Lawrence D. Rosen, MD, chief of pediatric integrative medicine at Hackensack University Medical Center, advises parents to seek a holistic approach. While acknowledging that this may include the use of prescription drugs, Dr. Rosen suggests the benefits of addressing “not just the physical, chemical needs of kids, but their total emotional and mental health.”

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for ADHD has not been well documented. Despite promising research, alternative remedies are often difficult to study because one treatment is rarely used alone. However, approximately two-thirds of children diagnosed with ADHD have received some form of alternative treatment, often prompted by parental concerns about the potential side effects of stimulant drugs that are used to treat the disorder.

Dietary changes top the list of nondrug options. A recent study links artificial coloring and preservatives with increased ADHD symptoms. “The overall findings of the study are clear and require that even we skeptics, who have long doubted parental claims of the effects of various foods on the behavior of their children, admit we might have been wrong,” cites a publication of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Research with hyperactive children also finds that more than three-quarters of them display abnormal glucose tolerance, meaning they handle sugar intake poorly and have trouble maintaining balanced blood sugar levels.

Australian research finds that essential fatty acids (both omega-3 and omega-6 supplements) help ADHD school-age children improve significantly in paying attention while lowering hyperactivity and impulsive behavior. A 2007 review of fish oil supplements, which contain omega-3 fatty acids, reported a “growing body of evidence” in support of these supplements in the journal Pediatric Clinics of North America.

A form of biofeedback therapy may work as well as medication in addressing ADHD symptoms. In one study, children learned to control video games by exercising the parts of the brain related to attention and focus. Massage and yoga may also be helpful at different ages and developmental stages.

If you have difficulty finding a healthcare practitioner open to exploring the range of options available in treating ADHD, a list of pediatricians who offer alternative treatments is available through the Integrative Pediatrics Council at www.integrativepeds.org.