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Mental Health / Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
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A child is given the diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), also called Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) when he is considered overactive, cannot pay attention and cannot sit still, ALL VERY subjective symptoms. ADD is diagnosed four times more frequently in boys because boys mature more slowly than girls and because boys are put in classes at school with girls of the same age, so the boys, being less mature, appear to be hyperactive. Irritability anger and mental confusion may also be present so these children are then labeled as having a "Learning Disability." However, these symptoms are virtually identical to the symptoms of hypoglycemia, low blood sugar which is caused by the up and down swings of insulin resulting from eating too much refined sugar.
Attention Deficit Disorder and Ritalin have become almost synonymous. Up to 90% of children who are first diagnosed with ADD receive a prescription for Ritalin. At least a dozen other drugs are prescribed for these symptoms as well. There has been a 500% increase in the use of Ritalin alone since 1991. Short- term use of these medications is associated with a 70 to 80% improvement in symptoms. So naturally, it appears that the drugs have solved the problem. However, these studies don't show the entire picture. Very few long-term studies have been done evaluating the success of amphetamine-type medication such as Ritalin, for ADD symptoms, and the few studies that do exist do not present a very encouraging picture. For years, it was thought that children outgrew symptoms of ADD so they were treated with drugs, until they "outgrew" the condition.
However, This has been found NOT to be the case. Children do NOT outgrow ADD symptoms. In 1990, an eight-year prospective study of hyperactive children was instituted. More than 80% of the children studied had been treated with medications. Sixty- three percent of the group had received the benefit of psychological services and 35% had special educational accommodations.
At the end of the eight years, 80% continued to have the ADD symptoms, while 60% had advanced to Opposition Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Conduct Disorder (CD) diagnoses. (Barkley R., Fischer M, et al:The adolescent outcome of hyperactive children diagnosed by research criteria: J Am Acad Child Adoles Psychiatry 29 (4):546-556 July 1990.) These two diagnoses are considered to be much worse than the ADD diagnosis. A literature review dating back to 1971 showed little to be encouraged about. Children with ADD were more likely to fail subjects in school and dropped out of school more frequently. Fewer attended college. And there were NO statistical differences between the long-term results of children treated with medications and those who did not use medications. These studies indicate that there is little evidence of long-term success with the use of medications for hyperactivity.
Since ADD is actually a false diagnosis, symptoms that seem to be related to ADD are due to other factors. Don't let a doctor or psychiatrist convince you otherwise. If you child displays behavior and it becomes a problem, then read below on the actual possible causes. Don't get sucked into drug thearpy.
In a study of 803 New York public schools and nine juvenile correction facilities, researchers increased fruits and vegetables and whole grains and decreased fats and sugars over a couple of years. No other changes were made in the schools or correctional facilities. Consequently, the academic performance of 1.1 million children rose 16% and learning disabilities fell 40%. In the juvenile correction facilities violent and non-violent antisocial behavior fell 48%.70
The Washington D.C. based Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) cited 17 controlled studies in a 1999 report that found diet adversely affects some children's behavior, sometimes dramatically. Most of the studies focused on artificial colors, while some also examined the effects of milk, corn and other common foods. The percentage of children who were affected by diet and the magnitude of the effect varied widely among the studies.71
The following list shows a few of the things that can look like symptoms of "ADHD" but which are actually either "allergic" reactions or the result of a lack of vitamins (nutrition) in the body:
High levels of lead from the environment can place children at risk of both school failure and delinquent (bad) behavior.
High mercury (chemical) levels in the body may cause agitation; mercury amalgam dental fillings can affect a small but significant number of people, causing mercury sensitivity leading to headaches, restless behavior, and irritability.
Pesticides (like those used to kill insects such as fly spray or ant-killer) can create nervousness, poor concentration, irritability, memory problems, and depression.
{anemia} Iron-deficiency anemia can lead to despondency, fatigue and often aggression and irritability.
Too much sugar can make a person "too active" or "hyper." Our modern-day fast food, which can lack nutritional value, can also make you feel terrible.
Temporal lobe seizures, sometimes almost continuous and often too subtle to be detected by the eye, can cause violent outbursts, restless movements, and bizarre behavior.
Hyperthyroidism can manifest the symptoms of "hyperactivity."
Our doctors and clinicians can do tests to determine if a person is having an allergic reaction to something or if there is some other underlying medical cause for symptoms relating to a false diagnosis of ADD. You can take a free test to determine if there is a medical cause for this syndrome.
Take this preliminary to see if your condition could respond to treatment.
Not sure on your treatment options? For a limited time you can schedule a
to talk with a licensed doctor or clinician regarding your condition.
Use our NutritionLocator to find a doctor in your area.
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