have you got a second or third opinion?seen a natrapath i would look at every angle possible and sorry but doctors hand these things like lollies.think long and hard.it's speed,SPEED!personally i do not believe in ADD and ADHD.haow far do they say her speech is behind?have you tried changeing her diet?my friends boy was so-called diagnosed with adhd gave the speed years later came about all he needed was a change in diet.no advise on the odd and sa.good luck

I so applaud you asking questions and researching all you can before you give your daughter this medication, This medication works very well for some kids and does enormous damage for others.

Please consider a holistic approach first, and I'd get a 2nd and third opinion.

I know from family experience that sleep aponea causes a myriad of psychological problems - maybe no to the extent as your daughter is experiencing. I also know that lactose intolerence can cause sleep aponea and behavioural problems.

I know from my daughter's diet that certain food colors and preservatives cause terrible behaviour , but again not quite to the extent that your daughter must be exhibiting to be diagnosed as such.  

 I'd try looking at "Fed-up" and giving it a go.   http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/

The Dore program has ceased to operate, but I personally now one little boy who's life was dramatically turned around by this program. There is sure to be other programs available like this one.

I post in caution as my brother's life has been ruined by being drugged due to behavioural problems.  Again it does work for some kids and not for others.

I implore you to proceed with caution and with as much research and knowledge as you can gain.

Good luck with your little girl - she's lucky to have a mummy who's looking out for her best interests!

Hi,

I have a good friend whose middle child has add and aspergers, and she will not put her child on ritalin, as no one knows the long term effects of it... I would read up as much as I could on it before I would even think about it, as I know a lot of people who have used speed a few times, and the damage it has done to their brains, really scares me... Speed is a man made chemical, and who knows what the long term effects are on children's brains.. Their brains aren't fully developed yet, and the chemicals in ritalin are doing god knows what to them... I mean, I have seen people end up in the psych ward from using speed, and even though ritalin is not "pure" speed, it is still a man made chemical that alters the brain cells in a child/person...  It is personal choice, but I would just make sure I was fully informed about it before making a choice... My friend has her son on the dores program, and also a very natural diet and lots of exercise.  It is hard for her sometimes, but she would rather have it a bit hard now, than a possibly brain damaged kid in twenty years time...

my son is 8 and has had add and odd since he was 5. I googled add and odd as well as the meds and looked up a lot. I decided not to give it to him as in my opinion the side affects can be too bad but in saying that every child is different. Sometimes i want to strangle him but you learn to deal with it and i find tht having rountine and even though i have 4 kids i try keeping him doing things all the time helps. I bought a book about kids with add and different foods that can affect their moods and i tell u when i changed Jeremys diet i really saw him improve. The only thing i think meds would help with him at school.

hey babe.

My son is 6 and is on ritilin 10 x2 a day 1 at morning and 1 at lunch. with this you will notice her eating will go down. Alex eats less now, but drinks more water. His concerntration at school is 100% better and he is more controled at school and with in himself.

There is a alternatie med to take but very expensive depending where u go and that is 100% natural. its called Efferlex and you get it at the natural health shop places for about $35 for 60 tablets (about a months worth) it is fish oils and other natural things.

I have friends who have ADD kids and Autistic kids who have taken their children to naturpaths and get chrio and acupuncture as well. they say it has helped their kids heaps.

I will say I love the Ritilan. only because my son is mangable now, and we had cut all the bad stuff out of his diet so there was no artificial stuff going in. His teacher comments every day how well he is on his meds too and he has stopped chewing his clothes which is wonderful.

if ya ever wanna chat about it MM me.

Good Luck

Liz

Hi there, I don't know a lot about this, however I have added some links to other discussions/advice already on the site, and here is a link to the ADHD group.  Best wishes to finding the answers that are appropriate for you and your daughter.