| Parents are often blamed for their ADD children, due | | | | tested, sugar was found to have no affect on |
| to bad parenting. Yet, true ADD is not caused by | | | | attention deficit behaviors whatsoever. |
| parents. Environmental factors come into play, as do | | | | Your Genes: In families of people with ADD, 25% of |
| genetics. Here are some speculative reasons for your | | | | their close relations also have attention deficit, whereas |
| adult ADD: | | | | ADD shows up in only 5% of the population. |
| Environmental Factors: Women who smoke and drink | | | | Your Brain: The pre-frontal cortex is not as active in |
| when they're pregnant put their children at risk for | | | | people with attention deficit as it is generally the case. |
| attention deficit, and high levels of lead in | | | | Thought to be the brain's control center, it tends to |
| preschool-aged children may be another environmental | | | | block certain responses. The caudate nucleus and |
| issue. Due to the ban of lead-based paint, this factor is | | | | globus pallidus, which are near the brain's center, |
| less prevalent. | | | | control the speed of or stop orders from the prefrontal |
| Injuries to the Brain: It's true that some children, who | | | | cortex. Both these and the cerebellum, which helps |
| suffered brain trauma, developed attention deficit. | | | | control muscle tone and balance, may be smaller in |
| However, only a small percentage of children with | | | | children with attention deficit. Because these parts of |
| attention deficit have ever had head injuries. It is not | | | | the brain tend to grow as the child gets older, is |
| the cause, but the effect. | | | | possibly why some people are able to outgrow the |
| White Sugar and Food Additives: Though many | | | | disorder. Chemical imbalances inside the brain are also |
| believe that food additives and sugar have something | | | | suspect. |
| to do with attention deficit or made the ADD | | | | About 60% of children with ADD will also have adult |
| symptoms worse, this isn't the case. National Institutes | | | | ADD, with one or more symptoms regularly occurring. |
| of Heal studies show that only about 5% of children | | | | Yet, it attention deficit isn't a curse. It can be a blessing |
| with attention deficit were helped at all by restriction of | | | | when your ADD creativity and high I. Q. are used to |
| diet and those children had food allergies. And when | | | | their highest potential. |