non-drug options for ADHD - but they leave out the most effective one

Sadly, they neglect to mention the most effective non-drug treatment for ADHD/ADD: exercise.

John Ratey, MD, associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, studies how exercise affects the brain -- in particular, how it affects people with ADHD. See the articles on his website for more information, or take a look at this article for an overview of what he's found.

Personally, given a choice between "take this medication which may or may not help your condition and by the way you'll have to deal with the side effects which can be nasty" and "go for a two-mile run", I'll take the run. It's cheaper, better for me, and a lot more enjoyable.

clipped from www.nytimes.com Weighing Nondrug Options for A.D.H.D. About 2.5 million children in the United States take stimulant drugs for attention and hyperactivity problems. But concerns about side effects have prompted many parents to look elsewhere: as many as two-thirds of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or A.D.H.D., have used some form of alternative treatment. The most common strategy involves diet changes, like giving up processed foods, sugars and food additives. About 20 percent of children with the disorder have been given some form of herbal therapy; others have tried supplements like vitamins and fish oil or have used biofeedback, massage and yoga. While some studies of alternative treatments show promise, there is little solid research to guide parents. That is unfortunate, because for some children, prescription drugs aren’t an option.