Calm Parenting Podcast Should You Medicate? 20 Natural Ways to Help ND & ADHD Kids #543
Dec 10, 2025
Discover effective strategies for helping neurodivergent children thrive without relying solely on medication. Kirk offers 20 tools, emphasizing diet changes, outdoor play, and classroom techniques to improve focus. He advocates for parents to model self-control and reframe hyperactivity as a strength. Learn how to create routines to reduce anxiety and encourage children to advocate for themselves. The discussion includes the ethics of school medication suggestions and practical ways to manage energy and impulse control.
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Build A Symptom-First Plan
- List your child's specific symptoms on the left and possible tools across the top to build a targeted plan.
- Use non-medication tools first and reserve medication as a measured last resort after testing other interventions.
Adjust Diet To Reduce Inflammation
- Change your child's diet by reducing sugar, dyes, preservatives, and processed foods while adding protein.
- Consider functional medicine for gut issues that affect mood and attention.
Lead With Outdoor Sensory Play
- Lead your kids outside and play with them to meet sensory and movement needs before school.
- Prioritize activities like climbing, martial arts, swimming, and gymnastics to provide sensory regulation and focus benefits.