Toronto-Centre Naturopathic Medicine is a Toronto naturopathic clinic dedicated to providing safe and effective treatment of a wide variety of health conditions using natural therapies and the principles of naturopathic medicine.
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder is well treated using naturopathic medicine. Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder is a condition, that as its’ label suggests has as its’ primary aspects inattention and hyper-active-impulsive behaviour. Most children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder exhibit more of one quality than the other, but regardless of which predominates, signs and symptoms become more apparent during activities requiring focused mental effort. The exact cause of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder is unknown, but brain activity of persons with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder is different from those without. This may be related to hereditary factors, or possibly to toxin exposure. Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder is not dangerous in and of itself, but can result in learning difficulties and injuries by accident. It is also frequently concurrent with hyperthyroidism, depression, drug and alcohol abuse and a variety of conduct-related behavioural disorders. Professional healthcare should be sought out if you notice any symptoms that lead you to believe you (or your child) have attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
Symptoms of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
In order for common symptoms to be considered potential attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms, they should:
- Last longer than six months
- Occur in more than one setting (e.g., home and school)
- Regularly cause disruption at work, school and other daily activities
- Be severe to the point they cause problems in relationships with other adults and children
Possible symptoms of inattention include:
- Seeming to not be listening when spoken to directly
- Difficulty maintaining attention during work or play
- Avoidance of tasks or activities requiring sustained mental effort
- Inattention to details
- Careless mistakes made at work or school
- Difficulty completing tasks or activities
- Difficulty organizing tasks or activities
- Frequently losing possessions (e.g., keys, wallet)
- Forgetfulness
- Distractibility
Possible symptoms of hyperactivity or impulsiveness include:
- Frequent fidgeting or squirming
- Frequently leaving ones’ seat, running, speaking out inappropriately
- Difficulty playing quietly
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder treatment at Toronto-Centre Naturopathic Medicine
At Toronto-Centre Naturopathic Medicine, the goals of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder treatment are to decrease symptoms, identify environmental and dietary toxins that may be contributing to symptoms to prevent future episodes and treat concurrent health conditions (e.g., hyperthyroidism, depression).
Conventional treatment for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder may include counseling, and a variety of medications, including psychostimulants or antidepressants which may have short- or long-term side effects. For this reason, you may choose to try natural treatment to possibly avoid use of conventional medications, or together with conventional medications in order to decrease dosages of conventional medications required to manage your attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms.
Naturopathic treatment of any chronic health concern must be recognized as a process that involves identifying specific treatment goals, a thorough understanding by your naturopathic doctor of all factors affecting your health, including physical, psychological, emotional and lifestyle factors, development of a comprehensive treatment plan and execution of that plan through periodic monitoring and adjustment.
At Toronto-Centre Naturopathic Medicine a typical approach to treating attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder is to first identify and address underlying factors in your lifestyle (e.g., poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, stress). Where appropriate, a number of therapeutic options are available, to be used alone, or more often in a complementary fashion, including:
- Lifestyle counseling
- Nutritional supplements
- Botanical (herbal) medicines
- Acupuncture
- Homeopathic medicines
- Relaxation techniques
- Exercise prescription
Reference
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children [Online]. [cited 2009 Feb 18]; Available from: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/adhd/DS00275