Has anyone tried........
Find a Conversation
Has anyone tried........
| Sun, 06-26-2005 - 5:06pm |
using herbal supplements for "calming" their child down??
I decided to buy some today. It's got chamomile in it, and I didn't give him the usual dosage....just trying to see if it helps at all. Anyway, he DID NOT like the taste of it, even mixed in with juice!
Has anyone had good results from this? I was just wondering, because Nathan has been quite a handful lately, and this transition to summer seems rather difficult this year.
I just gave him some.....so I'll let you know how he does.
Michelle

Chamomile is a good option, but I wouldn't buy like "calm Child" or any of the mixed ones. I also wouldn't give St. Johns' Wort or Kava Kava to young kids. Too strong. Herbs can be great but you have to be careful because some can be just as strong as medicationand they are not FDA controlled like meds so it can be hard to know what is OK to give a child. I gave Mike "Calm Child" once. It knocked him completely out for 45 minutes then he woke up worse than before he got it. Ready to jump out of his skin and horrible for the rest of the day.
Chamomile is very mild and is OK. There are capsule versions as well were you can take the pill or hide the chamomile like a spice in his food. Also, you can make a tea out of it. Only caution is if he has any flower allergies don't give it too him. Also, it can cause him to have looser poops.
I also tried Gaba when Mike was little. That one was good but I quit when we started meds. I didn't want to mix. I may use that again but I want to see an herbalist first and make sure it won't interact with his supps.
You may think I am crazy, but we have been doing supps and diet. The next thing I am trying with them is homeopathics. I thought they did no more good than placebo, but I am currently watching my best friends son severe BP son slowly be weaned off his meds, go total homeopathics and is the best I have ever seen the kid and I have seen him through alot. There are also some studies about homeopathics actually working better than placebo. There are no side effects to this kinds. I am working with a homeopath (friend has now taken classes to become one and has switched her entire family over) and because I help her with her IEP stuff, my homeopathics are free. It is quite complex so it is advisable to work with a homeopath. There are tons of classes and such in our area and places to get remedies put together.
Other than just straight chamomile, I would probably talk to a herbalist or similar until you are well versed in it. It was an herbalist who suggested Gaba for me and it was really a good idea. I should have stuck with that rather than go to meds honestly.
Renee
I have been using an herbal thing with Jeremy, it is a mixture of things that includes chamomile, and an herbalist friend recommended it. He is still very Jeremy but his tantrums seem to be less intense than they used to be. I'm not sure if it's the herbs or that he's just more relaxed since he's out of school. I'm going to keep it up though, because the supplement my 9 yo is on for bed-wetting is clearly helping. So I'm hoping Jeremy's stuff will be as effective.
One thing that seems to mellow Jeremy also is Sleepytime tea. It's main ingredient is chamomile and he prefers it to straight chamomile tea. The sleepytime has a little peppermint and a few other mellow things in it.
If you are into trying neutraceuticals (herbal suppliments are among these), check out this website: http://www.autismcoach.com/.
We tried the Attend Strategy Pack from this site, but it didn't do anything for Cassian. We are currently trying SSRI drugs, but then, Cassian is 5.5 yrs old and big for his age. He also has a lot of tantruming problems, which have led us to the conclusion that he may also have a mood disorder.
I do use Coreomega, Gummivites, and Calcium Gummies regularly with Cassian, too.
Suzi
Thanks everyone!
I've been so busy packing lately, I haven't been on much. I think I will have to go and look for some chamomile first...just chamomile! "calm child"...didn't do anything for Nathan. But he wouldn't drink it all anyway. I through it away!!!
I guess I better check out our options regarding herbal supplements, if the chamomile doesn't work. He's still pretty wired, and melting down over everything. I hoped that he would calm down a bit and get used to being home for summer, but it seems to be taking longer than it did last year.
We should be moving around 7/22, so I know that things are going to be hectic til we get settled in at the new house.
Thanks again!
Michelle