RE: hyperactivity help

[Guest guest]

My son was the same as a child...extremely hyperactive and never took a nap. When he turned 3 yrs old and started PLACE, another parent told me about a homeopathic "ritalin like" supplement called Pygnogenol (think that's the spelling) or Grape Seed extract. I went to Nutrition S'Mart in Pembroke Pines and bought the liquid form with a dropper in a bottle. I think it was made by Nature's Way or Nature's Answer. I used a full dropper for every 50 lbs of his bodyweight in orange juice as he couldn't swallow pills. Once in the morning, again after dinner. It was fabulous. It really helped calm him down and become more focused. I used it for a year and a half, maybe two, until it stopped working. I took him off of it for 6 months and then started it again but it didn't work as well as he got bigger and I didn't want to give him huge amounts of it. He was on Grape Seed Extract until he started Kindergarten and it really helped him to attend to his ABA. Good Luck.

RobinGas prices getting you down? Search AOL Autos for fuel-efficient used cars.

[Guest guest]

You should try the weighted blanket at

night, but you have to ask the O.T how much lbs does he need. If you are going

to buy the one go to Ebay.com they’re cheaper, that’s where I got

it for my son.

From: sList [mailto:sList ] On Behalf Of kscelot

Sent: Monday, June 30, 2008 7:55

PM

To: sList

Subject:

hyperactivity help

Hello everyone. I am a regular member and I really

need some

help/advice. My son is almost three with ASD/ADHD.

Recently his ADHD has become severe. When I tell you he only sits

when he is in his carseat, I am not exaggerating. He never naps

during the day, won't stay in his room for " quiet time " (he can

climb the gate in his doorway), etc. After a struggle getting him

to fall asleep he does typically sleep at night, with the occasional

3:00 AM wake-up ready to start the day! We get literally zero

downtime.

A little background: diet-wise, he is GF (not CF, though, because

he is already severely selective and milk is basically his only

protein source), zero caffeine (including chocolate), no candy, we

avoid dyes/food colorings/preservatives. Nothing impacts his

activity level. Limited television exposure. He has been in OT,

speech and special instruction since he was 18 months old.

My husband and I are to the point of desperation in trying to help

him (and us!) without resorting to meds. We see the DAN doc and the

neuro again in August, but we are losing our minds here.

Any ideas???

Thanks,

Keli

[Guest guest]

Hi Keli,

My son was really active as well He is still somewhat but it really has decreased in the past six months so there is hope!!!

Parents used to tell me this all the time and I did not believe them but it will get better. Also, boys tend to be more active and impulsive than girls. I know parents whose son was so active (read: hyper) that they would take him to the beach daily and have him run up and down it. That kid is now 16 and runs track and holds records. I used to bring my son to the beach and/or the playgrounds and we would run and run and do all sorts of wacky drills. He recouperated quickly but it helps him to manage the anxiety and regulate himself. I always consider it part of my training.

Remember hyperactivity is a function of communication. There was a time when I believed my son was so hyper as it was his effort to avoid stomach pain. I think he has gastro problems and I think he maintained a high activity level to avoid the pain since he could not communicate this to us.

My son stopped taking naps once he reached about 2 1/2 years old. For about 6 months prior to that, it was just a power struggle for about an hour to get him to sleep. I am sure there were some behavioral modification techniques I could have used but did not know them then. At that time, we just changed his bedtime to earlier in the evening to meet the sleep needs. Regular and frequent exercise throughout the day also helps. I hear adults with ASD often speak about vigorous exercise helping them.

Something we recently began using was Melatonin and continuing to have a set schedule before bedtime. We do the same routine every night, at the same time and we give him one Melatonin (1mg-or whatever the smallest dose) about 20 minutes before bed. It helps him to regulate his sleep/wake cycles. Kirkman's has a delayed/slow release Melatonin since there is a chance of waking with the other and you mentioned your son wakes at 3AM. There is a chewable form.

I know it must be difficult but when your son wakes at that time, try not to give in to any demands. I spent many nights citing the same line to my son, "It is not time to wake up, it is time to sleep. It is still dark outside."

There are some supplements that may help as well such as GABA, which can be taken up to three times per day and up to 500 mg at a time. Also, Pycnogenol, which is a strong antioxidant also used for symptoms of ADHD. That is what was recommended to us. I think the GABA helps.

Good luck and hang in there!

hyperactivity help

Hello everyone. I am a regular member and I really need some help/advice. My son is almost three with ASD/ADHD. Recently his ADHD has become severe. When I tell you he only sits when he is in his carseat, I am not exaggerating. He never naps during the day, won't stay in his room for "quiet time" (he can climb the gate in his doorway), etc. After a struggle getting him to fall asleep he does typically sleep at night, with the occasional 3:00 AM wake-up ready to start the day! We get literally zero downtime. A little background: diet-wise, he is GF (not CF, though, because he is already severely selective and milk is basically his only protein source), zero caffeine (including chocolate), no candy, we avoid dyes/food colorings/preservatives. Nothing impacts his activity level. Limited television exposure. He has been in OT, speech and special instruction since he was 18 months old. My husband and I are to the point of desperation in trying to help him (and us!) without resorting to meds. We see the DAN doc and the neuro again in August, but we are losing our minds here.Any ideas??? Thanks,Keli

[Guest guest]

Does this work with older kids (14 year old)? Does anyone know?

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... It's about learning to dance in the rain.

Subject: Re: hyperactivity helpTo: sList Date: Tuesday, July 1, 2008, 1:08 PM

My son was the same as a child...extremely hyperactive and never took a nap. When he turned 3 yrs old and started PLACE, another parent told me about a homeopathic "ritalin like" supplement called Pygnogenol (think that's the spelling) or Grape Seed extract. I went to Nutrition S'Mart in Pembroke Pines and bought the liquid form with a dropper in a bottle. I think it was made by Nature's Way or Nature's Answer. I used a full dropper for every 50 lbs of his bodyweight in orange juice as he couldn't swallow pills. Once in the morning, again after dinner. It was fabulous. It really helped calm him down and become more focused. I used it for a year and a half, maybe two, until it stopped working. I took him off of it for 6 months and then started it again but it didn't work as well as he got bigger and I didn't want to give him huge amounts of it. He was on Grape Seed Extract until

he started Kindergarten and it really helped him to attend to his ABA. Good Luck.

Robin

Gas prices getting you down? Search AOL Autos for fuel-efficient used cars.

[Guest guest]

Hi Keli,

I've been there, and believe me, my son still has his days...

What helped my son were a combination of things - daily use of a

trampoline (the small one you can get at Toys R Us for $29) as well

as a weighted blanket (I used a 6 lb. blanket), wheelbarrow walks,

deep pressure, brushing on his arms and legs and believe it or not,

music. It seemed to " organize " him. I would also get one of those

under-the-bed plastic storage bins and put pinto beans in it with

some small toys like cars and balls and such and sat him inside it.

It took him a while to get used to the idea of sitting in beans, but

the input he got from it was like no other. Also useful were a

couple of things I got from IKEA - a pop-up tent (about $20) and a

small crawling tunnel (about $10). He loved exploring these and the

small spaces were soothing for him.

I hope this helps,

Tina ;0)

>

> Hello everyone. I am a regular member and I really need some

> help/advice. My son is almost three with ASD/ADHD.

> Recently his ADHD has become severe. When I tell you he only sits

> when he is in his carseat, I am not exaggerating. He never naps

> during the day, won't stay in his room for " quiet time " (he can

> climb the gate in his doorway), etc. After a struggle getting him

> to fall asleep he does typically sleep at night, with the

occasional

> 3:00 AM wake-up ready to start the day! We get literally zero

> downtime.

> A little background: diet-wise, he is GF (not CF, though, because

> he is already severely selective and milk is basically his only

> protein source), zero caffeine (including chocolate), no candy, we

> avoid dyes/food colorings/preservatives. Nothing impacts his

> activity level. Limited television exposure. He has been in OT,

> speech and special instruction since he was 18 months old.

> My husband and I are to the point of desperation in trying to help

> him (and us!) without resorting to meds. We see the DAN doc and

the

> neuro again in August, but we are losing our minds here.

> Any ideas???

> Thanks,

> Keli

>