ADD with focus and attention issues

[tenacgal]

Hi everyone! I have an 11 year old son that has not officially been diagnosed with add but I know he has it. He makes straight A's in school but since first grade, he has had teachers point out that it seems he has a hard time focusing in class and he doesn't follow directions. I want to try and help him without putting him on medication if possible. I have tried fish oil, vitamin b complex and Dr. Formulated Brain Health Attention and Focus for Kids. I have also gotten him to drink more water and eat a little better but he is a food junkie. I have even tried using essential oils for focus and attention. Does anyone else have similar situations with their child and if so, what have you done to help them? Are my son's symptoms bad enough to put him on a medication? I am so broke right now and I want to do what I can to help my child.

[Hidden]

I started giving my daughter tea (Caffeine) to drink though out the day. That seems to help her on a short term basis. It also means that when she forgets to drink the tea, she'd have a hard time in school.

[reg2018]

I'm always curious as to why parents are hesitant to use medication for ADHD. Our brain needs key neurotransmitters in order to function properly. The ADHD brain has a problem using the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin. See the following article on ADHD and the brain: verywellmind.com/the-adhd-b... This is why medication helps individuals with ADHD. It's not always easy finding the right medication and the right dose because people and medication are tricky. But when you do find the right combination it makes a difference. I have three children with ADHD and can speak from personal experience about the difference medication has done for them. My oldest has ADHD inattentive type and he struggled with paying attention in school. Using medication has given him greater focus. It's not a fix-all, he still has to organize his backpack and keep track of his assignments and check his grades every day on the computer. But I see a huge difference in his ability when he's on medication versus when he's off.