natural approach to ODD?

Amity30

New Member
Okay we have been on an all natural/organic diet for years. difficult child was on the same medications for 4 years. They helped but lately we have noticed that she seems agitated on them. Also they are now costing me a ton, $75 a month. She was crying at the drop of a hat and almost seemed like she had no cares to if she ate or not , slept or not, played or not. She would agree to do anything. SO we saw this as just being drugged up. So we took her off.
After rebounding for about 4 days. I noticed that she was no more hyper than her 3 brothers. Loud but not hyper. Miss aditude but not hyper.
I home school my kids and so even there she has not slacked. So my question is now that I am not really dealing with ADD or ADHD as being the issue I am dealing with a very difiant child. She can't shut her mouth. She now has to much additude and a bit to much of an oppinion..lol "I'm not doing that because your an iddiot and I don't have to do it" she tells her brother when I send him in to let her know it's time to wash up for supper.
Are there any books or diets or natural medications to help a child see she is being a bratty little turdy and will not keep the friends she has if she keeps it up? I tell her all the time that she isn't being nice and now I don't want to hug on her because she is always in your face being nasty. before she would sit by me and tell me how much she loves me..

Help I don't want a teen yet!
 

Josie

Active Member
I have never heard of a diet specifically for ODD. However, I am convinced the gluten-free, casein-free diet has cured my daughter. She's been doing it since last June and the only time she is defiant is when she has had some gluten or casein. It is a very strict diet and it means no traces even of gluten or casein. Since you already eat all natural and organic, you could probably adjust pretty easily! :smile:

At the time she started the diet, she was taking 20 mg of Lexapro and we were thinking we would have to add Seroquel. Now, she is on 5 mg of Lexapro and a completely different child. We are tapering very slowly so it is taking a long time but the plan is for her to get off from it completely.
 

SRL

Active Member
I think you're going to need longer than just a few weeks time to get a good idea of what's going on here, especially if she was on medications for 4 years. Have you read up on ADD/ADHD and how it often presents differently in girls?

I am a HUGE believer in accurate diagnosis as the first and most important step towards avoiding medications for those children who are able to do so. By knowing exactly the underlying neurological reason for the behaviors it helps on the understanding, research and treatment fronts.

"I'm not doing that because your an iddiot and I don't have to do it" is typical kid stuff--even my sweet spirited easy child daughter directs a comment like that to her brothers every now and then.

How does she do socially?
 

Lothlorien

Active Member
You may just want to try behavior modification, like charts and rewards. If things continue after a time or if if it worsens, take her back to the p-doctor for re-evaluation. As our children's brains develop, changes occur. Perhaps she is not add or adhd. Perhaps there is something else on the horizon. Have you tried adding Omega-3's?
 

Amity30

New Member
I have started to look into the gluten-free, casein-free diet. I even talked to my daughter about it and it was strange but she was all for changing her diet even though it would mean losing grandmas extra gluten bread. Oh well grandma can just find a new recipe!

I have always done 1,2,3 magic with my kids. but even today she knocked her little brothers heads together and when 2 boys are crying I asked why she thought that was a good idea and she just says I don't know.. ugggg We do star charts a lot of the time but I find myself frustrated and end up giving no stars or they will all bug me for a star> it kind of makes it feel like they are only being good for a reward and if no reward is offered then forget it. I don't wana raise my children like that..

Socially she has always been alone. At school it seemed she was always hanging with the little girls that seemed to be more like her. She spends the weekend at the hip with sisters boyfriend's daughter they are playing together all day long. The little girl doesn't seem to mind that my difficult child is loud and hyper or quite and withdrawn they have fun both ways. I wish I could keep the little girl...lol

Omega 3 has not been on my list of haves since I tried to put her on oil. Ewwww what a mess, costly and just plain gross!
We have tried doing Calm child tincture as well as Verb... something for calmness... I saw nothing with any of that stuff.
The medications were costly so we stayed away from anything else that would add to our ever dwindling budget.
 

Lothlorien

Active Member
There are chewable Omega-3's. Animal Parade makes them.

I had some issues with star charts too.

This worked for me.....

I put 10 candies in a jar (chocolate Sunspire m&ms...no food coloring) I would have 5 of them and 4 of candy Kisses. One large peice of chocolate....like Hershey's nuggets. If she kept all 10 she could have the big peice and all the rest. If she did something wrong, that was the first to go and then the kisses, then the m&ms.

Perhaps if that is too juvenile, you could try money. 10 dimes and a quarter each day. At the end of the week, if she was good, she'd have the potential of earning over 7 bucks.
 
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