Good Healthcare Requires Treatment of Your Mind, Body, and Soul

5 Holistic Ways To Treat ADHD For Kids

3 July 2014 by Hugh Larson

Statistics show that diagnosis and medical treatment of children with ADHD increases steadily each year. While many parents find that their children respond well to medication like Ritalin, some parents are concerned about potential side effects or would simply rather their kids not be medicated. Other parents are interested in natural remedies for ADHD to be used in conjunction with traditional medication. Here are five holistic methods for treating ADHD:

Massage

Just as an adult getting a massage feels more relaxed and calm afterward, a child can also experience these benefits. In particular, children with ADHD who receive two short massages a week have been shown to have increased alertness, focus, improved classroom behavior, and even an overall higher level of happiness.

Talk to your local massage therapist about their experience with massage for children. The massage therapist will know which massage method works best for kids, and may also be skilled at helping a child with ADHD calm down enough to settle in for a massage. You may want to discuss pre-paying for a certain amount of massages each month, perhaps at a discount, since the benefits of massage for children with ADHD are higher with regular massages.

Acupressure

Acupressure works by pressing down on strategic pressure points which then have an accompanying physical and emotional response. Acupressure is thought to increase overall health, relaxation, focus, and general sense of wellbeing, all of which can help someone with ADHD. Acupressure works similarly to acupuncture, but may be a more appropriate choice for children, as many kids are afraid of needles.

Perhaps the best thing about acupressure is that it can be easily learned and done at home. Kids can even perform their own acupressure any time they are feeling anxious or hyper. By helping themselves, they will gain confidence in their ability to manage their own symptoms and behavior. This guide to acupressure for kids, with accompanying photos and descriptions of each acupressure point, is a great place to start.

Yoga

Preliminary studies have shown yoga for children to help with ADHD symptoms. Yoga can help children relax and give them a healthy outlet for excessive energy, while also teaching focus and discipline. Many yoga studios offer classes geared toward children. You can also do yoga at home, especially if you are experienced with yoga yourself. There are also websites, like this one, devoted to teaching kid-friendly yoga poses.

Natural Diet

Sometimes a healthier, more natural full of nutrients and vitamins can help manage ADHD symptoms. Aim to provide a variety of fruit and vegetables to your children every week. In particular, avoiding processed foods that contain harmful additives, especially preservatives and artificial food coloring, can have a major impact on ADHD symptoms. If your child is a picky eater, here are some kid-approved ways to prepare vegetables.

EEG Feedback

EEG, or Electroencephalographic biofeedback, is a psychotherapy tool that measures brainwaves and uses that information to help retrain the brain to function in a healthier way. When it comes to ADHD treatment, EEG feedback can help children learn to better focus their attention through fun therapy methods like video games.

For example, the child will play a video game while assigned a specific task to complete within the game. If the EEG machine shows their focus has wavered, they will lose points in the game or the game will be disabled. In this way, the child learns to better focus on the task at hand. Studies have shown this to be very effective.

These five natural remedies can help manage your child's ADHD symptoms, either without medication or as a complement to their current medication.

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