I’m big on using Natural Remedies that work to treat the ADHD Symptoms of both of my boys. These may seem a bit strange, but I urge YOU to give one or two a try and see how they help you and your kids live a better life with ADHD.
I know, these ideas are a little out of the box when it comes to talking about treating ADHD.
These ideas in and of themselves are not strange ( well, maybe a little!), but you won’t find them typically mentioned when you google ADHD Parenting Tips.
But, I love sharing all the things that help our family with two ADHD kiddos and need to include these natural remedies for ADHD, even if they might seem a little surprising to some people.
Not one to be afraid to wander off the mainstream path, I have found some great natural remedies that help ADHD.
But as we parents of ADHD kiddos know, treating ADHD is not just about one thing and every little thing can add up to a big difference.
Our ADHD Story Part One
Our “Strange” Natural Remedies for ADHD:
1. Decluttering happens on a regular basis.
Keeping our home environment very simple was the first way I helped my boy’s ADHD, years before they were diagnosed.
When I read the book, Simplicity Parenting, by Kim John Payne(One of my favorite books for ADHD Parents), I noticed several things about my, then, toddlers:
- Too much stuff made them stressed out and hyper.
- Too much stuff made it hard for them to focus on any one toy for long periods of time
- Too much stuff made my boys fight over things, even though there was plenty to go around.
- Too much stuff made it impossible for them to clean up on their own.
Even at 12 and 14, these same ideas still hold for my boys – too much stuff really makes their ADHD Symptoms worse.
By keeping stuff to a minimum, the mess never gets too out of hand. It’s easy to keep things in place – or clean up quickly when things get out of place.
When it comes to my kids’ bedrooms, I have been following the advice in Kim John Payne’s, Simplicity Parenting. Bedrooms are mainly for sleeping and so, minimal “toys” and books are kept in their rooms.
Both boys can settle down for a restful nights sleep without being distracted by all the stuff laying around.
My boys’ bedrooms each have a set of shelves where things like legos and books are kept, but when they are full, that’s it.
Only the clothes that are appropriate for the season we are in are kept in their bedrooms – everything else goes in a bin in the basem*nt.
For both my children and myself, a space free of clutter reduces stress immensely and allows for space to breathe.
Getting Kids to Declutter
2. We rotate toys, books and clothes.
Afraid your kids will revolt when you ask them to get rid of their stuff?
You don’t have to get rid of everything!
Just ROTATE.
Rotating toys, books and clothes out of sight and out of reach seasonally or monthly can be a lifesaver.
Like I mentioned above, having less stuff around helps in so many ways! My kids rooms can be pretty clean even when not everything is picked up. There’s just not much stuff to have out!
Having a rotation system is a very simple yet super effective way to reduce the amount of things that are around your home.
I’ve invested in several large clear bins (like these HERE or check Goodwill!) that I keep in the basem*nt where items “out of rotation” are stored. Every few months(or sometimes weeks) we switch items, putting some away and taking some out.
Make your kids as much a part of this process as you can. I simply ask, “Should we put this in the basem*nt for awhile?”. You will have to explain the process to your kids, but once it becomes just something you do, it will run like clockwork.
We often rotate with the seasons – it naturally happens with clothes and you can do a few toys or books at the same time.
Rotating also really helps to keep things fresh – it’s almost like they get new things when we rotate items back in. A month or two is a long time for younger kids, especially!
It can feel like Christmas when you bring a bin up from the basem*nt.
Kids see what’s important when there’s less stuff. There is less picking up and moving things around.
And that means you can have more time to spend with your kids.
Another plus : Kids have a lot easier time letting go of items they’ve outgrown. If it’s been in the basem*nt for 6 months, they realize they don’t need it any longer and have an easier time giving it away.
3. Drinking water is filtered with a Berkey.
The water you drink can be filled with all sorts of toxins that can affect our kids health and behavior. We found out our water has an unusually high amount of lead in it, which can lead to all sorts of neurological symptoms.
But even if lead is not a concern, other unsavory contaminants can be lurking in the water you drink, cook with, and bathe in. Tap water can be filled with chlorine, flouride and lots of nasty parasites.
When the pandemic started 2 years ago and the world was making a run on bottled water, I purchased a Berkey Water Filter. No lines, no lugging big cases of water, and best of all, no plastics!
We fill our Berkey daily from the tap and its filtered into yummy, contaminant free water.
I love our Berkey!!! (We had to get a travel size because the larger ones were sold out.) We use the filtered water for drinking and cooking.
We also got a filter for each shower – to filter out chlorine, lead, and other pesky chemicals. Our skin is our biggest organ, after all.
4. I see a therapist for myself.
You can’t be a very good parent with a cup that is half full.
Parenting kids with special needs (yes, ADHD, I believe, does fall into that category) can be exhausting and take lots of extra energy on our part. We have to be sure to take care of ourselves, so we can be our best selves for our kids and families.
It can be easy to feel triggered by your children’s behavior. But remember, those feelings are going on inside of YOU. A therapist will help you analyze those feelings and find the source of your pain or discomfort, too.
We go thru so much learning with out ADHD kids and it’s so great to get someone else’s perspective and even just vent.
A therapist can be an impartial party who may give you fresh ideas and spur you into taking small actionable steps.
They can also be a great accountability partner, if you need one. (Raising my hand, I am an obliger.)
My therapist always, always has me turn the finger around to myself and try to decipher my part in any situation.
In the end, the only person we can truly change is ourselves, so it’s best to have help in doing so.
Related: Best Parenting Books for ADHD
5. We use a Castor Oil Pack regularly.
In order for us to be our best, we have to make sure our body is eliminating as many toxins as possible. With all the processed food being consumed these days, many kids’ bodies are just not primed to have a great “movement”.
Nothing helps the body, like a good poop!
A castor oil compress can be just the ticket to get things moving.
Castor oil is an ancient Egyptian remedy with so many benefits!
A castor oil pack can stimulate dopamine and seratonin – those feel good chemicals.
Castor oil can improve digestion, absorption and bowel movements. It can improve deep sleep and relaxation, too.
WOW!
A castor oil pack is easy to use and the benefits are optimal if you can leave it on overnight. My boys don’t love sleeping with it, but they wear the pack for at least 3 to 4 hours (perfect to wear during dinner and movie night!)
Admittedly, this does seem a little weird, but try it! It makes me feel amazing and I’m guessing it’s doing great things for my kids, too.
5. I give my boys lemon foot baths at night.
Sleep is a super important part of our natural protocol for ADHD. When my boys do not get a good night’s sleep everyone knows it!
Lemon foot baths fit nicely into our bedtime routine. A warm foot bath with the juice of a fresh lemon squeezed in can be extremely grounding to my kids.
And it’s so easy:
- I set a big bowl filled with hot water(boiled from the Berkey) next to my son’s bed. He tests the water first to make sure it’s not too hot (he’s sensitive, you know).
- When he puts his feet in, I squeeze in two halves of a lemon and just let them float.
- I wrap his legs in a towel that drapes over the bowl, to keep the heat in.
- I also cover his shoulders with a towel or blanket to make it extra cozy.
- He sits for as long as he can manage. We shoot for 10 minutes, but you know, sometimes that feels like ages to him.
- I take his feet out and dry them off, pretending we’re at the spa.
- I put socks on his feet immediately to keep the warmth going.
- He climbs into bed and reads for a bit before lights off.
These have been life savers during remote learning, as my boys often don’t get the exercise and movement they need. Sitting on a computer all day can mean both of my kids have trouble settling down to bed.
The transition to sleep is just so much easier with a lemon foot bath (and our weighted blanket).
The citrus fruit also serves as a great detoxifier and has gotten rid of warts better than drugstore remedies. My son’s feet are no longer stinky, either!
Better Sleep for Children with ADHD
6. I make non-toxic, household cleaners.
For something that can have an immense impact, making your own household cleaners is so easy!
Household cleaning products can contain some incredibly harmful chemicals and generally, cleaning product labels do not give consumers enough information to make informed decisions.
Products in your cabinets right now may contain carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, skin and lung irritants, allergy inducers, to name a few.
WOWZA!
My ADHD kiddos are so sensitive, both physically and emotionally, I’m not taking any chances on something that could make them feel worse or add to their emotional and physical overload.
The first step is to check the products you already have in your house on the Environmental Working Group’s website. They have a huge database that gives thousands of household products a “grade” depending on how safe it is to use.
I was shocked because even some of the products marketed as “green” are anything but!
Many of the better products come with a high price tag – and I do anything I can to keep our costs down and filter money to our food budget , so I can buy the best food I can.
Here’s our favorite:
- Fill any spray container (we recycle spray bottles) with about 1/3 white vinegar and 2/3 tap water.
- Add several drops of your favorite essential oils,(We like tea tree or lemon to add to the disinfecting properties. )
- Shake gently and squirt!
Another saving bonus: We use old t-shirts and cloth diapers for rags to save on paper usage!
OF course you can get fancier if you’d like. Check my DIY cleaners Pinterest board for lots of great ideas.
7. We take infrared saunas regularly
Out of all the natural remedies we use for ADHD, this is probably the most surprising to me. We initially started doing infrared saunas to aid in our heavy metal detox.
And I absolutely fell in love with them!!
The deep sweat from the sauna helps to purge lots of toxins out of the body. According to Dave Asprey, bio hacker extraordinaire, infrared saunas heat the body on a cellular level, from the inside out, rather than just heating the air around you.
What I didn’t realize was all the other awesome effects, besides the detoxing. The mood boost both my son and I get a few hours after the sauna lasts all weekend! We both have incredible energy and focus for hours after the sauna, as well.
If you have tweens or teens with ADHD, an infrared sauna is a great thing to try! Start with 10 to 15 minutes and work you way up from there.
Please let me know if you have tried any of these OR if you are inspired to try something new to help your kiddo’s ADHD Symptoms. I love to hear what natural remedies for ADHD help other families. While these natural remedies help my sons’ ADHD, they surely will have a big benefit for your family, too!
