Aspergers son with ADHD

In my experience there are two types of experts - 

Those who believe diet/supplements can affect mood/behaviour (generally, not just for autistic people), and those who don't. 

Unfortunately many NHS dieticians fall into the latter camp, and regard the former as quacks. This is real advice being given out by the NHS, which to me is sheer insanity..
www.telegraph.co.uk/.../Feed-your-babies-Quavers-and-Crunchies-NHS-tells-mothers.html

The primary issue, OP correct me if I'm wrong, is to help her son take his medicine. The OP isn't asking for advice on how to manage her child's ADHD. The type of medicine isn't at issue.

The primary issue here is the child's ADHD and its management. It sounds as though the current medicine is doing a valuable job in enabling the child to get on at school. I have no wish to undermine this approach. There are a range of views about medicalising our conditions. Some people on the site regard meds as poison, some people see them as valuable. I think it depends on the individual situation and am not trying to criticise this parent or be judgemental about what they are doing.

I think I have made it clear on this thread and others that diet is one avenue to explore in improving a childs' behaviour.

The link I posted, earlier in the thread, is from NHS Choices. I try to avoid posting references to cult websites with no pedigree of authenticity. NHS Choices does not post stuff without giving it a bit of scrutiny so I suggest that people read it if they are interested and to leave it alone if they are not.

The original poster is asking for advice on how to get her son to take his ADHD medicine. While it might be the case that diet is a factor in ADHD behaviour, as you suggested, I don't see how this peregrination helps solve the primary issue - getting the lad to take his ADHD medicine.......

It might be the original poster wants to explore dietary factors with you, and she may wish to set me right on this.

Otherwise diet is your specialist subject, and might be better pursued on a new thread. OP if I'm wrong in interceding here please say so.

The links between food and certain mental conditions is well established. E.g. Chocolate and cheese are well known triggers for migraine

www.nhs.uk/.../Causes.aspx

So, I don't think there is anything too radical in postulating a link between certain foods and certain comorbidities of autism such as ADHD. I don't think you can cure autism by changing your diet but some people can improve their general health and mental health by identifying incompatible foods.

In my own case, I know that I have Pollen Fruit Syndrome www.allergyuk.org/.../oral-allergy-syndrome Having identified my intolerance of apples, tomatoes, strawberries etc I have changed my diet. My GI system is now functioning much better and I also feel better mentally. The problem is that I have also changed other things in my life and have a much better understanding of how to control my mental state and social behaviour than before. I'm not saying that diet is a miracle cure for anyone but it seems to me that there isn't much risk in cutting out apples and switching to pears to see if it makes a difference.

The PFS is actually quite irritating as I used to really enjoy apples but I have switched to pears as these do not give me any side effects.

I don't find any of this terribly difficult to accept as I understand that foods are made up of thousands of different chemicals and it well known that the brain responds to certain chemicals.

I'm not sure why Longman thought it relevant to introduce bats' wings and lizards' gizzards?

Also bear in mind

"A person with a new idea is a crank until the idea succeeds", Mark Twain

There are websites that claim to HEAL autism by means of certain diets. The efficacy of these sites is dubious. One claim is that phenols and salicylates have something to do with autism - hence tomatoes, apples etc. But then again one site claims they cause "reddened ears, hyperactivity, inappropriate laughter, night sweats, black under the eyes, excessive thirst, eczma, facial flushing, trouble falling to sleep, disturbed sleep, odorous bed clothes......and of course "autism".....!?!?

Maybe if you hang up bat wings and the gizzards of lizards round a child's bed it will cure autism. I really don't know. Nor I think do the madcaps who come up with this staff have the faintest notion.

Get proper medical advice, and if there are dietary issues, get the right advice on that too. You'll have enough problems without having to exclude tomatoes and apples....

Hi Debz,

The evidence for dietary intervention is not at all clear and I only mention it as one possible avenue to explore. My idea of dietary intervention is to cut out any of the bright colour E number additives and perhaps cutting out apples and tomatoes and substituting with other fruits and vegetables such as pears and cooked, rather than raw, vegetables. A balanced diet is essential but I don't think this sort of dietary change needs to be approved by a dietician.

@Suzza good luck 

@recombinationtsocks its not always due to diet and isnt always a good thing to change a diet, before changing anything its best to ask a professional 

Have you looked at diet as an aggravating factor in ADHD?

www.nhs.uk/.../ADHD-children-should-have-diets-assessed.aspx

Crystal12, school have been fab and he has 1:1 30 hours a week! it's only his brain that stops him being able to learn. Everything else has been in place for the last four years.

azalea, there isn't liquid form in this tablet but maybe in another. Good option thankyou ;).

debzd22, he is on medikinet I think it's quite a new one. Yes you can open and sprinkle that's what I have been doing so far, in secret!  We have chatted tonight and are going to try swallowing one tomorrow. Wish me luck everyone!

X

Can i ask what ADHD med is he on? 

If its one that you can crush/open and sprinkle On somthing

then maybe if he sees you preparing his med he maybe willing to take it 

Is there a liquid form available? I can't for the life of me swallow tablets unless they're small enough that I can slip one in halfway through chewing a biscuit or something.

Mainstream can be hard for our children, esp if they haven't got the necessary support.  What does the school provide for him?  Teaching assistant? Support at playtime?  How autism-aware as all the staff? Meds have their place when everything else has failed so it's worth thinking about anything else school does that might be distressing him.  I'm not saying they're not a good school but stresses are well documented on this site when a child's in mainstream + can worsen as they get older.

I wouldn't class medicaion as a poison!

he is exactly the same at home but he doesn't need to sit still and listen to learn at home but he does at school. 

The school have actually been brilliant, but he is in mainstream so it's hard work for them. The meds have been a god send to us all! 

He probably knows instinctively that it is poison.  

Obviously you are doing your best as a parent and it must all be horribly stressful for both of you, but I think if a child needs to be medicated to cope with school but is fine at home, surely the fault is with the school. 

Sorry if this doesn't sound very helpful, but I get so angry hearing about kids being medicated to cope with a dysfunctional environment!