ADD & ADHD

     I actually don't like these letters. They are made up. There isn't a blood test or lab at all that confirms this ailment. They are acronyms to label something that isn't working as it should. Same goes for Autism. ADD/ADHD and autism weren't even in the dictionary not too long ago and now they are labels thrown around cheaply. The problem with getting that cheap label is that you start to believe it is actually a sentence or a disease you can't come back from. The truth is when you have this label, it means that there is something not working right in the body and when something isn't working right, there is something you can to do to fix it. The world today is different than the one we grew up in. There are so many things thrown at little ones today that literally change the way the brain functions. It makes me crazy and frustrated and those things will never change. Our world is full of toxins we never had before. Kiddos get 4 times the vaccines we ever had. There are chemicals and food dyes banned in other countries that invade our food supply. Little, developing minds are handed electronics before they can even say "mom" and the outside play and discovery has been reduced to a fraction of what used to be the norm. If we want healthy, functioning brains, we have to treat the whole person. If someone is telling you a magic pill or oil will cure this crisis, keep moving on. While there are some good things out there to help, healing a mind requires looking at the whole picture. Each picture is different since each person is different. Where do you start?? First off, always, always examine what goes into the body. As a teacher, I can promise you that my little ones who show up with candy in their hand or sugar cereals in their bellies can not sit and focus. Our bodies are a chemical process. What goes in affects the outcome. No other way around that. You have to get rid of the junk and change the diet. That's not easy, but incredibly necessary. Food allergies need to be explored, Candida and bacteria treated and malabsorption issues addressed. The brain needs nutrients and nutrients will not be absorbed in a gut that is compromised. If you are spending your money at a doctor that doesn't understand this correlation, keep looking. There are great tests now to help explain what is going on inside of the body. The Organic Acid Test has been an amazing tool for me and so many others. I so wish every doctor understood these tests. Maybe one day. Many of these little people have heavy metal toxicity, pesticide toxicity, liver stress, etc.  There are supplements to help clean out the toxins and to help the body to work properly.

     Another critical part of brain function is getting play time! kids are constantly on electronics. Adults as well! Electronics, especially video games change the way the the brain works. So hand those to a little, developing mind and you will develop a brain that functions like a rapid moving, jumbling and busy video game. Kids need to develop a brain by exploring, touching, feeling and by example from real people and situations. Get rid of the games and get them outside. Kids get hardly any recess time at school anymore which is ridiculous! The schools with more recess have higher scores. We aren't meant to sit. Many kids need to learn tactically, especially these days. There are schools now that allow for this. Search for a school that fits our child if possible. In any case, foster a world where your child can learn from the world and not on a device. 
  Lastly, drugs. This is a tough subject. Many parents are at their wits end. Schools also pressure parents as they aren't geared to teach these distracted minds. The serious trouble with these drugs, that are so often handed out way too easily, is that they not only change the child's very person but that at some point stop working altogether. At that point, you have a child that will have an even more damaged body and is older and harder to change. Many times all it takes is changing a diet and clearing out yeast and bacteria. Some times there are many more steps. Adults may also need to address these issues. My plea is that you take the hard steps. Do the hard work now. You can't always make a child change but you can change what you do and allow in your house. Start with baby steps. Start with breakfast and get rid of the junk. Just keep doing your best and don't give up. There are always answers.