Focus On Positivity

My newest endeavor has been to find a pediatrician who works on a holistic level. Thanks to iluveeyore, a very helpful reader, I found one who practices at Loma Linda Hosptial. That is only an hour away from where we are. I'm not sure if our insurance would cover an office visit, but I will gladly pay the regular fee for a visit, just to have the chance to get the opinion of a different kind of doctor. I will be calling them today.

Daniel has not had any other withdrawal signs. He has stopped getting dizzy and seems to be a lot more at ease, knowing that what he was experiencing was a normal reaction to the adjustment of the lack of medication. Being on our new diet has helped us focus on making good choices. We talk more often about how the choices we make, effect so many things that we do not realize. We talk about behavior and how controlling our anger can make the outcome of a situation more pleasant and not end in a punishment. We talk about the choice to put only good food into our bodies and how it effects how well our bodies work. I tell them about my grandpa. He was a diabetic for almost sixty years. He never lost a limb and lived to the ripe old age of 80, because he ate well, took vitamins and exercised regularly. He was a shining example of making healthy choices for a long life.

I am reading a book called "The Gift Of ADHD Activity Book," (Lara Honos-Webb, PH.D.) It gives over 100 different activities to do with an ADHD child and reasons why it helps them on a behavioral level. Daniel enjoys doing these activities and the best part is, they can be done with all of the kids. They are designed to help with increased concentration, relaxation, imagery, self control and frontal lobe activity. Today, we are going to do an activity called "Joy, joy and more joy." It teaches the child to create a sense of greater joy by focusing on the things that he/she loves. We are going to do activities that Daniel loves, read about his favorite things and let him pick out what we make for dinner (he loves to cook!) We are going to focus on the positive aspects of ADHD and use them to build more self esteem in Daniel.

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Day Four

"It is courage, courage, courage, that raises the blood of life to crimson splendor. Live bravely and present a brave front to adversity." Horace

Yesterday was the first time Daniel really experienced what it means to have to go without a food item that he really wants. It killed me. We stopped at Starbucks to use a gift card. Everyone got to order a blended vanilla bean drink, as a reward for their diligence in eating healthier. (The doctor told me to be sure and allow some sugar on occasion, so as not to create an obsession.) Since Starbucks did not make a drink using soy milk, Daniel had to find something non-dairy to order. He was fuming. I mean kicking the seat, screaming, saying that he wished everyone would die, kind of fuming. I tried to suggest some other items, but he wouldn't hear of it. I was not sure what the right action to take was at that point. I calmly told him to pick something else, or nothing at all. We left Starbucks with six happy kids and one empty handed, angry Daniel.

In other news, I'm trying to find out if there are any side effects to discontinuing the Focalin XR. Last night, Daniel was so tired, but he kept complaining that his heart was beating weird. Since the medication was a stimulant, it would not surprise me to learn that this is normal. I still have yet to find a concrete answer. I plan on calling the doctor today, to find out. I did find, in my hunt, an excerpt from the original packaging of Focalin XR. I read it very carefully, for the second time in our dealings with ADHD and found it shocking. Why didn't I notice this before? Here is what is says:
"The safety and efficacy of Focalin XR in children under 6 years old have not been established. Long-term effects of Focalin in children have not been well established (see WARNINGS ) .
In a study conducted in young rats, racemic methylphenidate was administered orally at doses of up to 100 mg/kg/day for 9 weeks, starting early in the postnatal period (Postnatal Day 7) and continuing through sexual maturity (Postnatal Week 10). When these animals were tested as adults (Postnatal Weeks 13-14), decreased spontaneous locomotor activity was observed in males and females previously treated with 50 mg/kg/day (approximately 6 times the maximum recommended human dose [MRHD] of racemic methylphenidate on a mg/m 2 basis) or greater, and a deficit in the acquisition of a specific learning task was seen in females exposed to the highest dose (12 times the racemic MRHD on a mg/m 2 basis). The no effect level for juvenile neurobehavioral development in rats was 5 mg/kg/day (half the racemic MRHD on a mg/m 2 basis). The clinical significance of the long-term behavioral effects observed in rats is unknown."

Regardless of the fact that the study was done on rats, this is not kosher. Decreased spontaneous locomotor activity? As in...."Hey watch out for that car! Ohhhh, he wasn't fast enough." I really want my son to be able to spontaneously be able to react to danger and get out of its way, if the need arises. Also, who knows what long term effects will be. Apparently, the manufacturer felt okay with not knowing that tid bit of info. I, however, am not. This was not the only astounding information on adverse effects and side effects. If your child is on Focalin XR, go look it up. Take the time to read the mind boggling amount of info on the package insert. It will shock you.

The First Step

The first step in doing anything in life, is to make the decision to do it. We, as a family, have decided to battle the ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) that plagues our son, Daniel. It is not an easy battle to fight. We have been dealing with the symptoms of ADHD ever since Daniel was a few years old. We have even gone as far as trying medication, to treat him. Medication, however, is not the same as treatment. Medication is only a band aid, in this case, a possibly addictive one. Though the medicine was effective in helping him focus, it never sat well in my mind or my heart.

So here we are, eight years into Daniel's life, with a sincere hope that we can find the answers we seek to help our son. So far, he is the only one, out of our seven children, that shows signs of the disorder. We pray that none of the other children will have to struggle as Daniel has. It is heart wrenching to witness such a innately sweet boy, fight to gain control over his anger, anxiety and impulsive nature. I have faith that God will lead us to a place that holds the answer. Whatever it takes...however difficult it may be...we are committed to this cause for the sake of our son and his future.

I have chosen to document our journey, in order to help others, share ideas and spread the knowledge that we prayerfully gain through this experience. Please feel free to share your thoughts and knowledge with us, as we progress towards our desired destination. Your input is greatly appreciated and your stories are always welcome. And now...on to the next step, which is talking to Daniel about our decision to take him off of the medication, changing the way we eat and what it means for his life.