Natural Supports and Supplements for Neurodivergent Kids
As a homestead (all-natural and sometimes crunchy) mom of neurodivergent kids, I am often asked how I support my kids naturally. This can be a loaded topic for many, so just know that I am sharing what has worked for our family and what we have tried. This is not a full list or medical advice.
I always suggest an open conversation with your medical provider, and I also suggest having a provider that supports your choice to use natural supplements. If your medical provider doesn’t know what natural supplements you or your child are on, there may be adverse effects if you do need prescribed medications at some point.
Who are neurodivergent kids?
- Learning disabilities
- ADHD/ADD
- ODD
- Autism
- Dyslexia
- Dysgraphia
- Dyscalculia
- Dyspraxia
- Down Syndrome
- Anxiety
- Tourette’s Syndrome
- Bipolar Disorder
- Epilepsy
- Intellectual Disabilities
- Developmental Coordination Disorders
- Social Communication Disorders
Non-Medication/Supplement Practices
Neurodivergent kids can struggle with many things in life, so I find that taking some of that stress off of them through routines eliminates what we can control. On the same note, I am big raising self-sufficient kids, even neurodivergent ones. In fact, in some ways, I am more serious about my neurodivergent kids understanding how to take care of themselves. Everything will always be a little harder for them than others, so having lots of coping skills in their toolbox is essential. As long as their age ability allows for it, I also expect them to advocate for themselves. State when they need help, communicate their needs with people outside the family (teachers, coaches, friends, parents), and do research.
Ways that I support my kids (age and ability considered):
- Expect the same out of neurodivergent kids as neurotypical kids at the same age/cognitive level (just acknowledge they need more support)
- Provide calendars and schedules of what our day or week will look like to the best of my ability until they are old enough to keep their own. I usually encourage paper planners because the act of writing helps lock it in for them, but I know that for kids with executive functioning issues, that may be beyond them. There are lots of digital apps that can be linked for the whole family so everyone can see doctor appointments and even homework assignments.
- Focus on executive functioning over academics when possible. I know that is not always possible, but the academics will catch up as they have a better grasp on themselves.
Examples of Executive Functioning
- Working memory
- Cognitive flexibility
- Planning
- Self-control
- Inhibitory control
- Self-monitoring
- Regulation of emotion
- Prioritization
Nutritional Regulation
There are so many fad diets out there that are all supposed to help you and your kids. Some have scientific backing, and some do not (but can work great). However, before you completely revamp your whole diet or buy expensive items, I have a suggestion for you. Go all-natural and reduce processed food. Even natural processed foods have high sodium, inflammatory seed oils, and lab-created chemical ingredients.
Whenever you are conducting research (or a science experiment), only change one variable at a time. Neurodivergent kids are more susceptible to changes. Basically, if you go all-natural, cut out dairy, gluten, Red Dye-40, sugar, caffeine, and natural flavor all at the same time, and then see results, which one worked? And this style of eating can be expensive, so make sure the ones you are focusing on provide the most results. Start by just eating the foods on the outside edges of the store (or grow/hunt at home). These are fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, eggs, and grains. When you can, bake your own bread. This is an easy one from my Homemade Cost Cutting book that cuts out the obscene amount of sugar and preservatives. FYI – bread should mold in just a couple of days, not weeks. That’s another point. Food is supposed to spoil. That means it is natural and alive and is nourishing your body.
Changes do not happen overnight.
So give every time and embrace the changes while teaching your kids how to enjoy REAL FOOD once you have a baseline of your kids’ bodies functioning and digesting the way they are supposed to, start trying other natural supplements.
Natural Supplements (Not a complete list)
Probiotics – There are always going to be my first go-to. If our bodies are not working right, nothing else is going to work. Proper gut health is also directly related to serotonin production in our brains.
B12/Energy Supplements – My kids and I take a sublingual B12 lozenge every day! They help with metabolism, energy, and brain clarity. I also drink natural energy drinks instead of coffee. My first choice is Plexus Active because they are also a pre-workout, have B12, green tea caffeine, monk fruit, and stevia. These completely reduced brain fog after C0V1D. If I am out of Actives or in town and want something to perk me up, my next go-to are ZipFizz. These are similar to actives, but also have vitamins and electrolytes, but also have aspartame that we try to avoid. I will even give these two drinks to my ADHD teens. The caffeine helps them focus, but they aren’t super sugary like soda or fancy coffees.
Electrolytes/Hydration – The first thing I tell everyone, no matter their ailment, is to drink water. If your body isn’t balanced, though, that water doesn’t do what it is supposed to do. Be consistent with yourself and your kids on water consumption. I never leave the house without my tumbler, and I encourage them to do the same. On days that there is more going on physically or in hot weather, I add electrolytes to our routine. I love Re-Lyte from Redmonds Real Salt. They have plain flavors, but my kids don’t always enjoy the taste. So I will get electrolyte tablets when I run across them. Try to avoid sports drinks unless it is a treat. These just have too much sugar!
Magnesium – This is used for anxiety (and muscle spasms too). Depending on our seasons of life, my teens may take this daily as maintenance or as needed for times of high stress.
L-Theanine – This has been a lifesaver for my ADHD teens going through puberty. It is a mood stabilizer that is an amino acid we naturally produce. It can be taken 1-3 times a day, and I hear you cannot overdose on it. I have seen such a difference when taking this.
GABA – I have heard that this will really help with behavior, clarity, and executive functioning. I have not seen a huge difference, but I don’t think that my kids have been taking it regularly.
There are supplements available that have all three of these.
Cilantro – My teen son builds up things in his body (similar to heavy metal toxicity). Many of the above-mentioned supplements actually make his mental cognitive worse due to this issue. I have him drink titrated cilantro two times a day with a big glass of water. This is Chelation, and there are many supplements out there to help with this.
Essential Oils – I have a few that I have seen some great results from. Copaiba helps with mood, Lavender is relaxing, Adaptiv Blend helps with anxiety, and there are so many others that do multiple things that I can not list them all here.
Consider grabbing an essential oil use book if you want to dive deeper!
When to use prescription medications
The choice to use prescriptions falls under every family’s personal choice. Talk to your medical provider about options and research those as needed.
My teen with ADHD and ODD (oppositional defiant disorder) desperately needed something to get his mood, behavior, aggression, and routine under control before we could ever consider trying anything else with him. At 18, he is off all medications and thriving. But if you ask him what helped him the most to get where he is, his answer will be the meds. He was on a stimulant ADHD med, anxiety med, and one for impulse control, and none of us regret that choice. We believe in benefits over risks when used properly and in moderation and that we also have seasons of life.
When our daughter was finally diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia, we put her on a low-dose ADHD med to help her build the skills she needed to overcome dyslexia. At 14, she began losing weight, and her moods were very strange. We talked to her (self-advocation) and decided to pull her off her meds and get a baseline of where she was after being medicated for a while. After she had detoxed, we opted for some natural supplements that help her mood. Recently, she asked if we could talk to the doctor about a non-stimulant medication because she found that she is struggling with focus during school hours. I respect her request, and we have a doctor’s appointment next week to discuss her options.
What to do today
The best things you can do for your child (neurodivergent or neurotypical), are to encourage routine, sleep, good eating habits, and self-sufficiency.
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2 Comments
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Tracy
Hi Kody,
I am a big fan! Currently my 11 daughter is in public school, but I am heavily reaserching homeschooling her (your pod cast has given me so much info, I love it!) do you have any tips on how to work on executive function? Is it in any of your books? Any tip or pointing me in the right direction will be appreciated! Thank you for all you have done and are doing, you are inspiring!
Thank you
Tracy-
Kody Hanner
Hi! Thanks for reaching out! My son just worked through The Executive Functioning Workbook for teens, but there are ones on the market for all ages. Here are some I found: https://amzn.to/41yaA5W
I always work on natural consequences too. Like if they get in trouble for something that takes a lot of your time, they need to pay that time back to you (ie a load of laundry or cooking dinner).
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2 Comments
Tracy
Hi Kody,
I am a big fan! Currently my 11 daughter is in public school, but I am heavily reaserching homeschooling her (your pod cast has given me so much info, I love it!) do you have any tips on how to work on executive function? Is it in any of your books? Any tip or pointing me in the right direction will be appreciated! Thank you for all you have done and are doing, you are inspiring!
Thank you
Tracy
Kody Hanner
Hi! Thanks for reaching out! My son just worked through The Executive Functioning Workbook for teens, but there are ones on the market for all ages. Here are some I found: https://amzn.to/41yaA5W
I always work on natural consequences too. Like if they get in trouble for something that takes a lot of your time, they need to pay that time back to you (ie a load of laundry or cooking dinner).