| Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit | | | | as many as sixty percent of parents suspect at one |
| Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are the fastest growing | | | | point or another that their child has ADD or ADHD. |
| disorders of children in the United States today. An | | | | Whether or not the child in fact has this disorder or not, |
| amazing nine to ten percent of all school-aged children | | | | there are a number of important nutrients that can help |
| are being diagnosed with this disorder. Up to ten times | | | | with a child suffering from any of the common |
| more boys than girls are diagnosed with ADD or | | | | symptoms. Calcium and magnesium are some of the |
| ADHD. | | | | most important supplements as these have a calming |
| ADD/ADHD is primarily thought of as a childhood | | | | effect on the nervous system. A good multivitamin |
| disorder, however, some adults are also affected. It | | | | should also be sought out as all nutrients are needed |
| can cause a variety of learning disabilities, although the | | | | to maintain optimal health and lacking even one can |
| child is actually usually of average or above average | | | | cause changes in moods. |
| intelligence. | | | | Vitamin B complex is especially important as well as |
| A host of factors have been lined to this disorder | | | | these are needed to correct brain function. They also |
| including: heredity, allergies, smoking during pregnancy, | | | | enhance adrenal gland function thereby helping the |
| hyperinsulinemia, oxygen deprivation at birth, | | | | body to cope with the effects of stress should this be |
| environmental stress, pollution, injury, anxiety, artificial | | | | a potential irritant for the child. EFAs are often found to |
| food additives, infection, lead poisoning, and prenatal | | | | be deficient in those suffering from ADD or ADHD so |
| trauma. Recently, more and more researchers are | | | | these too should be added to the diet. |
| focusing on the link between food additives, | | | | Most importantly staying away from preservatives |
| preservatives, dyes and salicylates, in foods and their | | | | and additives will go a long way to improving a child's |
| role in promoting or perpetuating this disorder. Items | | | | health. Avoid carbonated beverages, and limit dairy |
| such as these can throw the whole system off | | | | products to check for allergies. Do not use foods |
| balance and can have a detrimental impact on the | | | | containing artificial colour and flavor, MSG, yeast, or |
| chemistry of developing brains. Often, food additives | | | | foods that contain salicylates. Foods naturally |
| produce undesirable effects on mood and behavior in | | | | containing salicylates include almonds, apples, apricots, |
| sensitive children. | | | | berries, cherries, cucumbers, currants, oranges, |
| Medical researchers have also suggested that a lack | | | | peaches, peppers, plums, prunes and tomatoes. While |
| of protein in the diet can cause hyperactivity in children. | | | | these are generally healthy choices, if your child is |
| And although the topic of diet and ADD/ADHD has | | | | suffering from an allergy to this substance try |
| been debated heatedly for many years, researchers | | | | eliminated these foods to check for improvement. |
| have definitively shown that food additives have a | | | | Finally, follow a high protein diet and see if this helps. |
| major role to play in causing hyperactivity and other | | | | Adding healthy nutrients and avoiding artificial and |
| mood disorders. | | | | processed foods will do your child and your family a |
| With the huge increases in diagnoses of ADD/ADHD | | | | world of good regardless of whether the diagnosis of |
| many physicians feel that this is being over diagnosed. | | | | ADD/ADHD fits. Chester Ku-Lea is a health nutrition |
| Many of the symptoms including hyperactivity, temper | | | | consultant and is the owner of - a provider of premium |
| tantrums, impatience and absentmindedness can be | | | | health nutrition and sports supplements. Check out our |
| quite normal depending on the child's age. Apparently | | | | blog at AstroNutrition.com/blog. |