My son was diagnosed with ADHD, now what?
You may be saying, “that’s not uncommon these days”, and you would be right. It is not uncommon, but the mamma bear in me wanted to know why my son has ADHD and what can be done to support him physically, emotionally and neurologically. This is what I learned. Walking out of the pediatric neurologist’s office with a diagnosis was in once sense comforting but I needed more information. I needed to know why this was happening. We have been dealing with my son’s outbursts for years. He is quick to lose his temper, is frequently frustrated and impulsive, is a poor listener and has trouble following directions. Some might say, “boys will be boys,” but we knew in our hearts that his behavioral issues were symptoms of something more troublesome. From my own health journey years earlier, I learned how important it was to listen to what my body was so desperately trying to tell me. It was now time to investigate and listen to what my son and his outward behaviors were trying to communicate.
We began with a blood workup with a holistic practitioner to see if we could identify why he had ADHD and what other measures we could take to support him. What we found surprised us. As it turns out, there is not one single cause of ADHD, but rather a multitude of factors which can trigger symptoms. In some cases, there is just one factor and in others, many. The most fundamental causes are genetics, neurological imbalances, environmental causes, and nutritional deficiencies. Surprisingly, nutritional and vitamin deficiencies are the most overlooked root causes by conventional doctors. Yet for me, I (inwardly) screamed BINGO! Call it mother’s intuition, but I had a hunch my son had a vitamin imbalance, he is a picky and poor eater.
His labs showed several vitamin deficiencies and a heightened sensitivity to gluten and casein (a protein found in dairy); two major staples in his limited diet. I felt terrible. No wonder his little body was acting out. These missing vitamins are crucial for brain function and his system was unbalanced.
Today, our journey continues and we’re making steady progress. With the help of school services, social groups, supplements and dietary changes, we hope to see a steady transformation. Of course, a diagnosis of ADHD is not easy, but it has allowed us to take action, take control and most importantly support our son. I often remind myself, my child is not ‘giving me a hard time, but rather, he is having one’. As his mom and as a certified health coach, I am pleased that I have the tools to help him navigate his ADHD diagnosis today and in the future.
