In the year 2003 my grandson was 5 years old. It was springtime, when the Principal called us to come in for a conference. Next stop the Dr.'s office, where he was diagnosed with ADHD, given an Rx for amphetamines and sent home. I remember sitting in front of the computer, with tears of frustration blurring my vision. I began a search on that day, which has led us here today. I am writing to you, to share the information I have accumulated and found to be effective. So relax, as I reveal to you five amazing. All natural ideas that will put the power to help your child back in your hands.
#5 Laughter... Don't laugh! I'm very serious... According to Dr. Lee Burke; laughter increases the immune system, and reduces stress related hormones such as, cortisol and epinephrine. Laughter will reduce blood pressure to a lower, healthier level than it was before the laughter began. Laughter really is the best medicine. So... skip the violence, and the sad stuff, and find something funny to watch. Or just laugh at yourself! Your child will love that.
#4 Exercise... You already know they have more energy than you. And, you've heard... that exercise increases the "feel good" chemicals In the brain (serotonin and endorphins) And reduces stress (something you both could use).So! Start the day off with a walk together. Or, get creative; dance around in the kitchen. My grandson thinks I'm a very good dancer! This may lead to much laughter, Exercise and Laughter: 2 for the price of one.
#3 Aromatherapy... Smell matters, trust me on this one. The sense of smell is very closely linked to our memory; different essential oils have strong effects on how we feel. For Home work time: a blend of three drops each, Lemon, Grapefruit and Bergamot, Diffused into the room your child is studying in helps with focus. Lavender oil is calming and is very good for headaches. (Doesn't matter who has the headache)
#2 Music... said to calm the savage beast. I'm not suggesting you have a savage beast, but if it works on them... it should work on an eight year old boy!". While babysitting my four month old Grandson... put on some of my nice, relaxing music, to cover the noise in the house.(Tropical birds & piano) That night Austin asked if he could listen to" the bird music". Five years later he still listens to "the bird music" it helps him fall asleep. He really likes the birds.
#1 Massage... Now before you run down to the nearest day spa... Hear me out! One afternoon I had the massage table set up in the extra room.(No it's not a hobby, I've been a Licensed Massage Therapist since 1989) Austen was 5 and it was his idea to get his first massage. He asked, "hey Gigi how about a massage?" I said "sure... climb on the table. I thought "how cute "He pulled his t-shirt off... and proceeded to adjust the face piece for his comfort... I started gently massaging his back... When he looked up and said "how about some lotion Gigi "He was obviously serious about his massage, And I replied "how about some money Austen" He just laughed, but his response to the massage got my attention and I focused my research on massage benefits for children diagnosed with various behavioral problems. My research uncovered results that were mind blowing to me.
I have been a therapist for almost 20 years. I know massage is great, but I had no idea; to what extent it would help our children. Here are just a few of the amazing results I found.
According to the Touch Research Institute, at the University of Miami School of Medicine...
"Adolescents with ADHD rated themselves as feeling happier and were observed to fidget less after massage sessions. Also, teachers rated adolescents receiving massage as less hyperactive and as spending more time on task." Field,T., Quintino, O. & Hernandez-Reif, M.,& Koslovsky,G. (1998).
Simply put: Adolescents with ADHD benefit from massage therapy. Adolescence, 33,103-108.
A more recent study, involved 30 children and adolescents, between the ages of seven and eight teen, all diagnosed with ADHD. The children were randomly assigned to a wait-list control group and a massage group. Mood state improved for the massage group but not the control group. Based on smiley face and thermometer scales. The massage group also improved in classroom behavior in the areas of the Conners Teachers rating scales on anxiety, daydreaming and hyperactivity. Khilanani,S.,Field, T.,Hernandez-Reif, M.,& Schanberg,S.(2003) Massage therapy improves mood and behavior of students with adhd. Adolescents, 38, 623-38.
The abstracts stated specifically, that "massage given three to five times per week at 15 min. per session, lowered cortisol levels (stress hormones) and increased serotonin levels (feel good hormones)." I could go on with these impressive statistics, But they all say the same thing. And that is, massage is very, very good for anyone diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. That is great news!
The not So Great news is this. It's like exercise, in order to be effective your child would need 10 to 20 minutes per day three to five days per week. You could take your child to a professional Massage Therapist, but take it from me; this will get very expensive and extremely time consuming. The ideal solution would be for parents to massage their own children. The benefits are nothing short of magical! Of course the kids love it but the parents really enjoy feeling like they were able to do something to help. All you need... Is the desire to help your child and the willingness to learn.
Go ahead. Deal with It Naturally!
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