Hey parents...

[MakiSupaStar]

Thought this article was pretty compelling. It's something I've always been behind. The decision to medicate your child because you think she has ADHD is a very tough decision. Too often I see parents that are either not willing, or not equipped to switch up their parenting skills, and they make the decision to medicate their child. On the flip are the folks that come from poor neighborhoods that DON'T medicate their child because they are quite simply ill-equipped to be parents in the first place. This article discusses something I've always considered to be an often overlooked aspect of a child's behavior, their diet. If you've got a kid bouncing off the walls, don't pack his lunch with soda and candy.

Study Show Positive Results of Dietary Changes on ADHD Children - Technorati Lifestyle

Study Show Positive Results of Dietary Changes on ADHD Children
Author: Kala Viv Williams
Published: March 14, 2011 at 1:53 pm
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There is a new study that while hopeful, is bound to stir controversy over treating children with ADHD. The lead study author is Dr. Lidy Pelsser of the ADHD Research Centre in the Netherlands. The findings were reported in the February issue of The Lancet Journal. She found that in 64 percent of the children in the study were actually suffering from a reaction to various foods in their diet that seemed to trigger the disorder. The study followed 100 children with ADHD symptoms between the ages of four and eight years old.

They were divided into two groups. Half were allowed to eat only a small number of foods for five weeks; their diets were customized from a short list of ingredients that included water, rice, turkey, lamb, lettuce, carrots, pears and other hypoallergenic foods. The control group children and families were told about healthful eating but were allowed to eat anything as usual.

After the severe restriction on this diet of foods chosen to be hypoallergenic-the children are gradually adding foods back in and watching for signs. "We've followed all these children for about a year, and each child reacts to different foods," Dr. Pelsser said. "For one child, triggers included beets, tomatoes, wheat and bananas; for another, it was fish, pork, eggs and oranges."

Other studies will follow to see if results are replicated; one flaw of this study is that it is not a blind study-obviously the child and parents knew diet had changed and thus various other factors such as expectation, could have played a part. To listen to the Dr. discuss the ADHD study go to NPR.

The challenge now will be training doctors to educate patients and shepard them through the protocol to see if it works in their case. It seems worthwhile to try before putting our children on medications, that frankly we don't know long-term side effects of.

Read more: Study Show Positive Results of Dietary Changes on ADHD Children - Technorati Lifestyle

[hover]

GREAT article read. I am with you on the aspect of medicating children, and I don't support it at all, as it seems like a convenient crutch / benefit for the lazy parent more than for the welfare of the child...that said, the Missus and I also strive for a balance in the kid's lunch between what we deem healthy and beneficial and what they will actually eat and not just bring home spoiled, it's a constant thing, always adding new things to see what will stick...my Daughter is 16 now, and we're past that, and count on her and work with her to make good choices.

But another thing is children, at least mine being unbridled balls of energy at that age, I dare not try to stifle that, but instead try to have talks (repeatedly at times it seems) with how to better focus their energies and how to better conduct themselves to keep themselves in check...and that goes hand in hand with repercussions if I get negative reports from the teachers (whom I always strive to have good rapport with). THen again, I don't want my kids to just "fall in" with the curriculum to the point that they are just drone-ing. Sca-roo that.

Unless there is an undeniable medical condition (and not a convenient "ADHD" excuse) there is no reason to medicate youth like that...

[electracoyote]

Yep, I agree the whole ADHD/ADD diagnosis and prescription meds treatment is a poorly understood topic by laymen and professionals alike.

When my son was in elementary school, he started acting up, not focusing. Teachers were worried. We took him to our pediatrician. The doctor looked in his ears, put a tongue depressor in his mouth, and immediately got out the prescription pad and asked us if we wanted him to write one for the med dujour at the time.

I was stunned. "That's it? Just like that?" was my response.

We went to a child psychologist. Her diagnosis: Not ADD/ADHD. And now that he's 16, we know that was not the problem.

Parents, do thorough research and get second and third opinions from these so-called "specialists" before you make your conclusion.

[MJ5150]

I have an adult friend who has been told he has ADD. He absolutely refused to take any medications. So his wife helps him deal with it using the option suggested above, a healthy diet. Those of us who know him well can tell the days he isn't keeping up with his healthy regimen.

-Mike

[iamlowsound]

Diet is a big factor in all aspects of life, unfortunately many people don't understand this and feed themselves crap. My cousin's kid has a mild form of autism, when they changed his diet, they saw huge improvements in his behaviour. In many cases it is gluten that plays a big roll. If I ever have a kid with ADD or ADHD, you best believe that I will be trying the diet thing first.

lowsound

[bmc]

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

Diet is a big factor in all aspects of life, unfortunately many people don't understand this and feed themselves crap.
lowsound

Absolutely. Strangely, I think some people might believe that if it's for sale, it's ok to eat.

[bassteban]

Skimmed, just a quick OH YEAH on diet as it relates to one's health. IMO/IME, we absolutely are what we eat. My 12-yr-old son, who exhibits many ADHD/ADD behaviors, is very visibly affected by his diet- just looking at red-dyes *food* turns him into a pseudo-tweaker. Fortunately, he is also remarkably self-regulating(he likes salad, steers away from candy, junk/processed foods, etc). I am definitely in the *most health issues these days are caused by poor diet* camp. Compare Western diet & *health* w/that of Asian countries/cultures.

[iamlowsound]

Originally Posted by bmc

Absolutely. Strangely, I think some people might believe that if it's for sale, it's ok to eat.

I see that all the time. When I cut most of my carbs and gluten out of my diet, I had much more energy and my body fat dropped from 12% to 10% without any increase in exercise.

lowsound

[Big B.]

I totally agree that the vast majority of cases of ADHD are not in need of medication and that many are simply kids given that diagnosis because drugs are easier than discipline. That being said some kids really do benefit from the medication. When my brother was in elementary school (he is 26 now) he was put on ritalin for severe ADHD. I dont mean acting up or not paying attention, he would literally just get up out of his seat in the middle of class and wander around the room and stare at posters or you could be looking him straight in the eye talking to him and he would get distracted and just walk away. His intent was not malicious at all, he was actually a very good kid, he was just doing what felt natural to him. After making diet and other changes to no avail, ritalin was prescribed. His syptoms disappeared and he was able to function as a normal child. On the days that he "forgot" his medication he was out of control and several times had to be picked up at school early. After several years his dosage began to be lowered and ultimately he was able to stop taking the medication all together. I would dare say that without the meds and the ADHD diagnosis he problem would have been considered learning disabled and placed in a different school than the rest of the kids.

Again I completely agree with what you guys are saying and my brother had the benefit of our mother being a registered nurse and having access and understanding of the relevant info. The big problem is most parents who dont have that kind of knowledge wont go out and find it. In this day information is readily available and there is no excuse for not exploring all options before you medicate your children.

[poor_gear_whore]

I will not state it as fact, but I believe that the rate of increase in physical and mental illness falls pretty closely in line with the increase is the crappy processed foods people are eating. I also think that most people are willing to believe anything a doctor or add campaign tells them. That combined with a willingness to do what ever is easiest is why so many children are medicated. Society has decided what normal child behavior is based on convince. Again this is based solely on my own observation.

[warwick.hoy]

Not only are drugs easier than discipline,...it's also more lucrative for the health care and pharmaceutical industries. Why would these industries want you to actually take the time to parent your child and feed them properly when you could just have him/her ingest a magic pill. (admittedly there are extreme cases where the only solution is meds,...such as in Big B.'s Brother's case).

The decision's easy,...either teach your kid a life of quick fixes and being on medication from grade school to hospice care.

Or teach your kid that will power,...self control,...and healthy living without the aid of people that wanna take your money.

It's unfortunate that in this country a lot of people simply can't afford to eat healthy and the results are damaging our children.

Bear in mind I do not have kids,...so this is very much IMO, YMMV.

[poor_gear_whore]

Originally Posted by warwick.hoy

Not only are drugs easier than discipline,...it's also more lucrative for the health care and pharmaceutical industries. Why would these industries want you to actually take the time to parent your child and feed them properly when you could just have him/her ingest a magic pill.

The decision's easy,...either teach your kid a life of quick fixes and being on medication from grade school to hospice care.

Or teach your kid that will power,...self control,...and healthy living without the aid of people that wanna take your money.

It's unfortunate that in this country a lot of people simply can't afford to eat healthy and the results are damaging our children.

Bear in mind I do not have kids,...so this is very much IMO, YMMV.

I've got 3 and I'll give this a big +1!

[Lady Kayri]

I used to run the continental breakfast the hotel I worked at put on during the off season. It always made me shake my head when the parents would let their kids eat sugary cereals like Frosted Flakes, Fruit Loops, and so on - and then complain about how wound up / rambunctious their kids were...

[Skitch it!]

Originally Posted by bassteban

IMO/IME, we absolutely are what we eat. I am definitely in the *most health issues these days are caused by poor diet* camp. Compare Western diet & *health* w/that of Asian countries/cultures.

Originally Posted by warwick.hoy

Not only are drugs easier than discipline,...it's also more lucrative for the health care and pharmaceutical industries. Why would these industries want you to actually take the time to parent your child and feed them properly when you could just have him/her ingest a magic pill. (admittedly there are extreme cases where the only solution is meds,...such as in Big B.'s Brother's case).

The decision's easy,...either teach your kid a life of quick fixes and being on medication from grade school to hospice care.

Or teach your kid that will power,...self control,...and healthy living without the aid of people that wanna take your money.

+1 These, and all above, pharmaceutical medication should be the last option, not the first imo. Diet is a huge factor in personal well being, it makes such a difference to many different angles.

[nutdog]

Having adopted a child that was diagnosed ADHD, LD and a few D's yet to be determined, I've been dealing with this topic for the last four years. A few thoughts:

If you don't live or work consistently with a child with this condition, you don't know what your talking about. Period. I sure didn't.

Each child is different. ADHD, ADD and the rest of the D's and all mental health is very complex. What works for one may not work for another. Sometimes there is no complete remedy. It's very difficult to diagnose and treat.

If you read the symptoms of ADD, everyone has it. They also intersect and overlap with ADHD, Asperger's, autism, OCD, bi-polar, RAD...

Diet affects behavior and focus, but is not necessarily a cause or a cure.

Activities of the mother during pregnancy and early childhood have an impact. Obviously drugs and alcohol are known to do damage but research is revealing the importance of the bond between mother and child that develops in utero and the first few years in brain and emotional development.

One of the D's we're looking at is Reactive Attachment Disorder. The more I learn the more I'm convinced much of the current advice that is being given to parents is damaging. The science is still unproven, but these next few years could be known as the era of discovery for early cognitive development.

Sorry to ramble. This subject is very heavy on my heart and mind. And I'm certainly no expert. Just trying to cope.

[bassteban]

Agreed on everything I caught there, ND(I skimmed- IMO/IME, some ADD/ADHD type behavior patterns can be demonstrated/taught by parents who unwittingly- or in my case, wittingly, though not willingly - who share these behaviors). It's complicated.

[MakiSupaStar]

Originally Posted by Big B.

I totally agree that the vast majority of cases of ADHD are not in need of medication and that many are simply kids given that diagnosis because drugs are easier than discipline. That being said some kids really do benefit from the medication. When my brother was in elementary school (he is 26 now) he was put on ritalin for severe ADHD. I dont mean acting up or not paying attention, he would literally just get up out of his seat in the middle of class and wander around the room and stare at posters or you could be looking him straight in the eye talking to him and he would get distracted and just walk away. His intent was not malicious at all, he was actually a very good kid, he was just doing what felt natural to him. After making diet and other changes to no avail, ritalin was prescribed. His syptoms disappeared and he was able to function as a normal child. On the days that he "forgot" his medication he was out of control and several times had to be picked up at school early. After several years his dosage began to be lowered and ultimately he was able to stop taking the medication all together. I would dare say that without the meds and the ADHD diagnosis he problem would have been considered learning disabled and placed in a different school than the rest of the kids.

Again I completely agree with what you guys are saying and my brother had the benefit of our mother being a registered nurse and having access and understanding of the relevant info. The big problem is most parents who dont have that kind of knowledge wont go out and find it. In this day information is readily available and there is no excuse for not exploring all options before you medicate your children.

Originally Posted by nutdog

Having adopted a child that was diagnosed ADHD, LD and a few D's yet to be determined, I've been dealing with this topic for the last four years. A few thoughts:

If you don't live or work consistently with a child with this condition, you don't know what your talking about. Period. I sure didn't.

Each child is different. ADHD, ADD and the rest of the D's and all mental health is very complex. What works for one may not work for another. Sometimes there is no complete remedy. It's very difficult to diagnose and treat.

If you read the symptoms of ADD, everyone has it. They also intersect and overlap with ADHD, Asperger's, autism, OCD, bi-polar, RAD...

Diet affects behavior and focus, but is not necessarily a cause or a cure.

Activities of the mother during pregnancy and early childhood have an impact. Obviously drugs and alcohol are known to do damage but research is revealing the importance of the bond between mother and child that develops in utero and the first few years in brain and emotional development.

One of the D's we're looking at is Reactive Attachment Disorder. The more I learn the more I'm convinced much of the current advice that is being given to parents is damaging. The science is still unproven, but these next few years could be known as the era of discovery for early cognitive development.

Sorry to ramble. This subject is very heavy on my heart and mind. And I'm certainly no expert. Just trying to cope.

There is no doubt that some kids actually do need medication. I've witnessed night and day changes first hand with students I work with. My niece was just put on medication, and my sister and my brother-in-law only made this decision after second and third opinions, changes in diet, behavior mod, and the child's own plea to 'feel normal'. Everyone, including my 9 year old niece is happy now.

[Skitch it!]

Originally Posted by nutdog

Having adopted a child that was diagnosed ADHD, LD and a few D's yet to be determined, I've been dealing with this topic for the last four years. A few thoughts:

If you don't live or work consistently with a child with this condition, you don't know what your talking about. Period. I sure didn't.

Each child is different. ADHD, ADD and the rest of the D's and all mental health is very complex. What works for one may not work for another. Sometimes there is no complete remedy. It's very difficult to diagnose and treat.

If you read the symptoms of ADD, everyone has it. They also intersect and overlap with ADHD, Asperger's, autism, OCD, bi-polar, RAD...

Diet affects behavior and focus, but is not necessarily a cause or a cure.

Activities of the mother during pregnancy and early childhood have an impact. Obviously drugs and alcohol are known to do damage but research is revealing the importance of the bond between mother and child that develops in utero and the first few years in brain and emotional development.

One of the D's we're looking at is Reactive Attachment Disorder. The more I learn the more I'm convinced much of the current advice that is being given to parents is damaging. The science is still unproven, but these next few years could be known as the era of discovery for early cognitive development.

Sorry to ramble. This subject is very heavy on my heart and mind. And I'm certainly no expert. Just trying to cope.

+1 What works for some, won't do it for others. To 'fess up myself I've been Bipolar Affective Type 1 since childhood, I was only diagnosed 3 years ago I'm 42 now, my life in-between was what you could call 'eccentric'. I tried the meds but they didn't do it for my thing, exercise, diet and dare I say it Sativa were/are my channels to stability.

[hover]

For the record, I am not dismissing the benefits of this medication for those who truly meet all the criteria and exhausted other options, but moreso the dismissal of medical professionals, who prefer, either by force of habit, or anticipating the wants of the parents, to immediately jump to that "solution" in leiu of in depth analysis of each case.

Sorry if I offended anyone, I admit to slightly more than casual read-up on the subject, but my initial feelings on the matter remain and I feel are applicable.

Nutdog, I wish the best for you and your child.

[BartmanPDX]

Lotta good info on this thread.

Back when I was a teacher I used to dread 5th period, because the kids would come in to class having just downed a giant Mountain Dew and gorged themselves on junk food. Then they'd practically bounce around in their chairs.

It certainly doesn't account for all the ADD out there, but IMO meds are overprescribed in this country and at least some of the cases of ADD and/or ADHD are caused by either allergies or poor dietary choices. If some of the kids can be helped with dietary changes instead of meds, it's better for everyone (except the drug companies).

Hopefully this will get more attention.