Alternative Remedies for ADHD

There are alternatives recommended to medicating a teen diagnosed with ADHD Attention Deficit Disorder. You can manage their nutrition, teach them coping skills, and expose them regularly to the great outdoors. The latter serves to accomplish more than ameliorate the symptoms of ADHD. It also gives teens at risk the opportunity to interact with their world unplugged; without a game control, a remote control, or a monotone rap dialogue droning in the background.

Nature Deficit Disorder

“Bateman calls “Nature Deficit Disorder” – can be alleviated by spending more hours outside and fewer hours in front of the tube. […] “I’m talking about getting into the real world of nature, going for hikes, building forts, exploring – preferably not supervised by adults.” It’s not rocket science, said Bateman. Kids build a stronger sense of self by exploring “bushes, creeks, and twigs” of the natural world on their own steam.” (unknown source) Grandpa gave our 7 year old grandson a hammer and some nails and let him loose in the backyard. He went rifling through a pile of 2×4’s and other construction scraps and pulled out a few selected pieces and proceeded to spend the next hour creating what we finally called a lawn sculpture. He had an idea of what he wanted to build and was able to create an approximation of it. And now we can’t stop him. What he discovered was the power of translating an idea into reality by using the tools and materials that he had on hand. In many ways, sending your kids to play outdoors will give them a few valuable lessons that schools are, seemingly, failing to impart: innovation and self-reliance. By Ann Walker