Dealing with hyperactivity/ADHD

Sometimes children are just too loud! Sometimes they are just too busy, too jumpy and too wild. And the word “hyperactive” comes to mind. Hyperactivity/ADHD is easy to label, difficult to diagnose, even more difficult to live with. As with many illnesses and conditions, there is a genetic link to hyperactivity/ADHD. This means that, if your parents had it, you may well have it too. It’s also something you don’t grow out of, you just learn to live with it. This means there can be whole families of hyperactive people with maybe one or two poor things who are perfectly normal trying to survive it all. Here you can read a list of the commonest symptoms of hyperactivity/ADHD: http://www.hacsg.org.uk/Active%20or%20Hyperactive.htm

You’ll find the whole website a great resource too.

The most commonly prescribed drug is Ritalin. Ritalin has been controversial for years. Some people firmly believe that it has helped them or their children. To others it is used as a mass doping of lively kids. The Hyperactive Children's Support Group has warned for 28 years that Ritalin may not be the answer to hyperactivity/ADHD (http://www.hacsg.org.uk/NEWS.htm).

There are also many dietary factors which are indicated in the treatment of hyperactivity/ADHD. The general diet in the west is very poor. There is a tendency to consume masses of calories which bring nothing much with them apart from artificial colourings, flavourings, preservatives. Avoiding processed foods and eating as pure and simple a diet as possible is not just good for hyperactive kids, it’s good for everyone! However, if you live with hyperactive people, I am sure you’ll be amazed by the change in them once those nasties are cut out of their diet. Here (http://www.ukfoodguide.net/bestavoided.htm) all the E numbers are listed and explained. If you go to the homepage www.ukfoodguide.net you’ll find even more useful information. The worst culprit in the whole caboodle seems to be tartrazine (E102, Yellow no. 5), the Hyperactive Childrens Support Group believe that a link exists between this additive and hyperactive behavioural disorders in children. Another link for you to read up about the Yellow Menace: http://www.ummah.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20367

A further useful treatment of hyperactive people can be found in anthroposophical medicine. Here (http://www.chisuk.org.uk/bodymind/whatis/anthroposophical.php) you can find a good description of what this kind of medicine is. An anthroposophical (this word literally means “wisdom of humankind”) doctor is a normal doctor who has done further training, for example at Park Attwood (http://www.parkattwood.org/site.php). Weleda UK provides a list of anthroposophical doctors in the UK and Eire (http://www.weleda.co.uk/index.htm?http&&&www.weleda.co.uk/antdoc.htm). It’s easy to find lists for other countries through Google. Most anthroposophical doctors tend to travel around, so even if you don’t have a practice near you, it may be that you have someone in your area regularly. Also, most Steiner Schools have anthroposophical doctors visiting regularly, if you have a Steiner School near you, why not give them a call and ask them when the doctor is due!

If a member of your family has hyperactivity/ADHD it is also worth considering having some kind of family therapy. If your partner is hyperactive, you may want to consider partner therapy. Hyperactive housemates can be very wearing as their moods are unpredictable (unless you’ve learnt to understand them). Their energy levels are not just high. Sometimes the batteries are empty and your hyperactive friend is lying exhausted on the sofa just when you’re ready to do something. Hyperactivity/ADHD is just one of those things, there’s no blame and no shame. However, sorting out what makes it better and/or bearable is worth it for the whole family. Good luck!

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http://www.starchildascension.org/starchild/what.html has some interesting comments about the spiritual dimensions of ADHD, which may be interesting to some and too weird to others :-)