Alternatives to Ritalin

Recently articles were published in the French language Journal de Montreal (see the link at the end of this article) about the high consumption of Ritalin in Quebec.

I think it is very important, as a professional who works with parents, to provide some clarification, and add another voice to the controversy about ADHD.

The articles describe the tremendous consumption of drugs from the Ritalin family in Quebec compared to the rest of Canada (41.4% of all prescriptions of Ritalin in Canada are filled in Quebec).

One article also mentions how parents and teachers, helpless and stressed out by the presence of an ADHD child in their environment, call for the use of the drugs to reduce the challenges they face.

Even Dr. Annick Vincent, a psychiatrist recognized in this area, points out that "lack of resources means that many people who could benefit from Ritalin have no access to it.

I am a certified ADHD coach and I work primarily with parents of children with ADHD, who feel disillusioned, frustrated and often guilty by association for the way they have raised their challenging children.

Besides Ritalin, there are other alternatives and professional resources in Quebec to meet the desperate needs of these children and parents.

Coaching in ADHD is one of the alternatives offered by highly qualified professionals to provide effective solutions to the symptoms being experienced by the ADHD child and his family.

In my practice I see that the methods used with the ADHD child, at home or at school, are often inadequate both in their applications and their results. Why? Because they only address negative behaviours, the failures of the child, rather than recognize, appreciate and nurture their experiences of success when they occur.

The Nurtured Heart Approach that I work with is a powerful tool which offers parents remarkable skills with the following benefits:

•Children develop better control and which results in deep inner transformation;

•Parents learn to intervene solely on the successful experiences of the child;

•Learning new effective parenting skills;

•More harmonious family relations;

•Improvement of academic achievement;

•Better management by the child of the challenges related to ADHD.

I am often asked to work with children with problems related to school (work, exams), managing time and homework.

So that parents become important change agents in our Quebec society, I also cultivate a partnership between parents, teachers and other school professionals to enable greater collaboration. Information meetings are held with all these partners to explain the behavioural and learning challenges faced by these children in their ADHD academia. As an ADHD coach, and in consultation with parents, I can propose to the school realistic accommodations for the child for improved academic success and enhanced communication with the community.

Furthermore, few parents realize the impact of toxins and nutrition on the challenging behaviour and daily functioning of children with ADHD. My role as coach is also to refer to other professional resources in the fields of ADHD and autism.

ADHD coaching is a more objective opportunity for families who opt for a more holistic and ecological solution.

Finally, you can read other articles about ADHD on my website and find out about my future lectures.

Journal de Montreal http://www.canoe.com/archives/infos/quebeccanada/2009/01/20090126-054600...