On Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Posted: April 28, 2008Parenting brings a lot of challenges. But I have a special measure of appreciation for parents of children with ADHD.
Wouldn’t we all like to have children that never rock the boat, and who are always compliant and happy ?
The trouble is, most kids are not like that. They tend to fight, argue and misbehave- even from an early age. But imagine the frustratuin of constantly battling with your child only to find out that he or she is struggling with some form of attention disorder.
The good news is, ADHD is no longer a sentence to a lifetime of chaos. Every year, doctors are learning new and better ways to treat the disorder. And they are getting better at detecting and diagnosing symptoms as well.
So, if your child is diagnosed with ADHD, take heart- there are more tools than every to help you treat and control it.
You’re right that there are many ways to help children who have the symptoms that are now being referred to as ADHD. One intervention that is proving to be very helpful is to provide the children with a good supply of essential fatty acids, especially omega-3s. One good source is the old fashioned cod liver oil, which has additional nutrients.
April 30, 2008 at 3:18 amAnother product that has been around for awhile and is gaining new interest is a substance called pycnogenol, which is derived from pine bark and is extremely high in antioxidants.
Perhaps the oldest alternative to drugs for these kids is the Feingold diet, which has been helping families since the late 1960s. The non-profit Feingold Association of the US celebrates its 32nd year of service in May. See www.ADHDdiet.org. The newest of many supportive studies was published in the Lancet in September. It showed that a modest dose of food dyes and one preservative triggered ADHD type behavior in children, both with and without any history of behavior/learning problems.