Add/ Adhd
Updated Oct. 25th, 2017
Do you remember growing up with children who were called precocious or energetic? Were you one of these children? Children who act in this way now are labelled ADD or ADHD if they meet certain criteria. Many of them are placed on medications to help them to focus. But there are natural therapies that can treat the root cause of their inattention and provide lasting relief ...
What is ADD/ADHD?
ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder is a neuro-developmental disorder characterized by an inability to focus/concentrate, and impulsiveness with or without hyperactivity (ADHD). Signs and symptoms begin to show at approximately 4 years old. The condition is not often diagnosed until children begin to struggle or fall behind well into their school years. ADD effects 3-5% of all school aged children, making it the most commonly diagnosed behavioural disorder in children. It occurs more often in boys than girls, and usually with a more pronounced hyperactive component.
Girls tend to be more inattentive then hyperactive, and diagnosis can often occur later or missed altogether because of this.
Diagnostic Criteria
The symptoms of ADD fall under three main categories: Inattention, Impulsivity and Hyperactivity. Not all children with ADD will experience symptoms from all categories. A diagnosis is made when symptoms are observed for a minimum of 6 months, are severe enough to cause significant difficulties, and occur in more than one setting. Children must exhibit at least 6 symptoms in the inattentive OR hyperactive categories, with at least come of the symptoms presenting before the age of 7. ADD can also be diagnosed in older children and adults, although it is more difficult to diagnose and the criteria are slightly different.
Signs of inattentiveness
- Cannot focus or concentrate; easily distracted.
- Does not follow/pay attention to what he/she has been told
- Has a hard time finishing large or complicated tasks without frequent reminders to stay on track.
- Is not well organized; may appear forgetful or careless
- May daydream
Signs of impulsiveness
- Frequently interrupts and blurts out answers
- Impatient, cannot tolerate waiting, line-ups, can become extremely agitated.
- Unable to control impulses (acts and often speaks without thought – crosses the street without looking, makes rude comments, socially inappropriate).
- Over reacts, may not be able to control frustration or anger (very common in adults with ADD/ADHD, who have gone untreated.
Signs of hyperactivity
- Cannot play independently or quietly.
- Cannot sit still or fidgets when sitting for longer than a few minutes.
- Restless, jittery, and always moving
- Talks excessively, in a loud/inappropriate voice.
What Causes ADD?
The cause of ADD/ADHD is still relatively unknown. Studies have confirmed there is a genetic component. A child with ADD/ADHD is likely to have siblings that are also affected. Having a parent with ADD/ADHD triples one's risk of developing the disorder. Research is also showing that that the majority of individuals with ADD/ADHD that have been tested have been shown to have an area of thinner brain tissue. This thinning is found in the areas of the brain responsible for attention. The finding is not permanent, and as the brain matter develops to normal thickness, ADD/ADHD symptoms have been shown to improve. Chemical imbalances in the brain have also been found in those who suffer from these conditions.
A lack of norepinephrine causes dysfunction in the area of the brain responsible tuning out background noise/unimportant information.
Environmental factors have long been thought to play a role in the development of ADD/ADHD. Cigarette smoke, and alcohol use during pregnancy has been shown to affect the fetus negatively in a number of ways, one being higher rates of ADD/ADHD in childhood. Heavy metals, like mercury and lead has also been implicated in ADD/ADHD. Lead, often found in paint and plumbing systems of old homes, has been linked to short attention span, and disruptive, even violent behaviours.
Nutrition may also play a role. Poor nutrition, both of the mother during pregnancy, and in childhood, has been associated with a greater incidence of ADD/ADHD. Food additive and preservatives from processed foods, being the biggest group to avoid in terms of prevention. Low levels of calcium and magnesium have also been found in children with hyperactivity and attention deficit.
Although it is not well-supported, some theories suggest that a history of illness or infection and subsequent anti-biotic use early in life can also increase the risk of developing ADD/ADHD. Other suspected causes of ADD/ADHD are stress, emotional problems, birth trauma and premature birth
Depression and Anxiety
Children with ADD/ADHD will often present co-existing disorders, such as: anxiety and depression, learning disabilities, conduct disorders, and bi-polar. The individual with ADD/ADHD can be frustrated by difficulties they experience socially and academically, and unfortunately there is little information as to why these concurrent disorders are seemingly connected; they may or may not be caused by one single disorder but it’s difficult to tell which are responsible. An effective therapy for ADD sufferers is behavioural therapy as it provides assistance with social issues as well as help with practical tasks like school work and coping appropriately with strong emotions.
Conventional Treatment
A commonly prescribed pharmaceutical medication for the treatment of ADHD is Ritalin (or Methylphenidate), one of the many pharmaceutical stimulant classes of drugs used to treat the disorder. There is some controversy over the last 10 years, that these medications and being over and wrongly prescribed. Interestingly, the stimulant medications have a significant calming effect on individuals affected by ADD/ADHD. Those who are not, however, will notice these medications have an opposite effect, which some doctors, teachers and parents thinking that these individuals are simply being under medicated. These medications often cause a lack of appetite and can cause sleep problems (insomnia) in many children, as well as slowed growth, weight loss, increased heart rate and blood pressure and dependency. Some believe it may increase the susceptibility to Parkinson’s disease. It goes without saying that some parents are looking for natural alternatives to these medications.
Clinical Nutrition and Lifestyle Interventions
Dietary treatment of ADD/ADHD begins by an assessment of nutritional status and food sensitivities. Deficiencies of nutrients can alter the functioning of the nervous system. Balancing blood sugar is important because fluctuations can cause ADD/ADHD type symptoms. A nutritious, whole foods diet is essential for the management of ADD/ADHD. Fast foods and processed foods should be avoided completely. Instead, focus on fresh organic fruit and vegetables, as well as adequate protein, fibre and healthy fats. Ensure that the child eats a wholesome breakfast with protein to prevent a mid-morning attention drop. A high quality, (sugar and food colourings/dye free) multivitamin may help to supplement nutrient deficiencies with pickier eaters. Essential fatty acids, like EPA and DHA found in fish oils, as well as GLA from Borage and Evening primrose oils, have been shown to be vitally important for proper brain development. Ginkgo biloba and American ginseng are two herbs that are showing promising results in terms of natural treatments for ADD/ADHD, improving behaviour over a number of parameters. L-theanine is an amino acid present in green tea that can help to reduce anxiety, as well as improve concentration, mood and sleep quality, and is gaining popularity for its use in ADD/ADHD treatment. B vitamins, as well as magnesium, are some other nutrients that may need to be assessed and supplemented individually, as they are integral to healthy nervous system function.
Proper brain development begins in utero. Expectant and nursing mothers taking pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplements have been shown to have calmer babies. These babies develop daily schedules more quickly than babies born to mothers who did not take fish oil. Decreasing stress during pregnancy and limiting the intake of caffeine, alcohol and other stimulants may also prevent ADD/ADHD symptoms from developing.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP YOUR KIDS FOCUS:
- Don't buy junk food – processed foods, candies high in sugar and artificial colourings.
- Limit intake of bad fats – introduce flax seed (oil), pumpkin seeds, a high quality olive oil, and fish oil, instead.
- Eating fish twice a week provides the brain with important essential fatty acids, in particular DHA.
- Give them lots of veggies to eat
- Give them a good multivitamin
- Consider additional supplements & herbs to support healthy brain function: EFAs, magnesium, ginkgo, L-theanine
- Take fish oil when pregnant, as well as avoiding alcohol and excessive caffeine.
- Limit TV and video games
- Talk with them every day, encourage reading and puzzles, and make sure to get outside for exercise on a daily basis.
DID YOU KNOW? (ADD FACTS)
- Current estimates state that ADD/ADHD affects 1-5 % of all children worldwide.
- Adults can also have ADD – A diagnosis of adult onset ADD/ADHD is becoming much more widely seen and accepted.
- Ritalin, the most commonly prescribed drug for attention problems and hyperactivity, has serious side effects, including hyperactivity
Just wanted to say that this page on ADD health concerns has some great information in regards to some do's and don'ts and some great tips for supplements as well as what those supplements are going to affect in the person with ADD. This is a definitely a good read !!!
Cool article!
I have ADD and have started incorporating many of the natural solutions mentioned in this article with great success.
For sure limiting processed foods is a clear win, in so many ways!
Green tea is an absolute must for me now. As soon as I feel a bit scattered, I turn to my jasmine green tea and immediately feel more grounded and focused.
In the evening if I need an extra calming boost or I'm having trouble sleeping, valerian and passionflower teas help immensely.
Hello Andria,
We are thrilled that the recommendations in our article are helping you. We work hard on these articles to provide you with the knowledge to care for your health, naturally. Supplements and teas with grounding effects are excellent for calming the mind and body. You might also like lavender essential oil and frankincense for their calming and grounding effects too.
https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/essential-oils/lavender-essential-oil/
https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/supplements/frankincense-essential-oil/
Stay healthy & well
I am really enjoying these articles from NN. They're very informative and I love learning about natural health from professionals. One stop shop for sure. I'm going to try some of the suggestions listed in this article.
This article was very fascinating, it clearly outlines natural supplements that can be taken and gives great recommendations. It was very interesting to find out the important role of fish oil for expecting or pregnant women and how this calms the fetus, compared to pregnant or expecting women who do not take fish oils while pregnant. I'm so glad that there are studies on this and helpful and useful information to take away from this article. This was definitely a good read!
Hello RoseWithThorns,
It's great to hear you're enjoying learning with us! Indeed, fish oil is a great supplement at supporting cognitive health, focus and concentration and ADD. If you'd like to learn more about fish oil and omega's, check out our article on it:
https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/supplements/fish-oil/
Have a healthy day!
Balanced article! ADD/ADHD is complicated and there's no "one-shot" fix. My Brother is a teacher, which has educated me a bit on this. I agree that engagement of the child is very important, and from reading research on the topic, diet is a clear contributor as well. I like how you present multiple interventions as well as discuss the science and statistics. Great article!
Hello, Rachel,
Thank you for your comment. We are glad to hear you enjoyed this article, this topic has a lot of depth and can be managed in many different ways, it's just up to what works best for the individual. Cutting out certain triggering foods, can be beneficial for a lot of health concerns. If you'd like to learn more about the recommendations outlined in this article, check out our supplement articles too:
https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/supplements/
Stay healthy & well!
The article discusses the symptoms, diagnostic criteria, and potential causes of ADD/ADHD. The article emphasizes the importance of nutrition, balanced blood sugar levels, and a whole foods diet in managing these conditions. It also suggests the use of essential fatty acids, herbs, and specific nutrients as natural alternatives to pharmaceutical medications. Useful info and give me an insight about ADD ADHD
Hello, AP,
Thank you for your lovely comment. We are thrilled you enjoyed our article on living with ADD/ADHD and natural ways to support it. Since you enjoyed this article so much, we think you'll like our Youtube channel too: https://www.youtube.com/@NTLnutrition
Have a healthy day!
This article sheds light on the topic of ADHD and offers valuable insights for better understanding and managing this condition. It discusses the symptoms, challenges, and impact of ADHD on individuals' daily lives, as well as the importance of early diagnosis and proper treatment. The inclusion of practical tips for coping with ADHD is commendable, providing helpful strategies for improving focus, organization, and overall well-being. However, it would have been beneficial to also address the potential role of therapy and support systems in managing ADHD. Nonetheless, this article serves as a concise and informative resource for anyone seeking to comprehend and navigate the complexities of ADHD.
Hello, Nathaniel,
Thank you for your comment and suggestions. Indeed, there are many ways for those with ADHD to cope whether that's with natural supplements, therapy and coping mechanisms/practices or medication. We are glad you enjoyed our article, it's important to shed light on as many people often go many years without knowing they have ADHD and being misdiagnosed.
You can learn more about supplements that support cognitive health here: https://www.nationalnutrition.ca/articles/health-concerns/brain-health-concentration/
Have a healthy day.