Calling Catatonic.....

[lofo]

Hi Catatonic! (just how did you get your name anyway?)

I was reading a post from 2 months ago where you mentioned the Special 2 Now multi-vitamin you use for your boys.

What are would be the dosage for my DS9, about 65 lbs? Would he just take one tablet in the morning? I don't remember the ages of your boys and I didn't want to over do it with my son.

I have only used children's vitamins for him. I like the fact that 1 tablet has 100 IU of Vitamin E and high B amounts too.
Thanks,
Lori

[catatonic]

Hi Lori -
The name comes from the effect my children have on me combined with my actual name, which is Cat.

You probably want to eventually give one pill in the morning and one in the evening, but probably want to start with just one to see how it goes. My older boys (12 and 14) take this Special Two. I tried it on Challenge Boy, who is 9 and weighs 80 pounds, and he had a negative reaction to it. I believe that was because of the apple pectin, a high salicylate, and he doesn't tolerate salicylates well. The other boys have no trouble with it, and I take it as well. I think it looks and smells like the alfalfa treats we give the horses, but they actually like it!

I originally picked out the Special Two because it eliminated the need for separate Vitamin E and B-complex capsules and because it really is a very comprehensive supplement. Just watch carefully to make sure it doesn't cause a reaction.

[lofo]

I appreciate your info!
Lori

[Kimmers]

Cat-

I think I am going to get the Special Two and try it with my son since the children's vitamins I have found are either inadequate or they are loaded with artificial this and that.

He's 45 lbs...should he take only one a day? Also what kinds of reactions are common?

Thanks
Kimmers

[DanielsMom]

Where do you find this Special Two vitamin?? I haven't seen it before. Thanks

[Kimmers]

I found it online at at www.herbaladvisor.com (where Cat buys all of her stuff) It is made by NOW Foods and I know there are lots of health food stores that carry the NOW brand (like GNC, etc.)

Kimmers

[catatonic]

Kimmers,
The Special Two is good nutritionally, but it is big and green and smelly. Can your youngun handle choking down a horse pill (literally a horse pill -- it looks and smells like the alfalfa treats we give the horses!). Anything with green food added tends to be large and odorous. You could maybe slice it in half with a pill cutter and swallow half at a time? One pill is probably good at 45 pounds. The reaction my boy had to the Special Two was fairly mild -- he got kind of temperamental. It may have been the apple pectin, which contains salicylates, but I don't really know. I'm going to test the Special Two again in the near future just to make sure that's what he was really reacting to, because it's a really good vitamin and he wouldn't need so many other pills if he could take it.

[Kimmers]

That was the exact reason I wanted to try it-he is getting so crabby about "all the pills!" And after reading the research you have been posting, all of those things seem like they are almost essential in treating ADHD naturally. You are right about the size-if they really are that big he might have trouble...are they bigger than the regular old fish oil capsules? That is about the biggest one he takes right now and handles it fine...except that one could be easy because it is gel. I will keep an eye out for "radical behavior" out of him! I am going to wait about 2 weeks or so before I add it though. I want him to continue with the fish oil and magnesium alone for a little while longer! BTW, where do you find pill cutters, or would I maybe be able to break them in half? Thanks for the info!

Kimmers

[catatonic]

Kimmers,
I'd say the Special Two is about the size of a big fish oil capsule, only instead of being squishy it's hard. It's not quite as hard to swallow as a magnesium, but it runs a close second.

I know they carry pill cutters at Walgreens. If you don't have a Walgreens near you, any pharmacy should carry them. (You could also try one of those razor blades that's only sharp on one side. My dad did that until mom got tired of crooked pills and nicked fingers and got him a real pill cutter. Looks like a tiny guillotine.)

I've looked and looked for liquid vitamins, powdered vitamins, vitamins in capsules that can be broken open and mixed in juice...and I can't find anything I'm happy with to replace the Special Two. I know OhMama is very careful and thorough about checking into supplements. Maybe she's come across a multi that would be easier to choke down?

[ohmama]

Our family takes a whole-food probiotic multe-vitamin, mineral, & herbal complex suppliment. It's approximately 3/4 inch in size so is not at all hard to swallow. It is called Everyone's Multiple from New Chapter. The best price I found is with iherb.com you can check it out at store.yahoo.com/iherb/ev.html Unlike other vitamins this can even be taken on an empty stomach. I have noticed good results with this and the kids like to take it.

[catatonic]

I'd say the Everyone's Multiple looks comprehensive as a child's supplement. The important stuff is in there and there's plenty of variety. Light on the Vitamin E, but separate Vitamin E capsules are small and inexpensive, and the vitamin does contain other antioxidants.

My only caution would be to those who are sensitive to salicylates or are on Feingold Stage 1, since there are a number of salicylate substances in the herbal extracts (clover, ginger, nettle, radish, acerola, turmeric, lavender, tomato, pepper, barley grass). That may be a pretty heavy salicylate load for daily consumption to those who don't tolerate salicylates well. Salicylates are particularly concentrated in herbal extracts, far more so than in the plants themselves. If salicylates are not an issue, then this shouldn't pose a problem with the Everyone's Multiple.

iherb also has a powder that is pretty potent stuff and at $20 for a jar that ought to last a month (2 months if you give a child just half the adult dose) is a little less expensive. ( www.iherb.com/healthfammulti.html ) It also is high in salicylates, though, as it contains cranberry, grape, ginger, elderberry, blueberry, acerola, bilberry, nettle, alfalfa, barley grass. I always mention the salicylates because for us they are a problem. My boy gets HYPER on them and more hyper is something we definitely don't need.

Maybe we should organize our own vitamin production facility? We could make sure our kids have the precise vitamins we want them to have and become amazing entrepreneurial successes in the process!

[ohmama]

Cat,
You know it's funny you should say that but I have often thought of making a website with natural treatments for these various disorders. Not filled with gimmicks but with real treatments of vitamins, amino acids, fatty acids, etc. It would have a support group with input from parents on what works and so on.

What do you think?

[catatonic]

I've thought about it alot, too, and I think it's a great idea, and desperately needed. With plenty of research information, it could be an important resource for people. There are a lot of sites out there flogging their products but very few make the attempt to serve as an information clearing house. I think there's a real need for it. I also think it would be an enormous undertaking and take lots of work to keep it current. Which is why I get as far as the "thinking about it" stage but no farther.

[lofo]

You go girls!!!
Just yesterday I was thinking,"I wish I could just buy the Nutrition vs. Ritalin trial supplements in a pill form small enough for my son to swallow!"

I know many people here have unsuccessfully tried the specialty ADHD supplements for their children. My son doesn't want to take too many pills. Many parents are looking for alternatives to medicating their children.

You two have a willingness to help others, desire a quality product, and have spent much time researching ADHD needs. I would buy your product. You two need to get together a formulation list and a quality sources for each ingredient. Then talk with some producers about getting it in the market.

People here respect your knowledge and would buy it, then they would tell 2 friends, and they would tell 2 friends, and they would....
Lori

[catatonic]

Lori's getting me all charged up here! That's dangerous...