| In 2006 the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) put a | | | | down on bread and pasta, esp. that made with white, |
| black box warning on Ritalin, a common stimulant drug | | | | processed flour. |
| prescribed to kids for ADHD. Seems that stimulant | | | | 2. Limit TV and video games, especially TV and |
| drugs were the cause of serious heart problems in 135 | | | | games that have lots of flashing lights. |
| children, 81 of whom died. | | | | 3. Help them get organized. Keep a schedule and be |
| Others said the numbers were considerably smaller. | | | | consistent. |
| And to be fair, some of the children had previous heart | | | | 4. Stop telling them to sit still. Their ability to do so is |
| problems, many of which had gone undiagnosed. | | | | limited. Furthermore, movement is essential to learning. |
| The numbers don't matter. The death of one child | | | | It's a major brain-based learning strategy! |
| remains a serious concern. As many as 2 million kids a | | | | 5. Practice deep breathing. Kids can even be taught a |
| month take these drugs. Some estimate 2.5 million | | | | simple form of meditation which is nothing more than |
| children are on stimulant drugs. That's a lot of children | | | | watching one's breath. Even getting more oxygen to |
| taking drugs. Startling statistics to put it mildly. | | | | the brain is a brain-based learning technique. |
| Then in 2008, the American Heart Association said | | | | 6. Cross right ankle over left and then give yourself a |
| that kids be given a standard heart test, an | | | | hug by crossing arms across the body, left over right. |
| EKG(electrocardiogram), if their doctors think they | | | | Reduces the stress in the central nervous system. Try |
| should take a stimulant drug for ADHD. It's not a law, | | | | it yourself. |
| only a suggestion and some think it's an over-reaction. | | | | 7. Get plenty of sleep. Put kids to bed earlier. |
| As a parent and grandparent, I'd certainly follow the | | | | 8. Exercise, play, run, skip, insist on recess, esp. "free" |
| EKG suggestion...even if insurance didn't pay. | | | | recess where kids choose what to do versus a |
| Now before I go any further with this story, please do | | | | structured game. |
| not take a child off their ADD medication or suggest to | | | | 9. Do Brain Gym® (See Not a few kids have gone |
| a parent that such should be done. If you want to look | | | | off their meds or at least had doses reduced by doing |
| into lowering a dosage or stopping a child's | | | | Brain Gym. Another very effective brain-based |
| medications, you must talk to a doctor. | | | | learning strategy. |
| What does this story mean in terms of ADD behavior | | | | 10. Eat more foods with Omega-3 fatty acids like wild |
| at home and in the classroom? I predict that anxious | | | | salmon, sardines,tuna flaxseed, flaxseed oil. Take |
| parents and doctors are going to take kids off their | | | | fish-oil supplements. (Find tuna without mercury. Check |
| meds without bothering with an EKG. | | | | your health food store.) Omega-3 fatty acids increase |
| What are we going do with 2 million hyperactive kids! | | | | the production of dopamine just as Ritalin and other |
| For years, we haven't had to take responsibility for | | | | stimulant drugs do. Brain-based learning includes what |
| helping these kids or keeping ourselves from going | | | | we feed our brains and how that food affects the |
| crazy trying to keep some kind of order in the | | | | brain's neurotransmitters. |
| classroom and at home. The drugs did it for us. Now | | | | Choose two or three strategies from this list of |
| we may be on our own. | | | | brain-based learning strategies and see what happens! |
| Here are ten brain-based learning suggestions to help | | | | I'm guessing you'll see an improvement! Less ADD |
| you and your kids cope with ADD: | | | | behavior. |
| 1. Stop eating sugar including drinking fruit juice. Cut | | | | |