 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
Medical Forum / General / Nutrition / January 2007NHS prescribing drugs 'when diet might help children with autism'
http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.1107588.0.nhs_prescribin g_drugs_when_diet_might_help_children_with_autism.php THE NHS is failing to provide advice on nutrition which could help children with conditions such as autism and attention deficit disorder, amid a culture of prescribing powerful drugs with potential side-effects. That is the claim made by Dave Rex, lead child health dietician with NHS Highland, who has warned that despite evidence that special diets can help some individuals, nutrition is still being treated as a "Cinderella" subject in the health service. Speaking ahead of a major conference on diet and children's behaviour later this month, Rex told the Sunday Herald that while many NHS professionals will prescribe powerful drugs, they are reluctant to consider dietary interventions. continued... "It is very strange that we within the NHS are in the culture of prescribing medication which runs the risk of side-effects," he said, "yet we are so nervous about giving tailor-made advice on what a healthy diet would look like. "As soon as you talk about diet and autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), people assume you are going to be suggesting something wacky, because some people have done so in the past. "But you can give responsible, tailor-made advice on diet, which is more likely to do good than harm." While there is wide debate about the causes and treatment of autism and ADHD, some research has suggested that dietary interventions such as removing milk and wheat, topping up nutrients or using fish oil supplements can help in some cases. But Rex, who is one of just a few dieticians employed by the health service to give specialist advice on such conditions, said that the lack of interest in the subject within the NHS meant that parents often had to turn to the private sector for information, without knowing what advice or treatments could be relied upon. "There are often all sorts of supplements and potions, sometimes at great expense. Sometimes they are ones that are potentially useful, sometimes it is based on half-baked science and sometimes it is downright irresponsible," he said. "I think families feel that they are caught between a rock and a hard place because, while they would trust the NHS, there isn't enough knowledge or interest in these topic areas. [more] > http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.1107588.0.nhs_prescribin g_drugs_when_diet_might_help_children_with_autism.php <copyrighted material deleted> The fact that there is little evidence that diet helps ADHD or autism explains why the NHS is doing this. I guess they think it will help the kids if the parents do things that actually work. >> http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.1107588.0.nhs_prescribin g_drugs_when_diet_might_help_children_with_autism.php > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > explains why the NHS is doing this. I guess they think it will help the > kids if the parents do things that actually work. http://www.upi.com/ConsumerHealthDaily/view.php?StoryID=20060316-0911... Ped Med: The skinny on ADHD contributors By LIDIA WASOWICZ UPI Senior Science Writer SAN FRANCISCO, March 17 (UPI) -- Nutritionists are convinced that, just like everyone else, children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are what they eat. Specifically, the specialists have their eye on so-called omega-3 fatty acids as playing some role in the condition that, in general, is marked by trouble keeping still, difficulty in maintaining attention, propensity toward acting impulsively or some combination of the three. Omega-3 fatty acids are plentiful in cold-water fish, such as salmon, herring, tuna, clams, crab, cod, flounder, sole, halibut, catfish, trout and shrimp. They also abound in nuts; soybeans; walnut, olive and flaxseed oil; seeds; whole grains and dark leafy greens. The fatty acids comprise a hefty component of the brain, which weighs in at about 60-percent fat. The compounds, which studies indicate are essential for forming and maintaining the dopamine system, have been found in short supply in some, though not all, children diagnosed with ADHD. Many researchers see ADHD as a hereditary imbalance of brain chemicals, such as dopamine -- which regulates movement, emotion, motivation and sensations of pleasure. That view is strongly contested by critics who point to a dearth of physical evidence for such a notion. Whatever their connection to the "feel-good" chemical in the brain, the omega-3 fatty acids appear to have an impact on a child's behavior, portending problems in youngsters who don't have enough of the compounds. As one example, a recent Duke University study of 96 boys ages 6 to 12 indicated those with low blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids face increased risk of ADHD-like behavior, learning and health challenges. There is also some evidence the compounds may play a benevolent role in the production of myelin, a protective insulation that coats the brain's internal wiring, A novel model of human brain development and degeneration proposed by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles implicates disruption of myelin production in such childhood developmental disorders as autism and ADHD. From a review of scanned and autopsied brain tissue, the investigators unraveled the role of myelin in these conditions. Laden with more cholesterol than any other brain component, the sheet of fat surrounds the spindly nerve-cell extensions called axons, permitting them to carry messages to their neighbors in the safety and security of their armor. The thicker and heavier the cells' coat, the faster and more effective their communication, said team leader Dr. George Bartzokis, professor of neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine and director of the UCLA Memory Disorders and Alzheimer's Disease Clinic and the Clinical Core of the UCLA Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. The pioneering neuroscientist discovered that myelin production continues unabated throughout the first four decades of life before peaking and plummeting at age 45. His latest research portrays the protective shield as the neural system's Achilles' heel, vulnerable to a host of environmental assaults. "Myelination, a process uniquely elaborated in humans, arguably is the most important and most vulnerable process of brain development as we mature and age," Bartzokis said. Without adequate insulation, cells won't connect properly, he has found in a series of experiments that showed a breakdown in the sheath can expose the naked wiring beneath and open the gates to an array of neurological and behavioral problems. Bartzokis's theory holds that humans "myelinate" different circuits at various points in life, which could explain the sizeable differences between brain diseases of the young and old. An early disruption of the process, for instance, may throw for a loop the development of the basic circuits that govern language and social communication, two key impairments in autism. A glitch during the early school years could hamper the ability to process information efficiently and effectively, leading to deficits in attention that characterize ADHD. Later in life, the result of a malfunction could be Alzheimer's disease. To Bartzokis, the human brain is akin to high-speed Internet. "The speed, quality and bandwidth of the connections determine the brain's ability to process information, and all these depend in large part on the insulation that coats the brain's connecting wires," he said. The findings may explain why developmental disorders leave no calling card in the brain. "There's no dead anything on autopsy," Bartzokis said. "Those brain connections just never developed normally." Bartzokis's studies also show female brains make better myelin, which could explain why boys are at much greater risk for autism, ADHD and other problems. "On the positive side, there are some interesting things to consider," Bartzokis said. "For example, essential fatty acids are fats that are necessary for membrane production, and myelin is essentially pure membrane." "They are called 'essential' because the human body cannot produce them, and, therefore, they are like 'vitamins' -- they need to come from a good diet," he added. "Thus, nutrition is very important because the brain is very busy trying to build the myelin sheaths." Still, researchers don't have the skinny on the exact relationship between the fats and ADHD. Although alternative medicine practitioners report some success in ameliorating symptoms with the use of fatty acid, mineral, vitamin B and other supplements, none of these has been embraced as standard therapy. Conventional and complementary practices also part ways on the role, and remedial potential, of food additives, sugar or allergens. All of these remain controversial, having failed to withstand rigorous scientific scrutiny, according to a compilation of ADHD data by Dr. Peter Jensen, director of the Center for the Advancement of Children's Mental Health at Columbia University. Next: Seeking environmental clues to ADHD. (Editors' Note: This series on ADHD is based on a review of hundreds of reports and a survey of more than 200 specialists.) http://seven.com.au/todaytonight/story/?id=28786 Excerpt: Many parents are noticing dramatic changes in their children's behaviour after putting them on a preservative-free diet. Nobody would expect to find a toy in a toy shop that was unsuitable for children. But in supermarket aisles all over Australia, food blatantly aimed at children is in many cases unsuitable for them to eat. Everything we need to know about packaged food is right there on the label, but to decode that information, you practically need a science degree. A myriad of colours and preservatives are on the market and just do not agree with some kids. Even food that claims to be free of artificial additives can contain natural preservatives which are harmful. Tracey Sheppherd thought her son Aidan was just one of the difficult ones. Doctors advised ADHD medication, but Tracey felt there had to be another option. She stumbled on Sue Dengate's book, Fed Up. "I started reading it and I thought 'this just what I've been looking for, it's incredible'," Tracey said. "I actually cried when I was reading it. I thought, 'how can she know all of this about our family?'." Following the book to the letter, Tracey was able to eliminate additives and preservatives from Aidan's diet. While it meant a great deal more time spent in the kitchen, it changed life for the whole family. "He is a completely different person," Tracey said. More at link. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/PrintStory.pl?document_id=20... Millions have misused ADHD stimulant drugs, study says By Shankar Vedantam The Washington Post WASHINGTON - More than 7 million Americans are estimated to have misused stimulant drugs meant to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and substantial numbers of teen-agers and young adults appear to show signs of addiction, according to a comprehensive national analysis tracking such abuse. The statistics are striking because many young people recreationally using these drugs are seeking to boost academic and professional performance, doctors say. Although the drugs may allow people to stay awake longer and finish work faster, scientists who published a new study concluded that about 1.6 million teen-agers and young adults had misused these stimulants during a 12-month period and that 75,000 showed signs of addiction. The study published online this month in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence culled data from a 2002 national survey of about 67,000 households. The data paint a concrete and sobering picture of what many experts have worried about for years, and present ethical and medical challenges for a country where mental performance is highly valued and where the number of prescriptions for these drugs has doubled every five years, said Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. "We live in a highly competitive society, and you want to get the top grades and you know your colleagues are taking stimulants and you feel pressured," she said. "Yes, you are going to study better in the middle of the night if you take one of these medications. The problem is a certain percentage of people become addicted to them, and some have toxic effects." Volkow said it was impossible to disentangle the skyrocketing prescriptions of drugs for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder from the risks of diversion and abuse. "As a child, you have multiple friends who are being treated with stimulant medications," she said. "You get the sense that these are good." Studies have shown that the drugs are highly effective, especially among children, and also that they reduce the risk of substance abuse among those correctly diagnosed with the psychiatric disorder, which is characterized by inattention and unruly behavior. Untreated ADHD has also been associated with conduct and academic problems. At the same time, there have been growing concerns that the drugs are over-prescribed. A Food and Drug Administration panel earlier this month warned that the medications carried risks of rare, but serious, cardiovascular problems, and it recommended that the agency place serious "black box" warnings on the drugs, as a way to restrain spiraling prescriptions. Lawrence Diller, a pediatrician in Walnut Creek, Calif., who prescribes the drugs but is worried about their overuse, said that the new study showed the real health concerns are with diversion and abuse, not with rare side effects. "Seventy-five thousand addicts to prescription stimulants is much more troublesome than the 100 to 200 adults who have strokes," he said. "Houston, we have got a problem because we are just in the middle of this epidemic." The study found that men and women were equally likely to be misusing the drugs, but that women seemed to be at greater risk of dependence - characterized by a lack of control, physical need and growing tolerance for the drug - while men seemed to be at greater risk of abuse, in which the medication was used in dangerous situations, said lead author Larry Kroutil, who studies health behavior and education at RTI International, a nonprofit research group. To obtain their findings, Kroutil and a team of researchers culled data from a 2002 national survey conducted by the federal government's Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). H. Westley Clark, director of SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, said the 2002 data were obtained through face-to-face interviews. RTI has not yet culled data from subsequent years regarding the misuse of ADHD drugs. Since then, prescription rates and the popularity of various drugs have changed, and Kroutil said continuing research is needed to track the phenomenon. Clark noted that data from 2003 suggested that the problem of stimulant misuse was greater among young adults 18 to 25 years old than among teen-agers. The RTI study was paid for by Eli Lilly and Co., which makes the non-stimulant ADHD drug Strattera. Although non-stimulant treatments such as Strattera were an option for ADHD patients, they were often not as potent as stimulant drugs, Volkow said. Both Volkow and Scott Kollins, who heads Duke University's ADHD program, said the full range of ADHD drugs is a valuable tool. But Kollins said the study brought home what he has seen anecdotally: A colleague who visited his college-age son's fraternity was mobbed by requests for Adderall prescriptions by youngsters seeking to boost academic performance. "If I took Ritalin, I would probably stay up longer and write my grants faster," Kollins said. But besides the fact that he did not think this is right, Kollins said the rare side effects highlighted by the FDA panel meant people using the drugs for nonmedical purposes were placing themselves at risk for those adverse events. Volkow was more blunt: "You are playing roulette," she said. "If you get addicted, you will not only not get into Harvard, you will not finish high school." the dopamine affect is more real to more people of course what you eat is important what the researchesr forget it becasue of dopamine issues someone with adhd and similar does not have much choice of what they like or dont like they are drawn to in some cases excessive eating of foods considered bad orr drugs and alocholo/excessive spending and other over indulgences and addictions just telling us to eat better is no good at all ,ok if you back that up witn dieticians and so on helping every day of every week then maybe but for my now subject of a complaint phyciatrist and nurse "lose weight and do exercise" is rubbish and neglecting my needs the ritalin i now take has affected my dopamine and for first time in 40 yrs i am calmer than ever in terms of meltdown rages,i push my points more and am most disagreeable with people but i dont go into meltdown . i have had highq omega 3 nothing i cut down from 2 litrres of coke a day to 1 pint a week nothin aparrt from less farting to eat salads and indeed copious amounts of fruit and veg i find difficult ,salds being a no no for me i hate every type of salad food,some veggies i eat in last few weeks my appetite and piggin out appetite ie see 20 sweets and put in hand and eatin one go,secoinsd and thirds of dinner have again thanks to my rritalin gone i still eat a nice big meal,i eat it slower and am less inclined to go for more and more and have loads of sweets in between,i have less an hour than i previously had again not down to wilpower as my adhd aspergers makes will power impossible but due to my ritalin the drgu it took me ahges to get becadue of my so called support in NHS blocking me my speicalist at maudlsey agreees yes food if it can be modified and indeed lifesty changes if they can be met byt child or adult are good of course they are,but only a small percentage can do that and a smaller perecntage still really see a differance i see it on my emaiol groups all the time parents swearing by the food they give there kids but then still saying "jonny is having meltdowns how do i deal with them" and then i am thjinking hang on this kid you have said is on omega 3,eating salads doing exercise yet then if dietary and lifestyl makles so much differance then surely his rages have stopped its clear brain chemical and indeed hormones imbalances are the key factor for most,i dont say all as one persons adhd etc may be more food controlled another its not and more brain chemical imbalance so instead of saying lets drug all or lets change diet[if possible in all] lets have a mulit faceted apporach using drugs and if possible diet and other things its the ritalin that has allowed modest changes in food intake,so wothout that i would be piggin out at every available moment its alright saiying some foods are bad we all know that,its stopping eating then thats the prrobme and i would rather die knowing i enjoyed what i ate then being made to eat things that make me "Healthy" but cant stand. also linking things like adhd to alzheimers that just pie in the sky lots of differant peopkle oveactive busy to sedentarry people get alzheimers my uncle and aunt neither have shown much in way of adhd type symptome,yet both have well one alzheimers the other we are not wquite sure as yet it may very well be ealry stages,these not being maried so not blood line my uncle my mums sisters husband my aunt my dads brothers wife now mt dad and dad brother ie my other uncle we all have adhd autism traits,and my dad and uncle have no major demetia problems though yes throughout life both have been forgetfull and adhd ish like me but not as pronpounced as me. people can make any research fit. alll i know is the reality for me of taking a drrug that increases or changes dopamine and noradrrenoline levels and how differant my behavoiurs are than of 8 weeks ago >>> http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.1107588.0.nhs_prescribin g_drugs_when_diet_might_help_children_with_autism.php >> [quoted text clipped - 332 lines] > addicted, you will not only not get into Harvard, you will not finish high > school." >just telling us to eat better is no good at all ,ok if you back that up witn >dieticians and so on helping every day of every week then maybe I saw three or four dieticians (as a result of staffing problems). The problem was, their basic assumption seemed to be that if you weren't eating right, then it *must* be the result of ignorance and / or lack of "motivation". In fact I live alone, on a low income, and have problems with shopping (due to disabilities). And quite frankly their suggested menus were totally unrealistic for someone in my position. My mother who's a widowed pensioner (though still able to do her own shopping) thought much the same about their applicability to her. They wanted to tell me *what*, but were quite unable to tell me *how*. Unfortunately their ideas of healthy eating tend to be time consuming, labour intensive (or expensive if bought pre-prepared) and to be based on frequent shopping and / or a *large* freezer. (And before anyone suggests it - home delivery would add about 25% onto my shopping bill - I wouldn't get through enough fresh food & can't store enough frozen to qualify for free delivery). Basically - going by their suggested menus - the UK NHS dieticians don't seem to have considered the problems of single people on a low incomes (even though many pensioners fall into this category, and may also have mobility of other problems which affect shopping or food preparation).  SignatureTerry motivation plays a big part as well epsecially is adhd type its ok even if i want to do something i satill find it very difficult ot avctually sdo it regards paul >>just telling us to eat better is no good at all ,ok if you back that up >>witn [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > also have mobility of other problems which affect shopping or food > preparation). what the dopamine has done in ritalin is changing my desires and reactions my motviation to starrt a task is as hard as ever my concentartion when started is up,my anxiety and moods better ,my memeory only very slight improvemnt nothing bad to report apart from iam very much more of being right all the time and saying so even on myt own radio grruops and in doing so its started a bit of a war. but this war is not with me shouting and swearing and telling people to ff off like in past so even thats differant just me laboring the point more and more and disagreeing so the aspienees has come out even more it seems regards paul >>just telling us to eat better is no good at all ,ok if you back that up >>witn [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > also have mobility of other problems which affect shopping or food > preparation). that's why I've never gone to a nutrtionist although at it's been recommended to me. -- "Being *able* to do something does not automatically imply that it is easy or undemanding." - Terry ASA FAQ: http://www.mugsy.org/asa_faq/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > >just telling us to eat better is no good at all ,ok if you back that up witn > >dieticians and so on helping every day of every week then maybe [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > > Terry SignaturePosted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com > that's why I've never gone to a nutrtionist although at it's been > recommended to me. When we first embarked on our efforts to deal with our son's AD/HD, we visited a nutritionist we carefully selected and was recommended by our Ped. We spent an hour completing page after page of questions about eating habits, etc. The nutritionist, reviewed our answers, and merely said that his diet was well balanced, with good sources of protein (fresh fish (like caught the same day, in season), chicken, rarely read meat), vitamins (lots of veggies, fruits, etc.), and carbs (pasta and whole grain rice). The only suggestion made was that he could eat bread instead of putting nearly everything like peanut butter on unsalted saltines, or, just cut down on snacking on the unsalted saltines. Since then, everyone who has told me that his AD/HD is definitively caused by diet has merely made me laugh. > -- > "Being *able* to do something does not automatically imply that it is easy [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] >> >> Terry >> that's why I've never gone to a nutrtionist although at it's been >> recommended to me. [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > Since then, everyone who has told me that his AD/HD is definitively caused > by diet has merely made me laugh. Diet Makes an Impact on ADHD http://www.drkoop.com/PrinterFriendly/93/8011610.html Fish Oil Alternative Treatment To Ritalin For ADHD-Study http://www.bestsyndication.com/2005/Nicole-WILSON/HEALTH/123005-adhd_... Diet Changes, medications help students with ADHD http://wildcat.arizona.edu/papers/98/219/01_3.html [no longer available, but here is what was stated]. Diet changes, medications help students with ADHD By Laura Ory Arizona Daily Wildcat Monday, November 14, 2005 Students concerned about the side effects of their attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder medications may want to explore alternative treatments like changing their diets, a pediatrician said Thursday. Dr. Sandy Newmark, a pediatric integrative medicine specialist, presented information about alternative methods to dealing with ADHD as part of the SALT Center Speaker Series. Newmark said there is a lot of "hysteria" surrounding the use and misuse of ADHD medications, including Ritalin. "They're not as good or as bad as people say," Newmark said. Although ADHD medications may cause a decrease in appetite, they are not damaging to the liver, kidneys or brain as some may claim, and they are not addictive, Newmark said. Complaints about ADHD medications causing a loss in creativity or a change in a patient's attitude are worrisome, Newmark said, and therefore such drugs should not be the first and only treatment for attention-deficit patients. Other treatments include removing food coloring, preservatives, processed sugars and flour from the diet and replacing them with more protein, Newmark said. These methods, along with adding omega-3, an essential fatty acid, and zinc to the diet, have had a profound impact on reducing ADHD symptoms, Newmark said. Patty Zeigler, a systems and industrial engineering business manager at the UA, said she decided to remove all preservatives, food coloring and processed foods from her son's diet when he was diagnosed as "hyperactive" about 30 years ago. Zeigler said her son's kindergarten teacher recommended he take medication but she decided to try changing his diet first. "Three months later the teacher raved about what a difference the medication made," Zeigler said. "I didn't tell her he wasn't on it." Homeopathy, which is based on taking smaller doses of a drug rather than the suggested amount, and cranio-sacral therapy, which uses touch to improve the functioning of the central nervous system, are other alternative methods for treating ADHD, Newmark said. Ashley Klein, a learning specialist at the SALT Center, said she wasn't diagnosed with ADHD until she was a sophomore in college. ADHD medications have helped Klein, but she believes that her diet and exercise habits still have an effect on her symptoms. "Something that works for one person, may not work for others," said Klein, who works with students with ADHD and learning disabilities. "I do recommend that they try different approaches, but they should also talk to their doctor." New Progam Promises Drug-Free ADHD Solution http://cbs4boston.com/specialreports/local_story_031192527.html Hospital Study Proves Ancient Herbs Helpful In ADD-ADHD http://openpr.com/drucken/?id=1661 Fix the diagnosis not the children http://news.scotsman.com/opinion.cfm?id=274972006 Deadly side-effects earn ADHD drugs warning http://tinyurl.com/b2r6l Foods and additives are common causes of the attention deficit hyperactive disorder in children. Boris M, Mandel FS. North Shore Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, Manhasset, New York. The attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) is a neurophysiologic problem that is detrimental to children and their parents. Despite previous studies on the role of foods, preservatives and artificial colorings in ADHD this issue remains controversial. This investigation evaluated 26 children who meet the criteria for ADHD. Treatment with a multiple item elimination diet showed 19 children (73%) responded favorably, P < .001. On open challenge, all 19 children reacted to many foods, dyes, and/or preservatives. A double-blind placebo controlled food challenge (DBPCFC) was completed in 16 children. There was a significant improvement on placebo days compared with challenge days (P = .003). Atopic children with ADHD had a significantly higher response rate than the nonatopic group. This study demonstrates a beneficial effect of eliminating reactive foods and artificial colors in children with ADHD. Dietary factors may play a significant role in the etiology of the majority of children with ADHD. http://tinyurl.com/c2lez The role of diet and behaviour in childhood. Breakey J. This short review summarizes the most important research, particularly that from 1985 to 1995, on the relationship between diet and behaviour. Relevant studies particularly those using double-blind placebo controlled food challenge methodology were selected, and are presented within a historical context. Summary tables of the early development of concepts and later pertinent studies are provided. The research has shown that diet definitely affects some children. Rather than becoming simpler the issue has become demonstrably more complex. The range of suspect food items has broadened, and some non-food items are relevant. Symptoms which may change include those seen in attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), sleep problems and physical symptoms, with later research emphasizing particularly changes in mood. The reports also show the range of individual differences both in the food substances producing reactions and in the areas of change. http://tinyurl.com/cke6f Controlled trial of cumulative behavioural effects of a common bread preservative. Dengate S, Ruben A. sdeng...@ozemail.com.au OBJECTIVE: Many anecdotes and one scientific report describe cumulative behavioural effects of bread preservative on children. METHODOLOGY: Twenty-seven children, whose behaviour improved significantly on the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital diet, which excludes food additives, natural salicylates, amines and glutamates, were challenged with calcium propionate (preservative code 282) or placebo through daily bread in a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial. RESULTS: Due to four placebo responders, there was no significant difference by ANOVA of weighted placebo and challenge Rowe Behaviour Rating Inventory means, but a statistically significant difference existed in the proportion of children whose behaviours 'worsened' with challenge (52%), compared to the proportion whose behaviour 'improved' with challenge (19%), relative to placebo (95% confidence intervals 14-60%). CONCLUSIONS: Irritability, restlessness, inattention and sleep disturbance in some children may be caused by a preservative in healthy foods consumed daily. Minimizing the concentrations added to processed foods would reduce adverse reactions. Testing for behavioural toxicity should be included in food additive safety evaluation. http://www.upi.com/ConsumerHealthDaily/view.php?StoryID=20060316-0911... Ped Med: The skinny on ADHD contributors By LIDIA WASOWICZ UPI Senior Science Writer SAN FRANCISCO, March 17 (UPI) -- Nutritionists are convinced that, just like everyone else, children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are what they eat. Specifically, the specialists have their eye on so-called omega-3 fatty acids as playing some role in the condition that, in general, is marked by trouble keeping still, difficulty in maintaining attention, propensity toward acting impulsively or some combination of the three. Omega-3 fatty acids are plentiful in cold-water fish, such as salmon, herring, tuna, clams, crab, cod, flounder, sole, halibut, catfish, trout and shrimp. They also abound in nuts; soybeans; walnut, olive and flaxseed oil; seeds; whole grains and dark leafy greens. The fatty acids comprise a hefty component of the brain, which weighs in at about 60-percent fat. The compounds, which studies indicate are essential for forming and maintaining the dopamine system, have been found in short supply in some, though not all, children diagnosed with ADHD. Many researchers see ADHD as a hereditary imbalance of brain chemicals, such as dopamine -- which regulates movement, emotion, motivation and sensations of pleasure. That view is strongly contested by critics who point to a dearth of physical evidence for such a notion. Whatever their connection to the "feel-good" chemical in the brain, the omega-3 fatty acids appear to have an impact on a child's behavior, portending problems in youngsters who don't have enough of the compounds. As one example, a recent Duke University study of 96 boys ages 6 to 12 indicated those with low blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids face increased risk of ADHD-like behavior, learning and health challenges. There is also some evidence the compounds may play a benevolent role in the production of myelin, a protective insulation that coats the brain's internal wiring, A novel model of human brain development and degeneration proposed by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles implicates disruption of myelin production in such childhood developmental disorders as autism and ADHD. From a review of scanned and autopsied brain tissue, the investigators unraveled the role of myelin in these conditions. Laden with more cholesterol than any other brain component, the sheet of fat surrounds the spindly nerve-cell extensions called axons, permitting them to carry messages to their neighbors in the safety and security of their armor. The thicker and heavier the cells' coat, the faster and more effective their communication, said team leader Dr. George Bartzokis, professor of neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine and director of the UCLA Memory Disorders and Alzheimer's Disease Clinic and the Clinical Core of the UCLA Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. The pioneering neuroscientist discovered that myelin production continues unabated throughout the first four decades of life before peaking and plummeting at age 45. His latest research portrays the protective shield as the neural system's Achilles' heel, vulnerable to a host of environmental assaults. "Myelination, a process uniquely elaborated in humans, arguably is the most important and most vulnerable process of brain development as we mature and age," Bartzokis said. Without adequate insulation, cells won't connect properly, he has found in a series of experiments that showed a breakdown in the sheath can expose the naked wiring beneath and open the gates to an array of neurological and behavioral problems. Bartzokis's theory holds that humans "myelinate" different circuits at various points in life, which could explain the sizeable differences between brain diseases of the young and old. An early disruption of the process, for instance, may throw for a loop the development of the basic circuits that govern language and social communication, two key impairments in autism. A glitch during the early school years could hamper the ability to process information efficiently and effectively, leading to deficits in attention that characterize ADHD. Later in life, the result of a malfunction could be Alzheimer's disease. To Bartzokis, the human brain is akin to high-speed Internet. "The speed, quality and bandwidth of the connections determine the brain's ability to process information, and all these depend in large part on the insulation that coats the brain's connecting wires," he said. The findings may explain why developmental disorders leave no calling card in the brain. "There's no dead anything on autopsy," Bartzokis said. "Those brain connections just never developed normally." Bartzokis's studies also show female brains make better myelin, which could explain why boys are at much greater risk for autism, ADHD and other problems. "On the positive side, there are some interesting things to consider," Bartzokis said. "For example, essential fatty acids are fats that are necessary for membrane production, and myelin is essentially pure membrane." "They are called 'essential' because the human body cannot produce them, and, therefore, they are like 'vitamins' -- they need to come from a good diet," he added. "Thus, nutrition is very important because the brain is very busy trying to build the myelin sheaths." Still, researchers don't have the skinny on the exact relationship between the fats and ADHD. Although alternative medicine practitioners report some success in ameliorating symptoms with the use of fatty acid, mineral, vitamin B and other supplements, none of these has been embraced as standard therapy. Conventional and complementary practices also part ways on the role, and remedial potential, of food additives, sugar or allergens. All of these remain controversial, having failed to withstand rigorous scientific scrutiny, according to a compilation of ADHD data by Dr. Peter Jensen, director of the Center for the Advancement of Children's Mental Health at Columbia University. Next: Seeking environmental clues to ADHD. (Editors' Note: This series on ADHD is based on a review of hundreds of reports and a survey of more than 200 specialists.) Pill-Popping Doesn't ADHD Up http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story/0,20281,18666065-5001035,00.html Pill-popping doesn't ADHD up April 01, 2006 IS Ritalin the new corporal punishment? Are the types of children who were getting the strap when I was at school 25 years ago, now being given drugs instead? I ask because we seem to have a frightening number of children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). And the only way to "discipline" them is to dope them up. Prescriptions for Ritalin increased tenfold after it was listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme last August, reducing the cost from $49 to $29.50 or $4.70 for concession card holders. More than 5800 prescriptions were written for Ritalin in January this year, compared with 523 last August. Prescriptions for the other favoured ADHD drug, Dexamphetamine, jumped from 96,000 a year to 232,000 in the 10 years to 2004-05. This week we learned that children as young as five have suffered strokes, heart attacks, hallucinations and convulsions after being administed these drugs. Almost 400 serious adverse reactions have been reported to the Therapeutic Goods Administration. On Thursday, 14 Queensland teenagers overdosed on Ritalin after a 13-year-old girl is believed to have taken the pills to school to share with her friends. The Year 9 students fell ill suffering from nausea and increased heart rates and were taken to hospital. They were released by early evening. The long-term side-effects of the prolonged use of such drugs are only part of the problem. Also disturbing is the message pill-popping sends to children. We have long been an adult nation of pill-poppers. Drugs soothe every modern condition. ADHD has become the defence of choice in our court system. If someone's feeling down, you don't ask why; you give them Prozac. If someone's sexually dysfunctional, they take Viagra. If you can't quit smoking, there's Zyban. And now, if your three-year-old is hyperactive, you don't look at their junk-food diet or discipline. Instead, you give them Ritalin or Dexamphetamine. When the going gets tough, kids get drugged because it is the easiest solution for some parents. They don't want to correct difficult or different behaviour. I am sure there were children wrongly dismissed as belligerent when I was school, who in hindsight may have had disorders that were left untreated. But could there really be enough today to justify 5800 scripts written in one month? Mass medication has become the cop-out solution. And the next generation will know no other way to cope. We may even be "medicating-out" the quirks of genius not easily recognised in childhood. Imagine the world without the high energies of Leonardo da Vinci, Picasso and Einstein . . . thought by some to have ADHD symptoms. Instead, we will have adults whose earliest memories will be of taking pills; what the rest of us rarely had to do until old age kicked in. Who comes after Generation Y? Generation Z of course. For the generation of zombies who will be used to taking a pill from age of three. http://diet-studies.com/adhd.html Too many kids diagnosed with ADHD http://www.king5.com/health/stories/NW_112906HEKmislabeledchild.397cde41.html NHS prescribing drugs 'when diet might help children with autism' http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.1107588.0.nhs... A Review of ADHD Treatments http://www.market-day.net/article_30105/20061003/A-Review-of-ADHD-Tre... A Review of ADHD Treatments If you have a child who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD for short, you have at your disposal a number of effective treatments that you can employ. The most common ADHD treatments usually involve as their biggest part the use of drugs like Ritalin or Dexedrine. These drugs manipulate the balance of receptors in the brain so that the individual finds it easier to concentrate. In addition the ADHD treatments should involve the use of some counseling. Teaching effective study skills can also go a long way in combating ADHD. The problem is that many ADHD treatments address the physiological to the detriment of the other causes of the disorder. This is a problem, because ADHD children need assistance in properly warming strategies and creating scenarios in which they can be successful in their endeavors. So as an addendum to the drugs, some counseling in study skills and habits are a necessity for treating the disorder properly. It is not enough just to medicate as an ADHD treatment, because this only will solve half of the problem. Too many times we have seen that everyone's answer to treatment is to just throw medication at it. This is so wrong in such a great disservice. So many kids just get ADHD treatments by being dosed with medication that there has recently been a bit of a backlash. Many other kinds of ADHD treatments have come out recently and received support instead of the drugging. Some people believe that a well balanced diet itself can form one of the most effective ADHD treatments. According to them, eating the right foods and eliminating all junk food, sugar, and highly processed or caffeinated stuff can form the best of ADHD treatments, without the side effects of the drugs. Many ADD and ADHD kids hate the drugs that they are on, and complain that they make them feel like zombies. If drug free ADHD treatment works, why not switch? I even know of some adults that takes the drug is to help them concentrate better in everyday life. They can actually become addicted to these drugs in and of stealing them from the person that they were prescribed to. And usually that's their children, how sad is that? Other people recommend meditation techniques as ADHD treatments. They say that the best way to treat ADHD is to take advantage of the mind's natural flexibility and to tap into its natural powers of relaxation and healing. These new age practitioners believe that daily meditation, focus, relaxation, and an end to the anxiety that plagues ADHD kids can be achieved, these experts claim. I don't have a problem with trying this as long as it's not to the detriment of the patient. I don't think that there is one right way to go in there for everything else is wrong. That to me is rather narrowminded. Although meditation may not be one of the most popular of ADHD treatments, it should be considered. Meditation is good for so many things - concentration, calm, an end to anxiety, that there is no reason to believe that it couldn't help with ADHD treatments as well. Morgan Hamilton offers his findings and insights regarding the world of health. You can get interesting information here at http://www.healthandmedicineinfo.com/health--medicine-information/hea... Wheat Sensitivities May Be The Culprit In Many Ailments http://www.mediasyndicate.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=a... Food for thought http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10416569 Is ADHD a Real Disease? Via Google Alert: ADHD http://americandaily.com/article/12001 Ped Med: The Skinny on ADHD Contributors http://www.upi.com/ConsumerHealthDaily/view.php?StoryID=20060316-0911... The preservative-free diet http://seven.com.au/todaytonight/story/?id=28786 Millions have misused ADHD stimulant drugs- Study http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/PrintStory.pl?document_id=20... Pill is not the 'miracle diet' that many hope for http://www.purdueexponent.org/index.php?module=article&story_id=1813 >> -- >> "Being *able* to do something does not automatically imply that it is [quoted text clipped - 36 lines] >>> >>> Terry I wasn't thinking about seeing a nutritionist to help autism. More to help with basic eating issues. -- "Being *able* to do something does not automatically imply that it is easy or undemanding." - Terry ASA FAQ: http://www.mugsy.org/asa_faq/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > that's why I've never gone to a nutrtionist although at it's been > > recommended to me. [quoted text clipped - 56 lines] > >> > >> Terry SignaturePosted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com > I wasn't thinking about seeing a nutritionist to help autism. More to help > with basic eating issues. As an adult, good idea. For a child with disabilities like Autism and AD/HD, possibly not too practical, depending on how cooperative the child is, and what changes have to be made. > -- > "Being *able* to do something does not automatically imply that it is easy [quoted text clipped - 62 lines] >>>> >>>> Terry Well many of those same hurdles I had as a child with autism are still there as an adult with autism. That's why I didn't go. Before help with what I should eat would do any good I need help with how. And I would need someone who understands autistic issues. If my brain decides a food is "bad" it doesn't matter how healthy it is or how much I want to it, I won't be able to. I just found an artilce I'm going to print out about food issues for adult autistics: http://autistics.cc/Autreat/AutreatFoodForWeb.html And still some of it is beyond me. The article talks about how importnat it is to write a shopping list to go to the store. I can't seem to keep track of a shopping list. Yesterday I had lost it before I even got in the store. -- "Being *able* to do something does not automatically imply that it is easy or undemanding." - Terry ASA FAQ: http://www.mugsy.org/asa_faq/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > I wasn't thinking about seeing a nutritionist to help autism. More to help > > with basic eating issues. [quoted text clipped - 69 lines] > >>>> > >>>> Terry SignaturePosted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com >> I wasn't thinking about seeing a nutritionist to help autism. More to >> help [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > AD/HD, possibly not too practical, depending on how cooperative the child > is, and what changes have to be made. "Mark Probert" <markprobert@lumbercartel.com> wrote in message news:zhcqh.419$Ld.168@trndny08... >> that's why I've never gone to a nutrtionist although at it's been >> recommended to me. [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > Since then, everyone who has told me that his AD/HD is definitively caused > by diet has merely made me laugh. Diet Makes an Impact on ADHD http://www.drkoop.com/PrinterFriendly/93/8011610.html Fish Oil Alternative Treatment To Ritalin For ADHD-Study http://www.bestsyndication.com/2005/Nicole-WILSON/HEALTH/123005-adhd_... Diet Changes, medications help students with ADHD http://wildcat.arizona.edu/papers/98/219/01_3.html [no longer available, but here is what was stated]. Diet changes, medications help students with ADHD By Laura Ory Arizona Daily Wildcat Monday, November 14, 2005 Students concerned about the side effects of their attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder medications may want to explore alternative treatments like changing their diets, a pediatrician said Thursday. Dr. Sandy Newmark, a pediatric integrative medicine specialist, presented information about alternative methods to dealing with ADHD as part of the SALT Center Speaker Series. Newmark said there is a lot of "hysteria" surrounding the use and misuse of ADHD medications, including Ritalin. "They're not as good or as bad as people say," Newmark said. Although ADHD medications may cause a decrease in appetite, they are not damaging to the liver, kidneys or brain as some may claim, and they are not addictive, Newmark said. Complaints about ADHD medications causing a loss in creativity or a change in a patient's attitude are worrisome, Newmark said, and therefore such drugs should not be the first and only treatment for attention-deficit patients. Other treatments include removing food coloring, preservatives, processed sugars and flour from the diet and replacing them with more protein, Newmark said. These methods, along with adding omega-3, an essential fatty acid, and zinc to the diet, have had a profound impact on reducing ADHD symptoms, Newmark said. Patty Zeigler, a systems and industrial engineering business manager at the UA, said she decided to remove all preservatives, food coloring and processed foods from her son's diet when he was diagnosed as "hyperactive" about 30 years ago. Zeigler said her son's kindergarten teacher recommended he take medication but she decided to try changing his diet first. "Three months later the teacher raved about what a difference the medication made," Zeigler said. "I didn't tell her he wasn't on it." Homeopathy, which is based on taking smaller doses of a drug rather than the suggested amount, and cranio-sacral therapy, which uses touch to improve the functioning of the central nervous system, are other alternative methods for treating ADHD, Newmark said. Ashley Klein, a learning specialist at the SALT Center, said she wasn't diagnosed with ADHD until she was a sophomore in college. ADHD medications have helped Klein, but she believes that her diet and exercise habits still have an effect on her symptoms. "Something that works for one person, may not work for others," said Klein, who works with students with ADHD and learning disabilities. "I do recommend that they try different approaches, but they should also talk to their doctor." New Progam Promises Drug-Free ADHD Solution http://cbs4boston.com/specialreports/local_story_031192527.html Hospital Study Proves Ancient Herbs Helpful In ADD-ADHD http://openpr.com/drucken/?id=1661 Fix the diagnosis not the children http://news.scotsman.com/opinion.cfm?id=274972006 Deadly side-effects earn ADHD drugs warning http://tinyurl.com/b2r6l Foods and additives are common causes of the attention deficit hyperactive disorder in children. Boris M, Mandel FS. North Shore Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, Manhasset, New York. The attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) is a neurophysiologic problem that is detrimental to children and their parents. Despite previous studies on the role of foods, preservatives and artificial colorings in ADHD this issue remains controversial. This investigation evaluated 26 children who meet the criteria for ADHD. Treatment with a multiple item elimination diet showed 19 children (73%) responded favorably, P < .001. On open challenge, all 19 children reacted to many foods, dyes, and/or preservatives. A double-blind placebo controlled food challenge (DBPCFC) was completed in 16 children. There was a significant improvement on placebo days compared with challenge days (P = .003). Atopic children with ADHD had a significantly higher response rate than the nonatopic group. This study demonstrates a beneficial effect of eliminating reactive foods and artificial colors in children with ADHD. Dietary factors may play a significant role in the etiology of the majority of children with ADHD. http://tinyurl.com/c2lez The role of diet and behaviour in childhood. Breakey J. This short review summarizes the most important research, particularly that from 1985 to 1995, on the relationship between diet and behaviour. Relevant studies particularly those using double-blind placebo controlled food challenge methodology were selected, and are presented within a historical context. Summary tables of the early development of concepts and later pertinent studies are provided. The research has shown that diet definitely affects some children. Rather than becoming simpler the issue has become demonstrably more complex. The range of suspect food items has broadened, and some non-food items are relevant. Symptoms which may change include those seen in attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), sleep problems and physical symptoms, with later research emphasizing particularly changes in mood. The reports also show the range of individual differences both in the food substances producing reactions and in the areas of change. http://tinyurl.com/cke6f Controlled trial of cumulative behavioural effects of a common bread preservative. Dengate S, Ruben A. sdeng...@ozemail.com.au OBJECTIVE: Many anecdotes and one scientific report describe cumulative behavioural effects of bread preservative on children. METHODOLOGY: Twenty-seven children, whose behaviour improved significantly on the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital diet, which excludes food additives, natural salicylates, amines and glutamates, were challenged with calcium propionate (preservative code 282) or placebo through daily bread in a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial. RESULTS: Due to four placebo responders, there was no significant difference by ANOVA of weighted placebo and challenge Rowe Behaviour Rating Inventory means, but a statistically significant difference existed in the proportion of children whose behaviours 'worsened' with challenge (52%), compared to the proportion whose behaviour 'improved' with challenge (19%), relative to placebo (95% confidence intervals 14-60%). CONCLUSIONS: Irritability, restlessness, inattention and sleep disturbance in some children may be caused by a preservative in healthy foods consumed daily. Minimizing the concentrations added to processed foods would reduce adverse reactions. Testing for behavioural toxicity should be included in food additive safety evaluation. http://www.upi.com/ConsumerHealthDaily/view.php?StoryID=20060316-0911... Ped Med: The skinny on ADHD contributors By LIDIA WASOWICZ UPI Senior Science Writer SAN FRANCISCO, March 17 (UPI) -- Nutritionists are convinced that, just like everyone else, children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are what they eat. Specifically, the specialists have their eye on so-called omega-3 fatty acids as playing some role in the condition that, in general, is marked by trouble keeping still, difficulty in maintaining attention, propensity toward acting impulsively or some combination of the three. Omega-3 fatty acids are plentiful in cold-water fish, such as salmon, herring, tuna, clams, crab, cod, flounder, sole, halibut, catfish, trout and shrimp. They also abound in nuts; soybeans; walnut, olive and flaxseed oil; seeds; whole grains and dark leafy greens. The fatty acids comprise a hefty component of the brain, which weighs in at about 60-percent fat. The compounds, which studies indicate are essential for forming and maintaining the dopamine system, have been found in short supply in some, though not all, children diagnosed with ADHD. Many researchers see ADHD as a hereditary imbalance of brain chemicals, such as dopamine -- which regulates movement, emotion, motivation and sensations of pleasure. That view is strongly contested by critics who point to a dearth of physical evidence for such a notion. Whatever their connection to the "feel-good" chemical in the brain, the omega-3 fatty acids appear to have an impact on a child's behavior, portending problems in youngsters who don't have enough of the compounds. As one example, a recent Duke University study of 96 boys ages 6 to 12 indicated those with low blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids face increased risk of ADHD-like behavior, learning and health challenges. There is also some evidence the compounds may play a benevolent role in the production of myelin, a protective insulation that coats the brain's internal wiring, A novel model of human brain development and degeneration proposed by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles implicates disruption of myelin production in such childhood developmental disorders as autism and ADHD. From a review of scanned and autopsied brain tissue, the investigators unraveled the role of myelin in these conditions. Laden with more cholesterol than any other brain component, the sheet of fat surrounds the spindly nerve-cell extensions called axons, permitting them to carry messages to their neighbors in the safety and security of their armor. The thicker and heavier the cells' coat, the faster and more effective their communication, said team leader Dr. George Bartzokis, professor of neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine and director of the UCLA Memory Disorders and Alzheimer's Disease Clinic and the Clinical Core of the UCLA Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. The pioneering neuroscientist discovered that myelin production continues unabated throughout the first four decades of life before peaking and plummeting at age 45. His latest research portrays the protective shield as the neural system's Achilles' heel, vulnerable to a host of environmental assaults. "Myelination, a process uniquely elaborated in humans, arguably is the most important and most vulnerable process of brain development as we mature and age," Bartzokis said. Without adequate insulation, cells won't connect properly, he has found in a series of experiments that showed a breakdown in the sheath can expose the naked wiring beneath and open the gates to an array of neurological and behavioral problems. Bartzokis's theory holds that humans "myelinate" different circuits at various points in life, which could explain the sizeable differences between brain diseases of the young and old. An early disruption of the process, for instance, may throw for a loop the development of the basic circuits that govern language and social communication, two key impairments in autism. A glitch during the early school years could hamper the ability to process information efficiently and effectively, leading to deficits in attention that characterize ADHD. Later in life, the result of a malfunction could be Alzheimer's disease. To Bartzokis, the human brain is akin to high-speed Internet. "The speed, quality and bandwidth of the connections determine the brain's ability to process information, and all these depend in large part on the insulation that coats the brain's connecting wires," he said. The findings may explain why developmental disorders leave no calling card in the brain. "There's no dead anything on autopsy," Bartzokis said. "Those brain connections just never developed normally." Bartzokis's studies also show female brains make better myelin, which could explain why boys are at much greater risk for autism, ADHD and other problems. "On the positive side, there are some interesting things to consider," Bartzokis said. "For example, essential fatty acids are fats that are necessary for membrane production, and myelin is essentially pure membrane." "They are called 'essential' because the human body cannot produce them, and, therefore, they are like 'vitamins' -- they need to come from a good diet," he added. "Thus, nutrition is very important because the brain is very busy trying to build the myelin sheaths." Still, researchers don't have the skinny on the exact relationship between the fats and ADHD. Although alternative medicine practitioners report some success in ameliorating symptoms with the use of fatty acid, mineral, vitamin B and other supplements, none of these has been embraced as standard therapy. Conventional and complementary practices also part ways on the role, and remedial potential, of food additives, sugar or allergens. All of these remain controversial, having failed to withstand rigorous scientific scrutiny, according to a compilation of ADHD data by Dr. Peter Jensen, director of the Center for the Advancement of Children's Mental Health at Columbia University. Next: Seeking environmental clues to ADHD. (Editors' Note: This series on ADHD is based on a review of hundreds of reports and a survey of more than 200 specialists.) Pill-Popping Doesn't ADHD Up http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story/0,20281,18666065-5001035,00.html Pill-popping doesn't ADHD up April 01, 2006 IS Ritalin the new corporal punishment? Are the types of children who were getting the strap when I was at school 25 years ago, now being given drugs instead? I ask because we seem to have a frightening number of children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). And the only way to "discipline" them is to dope them up. Prescriptions for Ritalin increased tenfold after it was listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme last August, reducing the cost from $49 to $29.50 or $4.70 for concession card holders. More than 5800 prescriptions were written for Ritalin in January this year, compared with 523 last August. Prescriptions for the other favoured ADHD drug, Dexamphetamine, jumped from 96,000 a year to 232,000 in the 10 years to 2004-05. This week we learned that children as young as five have suffered strokes, heart attacks, hallucinations and convulsions after being administed these drugs. Almost 400 serious adverse reactions have been reported to the Therapeutic Goods Administration. On Thursday, 14 Queensland teenagers overdosed on Ritalin after a 13-year-old girl is believed to have taken the pills to school to share with her friends. The Year 9 students fell ill suffering from nausea and increased heart rates and were taken to hospital. They were released by early evening. The long-term side-effects of the prolonged use of such drugs are only part of the problem. Also disturbing is the message pill-popping sends to children. We have long been an adult nation of pill-poppers. Drugs soothe every modern condition. ADHD has become the defence of choice in our court system. If someone's feeling down, you don't ask why; you give them Prozac. If someone's sexually dysfunctional, they take Viagra. If you can't quit smoking, there's Zyban. And now, if your three-year-old is hyperactive, you don't look at their junk-food diet or discipline. Instead, you give them Ritalin or Dexamphetamine. When the going gets tough, kids get drugged because it is the easiest solution for some parents. They don't want to correct difficult or different behaviour. I am sure there were children wrongly dismissed as belligerent when I was school, who in hindsight may have had disorders that were left untreated. But could there really be enough today to justify 5800 scripts written in one month? Mass medication has become the cop-out solution. And the next generation will know no other way to cope. We may even be "medicating-out" the quirks of genius not easily recognised in childhood. Imagine the world without the high energies of Leonardo da Vinci, Picasso and Einstein . . . thought by some to have ADHD symptoms. Instead, we will have adults whose earliest memories will be of taking pills; what the rest of us rarely had to do until old age kicked in. Who comes after Generation Y? Generation Z of course. For the generation of zombies who will be used to taking a pill from age of three. http://diet-studies.com/adhd.html Too many kids diagnosed with ADHD http://www.king5.com/health/stories/NW_112906HEKmislabeledchild.397cde41.html NHS prescribing drugs 'when diet might help children with autism' http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.1107588.0.nhs... A Review of ADHD Treatments http://www.market-day.net/article_30105/20061003/A-Review-of-ADHD-Tre... A Review of ADHD Treatments If you have a child who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD for short, you have at your disposal a number of effective treatments that you can employ. The most common ADHD treatments usually involve as their biggest part the use of drugs like Ritalin or Dexedrine. These drugs manipulate the balance of receptors in the brain so that the individual finds it easier to concentrate. In addition the ADHD treatments should involve the use of some counseling. Teaching effective study skills can also go a long way in combating ADHD. The problem is that many ADHD treatments address the physiological to the detriment of the other causes of the disorder. This is a problem, because ADHD children need assistance in properly warming strategies and creating scenarios in which they can be successful in their endeavors. So as an addendum to the drugs, some counseling in study skills and habits are a necessity for treating the disorder properly. It is not enough just to medicate as an ADHD treatment, because this only will solve half of the problem. Too many times we have seen that everyone's answer to treatment is to just throw medication at it. This is so wrong in such a great disservice. So many kids just get ADHD treatments by being dosed with medication that there has recently been a bit of a backlash. Many other kinds of ADHD treatments have come out recently and received support instead of the drugging. Some people believe that a well balanced diet itself can form one of the most effective ADHD treatments. According to them, eating the right foods and eliminating all junk food, sugar, and highly processed or caffeinated stuff can form the best of ADHD treatments, without the side effects of the drugs. Many ADD and ADHD kids hate the drugs that they are on, and complain that they make them feel like zombies. If drug free ADHD treatment works, why not switch? I even know of some adults that takes the drug is to help them concentrate better in everyday life. They can actually become addicted to these drugs in and of stealing them from the person that they were prescribed to. And usually that's their children, how sad is that? Other people recommend meditation techniques as ADHD treatments. They say that the best way to treat ADHD is to take advantage of the mind's natural flexibility and to tap into its natural powers of relaxation and healing. These new age practitioners believe that daily meditation, focus, relaxation, and an end to the anxiety that plagues ADHD kids can be achieved, these experts claim. I don't have a problem with trying this as long as it's not to the detriment of the patient. I don't think that there is one right way to go in there for everything else is wrong. That to me is rather narrowminded. Although meditation may not be one of the most popular of ADHD treatments, it should be considered. Meditation is good for so many things - concentration, calm, an end to anxiety, that there is no reason to believe that it couldn't help with ADHD treatments as well. Morgan Hamilton offers his findings and insights regarding the world of health. You can get interesting information here at http://www.healthandmedicineinfo.com/health--medicine-information/hea... Wheat Sensitivities May Be The Culprit In Many Ailments http://www.mediasyndicate.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=a... Food for thought http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10416569 Is ADHD a Real Disease? Via Google Alert: ADHD http://americandaily.com/article/12001 Ped Med: The Skinny on ADHD Contributors http://www.upi.com/ConsumerHealthDaily/view.php?StoryID=20060316-0911... The preservative-free diet http://seven.com.au/todaytonight/story/?id=28786 Millions have misused ADHD stimulant drugs- Study http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/PrintStory.pl?document_id=20... Pill is not the 'miracle diet' that many hope for http://www.purdueexponent.org/index.php?module=article&story_id=1813 the issues are the same or can be same for adult with adhd aspergers etc in fact in some cases manging to change a childs mind on food is prob simpler than someone trying to get me to at 40 my mum and dad have both changed diet recently,though mum being big has a pretty good diet really ,dad use to exercise but to get me to eat some of the things they do my parents have a massive job on there hands i dont eat salad food ,i dont go big on fruit except the odd juice ,and ok eat more veg when i did as a kid but on my own i wil just cook half a doxen diff types of meat and eat as they are i dread to think when i eventually live on own how i will manage >> I wasn't thinking about seeing a nutritionist to help autism. More to >> help [quoted text clipped - 71 lines] >>>>> >>>>> Terry not to mention as an adult you may be adding in additional food issues like shopping and preparation that you don't have as a child I wish I'd been given more education on nutrition. It would have been wonderful is someone could have worked with me and my food issues and given me an idea of what healtheir choices were within my food range. And taught myself how to make simple, healthy food. -- "Being *able* to do something does not automatically imply that it is easy or undemanding." - Terry ASA FAQ: http://www.mugsy.org/asa_faq/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > the issues are the same or can be same for adult with adhd aspergers etc > [quoted text clipped - 85 lines] > >>>>> > >>>>> Terry SignaturePosted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com >> that's why I've never gone to a nutrtionist although at it's been >> recommended to me. [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > Since then, everyone who has told me that his AD/HD is definitively > caused by diet has merely made me laugh. For the illiterate readers, note that I said *caused* by diet. In this situation, diet was good and proper. N O T C A U S E D not only is it not caused by diet changing diet really only helps a small perrcentage of those parents i speak to on other groups some actually talk in riddles as in one mail they say "yes littl johny is much better on this glten free diet" he exercises and palys sport he eayts this and that then a few mails down the line its "well little johny had another tantrum at school" "he is not concentrasting in class" and all the same symptoms of the adhd he supposedly got rid ofby changing diet and exercising there is no proof ,i dont doubt they can help in sokme areas,just as my drugs ritalin do,but i dont believe anyone who is so pro there way works be it drugs/dance therapy/sport/positivty/diet/surfing/painting/cbt dont care what works for one ADHD Aspie does not mean it works for all and indeed works in some ways rather than everything miraclulously fine. i dont say that about my ritalin its helped in certsain ways i am thankful for but i am realistic about it not being a mircle cure all for everyone regards paul >>> that's why I've never gone to a nutrtionist although at it's been >>> recommended to me. [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > > C A U S E D > not only is it not caused by diet changing diet really only helps a small > perrcentage Agreed. True AD/HD is independent of diet. > of those parents i speak to on other groups some actually talk in riddles > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > and all the same symptoms of the adhd he supposedly got rid ofby changing > diet and exercising This phenomena is replicated in other conditions. There are those who claim that cheatlation cured their Autistic kid, and the kid still shows every clinical sign of autism that they had before being subjected to cheatlation. It is correctly called wishful thinking of parents who look at their special child as *defective* or *broken* in some manner and in need of *fixing*. They insist that their child can be *fixed* and try everything except the things that the child really needs, i.e., love an acceptance for who they are. > there is no proof ,i dont doubt they can help in sokme areas,just as my > drugs ritalin do,but i dont believe anyone who is so pro there way works > be it drugs/dance therapy/sport/positivty/diet/surfing/painting/cbt AD/HD (or ASD for that matter) does not have a 'one fits all' situation. Treatment had to be highly individualized. > dont care what works for one ADHD Aspie does not mean it works for all and > indeed works in some ways rather than everything miraclulously fine. Agreed. It is does not mean that what works today will work tomorrow. > i dont say that about my ritalin its helped in certsain ways i am thankful > for but i am realistic about it not being a mircle cure all for everyone Exactly. There are no miracles, just hard work to deal with the problems. > regards paul Nice post. Thanks. >>>> that's why I've never gone to a nutrtionist although at it's been >>>> recommended to me. [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] >> >> C A U S E D >> not only is it not caused by diet changing diet really only helps a small >> perrcentage [quoted text clipped - 47 lines] > > Nice post. Thanks. http://www.upi.com/ConsumerHealthDaily/view.php?StoryID=20060316-0911... http://seven.com.au/todaytonight/story/?id=28786 http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/PrintStory.pl?document_id=20... http://www.drkoop.com/PrinterFriendly/93/8011610.html Fish Oil Alternative Treatment To Ritalin For ADHD-Study http://www.bestsyndication.com/2005/Nicole-WILSON/HEALTH/123005-adhd_... Diet Changes, medications help students with ADHD http://wildcat.arizona.edu/papers/98/219/01_3.html [no longer available, but here is what was stated]. Diet changes, medications help students with ADHD By Laura Ory Arizona Daily Wildcat Monday, November 14, 2005 Students concerned about the side effects of their attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder medications may want to explore alternative treatments like changing their diets, a pediatrician said Thursday. Dr. Sandy Newmark, a pediatric integrative medicine specialist, presented information about alternative methods to dealing with ADHD as part of the SALT Center Speaker Series. Newmark said there is a lot of "hysteria" surrounding the use and misuse of ADHD medications, including Ritalin. "They're not as good or as bad as people say," Newmark said. Although ADHD medications may cause a decrease in appetite, they are not damaging to the liver, kidneys or brain as some may claim, and they are not addictive, Newmark said. Complaints about ADHD medications causing a loss in creativity or a change in a patient's attitude are worrisome, Newmark said, and therefore such drugs should not be the first and only treatment for attention-deficit patients. Other treatments include removing food coloring, preservatives, processed sugars and flour from the diet and replacing them with more protein, Newmark said. These methods, along with adding omega-3, an essential fatty acid, and zinc to the diet, have had a profound impact on reducing ADHD symptoms, Newmark said. Patty Zeigler, a systems and industrial engineering business manager at the UA, said she decided to remove all preservatives, food coloring and processed foods from her son's diet when he was diagnosed as "hyperactive" about 30 years ago. Zeigler said her son's kindergarten teacher recommended he take medication but she decided to try changing his diet first. "Three months later the teacher raved about what a difference the medication made," Zeigler said. "I didn't tell her he wasn't on it." Homeopathy, which is based on taking smaller doses of a drug rather than the suggested amount, and cranio-sacral therapy, which uses touch to improve the functioning of the central nervous system, are other alternative methods for treating ADHD, Newmark said. Ashley Klein, a learning specialist at the SALT Center, said she wasn't diagnosed with ADHD until she was a sophomore in college. ADHD medications have helped Klein, but she believes that her diet and exercise habits still have an effect on her symptoms. "Something that works for one person, may not work for others," said Klein, who works with students with ADHD and learning disabilities. "I do recommend that they try different approaches, but they should also talk to their doctor." New Progam Promises Drug-Free ADHD Solution http://cbs4boston.com/specialreports/local_story_031192527.html Hospital Study Proves Ancient Herbs Helpful In ADD-ADHD http://openpr.com/drucken/?id=1661 Fix the diagnosis not the children http://news.scotsman.com/opinion.cfm?id=274972006 Deadly side-effects earn ADHD drugs warning http://tinyurl.com/b2r6l Foods and additives are common causes of the attention deficit hyperactive disorder in children. Boris M, Mandel FS. North Shore Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, Manhasset, New York. The attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) is a neurophysiologic problem that is detrimental to children and their parents. Despite previous studies on the role of foods, preservatives and artificial colorings in ADHD this issue remains controversial. This investigation evaluated 26 children who meet the criteria for ADHD. Treatment with a multiple item elimination diet showed 19 children (73%) responded favorably, P < .001. On open challenge, all 19 children reacted to many foods, dyes, and/or preservatives. A double-blind placebo controlled food challenge (DBPCFC) was completed in 16 children. There was a significant improvement on placebo days compared with challenge days (P = .003). Atopic children with ADHD had a significantly higher response rate than the nonatopic group. This study demonstrates a beneficial effect of eliminating reactive foods and artificial colors in children with ADHD. Dietary factors may play a significant role in the etiology of the majority of children with ADHD. http://tinyurl.com/c2lez The role of diet and behaviour in childhood. Breakey J. This short review summarizes the most important research, particularly that from 1985 to 1995, on the relationship between diet and behaviour. Relevant studies particularly those using double-blind placebo controlled food challenge methodology were selected, and are presented within a historical context. Summary tables of the early development of concepts and later pertinent studies are provided. The research has shown that diet definitely affects some children. Rather than becoming simpler the issue has become demonstrably more complex. The range of suspect food items has broadened, and some non-food items are relevant. Symptoms which may change include those seen in attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), sleep problems and physical symptoms, with later research emphasizing particularly changes in mood. The reports also show the range of individual differences both in the food substances producing reactions and in the areas of change. http://tinyurl.com/cke6f Controlled trial of cumulative behavioural effects of a common bread preservative. Dengate S, Ruben A. sdeng...@ozemail.com.au OBJECTIVE: Many anecdotes and one scientific report describe cumulative behavioural effects of bread preservative on children. METHODOLOGY: Twenty-seven children, whose behaviour improved significantly on the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital diet, which excludes food additives, natural salicylates, amines and glutamates, were challenged with calcium propionate (preservative code 282) or placebo through daily bread in a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial. RESULTS: Due to four placebo responders, there was no significant difference by ANOVA of weighted placebo and challenge Rowe Behaviour Rating Inventory means, but a statistically significant difference existed in the proportion of children whose behaviours 'worsened' with challenge (52%), compared to the proportion whose behaviour 'improved' with challenge (19%), relative to placebo (95% confidence intervals 14-60%). CONCLUSIONS: Irritability, restlessness, inattention and sleep disturbance in some children may be caused by a preservative in healthy foods consumed daily. Minimizing the concentrations added to processed foods would reduce adverse reactions. Testing for behavioural toxicity should be included in food additive safety evaluation. http://www.upi.com/ConsumerHealthDaily/view.php?StoryID=20060316-0911... Ped Med: The skinny on ADHD contributors By LIDIA WASOWICZ UPI Senior Science Writer SAN FRANCISCO, March 17 (UPI) -- Nutritionists are convinced that, just like everyone else, children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are what they eat. Specifically, the specialists have their eye on so-called omega-3 fatty acids as playing some role in the condition that, in general, is marked by trouble keeping still, difficulty in maintaining attention, propensity toward acting impulsively or some combination of the three. Omega-3 fatty acids are plentiful in cold-water fish, such as salmon, herring, tuna, clams, crab, cod, flounder, sole, halibut, catfish, trout and shrimp. They also abound in nuts; soybeans; walnut, olive and flaxseed oil; seeds; whole grains and dark leafy greens. The fatty acids comprise a hefty component of the brain, which weighs in at about 60-percent fat. The compounds, which studies indicate are essential for forming and maintaining the dopamine system, have been found in short supply in some, though not all, children diagnosed with ADHD. Many researchers see ADHD as a hereditary imbalance of brain chemicals, such as dopamine -- which regulates movement, emotion, motivation and sensations of pleasure. That view is strongly contested by critics who point to a dearth of physical evidence for such a notion. Whatever their connection to the "feel-good" chemical in the brain, the omega-3 fatty acids appear to have an impact on a child's behavior, portending problems in youngsters who don't have enough of the compounds. As one example, a recent Duke University study of 96 boys ages 6 to 12 indicated those with low blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids face increased risk of ADHD-like behavior, learning and health challenges. There is also some evidence the compounds may play a benevolent role in the production of myelin, a protective insulation that coats the brain's internal wiring, A novel model of human brain development and degeneration proposed by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles implicates disruption of myelin production in such childhood developmental disorders as autism and ADHD. From a review of scanned and autopsied brain tissue, the investigators unraveled the role of myelin in these conditions. Laden with more cholesterol than any other brain component, the sheet of fat surrounds the spindly nerve-cell extensions called axons, permitting them to carry messages to their neighbors in the safety and security of their armor. The thicker and heavier the cells' coat, the faster and more effective their communication, said team leader Dr. George Bartzokis, professor of neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine and director of the UCLA Memory Disorders and Alzheimer's Disease Clinic and the Clinical Core of the UCLA Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. The pioneering neuroscientist discovered that myelin production continues unabated throughout the first four decades of life before peaking and plummeting at age 45. His latest research portrays the protective shield as the neural system's Achilles' heel, vulnerable to a host of environmental assaults. "Myelination, a process uniquely elaborated in humans, arguably is the most important and most vulnerable process of brain development as we mature and age," Bartzokis said. Without adequate insulation, cells won't connect properly, he has found in a series of experiments that showed a breakdown in the sheath can expose the naked wiring beneath and open the gates to an array of neurological and behavioral problems. Bartzokis's theory holds that humans "myelinate" different circuits at various points in life, which could explain the sizeable differences between brain diseases of the young and old. An early disruption of the process, for instance, may throw for a loop the development of the basic circuits that govern language and social communication, two key impairments in autism. A glitch during the early school years could hamper the ability to process information efficiently and effectively, leading to deficits in attention that characterize ADHD. Later in life, the result of a malfunction could be Alzheimer's disease. To Bartzokis, the human brain is akin to high-speed Internet. "The speed, quality and bandwidth of the connections determine the brain's ability to process information, and all these depend in large part on the insulation that coats the brain's connecting wires," he said. The findings may explain why developmental disorders leave no calling card in the brain. "There's no dead anything on autopsy," Bartzokis said. "Those brain connections just never developed normally." Bartzokis's studies also show female brains make better myelin, which could explain why boys are at much greater risk for autism, ADHD and other problems. "On the positive side, there are some interesting things to consider," Bartzokis said. "For example, essential fatty acids are fats that are necessary for membrane production, and myelin is essentially pure membrane." "They are called 'essential' because the human body cannot produce them, and, therefore, they are like 'vitamins' -- they need to come from a good diet," he added. "Thus, nutrition is very important because the brain is very busy trying to build the myelin sheaths." Still, researchers don't have the skinny on the exact relationship between the fats and ADHD. Although alternative medicine practitioners report some success in ameliorating symptoms with the use of fatty acid, mineral, vitamin B and other supplements, none of these has been embraced as standard therapy. Conventional and complementary practices also part ways on the role, and remedial potential, of food additives, sugar or allergens. All of these remain controversial, having failed to withstand rigorous scientific scrutiny, according to a compilation of ADHD data by Dr. Peter Jensen, director of the Center for the Advancement of Children's Mental Health at Columbia University. Next: Seeking environmental clues to ADHD. (Editors' Note: This series on ADHD is based on a review of hundreds of reports and a survey of more than 200 specialists.) Pill-Popping Doesn't ADHD Up http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story/0,20281,18666065-5001035,00.html Pill-popping doesn't ADHD up April 01, 2006 IS Ritalin the new corporal punishment? Are the types of children who were getting the strap when I was at school 25 years ago, now being given drugs instead? I ask because we seem to have a frightening number of children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). And the only way to "discipline" them is to dope them up. Prescriptions for Ritalin increased tenfold after it was listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme last August, reducing the cost from $49 to $29.50 or $4.70 for concession card holders. More than 5800 prescriptions were written for Ritalin in January this year, compared with 523 last August. Prescriptions for the other favoured ADHD drug, Dexamphetamine, jumped from 96,000 a year to 232,000 in the 10 years to 2004-05. This week we learned that children as young as five have suffered strokes, heart attacks, hallucinations and convulsions after being administed these drugs. Almost 400 serious adverse reactions have been reported to the Therapeutic Goods Administration. On Thursday, 14 Queensland teenagers overdosed on Ritalin after a 13-year-old girl is believed to have taken the pills to school to share with her friends. The Year 9 students fell ill suffering from nausea and increased heart rates and were taken to hospital. They were released by early evening. The long-term side-effects of the prolonged use of such drugs are only part of the problem. Also disturbing is the message pill-popping sends to children. We have long been an adult nation of pill-poppers. Drugs soothe every modern condition. ADHD has become the defence of choice in our court system. If someone's feeling down, you don't ask why; you give them Prozac. If someone's sexually dysfunctional, they take Viagra. If you can't quit smoking, there's Zyban. And now, if your three-year-old is hyperactive, you don't look at their junk-food diet or discipline. Instead, you give them Ritalin or Dexamphetamine. When the going gets tough, kids get drugged because it is the easiest solution for some parents. They don't want to correct difficult or different behaviour. I am sure there were children wrongly dismissed as belligerent when I was school, who in hindsight may have had disorders that were left untreated. But could there really be enough today to justify 5800 scripts written in one month? Mass medication has become the cop-out solution. And the next generation will know no other way to cope. We may even be "medicating-out" the quirks of genius not easily recognised in childhood. Imagine the world without the high energies of Leonardo da Vinci, Picasso and Einstein . . . thought by some to have ADHD symptoms. Instead, we will have adults whose earliest memories will be of taking pills; what the rest of us rarely had to do until old age kicked in. Who comes after Generation Y? Generation Z of course. For the generation of zombies who will be used to taking a pill from age of three. http://diet-studies.com/adhd.html Too many kids diagnosed with ADHD http://www.king5.com/health/stories/NW_112906HEKmislabeledchild.397cd... NHS prescribing drugs 'when diet might help children with autism' http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.1107588.0.nhs... A Review of ADHD Treatments http://www.market-day.net/article_30105/20061003/A-Review-of-ADHD-Tre... A Review of ADHD Treatments If you have a child who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD for short, you have at your disposal a number of effective treatments that you can employ. The most common ADHD treatments usually involve as their biggest part the use of drugs like Ritalin or Dexedrine. These drugs manipulate the balance of receptors in the brain so that the individual finds it easier to concentrate. In addition the ADHD treatments should involve the use of some counseling. Teaching effective study skills can also go a long way in combating ADHD. The problem is that many ADHD treatments address the physiological to the detriment of the other causes of the disorder. This is a problem, because ADHD children need assistance in properly warming strategies and creating scenarios in which they can be successful in their endeavors. So as an addendum to the drugs, some counseling in study skills and habits are a necessity for treating the disorder properly. It is not enough just to medicate as an ADHD treatment, because this only will solve half of the problem. Too many times we have seen that everyone's answer to treatment is to just throw medication at it. This is so wrong in such a great disservice. So many kids just get ADHD treatments by being dosed with medication that there has recently been a bit of a backlash. Many other kinds of ADHD treatments have come out recently and received support instead of the drugging. Some people believe that a well balanced diet itself can form one of the most effective ADHD treatments. According to them, eating the right foods and eliminating all junk food, sugar, and highly processed or caffeinated stuff can form the best of ADHD treatments, without the side effects of the drugs. Many ADD and ADHD kids hate the drugs that they are on, and complain that they make them feel like zombies. If drug free ADHD treatment works, why not switch? I even know of some adults that takes the drug is to help them concentrate better in everyday life. They can actually become addicted to these drugs in and of stealing them from the person that they were prescribed to. And usually that's their children, how sad is that? Other people recommend meditation techniques as ADHD treatments. They say that the best way to treat ADHD is to take advantage of the mind's natural flexibility and to tap into its natural powers of relaxation and healing. These new age practitioners believe that daily meditation, focus, relaxation, and an end to the anxiety that plagues ADHD kids can be achieved, these experts claim. I don't have a problem with trying this as long as it's not to the detriment of the patient. I don't think that there is one right way to go in there for everything else is wrong. That to me is rather narrowminded. Although meditation may not be one of the most popular of ADHD treatments, it should be considered. Meditation is good for so many things - concentration, calm, an end to anxiety, that there is no reason to believe that it couldn't help with ADHD treatments as well. Morgan Hamilton offers his findings and insights regarding the world of health. You can get interesting information here at http://www.healthandmedicineinfo.com/health--medicine-information/hea... Wheat Sensitivities May Be The Culprit In Many Ailments http://www.mediasyndicate.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=a... Food for thought http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10416569 Is ADHD a Real Disease? Via Google Alert: ADHD http://americandaily.com/article/12001 Ped Med: The Skinny on ADHD Contributors http://www.upi.com/ConsumerHealthDaily/view.php?StoryID=20060316-0911... The preservative-free diet http://seven.com.au/todaytonight/story/?id=28786 Millions have misused ADHD stimulant drugs- Study http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/PrintStory.pl?document_id=20... Pill is not the 'miracle diet' that many hope for http://www.purdueexponent.org/index.php?module=article&story_id=1813 >>>>> that's why I've never gone to a nutrtionist although at it's been >>>>> recommended to me. [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] >>> >>> C A U S E D thanks too not sure but do my posts seem more rational ?? i personally think they are some of the old timers on here [lol] may be able to answer yes sure i get peed off and annoyed and so black is white but i am not as bad as i was months ago before going on my ritlalin but my aspergers is still making me think i am always right lol regards paul >> not only is it not caused by diet changing diet really only helps a small >> perrcentage [quoted text clipped - 73 lines] >>> >>> C A U S E D > thanks too > > not sure but do my posts seem more rational ?? Your points come across quite well. > i personally think they are some of the old timers on here [lol] may be able > to answer [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > but i am not as bad as i was months ago before going on my ritlalin but my > aspergers is still making me think i am always right lol That may be preferable to thinking you are never wrong. > regards paul >>> not only is it not caused by diet changing diet really only helps a small [quoted text clipped - 68 lines] >>>> >>>> C A U S E D http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.1107588.0.nhs... THE NHS is failing to provide advice on nutrition which could help children with conditions such as autism and attention deficit disorder, amid a culture of prescribing powerful drugs with potential side-effects. That is the claim made by Dave Rex, lead child health dietician with NHS Highland, who has warned that despite evidence that special diets can help some individuals, nutrition is still being treated as a "Cinderella" subject in the health service. Speaking ahead of a major conference on diet and children's behaviour later this month, Rex told the Sunday Herald that while many NHS professionals will prescribe powerful drugs, they are reluctant to consider dietary interventions. continued... "It is very strange that we within the NHS are in the culture of prescribing medication which runs the risk of side-effects," he said, "yet we are so nervous about giving tailor-made advice on what a healthy diet would look like. "As soon as you talk about diet and autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), people assume you are going to be suggesting something wacky, |
Enable EMail Alerts
Start New Thread
Reply to this Message