Subject: Re: ADHD

From: Graham Sorenson <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 07 Nov 1995 08:42:19

In article: <[email-masked]>  [email-masked] (Art & Jan Dunaway) 
writes:

> 
> I also has a friend whose child is ADD who lets him have 
> cappichino.  At first I thought she was totally nuts, but after 
> more research for some bizarre reason people with ADD do get a 
> calming effect from caffine.  They are able to focus and 
> concentrate much better.  Go figure...

Maybe it is to do with the way we perceive the Introvert/Extrovert Hypo/Hyper 
situations.

BUT if you lookat the way the body actually works then it may become clear.

If a person is Hyper Extrovert, it is because the body (may) need stimulation 
and the outward sign is Hyper or extrovert behaviour.  So for this situation 
often you give stimulents. Likewise for Hypo or Introverts the body is over 
stimulated so requires calming.

Lavender oil e.g. (and other Herbs and oils), works for both these situations 
because they are considered to be Balancing. 

So in the above case the Persons body needs stimulation and caffine provides 
this stimulation.  

Regards
Graham

> Jan
-- 
Guide to Aromatherapy URL
http://www.demon.co.uk/murderon/fragrant

If your Faith was against the law,
Would there be enough evidence to convict you?

---

From: [email-masked]
Date: 8 Nov 1995 03:06:00 GMT

Quoting camel from a message in alt.folklore.herbs
   >Path:
   >news2.delphi.com!news.delphi.com!elvis.delphi.com!news-out.internetmci.c
   >>
   >Have you also removed ALL sources of caffeine from their diets?
   >(soft-drinks, chocolate, etc.) Caffeine is probably the WORST drug in
   >our society. (in fact, it might be why our society is in the shape
   >it's in today, a nation-wide caffeine psychosis) And have you tried to
   >see if there is any food/hyperactivity connection? Many problems like
   >this are due to simple food alergies.
   >.

If the child is truly ADHD, caffeine will actually help, not hurt him or
her.  My son is ADHD, on Ritalin, and has what is called rebound as it wears
off.  The biggest help is giving him a large glass of Coke or a cup of
coffee.  The caffeine does the same thing as a small dose of ritalin, and
eases the transition.  In mild cases, a cup of coffee or Coke is all that
the child may need to help him focus and concentrate.
   As for the food/hyperactivity connection, if he is truly allergic to some
foods, this is possible.  But my son only tested positive for peanuts.  The
only thing avoiding peanuts does is prevent him from having stomach
problems.

`[33m**`[36mDebbie`[33m**

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From: <ken>
Date: 8 Nov 1995 21:56:57 GMT

>`[33m**`[36mDebbie`[33m**                                                                                                                    
I saw a program recently regarding a mother who had a hyperactive child.
This woman stated that her child was so bad she could not take him/her
out in public.  The child refused to keep his/her clothes on and chose to
to use the floor in every room of the house as a toilet.  This child was
also diagnosed as being autistic (sp?).

She was referred to a doctor who took a series of blood tests and it was
found that the child had very high levels of lead in his/her blood.  Also
many other minerals that he/she was being exposed to in his/her environment.

Have the blood checked.  Sorry I can't provide you with any names, I didn't
write anything down.

Marianne

---

From: Deborah Ruppert <[email-masked]>
Date: 8 Nov 1995 16:56:39 GMT

[email-masked] wrote:
>In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (caMel) writes:
>
>Actually, a friend of mine has a "very rambuncious" child, and their 
>pediatrician RECOMMENDED giving him coffee.  My friend says it calms him down! 
> Don't know why, how, etc. 

I do.  ADHD, as near as the medical research has been able to ascertain, is in
part a function of underactivity in the attentional and impulse-control areas
of the brain.  Stimulants (in this case caffeine, and in more routine methods,
ritalin or dexedrine) stimulate more activity, and thus allow the ADHD person
to pay more attention, slow down, and control impulses.

Caffeine is not as effective as the other stimulants because it is not as 
narrowly focused in its effect, but it does help.

Removing allergens (food allergens, especially) also helps a great deal.
In addition, behavioral modifications, a structured and disciplined lifestyle
and classroom, and therapy and social-skills training help a lot. It's a complex
problem to address.

How do I know? I have an ADHD son and an ADHD husband, I advocate for my son
in the school system regularly, I started a support mailing list for parents
of ADHD children, and I made it a point to learn all I could about it.

Deborah Ruppert
[email-masked]

"I do NOT speak for Intel and Intel does NOT speak for me. Thank goodness!"