Treating ADHD The Natural Way

Posted:
May
15
2013

Treating ADHD the Natural Way | LaToyaEdwards.net

I have never wanted to medicate my son for his ADHD or SPD. I have changed his diet and tried a bunch of different supplements in an effort to manage some of his behaviors. A year ago I had to stop his supplements because they were just too expensive. This was around the same time that Bubba started showing signs of ADHD.

If I’m completely honest there was a time in the last year that I was ready to medicate my son.  His mood swings and violent behavior were just too much for me to handle. I was exhausted from having a child that just could not seem to sleep well. I had to be with him and on him every single second of the day. It was exhausting.  One day I saw a blog where a mom was singing the praises of essential oils and how effective they are in helping children with ADHD and other Autism Spectrum Disorders.

After doing some research I’m so happy to report that essential oils and some other supplements have been extremely helpful in managing Bubba’s behavior.  Here’s a peek at some of what Bubba takes every day.

ADHD Supplements | LaToyaEdwards.net

Essentials Oils and ADHD

We have been using essentials oils for a few months and I am beyond impressed! The very first oil that I tried with Bubba was Lavender to help him sleep better at night.  Bubba really struggled with fall asleep and then also staying asleep. He would commonly take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours to fall asleep at night just to wake up a few hours later unable to get back to sleep. This made for two cranky people the next day. Bubba was cranky because he hadn’t gotten enough rest and I was cranky because I was just worn out. The first night that I used the Lavender oil he was asleep within 5 min and did not wake until after 7am the next morning. Normally Bubba is up between 530 and 615 in the morning. I was so excited when I realized that he’d actually slept through the night!

Some other oils that we use daily:

  • Peace and Calming
  • Valor
  • Vetiver

In in the morning before we start out lessons for the day I put a little Peace and Calming on Bubba’s wrists. He rubs them together and then inhales for a few seconds. This oil has really helped him stay calm and focused during our lessons. I also rub a little on his feet if he flies into a rage or gets really upset. Valor has been really helpful as well. Bubba has some anxiety that he struggles with and a drop of this oil on the wrists helps to ease his fears.  Vetiver is an oil that we are just starting to use so I can’t speak to it’s effectiveness yet but there’s a great article that talks about it’s benefits.

Other Supplements for ADHD

Along with our essential oils I have added some new supplements to Bubba’s diet. The most important things have been magnesium supplements and Cod Liver Oil.  Our pediatrician recommended Kids Calm when I explained the behavior changes in Bubba. This multivitamin is full of all the great things that we need each day plus a large about of Omega 3 oils and Magnesium.  It took about a month to really notice  a difference in Bubba’s behavior.

After some serious researched I realized how important magnesium is to help with many different things especially ADHD so I added a little extra in all of our diets. I use Natural Calm in a smoothie each evening with dinner.  It’s been such a help for all of us, but for Bubba it really helps him to relax at the end of the day (a time where he usually would have many episodes of rage). No more bedtime battles either.

Another way I have found to get some magnesium is to put epsom salt in the bathwater.  I usually add a cup or two, put in a few drops of either Lavender or Peace and Calming and then fill up the tub. Ideally you need to soak in the water for at least 20 minutes for the magnesium to absorb in your skin and be effective. This can be hard for my guys so sometimes I just read a few chapters of a book while they sit in the water. The magnesium also helps to pull the toxins out of the body.

The last supplement that I give Bubba is Cod Liver Oil. I mix a teaspoon along with the Kids Calm into orange juice in the morning. The Cod Liver Oil has a large amount of the Omega 3 oils that help with concentration and mood control. Also Bubba has a vitamin D deficiency and the Cod Liver Oil has a full day’s amount of Vitamin D.

Final Thoughts:

First I just want to say that I’m not a doctor so I’m not giving medical advice here.  I’m just a mom that was looking for a way to help her child and now I’m sharing what has worked for us. If you’d like to try these supplements I recommend talking with your doctor about it. Especially when it comes to the Omega 3 oils because too much can make you sick.

It’s been almost 2 months of using essential oils and the supplements and I am seeing lots of improvement in my son. He can concentrate on his work much better, his emotions are getting under control and we are all getting a good night’s rest! This momma has nothing to complain about.

What natural ways have you found to help you child on the Autism Spectrum?

This post contains affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy for more information.

LaToya

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10 Boy Proof Toys

Posted:
May
14
2013

10 Boy Proof Toys | LaToyaEdwards.net

1. Books

It’s a little surprising given the destructive nature of boys but we still have all of our books. We love to read in our house and there are books everywhere. I tried to count them last year some time and I believe we had over 300 books in the boys’ room.

2. Puzzles

My boys are whizzes at puzzles. We had lots of fun with the peg puzzles, then moved up to floor puzzles  and are now working on puzzles with 100 peices or more.

3. Dinosaurs

A few years ago my boys were all about dinosaurs. I remember hitting the jackpot at the dollar bins at Target one day. My boys have had lots of fun with their dinos throughout the year and they still play with them during the week.

4-7 Blocks:

My boys LOVE to build and destroy all the time. We have a lot of different blocks in the house. The ones that have lasted the longest are  legos, bricks, alphabet blocks,  and wood blocks.

8. Playdough

My boys love playdough. It took me some time to warm up to the idea but my guys will play for hours making cookies and cakes and pizza’s. I even broke down and bought some cookie cutters and accessories to add to the fun.

9. Kitchen Set and Dishes

This is the one that surprised me. A few years ago Bubba asked for a kitchen set.  My mom surprised us one day when she gave my boys a box of my old play dishes and food to play with.  I often find my boys making gourmet meals in the morning. I love to see them playing with something that I loved so much as a child.

10. Bikes

I love that Bubba has been able to pass down his old bikes to his little brother. It has been a great joy watching each of my boys learn to pedal on the same bike. And Chubba really loves being able to ride something that once belonged to his big brother.

What are some toys that have lasted in your home?

Every Tuesday, for the next ten weeks, I will be participating in a special Ten in Ten blog hop with iHomeschool Network.This blog hop is inspired by our dear friend and sister Angie of Many Little Blessings. We would love to have you join us during our ten week adventure. Please link up at Angie’s blog by clicking the image below.

Top Ten Tuesday at Many Little Blessings

 

This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

LaToya

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My Hopes for Teach Them Diligently Homeschool Convention

Posted:
May
13
2013

In a few short days I’ll be headed to Nashville, TN for the Teach Them Diligently Conference. If you don’t know about TTD it’s a homeschool conference that’s really much more than that!  The family behind TTD are all about encouraging and equipping parents to disciple the next generation.  I’ve never been to a homeschool conference or a parenting conference before.  I have been wanting to go for a few years and there’s even one about an hour away from me in a few weeks. But I chose to drive much longer than that hour to attend TTD.

What I'm Hoping to get out of Teach Them Diligently | LaToyaEdwards.net

When I first heard about Teach Them Diligently I was not in a good place. I felt like I was failing at a mom, flailing as a homeschool mom and just barely hanging on to my faith.  To be completely honest I still feel like that on most days.  There are lots of reasons that I’m excited about this particular homeschool convention.  I cannot wait to meet Sally Clarkson and Pam Tebow among others. I’m excited about meeting some of my iHomeschool Network sisters and other blogging friends in real life. I can’t wait to go to the Creation Museum with my boys.

The thing that I’m most excited about for Teach Them Diligently is a sense of belonging and fellowship. I often feel like a fish out of water in my little neck of the woods. I have a strong desire to be around like-minded people. I want to be able to have a conversation with someone about my heart for raising godly young men without their eyes glazing over.

Most importantly I’m so excited to see what God has for me at Teach Them Diligently. The second that I heard about the conference I just knew that I had to be there. I can feel God tugging at my heartstrings already. It’s a complete God thing that we are able to go. And the wonderful people behind the conference have such wonderful hearts I can’t wait to hug their necks!

Pre-registration for Nashville has ended but you can register at the door for $60. You can still pre-register for Omaha for $55 until May 20th.

Teach Them Diligently Convention

This post contains some affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy for more information.

LaToya

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