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Treating ADD/ADHD Without Drugs - Options for Hyperactive Kids

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There are lots of drug-free therapies for Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Because these therapies target the causes of inattention and hyperactivity (and there can be many causes!), they are sometimes very effective. So it's worth your while to explore them - here are a few therapies you can try:
 
1. Diet
The basic idea in the ADD/ADHD diet is to have a lot of healthful, organic food (fruits, vegetables, fish) and cut down on any possible allergen that can cause hyperactivity - this might be wheat protein, milk, soya, eggs and any kind of additive. Some children respond dramatically to diet - you can try this for your child if she seems to be sensitive to food. You will need a doctor's or dietician's help to put your child on an exclusion diet and to make sure she does not become malnourished.

Read more: Treating ADD/ADHD Without Drugs - Options for Hyperactive Kids

 

Helping children with their fine motor development

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Sometimes children need some assistance when developing their fine motor skills. This requires one to find strategies in order to assist children with their development. Occupational therapists are experts in the field of fine motor and handwriting development. If you suspect that there may be an issue with the fine motor development of your child you should seek an evaluation by a licensed occupational therapist.

Manipulative materials

Toys that require a child to manipulate it with his fingers and hands can be categorized as a manipulative. Manipulatives involve coordinating the eye to what the hands are needed to do. They stimulate fine motor development because they require controlled use of hand and finger muscles. Some manipulative toys, such as puzzles, are self-correcting, fitting together in only one specific way.
These types of toys allow children to work until they achieve success since they only fit together one way and they know that when they are done that they have accomplished something great. 

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Can a Child Display Autistic Traits and Still Not Be Autistic?

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Author: Rachel Evans 

With it featuring so heavily in the media (and rightly so) a fear that many parents hold is the possibility that their child or children may be diagnosed with autism. However, before jumping to conclusions should you observe some symptoms or traits of autism in your child, it is important to get a professional diagnosis and to look carefully into that diagnosis to make certain that there isn't something else causing the autistic behaviors to occur. There are a number of other health problems and disorders that are commonly misinterpreted and misdiagnosed as autism.

Misdiagnosis of autism can occur among the various autism spectrum disorders, or it can be connected to a completely unrelated condition. Parents should make sure to share all observations and considerations with the child's doctor so that possible alternate diagnoses the appropriate attention.

There are five conditions within the autism spectrum, and each of them can easily be mistaken for another. These are:

Read more: Can a Child Display Autistic Traits and Still Not Be Autistic?