We got our results today from the doctor. I don't have the actual numbers right in front of me but she said that he definately has ADHD (97% on the chart she showed me) and also feels that he has a learning disability. She said that I should ask the school to test for that as well. She suggested medicating him. I told her that would be my very last resort and that I wasn't comfortable with it right now. I am going to research some more holistic approaches and would appreciate any help in that direction that anyone could give. I have contacted the school and asked to have a conference set up to see where we go from here. Those of you that are more experienced with all of this, I could use a little advice here too. I think what the school was shooting for with this was to get him 504 accomodations, is that enough?

I have never heard of 504 acc. so I googled it. It sounds like some great things to help children in school. They didn't have that when my DD was in schoo.
I hope someone else has an answer for you.

I found this site that talks about an ADD diet. Has anyone tried anything like this? It talks about a drink that you can make with protein powder and coffee that is similiar to a small dose of ritalin. Any thoughts.....
ADHD Diet - ADD Diet salicylates and sensitivity in children's diets

I think I have told this before. I did the Feingold diet with my DD. She was very sensitive to red dye #5 and yellow dye #14. I could tell improvement when I got those out of her diet.

Kelly, I can't get the link to work.

Well bummer! I can't either now. I was going to copy past the information, but did the link. Now I don't have it. grrrrr I'll have to go searching. If I find it I'll post it.

The first thing I would look for is a developmental ped. or nutritionist who is familiar w/ADD/ADHD and can help set up a diet - the one I worked w/in Scottsdale was able to do that. I applaud you for trying other avenues first - yes, you may end up using the meds, but trying another approach first, or even in conjunction with is good - I would even use the dev. ped. for a second opinion regarding the meds - insurance should cover it.

Regarding the 504. Did the Dr. identify any other things that could be disabilities? You need to get that diagnosis - is there a learning disability or not? He or a dev. ped. needs to give you that answer. Having a disability will enable you to have an IEP, which encompasses more services than a 504. A 504 is used when the child doesn't qualify for services through an IEP...A 504 can help w/accommodations, but an IEP will do accommodations and services - you have more ways to help your child. A learning disability should qualify him for an IEP. Do some googling...I can't remember which website, but there are some darn good ones we've posted here, if you have a chance, that will explain the difference. If I get a chance later, I'll try to find my post w/that website that explains it. DH is out of town so I'm on my own with a sick baby and active son!!

You are well on your way, but you need more answers. I THINK ADHD can enable you to get a 504, but learning disabilities can get more help that would be needed.

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Thanks so much, I'll check back through the posts to find out some more info. I ordered the Fiengold Diet last night, that wasn't cheap! But, I want to do this right. A nice thing about ordering the program vs. just getting it from the library is that they have a support service if you have a question and they give you current name brands that you can buy. That will cut down on a ton of research. It can all be so overwhelming! I also made an appointment w/ his regular ped. for now and will ask her about a dev. ped and a nutritionist. I feel like all of this is so rushed because the end of the school year is right around the corner and I want to have all this done and in place for next year. My own fault for not seeing things for what they were early enough <kicks self in rear!> I thought this would freak me out, but I feel like we actually have a direction to go in now. My little boy is the same one I had before this and I feel good that we are going to find a way to make things easier for him.

Desertmom, I hope your little one feels better soon. Hang in there, it sounds like you have a lot on your plate right now.

I found the link I was looking for. I'm copy/pasting just in case I lose it again...lol

ADHD Diet
ADHD in many cases has been linked to diet, which includes food allergies and nutritional deficiencies…simply eliminating certain foods or adding others may reduce symptoms or eliminate them altogether. Hyperactive children are especially vulnerable as they are ‘hyper' sensitive to sugar and other stimulants. Have you ever noticed how your child's behavior changes very shortly after he or she consumes a soft drink, sugary cereals or chocolate? We believe it is worth attempting to address the ‘root' of the problem first, if it is indeed nutritional, before ingesting the potentially toxin pharmaceutical alternatives that merely mask the symptoms. Making healthy food choices for you and your child is NOT difficult. There is NO downside to adopting a healthy eating program and huge benefits for everyone, whether dealing with a current health issue or preventing future ones.

Another suggestion for a healthy diet may be to consider buying certified organic products…these are foods which are grown without the use of potentially harmful long-lasting pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. Since organic foods are also grown without genetically modified seeds, sewage sludge or irradiation, some people feel that this is a more wholesome choice. If you choose to adopt the strategy to “cleanse” the body first to reduce symptoms of ADD, this may be an option you would like to consider. Imagine if we put dirty fuel in our cars and never changed the oil…how efficiently do you think they would run?

Below is a copy of an AHDD diet eating program for ADHD kids and adults. It is not a very strict program unless you are a regular at fast food restaurants. This is a “back to the basics” program and is recommended for every member of the family…not just someone with ADHD.

First, what NOT to eat for TWO WEEKS:

1) NO DAIRY PRODUCTS, especially cow's milk. This is the single most important restriction. Instead try Almond milk, Rice milk, or Better Than Milk. Drink water instead of milk. In fact, drink lots of water. The brain is about 80% water, and increasing your water intake to 7 to 10 glasses per day might be helpful all by itself. Sodas, Gatorade, teas, icees, etc., do not count as water. Water counts as water.

2) NO YELLOW FOODS. Especially Corn or Squash. Bananas are white. Don't eat the peel.

3) NO JUNK FOODS. If it comes in a cellophane wrapper, don't eat it.

4) NO FRUIT JUICES. Too much sugar content. One small glass of apple juice has the sugar content of eight apples. Later on you can have juice, but dilute it with water 50/50.

5) CUT SUGAR INTAKE BY 90%. If you can, cut it down to zero. Sugar is in just about everything, but give it a try. Do your best without going crazy.

6) CUT CHOCOLATE BY 90%. No more than a single piece, once a week.

7) NO NUTRASWEET. None. Period.

8) NO PROCESSED MEATS and NO MSG. Only get meats with labels that say, “Turkey and Water,” etc. If the meat has chemicals listed that you can't pronounce, don't buy it.

9) CUT FRIED FOODS BY 90%.

10) AVOID FOOD COLORINGS WHENEVER POSSIBLE. See if your child is sensitive to any particular colors, such as Reds, Yellows, etc. For now, though, avoid all if possible.

SUMMARY: Just eat foods that God made for a while. Eat like people did in the 1940's. Go to a used book store and get a Betty Crocker's Cook Book for recipe ideas. There really are about 10,000 meals that you CAN eat. Just not much in the way of “fast foods” or “convenience” foods.

AFTER TWO WEEKS begin adding these foods back into your diet, one food every other day. Eat A LOT of that food every day for four days. If you have a problem with one of the foods, you will see some kind of a “reaction” within four days. The reaction can vary from big red splotches on the body to ears turning bright red to explosive temper outbursts. If there's a problem, you'll know. If there's no problem, enjoy the food.
WHAT TO EAT TO FEED THE ADHD BRAIN:

1) FOR BREAKFAST SERVE HIGH PROTEIN, LOW CARBOHYDRATE MEALS. Say, “Good-bye,” to Breakfast cereals and milk. Serve 60% Protein and 40% Carbohydrates for Breakfast. Other meals should be 50% / 50%.

2) PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS might be needed to get the added protein for Breakfast. They are often very helpful in the afternoon as well. Here is our favorite recipe for a Protein Shake:

a) Make a cup of coffee, using one of General Mills' International Coffees, or something like that, with a flavor that you or your child will like (yes, I know I'm breaking my own rules here, as these coffees have dried milk and some sugar, but I'm trying to get your kid to actually drink the thing, and also get some caffeine mixed with the protein.). Pour the hot coffee into a blender with about 6 oz of ice. Turn on the blender for a bit.

b) Add a good quality protein powder. There are many good ones available. If you can't find one that you like, ask at your local health food store. Get protein powders that are mostly protein and very little carbohydrate. Add between 15 and 20 grams of protein to the cold coffee in the blender.

c) Turn on the blender again.

d) Drink it up.

This protein shake is helpful for a lot of people. For many small kids, and many adults, this recipe works about as well as a small dose of Ritalin (100 mg of caffeine is roughly the same as 5 mg of Ritalin). So many who might just take a small dose of Ritalin might get away with just doing this.

Don't forget, though, that even caffeine can have some side effects. Every once in a while we find someone that has problems with the caffeine in the coffee. Usually, though, the caffeine in the coffee helps the person to focus better. The protein helps to feed the brain. If you find this helpful, have one with Breakfast, and one around 3 pm. If it is not helpful, then don't bother with it.

3) MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS may be helpful. Colloidal Minerals or fully chelated minerals are the best. We like the MinPac from VAXA, but there are several good choices. Don't buy minerals in the grocery store. Get good minerals.

4) ATTEND, EXTRESS, or MEMORIN from VAXA. We recommend the "Attend" product for everyone. "Extress" is recommended in addition for those with problems with hyperactivity and temper, and "Memorin," in addition to the "Attend," for those with poor concentration or memory. These are strongly recommended. Here is more information on ATTEND, the amino acid based, homeopathic medicine that is a great alternative to ritalin.

5) FLAX SEED or PRIMROSE OIL. High sources of Omega oils. Borage oils and some fish oils are good as well. Very important. Mix about a spoonful a day into foods as you prepare them, or add to salad dressings, etc.

6) EAT LOTS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. Avoid Aluminum exposure. Eat in a healthy manner.
Try it out and let us know what you think. Oh, before you email back and ask, “Well, what can we eat?” please look through your Betty Crocker Cook Book and you'll find hundreds of recipes that will fit. It's the convenience foods that are most of the problem. Re-discover the lost art of cooking!

Wishing you the best of success,

Doug Cowan, Psy.D., MFCC

Oneaddplace.com gives special thanks to Douglas Cowan, Psy.D. and ADHD Diet - ADD Diet Information for the use of this information.

Thanks for the info. I have Adult ADD and I really need to address some of my eating issues to see if it helps my symptoms.