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ADHD ALTERNATIVES five servings of vegetables per day and plenty of healthy fats and protein. Improving a child’s nutrition with a multivitamin or mineral has been shown in many studies to improve attention, but don’t start supplements without consulting a pediatrician experienced in nutrition and supplements. Many supplements do not undergo the same rigorous evaluations as prescription medications, so it’s easy to buy supplements THE EXPERT: that are ineffective or expensive. You could

Alina Olteanu, M.D., Ph.D. Integrative Pediatrician at Whole Child Texas in Frisco DFWChild Mom-Approved Doctor also do more harm than good. Neurofeedback—which measures brainwaves and helps the brain function more optimally—has good data for ADHD Q: “What’s a parent to do when school treatment, but it is not covered by insurrecommends assessing your child for ADHD, ance and is time-consuming. One of my top and you’d like to explore treatments besides recommendations for children with behavior medication?”—Jessica, Fort Worth problems is stress management for the entire A: What is labeled as ADHD many times family. When the family as a whole is in a is a symptom of something else, like early better place, children benefit. childhood trauma, family stressors, poor My favorite strategy for stress managesleep, anxiety, screen addiction, visual ment is daily meditation. That processing disorder and even rewires the brain to be less poor nutrition, anemia, thyreactive to stress and to roid problems, or support the prefrontal enlarged tonsils, cortex, the part of the brain to name a few. responsible for focus A pediatrician and attention. Children can evaluate a who are chronically child and rule stressed can’t learn, out any medical can’t pay attention issues that can and can even mimic focus and present with attention problems. physical symp-

With a neuropsy- toms ranging chological evaluation from headaches to and a diagnosis, parents abdominal pain. can partner with a pediatri- A complete ADHD treatcian to develop a treatment ment plan includes lifestyle and plan. That may include therapy nutritional counseling as well as with a psychologist; special school behavioral therapy, but it does not rule accommodations; and daily exercise for out prescription medications. Some chilat least 1–2 hours per day. Try to spend time dren really benefit from additional help, at outdoors with your child—disconnection least in the short term. I have many patients from nature can affect mood and behavior. who start with a more “natural” approach,

In addition, develop a sleep hygiene plan. and when they are not improving enough, go Make sure your child gets plenty of sleep, on medication. I would encourage parents to keeps their bedroom cool, and has a consis- keep an open mind to all options. tent bedtime. No screentime for the 2 hours before bed. I advise against processed foods Have a parenting question you’d like our experts to with added artificial dyes, preservatives or answer? Message us on Instagram @dfwchildmag or sweeteners. Kids should be getting at least email us at editorial@dfwchild.com.