While stimulant medications are proved to be effective for treating many of the symptoms associated with ADHD, they are not without side effects, such as sleep, weight and appetite issues. Because of these side effects, many patients turn to alternative treatments. The Internet is full of alternative therapies--some that may work in lieu of medication, some that may work in conjunction with traditional therapies and others that have no scientific evidence to support that they can treat ADHD at all. It is wise to become fully informed and consult with a medical doctor before embarking on any treatment, traditional or otherwise, for ADHD.
Neurofeedback
Also known as EEG biofeedback, neurofeedback as an ADHD treatment is based on the findings that many with ADHD show low levels of arousal or electrical activity in the parts of the brain that are responsible for focus and attention. Preliminary research shows that biofeedback may be helpful in reducing some ADHD symptoms, by training those parts of the brain to react differently to stimuli. BabyCenter points to some drawbacks of neurofeedback, including the fact that it may take a while to show results and that the treatments may be less effective in young children.
Healing-Arts.org points to a 1992 study by neurofeedback pioneers Susan and Siegfried Othmer, the President and Clinical Director of the EEG Institute in Los Angeles. Over the course of the study, the Othmers observed a significant IQ increase in those patients who received neurofeedback training. Several months after EEG training was completed, however, patients noted that while sleep patterns had improved, some academic and behavioral challenges still remained.
Behavioral Therapy
Help4ADHD.org, a website sponsored by Children and Adults with ADHD, states that behavioral therapy or psychosocial treatment is a critical part of treatment for ADHD, particularly in children and adolescents. The site points to literature and scientific studies supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, supporting the notion that behavioral therapy in conjunction with medication is the "gold standard" for ADHD treatment. All are in agreement that behavioral therapy should be tweaked or tailored according to the severity and ADHD type and should begin as soon as a diagnosis is made. Behavioral therapy is particularly critical, because it teaches skills to address many of the problems caused by ADHD, including poor peer relationships and job and academic performance.
The Feingold Diet
Although poor eating habits are not responsible for causing ADHD, according to ADDitude Magazine, recent research suggests a "possible relationship between ADHD and the foods one consumes." While certain neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and norepinephrine, boost alertness, others, such as serotonin, cause drowsiness. Certain foods trigger the synthesis of these neurotransmitters, according to studies by Massachusetts Institute of Technology neuroscientist Richard Wurtman, Ph.D., and others. Carbohydrates, for instance, trigger the synthesis of neurotransmitters that cause drowsiness, while protein can trigger those that lead to alertness. The well-publicized Feingold diet, created in the 1970s by California pediatrician and allergist Benjamin Feingold, M.D., championed minimizing ADHD symptoms by omitting artificial food colors, flavorings, sweeteners, preservatives and salicylates. While many ADHD experts today dismiss this diet as ineffective, research points to the notion that the diet may in fact help the approximately 5 percent of the pediatric ADHD population that appear to have food sensitivities.
