Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Children who suffer from ADHD have difficulty paying attention, concentrating on tasks and following instructions. They are easily distracted, often forgetful and frequently lose things. They seem to find it almost impossible to sit still, and are known to behave impulsively, often interrupting others.

It's a condition that causes misery to the sufferers themselves and, of course, to their families and others who care about them in some capacity such as teachers. Children with ADHD often have learning difficulties, interpersonal problems and low self-esteem that can lead to self-abuse and poor social adjustment in adulthood.

ADHD normally starts around the age of four to six years and it is estimated to affect between 3 and 5% of school-age children. The causes are not fully understood but research clearly indicates that nutrition plays an important role.

So are drugs the answer?

ADHD is commonly treated with the drug, Ritalin, a mild amphetamine, which works on the central nervous system. Although Ritalin is believed to be safe, questions remain about its long-term side effects. It can certainly leave some youngsters feeling tired and depressed, reduce appetite and growth, and lead to insomnia and increased irritability.

Other items of interest

The nutritional approach

It has been proven that ADHD symptoms can be triggered by mineral deficiencies, particularly zinc and magnesium, food allergies and intolerances and, most significantly a deficiency of essential fatty acids (EFAs). Therefore, the nutritional management of ADHD can take the form of excluding foods containing common allergens like wheat and dairy products, excluding non-nutritional additives and supplementing the diet with zinc, magnesium and EFAs.

EFA deficiency has a greater impact on boys because their requirement is three times higher than that of girls. This might explain why boys are three times as likely as girls to suffer from ADHD. Fish contains Omega-3 oil, which is probably the single most important nutrient for a child with ADHD. It appears that these children lack the ability to convert linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid to the Omega-3 long chain fatty acids, Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). EPA and DHA are crucial for brain function, especially in such areas as concentration, learning ability and coordination. Fish oil, derived from the liver of white fish such as cod and halibut or the flesh of fatty fish like salmon, is a particularly rich source of these Omega-3 fatty acids.

Equazen Eye-Q and Nutricia Efalex provide valuable omega-3 oils and have been specifically formulated to help with aspects of brain function such as learning ability and co-ordination.

An increasing body of research points to fish oil supplementation as an effective treatment for ADHD