ADHD Alternative Treatment

Is there an alternative treatment for ADD/ADHD for those who prefer not to take medication?

There are several treatments and therapies designed for those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder that when followed consistently have great success.



A leading ADHD therapist states in the One Stop ADHD audio program that most doctors will suggest Behavior Modification as the first non-medical line of defense for treating ADD/ADHD. In a nutshell, Behavior Modification involves rewarding positive behavior in order to increase the frequency of such behavior. On the opposite end, a person who exhibits negative behavior usually has something important to them taken away. This type of alternative treatment is very effective with children especially when the parents and teachers are both actively involved.

The key is to find things that REALLY motivate children and use them to affect their behavior. Take for instance a child who loves getting stickers and whose favorite food is macaroni. If the child does a great job in school listening and following instructions, the teacher should immediately reward them with praise and a sticker. As the positive behavior continues the child continues to earn more stickers. But if the child suddenly starts to exhibit negative behavior, stops focusing and starts bouncing around the classroom, not only will they stop earning stickers but the stickers that they’ve already earned will get taken away.

This same strategy can be used at home with the macaroni. Positive behavior leads to more macaroni on the plate and negative behavior results in no macaroni at all. This strategy ONLY works with things that are meaningful to the child. And it won’t take long for them to figure out that they need to work hard at staying focused and doing what it is they are supposed to be doing.

Parents are seeing great success using the Behavior Modification strategy along with the Better Behavior Wheel. When a child misbehaves they must spin the wheel to find out the consequences of their behavior. There are 48 consequences and 16 rewards. It's a fun way of managing a child's actions but is also extremely effective at changing poor behavior.


Another alternative treatment widely accepted by the medical community is Biofeedback, also known as Neurofeedback. It’s a form of mind/body therapy where you use the power of your mind to control your body.

As an alternative treatment for ADHD, participants are usually hooked up to electrodes then placed in front of a video screen full of images. The images on the screen will only move if there is activity in certain areas of the brain. In essence the patient is playing a video game that can only continue if they use their brain to move the images. The actual movement of the objects on the screen is a form of “feedback”. As the participant is rewarded with the movement of objects, the more they will use their brain. Their brain is actually being trained to work more effectively using this mind/body connection.

Research shows that about 50% of children with ADD/ADHD who attend weekly biofeedback sessions are able to reduce their medication significantly and 40% are able to discontinue medication altogether.

In addition to the medically approved therapies like Behavior Modification and Biofeedback, several non-medical companies have created their own programs aimed at treating ADD/ADHD without the use of medication. Among the most reputable ones are the Dore Program, Learning Breakthrough™ and Brain Gym. Each requires patients to do physical activities that stimulate the brain in various ways. The results have been staggering, therefore making these programs worth investigating.



For more information on how to use Behavior Management strategies with your child, watch our online ADHD Video #3

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