For more information on Attachment Parenting Coach and Author Laurie A. Couture, go to LaurieACouture.com.
Her book, "Instead of Medicating and Punishing" is available at Amazon.com.
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My brother is 47 I have dealt w/ ADHD most of my life in the beginning he was given meds that made him act and look like a zombie. My Mother refused to give him anymore meds. Later I was told my 4yr. old son was ADHD and was given a chioce of meds or the Ferngold Diet by Dr. Chastain of Columbus, Ga. I chose the diet I had ask would it hurt my other two children and was told it was safe and would help my husband and myself.Garri is 40 and still knows the rules of the diet. He says now that he doesn't need drugs because if he wants to get high he grabs a chocolate bar and climb's the wall,LOL. I have tried to encourage my daughter to use this diet w/ her two sons, because the schools here in Georgia relie on the teachers recommendations as to which child needs it or not. Chad at on time was put on Adderall he developed tic's he looked like a strutting chicken jerking his head, other children made fun of him yet the Dr. said it was not serious and he should continue the medication, his Mom and I refused to give him any more. I was then told I was his problem. He is now in a different school district and has improved greatly with the diet.I would recomind this diet w/ unshooling.
I Have a child with ADHD who does not take medication and I also homeschool her. I am lucky I have that option. She is my youngest and it is working for us. Even if every parent could homeschool, not every parent should. Like school it is not always the best option. Those of us who are fortunate enough to be able to choose homeschooling should never judge anyone who chooses school. Of all people we should know that. She has a unique family, adopted older child, flexible work schedule, a support system, She is blessed and should be grateful. All homeschoolers, I assure you, do not share her view or attitude. As for medication, It is a personal decision and although I don't medicate now, I don't know what the future holds as life gets more difficult for these kids. You can never say never and we are lucky we have options. There are degrees of ADHD, it is not a disorder that affects all kids the same and the treatment should be tailored to each child, and sometimes that may include medication.
http://educatingsarah-maureen.blogspot.com
I do not believe Anderson is right himself with what he has to say about issues just "because it is his show". I salute Laurie Couture..he has no right to knock her down for what she does and tells her that she is not living in the real world, Anderson...you are not GOD! And those who prefer to medicate that is your choice. That woman on TV who said "illnesses and diseases existed along time ago, that they (the medical profession) did not know" is simply not true. People back years ago did not have these type of issues, ate more healthier and exercise, then came a big gap of changes in this big world and more illnesses and diseases occured. Now our country is trying to change for the better when it comes to health/illness/disease and I believe that when you eat organic foods, exercise, proper sleep and get rid of big government because government should not be controlling the people, then we will be a free nation and live healthier lives!
Ms. Couture comes across as very self righteous...While I agree that she has the best interest of her child at heart, it is just that...her child.
And while she works as a counselor, I didn't hear whether or not she had a backround in cognative and behavioral development. The idea of "everyone" can homeschool is a very narrow, shallow opinionated approach to having a solution. Again, while she found this approach to work for her child, it is not a option for all. She is neglecting the fact that there are dedicated teachers, schools programs, state para professionals, inclusion classrooms, talented and gifted programs, clubs, team sports and various other outlets in the public school system that her son has not been exposed to that may very well work for other students that have parents that advocate and implement 504plans and IEP's to help them have a successful and productive role in the public school system.
It's a very personal decision for each family and to say one way is right and the other is wrong, is simply not being supportive of the fact that we need to really look at the big picture that each family is doing what they can to raise responsible productive members of society.
Ms. Coulture has had the blessing to become a parent of an older child, as blessed as this child is to have her as a mother, she was not there for his early years. She does not have the exposure to be judge and jury to those that have raised our children through their early school years at the very beginning stages of diagnosing. She made clear decisions to keep her child at home. She, again, had the luxury to do so for several reasons; one being she only had the one child and the other being he is old enough to be home alone for periods at a time. For someone that claimed that society wants and expects to have these children conform and put them in a sociatal "box", she is expecting the very thing from other parents that she has done herself...the concept of "unschooling" worked for her, but may not be fesiable or compatible for others.
Miss Couture has found what works for her but that isn't realistic for most families. Her son was polite and clear spoken but does he have a HS diploma? A GED? Unschooling sounds fun and free wheeling but I am single mom(widowed) to 4 internationally adopted kids (now 7,9,11 and 13). Does Miss Couture think I can unschool my gang? No way. My boys are the youngest 2 and both have ADHD. Medication is meant to be one tool within the arsenal that lets kids become who they are capable of becoming.
No one likes a know-it-a;; and that's how she came across. She has been a parent to a single kid for 4 years - one on one, no one to contradict her methods, one kid is portable and he came to her toilet trained!
She said there was no test for ADHD. True. She works in the mental health field. How many psychiatric illnesses are diagnosed through a blood test? Does that make them less than real?
Recently, the Dopamine D4 receptor has been identifed as a cause of ADHD. Hope this helps to convince the doubters that ADHD is real.
Jamie Phillips
Waterdown, Ontario
Canada