I also wanted to add, I do not have anything against alternative treatments for ADHD! Neurofeedback seems very promising, and I've heard of some people seeing results from the CogMed stuff. My only concern is people spending thousands and thousands of dollars on something, without understanding the true efficacy of it.
I know... I agree. If only it wasn't so expensive. In my friend's case it wasn't a big lump sump payment, it was successive small payments (like visits to the chiropractor, for instance), and I guess they saw that it was working so they continued.
In the clinics' extensive practice, they have found that many of their patients have vitamin deficiencies in nutrients that impact healthy brain function. My son was clinically deficient in Vitamin D (this is very common)and on the bottom end with his Iron which was far below the theraputic levels the clinic looks for. Also tested were Zinc and Copper. Those 4 are very significant for ADD as well as other brain issues since they impact things like the production, release, and distribution of insulin as well as being the building blocks for some critical neuro transmitters.
One of the first things our pediatrician recommended was a Vit. D supplement for DS (400 IU). I bought the drops and add one to his protein shake every day.
I've heard (from other ADHD parents) that caffeine works as well. When I asked my family doctor she had never heard of it for treating ADHD, but said that carefully done in small doses would be safe enough. I'm not sure how to get DS to drink tea or coffee without the sugar though. That's the problem... there's caffeine everywhere that they'll eat/drink (chocolate bars, pop, etc) but it's full of other garbage. Getting caffeine isn't the problem - isolating it from the other crap is. lol.
Funny you mention zinc - today I just bought up lemon zinc lozenges. Hopefully those will help too.
