- NCGW was cofounded by two leading ADHD clinicians, and specializes in promoting awareness and research on the unique issues involving Attention Deficit Disorder in females.

NCGIADD.org or 1-888-238-8588

All four organizations provide services for both children, and Adults with ADHD.

Children with ADHD ADD and discipline

The number one thing that children with ADD ADHD need is constancy and predictability. Consistent predictable discipline will help them know what to expect when they break the rules.

Is Attention Deficit Disorder really about "not being able to pay attention?"

This entry was written on Oct 07, 2008 by our ADD-ADHD Guru Stevan Toombs Jr.

For many, the underlying assumption about Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder is that ADD prevents people from paying attention because their minds are constantly racing. In other words, their brains are moving so fast, the world is a blur, and paying attention is almost impossible.

However, as we learn more about ADHD/ADD, it turns out that maybe the opposite is true. Yes, the mind of someone with Attention Deficit Disorder can, and does race, but the racing may, in fact, be a symptom of the disorder, and not one of the causal factors.

As a result of numerous studies, scientists have linked ADD/ADHD to the neurotransmitter/neurohormone, Dopamine. Among many functions, Dopamine regulates how a person interacts with their environment: attention, motivation, and self-control. It is believed that people with Attention Deficit Hyper-Activity Disorder have lower levels of Dopamine in their brains, and as a result, their brains require higher than average stimulation in order to engage their surroundings.

This theory explains why people with ADHD are uninterested in "boring" activities, and, instead, are constantly searching for something exciting/stimulating. Such behavior is a way of self-medicating. They are attempting to jump start their brains, and they do so by engaging in behaviors that offer quick rewards: talking on the phone, playing video games, smoking, drinking coffee, driving too fast, putting important tasks off to the last minute, etc.

All of these activities stimulate the brain raising Dopamine levels. Unfortunately, the "high" one gets is short lived ,therefore, a person with Attention Deficit Hyper-Activity Disorder is forever searching for more stimulation. This is the "hyperactivity" most people associate with ADHD.

So, what does this have to do with not being able to pay attention? Well, it should be obvious. If the brain of someone with ADD/ADHD is in a constant search for stimulation just to be able to function at a "normal" level, all un-stimulating activities such as, conversations, lectures in school, paying bills, doing homework, and/or chores are relegated to the back burner. Some with ADHD even describe these activities as "painful."

People with Attention Deficit Disorder want to pay attention, but unless the activity is interesting or exciting, it requires a great deal of effort, which, ironically, makes concentrating all the more difficult. This is why medications are a very important part of ADHD/ADD treatment. It is believed that stimulants mimic Dopamine in the brain, and because of this they reduce the desire to seek out stimulation elsewhere. Once a person is stabilized, it becomes less of a struggle for them to participate in the daily routine of life or, as a person with ADHD might say, "The boring stuff."

How to Handle your ADD ADHD Child.

Here are some suggestions for parents to handle children with ADHD ADD:
• Parents of the ADD ADHD child must be assertive in limiting television watching as well as the time duration for video gaming and radio or music listening. This is because, as explained by an ADHD expert, “television, radio and video games are all stimulants and impede the abilities of children with ADD and ADHD to concentrate, relax and sleep”.

• parents must assign specific duties to their ADHD ADD children for example “empty the trash in the bathroom and kitchen, rather than just directing them to take out the trash”.
• Also, with the help of “behavior modification therapy”, patients with ADHD can be taught organizational skills and time management while utilizing things like day planners or electronic organizers.
• Creating strict routines with extra hours for exercise is also a way to manage ADHD. The ADHD child loves to move! Plan a family exerisze hour.
• Take your ADHD ADD child thru a step buy step plan when acomplishing larger tasks. Splitting major tasks into minor ones can also greatly help reduce anxiety.
By following specific steps for diagnosing the problem and the type of ADD ADHD, this challange can be treated with the aid of various therapies that help sufferers learn coping strategies.

Organizing for school when you have ADHD ADD

Color coding your ADHD ADD child's school supplies can help them stay better organized at school. Assign a color to each subject, then purchase notebooks, folders, book covers and other supplies in each color. It can make the process of sorting papers, putting them away (and finding them again) much easier.

Other clues to ADD ADHD

Some little known (and less significant) symptoms of ADD ADHD include restless sleep, trouble getting to sleep (can’t turn their brain off), difficulty transitioning from one thing to another (sleep to waking, leaving daycare to go home), social awkwardness and a dislike of new situations. Confused? This is why you get a professional to do the diagnosis.

Can cleaning products cause ADHD symptoms?

When considering allergies as a possible cause for ADHD ADD do not forget your household cleaning & personal care products. Our regular laundry detergent, dish soap, floor & carpet cleaners, bath soap, hand soap, dyer sheets, fabric softeners, furniture polish, air fresheners, shampoos, toothpastes, mouthwash & many others all contain toxins that we are all sensitive to. Some children are extremely sensitive to them. They cause them to display ADHD behaviors. When these toxins are eliminated from thier daily regimen thier behavior improves greatly.
Allergies to these products are rarely considered when looking at the possible causes for ADHD but, are a very real possiblity.
If you would like more information on natural cleaning products that work even better than the general store brands please contact me.

ADHD ADD Diagnosis , Pediatrician or Psychologist ?

Many parents consult their pediatrician to have their child evaluated for ADD ADHD. An educational psychologist or psychiatrist, however, is almost always a better choice. In addition to being more knowledgeable about ADD ADHD, an educational psychologist or psychiatrist can do a more in-depth evaluation, and provide you with a great deal of valuable information about your child, such as strengths, weaknesses and learning style.

Choosing an ADD friendly college

As you and your child begin the search for a college, don’t forget to take his ADD into consideration. The transition to college is difficult for any teenager, but even more so for those with ADD. The college catalog should contain information about tutoring and other learning assistance programs available to its students. If it doesn’t, contact the admissions office and ask.

Having problems sleeping? Becalm´d can help

Serotonin is the brain chemical (neurotransmitter) which enables sleep. Melatonin triggers it. Most people who have sufficient serotonin but can’t sleep for a lack of Melatonin, do not in fact lack Melatonin , they simply release it at the wrong time. Consistant sleep time habit patterns will often solve this problem.

If the problem is a genuine lack of serotonin, the precursors (nutritional “raw materials” needed by the brain to manufacture adequate serotonin) must be supplemented. The raw material for serotonin is l-tryptophan, an essential amino acid. In such cases, doctors often prescribe pharmaceutical grade l-tryptophan. A much less expensive approach is to eat ham, turkey, or most fat containing diary products.(Think about what happens after Thanks Giving Dinner.) As these foods are highly caloric and high in cholesterol producing agents, one usually wishes to minimize the intake of such foods. To do this an adult needs to take 50 mg of calcium and 25 mg of magnesium three times a day and then, only small amounts of tryptophan containing foods..

The serotonin shortage may have another cause. If a person's GABA or Opioid levels are low the release of serotonin may be modulated down. This cause of a lack of available serotonin has the same effect as a lack of available l-tryptophan. Thus, the most prudent solution is to supplement with the precursors for all three. To do so, one needs l-glutamin, d/l-phenylalanine, calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin M (Folic acid), and trace chromium. All of these can be obtained at nearly any health food store and most pharmacies.

Another frequent cause of a lack of sleep is minor aches and pains. These might be caused, for instance, by unusual exercise, severe psychological stress, minor accidents, etc. In such cases, either aspirin or acetominephen (e.g. Tylenol) combined with d/l-phenylalanine has been described as being an excellent analgesic (pain reducer.)

You may find purchasing all of the above (except the aspirin or ascidaphenamin) in one capsule a more convenient and less expensive solution. beCALM’d is such a product.

How to be safe when using an ADHD, ADD Natural Alternative

First do the research on the supplement you plan to use. Make sure there are no drug or chemcials in it. Print out the ingredients and additional information on the product and take it to your physician to confirm that it is indeed safe. If your child is on medication be sure to have 2-3 hours inbetween the dose of the medication & the dose of the supplement. This is a general safety rule.