What are the best "natural" supplements for ADD children?

Routine & rule based lifestyle with a healthy diet, and a few breaks of exercise per day will be the best route if you are trying to avoid phamaceuticals.

Both my husband and son have more severe ADD. Neither are on meds. Both do the above. We also utilize supplements.

I have cared for dozens of children with ADD/ADHD. Those that performed best ate healthy, had routines and supportive family members.

Including modest amounts of coffee also reduces the hyperactivity in children. The incidence of ADD in countries when this is a common practice is dramatically lower.

Yes @Dr_Lawrence. My husband needs caffeine to function properly.

@SpatzieLover so does mine, and massive amounts of it.

I have heard that supplementing iron is good. I think I see, in my son, a correlation between the times I know he is getting enough and when I pack him something else in his lunch and then no red meats at dinner times.

@Dr_Lawrence I never would have thought about giving coffee to me 7 year old son. He does like a nice cup of tea though. Do you think I should encourage that?

I don’t know about kids, but my brother takes fish oil, zinc and St. John’s Wort with a low sugar diet.

@cazzie – cafe au lait (mixture of coffee and a little milk (less than half) would probably work better, Try it for a month or two and see if you see any changes. Ask your paediatrician if they have any genuine concerns about this home testing plan. The morning would be the best time for the coffee consumption.

Cut all processed foods and plenty of omega threes.
@SpatzieLover ‘s response also made me think about one other thing, ROUTNE. Stick to a schedule.
Also, an iPhone or iPod touch is a great tool to keep schedules and deadlines organized for someone with ADHD. They will loose a planner, but will be totally attached to an iPhone.

@cazzie When my son was very young, he actually liked coffee with milk.

Now, at 6 he won’t drink it. We have contemplated taking him to a psychiatrist to get a prescription for caffiene. For now we don’t feel he needs it. We are willing to go that route if things change.

A while back I took a magnesium supplement for leg cramps and noticed I also felt more calm and focused. I slept better and had less trouble “locking in” when I was working.

I’m still not sure if it’s the better sleep that creates the better focus or they’re separate benefits. But apparently there is some study to back up the correlation, nothing conclusive at this point.

Might be worth a shot.