Ask Dr. Vail: "My Child and ADHD"

Dear Dr. Vail,

 Someone told me that my child should be evaluated for Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and put on medication. I do not believe anything is wrong with my child. Still, I am worried I am missing something, and maybe there is a problem. If I do not give my child the recommended medication,  will they have a harder time in school and life? What should I do? 

— Signed a Concerned Parent 

Dear Concerned Parent,

First, let me say that you are not alone. Parents ask me this question regularly. People often seek help from a psychologist after a teacher, or a coach, or a family member mentioned them their child might have ADHD. Many parents think they "should" try medicating their child, to address the issues their child is exhibiting.    Unfortunately, many children today are misdiagnosed as having ADD or ADHD and then medicated for a condition they do not have. There are many theories on the causes of ADD and ADHD, and I will address three of these theories,  sleep deprivation, diet, and the wrong learning environment.  I encourage parents to take a good look at these areas, before resorting to prescription medication,  in their attempt to alleviate symptoms of ADHD in their child.

First, take a good look at your child's sleep schedule. Many children (and adults) who look like they have ADD or ADHD are sleep deprived. The symptoms of ADD and ADHD look identical to those of chronic sleep deprivation. I have found that most parents are unaware of how much sleep their children need to function at their optimum levels. They are then shocked when they realize how little sleep their children are getting compared to how much sleep they truly need. Most adults have been so tired that they cannot shut down and fall asleep. Children have the same experience. However, many children (and adults) have not learned how to soothe themselves and to fall asleep when they are overtired.  I am amazed at how common it is for children to have late bedtimes and sleep less than eight hours every night.   Often, I hear about children who fall asleep in front of the TV or play video games until the wee hours of the morning (even on school nights). It is our job as parents and caretakers to help the children in our care learn how to fall asleep and stay asleep. I recommend that children do not have a TV in their rooms, and the amount of screen time be decreased, or not happen at night. The monitors emit light waves that often increase brain wave activity, and can make it harder for people to fall asleep and stay asleep.  Many books are available to determine the amount of sleep a child needs,  based on their age. Some books offer suggestions on how to teach your children to sleep. I found the book "Healthy Sleep Habits, "Happy Child" By Marc Weissbluth, to be very helpful.

Second, carefully evaluate your child's diet. Most people know that a well-balanced diet is essential for a healthy body. However, despite this knowledge, many people do not consume enough fruit, vegetables, or protein. Instead, their diets are made up mostly of carbohydrates. Unfortunately, many children head to school in the mornings without having eaten anything for breakfast. Or they start their day by eating sugary cereal and drinking artificially sweetened drinks. Some studies show ADD and ADHD symptoms often decrease when people increase the  amount of protein they consume. There is some controversy on the effects of sugar, artificial colorings, and pesticides on ADHD symptoms. However, many parents claim that after they eliminated artificial colorings and additives, and decreasing of the amount of sugar their children consume, their children's behavior radically changed for the better.

Third, evaluate the child's learning style. In many schools today, the typical classroom size is enormous, and teachers feel pressured to teach a curriculum based on tests the government requires. As a result, many children are bored and are not fitting into the dominant education system. As a result, many children act out and get diagnosed with learning disorders or ADD/ADHD, and then put on medication. Many people believe that the current educational system is failing, and many children are suffering. Teachers are not to blame. Many of our children are struggling under the weight of the collapsing educational system.  Children get labeled with ADHD and then medicated. In this paradigm, the big pharmaceutical companies win. They are banking on your child being diagnosed and prescribed their medication.  Before diagnosing a child with ADHD, I recommend parents look at ADHD through the lens of "Attention Directed in a Higher Dimension."

 
It is essential to think critically about the child and look at the whole situation.  Parents need to evaluate whether the system is failing their child and be open to the idea that a different learning environment might be a  better fit for their child. If so, consider an alternative school—a charter school, or a homeschooling environment. Many children previously thought to suffer from ADD/ADHD thrive without medication when their academic environment changes.

Before resorting to prescription medication in an attempt to help your child, evaluate their sleep schedule, their diet, and their learning environment.  When possible, make some of these changes first. Hopefully, you will be amazed at the results. Your children will have healthier and happier lives and hopefully thrive without prescription medication.

Dr. Amy Vail is a psychologist with a private practice in Northern California. She works with couples and individual adults and adolescents to find healthier and more satisfying ways to live their lives. Dr. Amy Vail  530.581.2539