Dear Melissa,
My 7 year old son was diagnosed with ADHD, but
I don’t want to give him prescription medications to treat it. I have started giving him the supplement from the local natural food market and have taken sugar and red dye
out of his diet. What else should I do
to treat ADHD “naturally”?
I am asked this question
frequently. It is very common for a
parent to tell me that they have changed their child’s diet and started them on a natural supplement from the local natural market. However, frequently the parent does not
actually know what is in the new supplement. I commend you if you do know what the supplement is made of, you have talked to your child's pediatrician and you understand how the supplement and special diet may interact with your child's body.
A word of caution
A couple weeks ago, I went to a natural market myself and tried to read the labels of several "natural" supplements. I wanted to better understand what my patients were taking. I couldn't discern heads from tails! This is concerning because certain herbs interact negatively with traditional medications. For example, Ginko biloba should not be taken with aspirin, anticoagulants, or antidepressants (ref: healthychildren.org). Like I always say, psychedelic mushrooms and marijuana are “all natural” but you wouldn’t want to give them to your child!
Mixed Review on "All Natural" Treatments
There is quite a bit of research on this topic. The following are some “all natural” treatments for ADHD which actually do have some research behind them (with both positive and negative results). - Artificial Colors: Mixed Reviews. A few years ago, the United Kingdom and European Union restricted the use of artificial food colorings. Of particular concern are certain red and yellow dyes. Much of this debate started in the 1970’s with the publishing of Dr. Ben F. Feingold's Why Your Child Is Hyperactive. This book touted that half of children on his specialized diet showed improvement. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics3, 4 reports recent studies that “only approximately 2% of children with ADHD on the Feingold diet have shown consistent behavioral improvement when these food dyes are eliminated."
- Sugar/Artificial Sweeteners: Probably No Effect. Once more, many studies have looked at the relationship between sugar (both real and artificial) and hyperactivity in both ADHD and neurotypical children. The result? No evidence that sweeteners affect hyperactivity. Furthermore, it is hypothesized that it is actually the lack of structure in the child’s overall household which allows for more sugar, or possibly the sugary event (birthday party anyone?), that causes the increase in hyperactivity rather than the actual sugar/artificial sugar ingestion.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Probably Help. 4 Omega-3 Fatty Acids are important for brain health. So it makes since to study the relationship between fatty acids and hyperactivity/impulsivity. The jury is still out on supplementing with Omega-3 Fatty Acids, but the American Academy of Pediatrics states that adding them to your child’s diet is “a reasonable approach” (reference: healthychildren.org.)
- Megavitamin Therapy: Possibly dangerous. 7 – Some people think that ADHD is caused by deficiencies in the way the body absorbs certain vitamins & minerals. However, studies have shown that megadoses of vitamins can actually cause permanent liver damage. You can have too much of a good thing when it comes to vitamins.
My Recommendations
When trying to follow the research and try a more natural approach, I recommend the following:
When trying to follow the research and try a more natural approach, I recommend the following:
- Connect with your Pediatrician. Discuss ALL treatment options, diet changes, and supplements with your child’s pediatrician! Again, some treatments can actually have negative effects on your child.
- Embrace a whole-food type of diet and leave processed foods behind. In general, this seems to be the overall nutritional recommendation given by many physicians.8 This means a diet which focuses primarily on fruits & vegetables, adds some fish and other lean protein, and reduces processed foods as much as possible.
- Work WITH your child’s “village”. This means the pediatrician, behavioral therapist, occupational therapist, teacher, grandparents, coaches, aunts/uncles… The research clearly shows that a multidisciplinary approach creates the best outcomes. Whether your child ultimately needs prescription medication or not, the bottom line is to make sure that the ADHD symptoms are treated in order to help your child be his best!
Have you tried any of the
above treatments?
Which combination
worked best for your child? Please share!
email: share@childrenstherapyteam.com
Resources:
2. Alternatives to Prescription Medications for Treatment of ADHD, Children's Therapy TEAM Monday's with Melissa Blog, posted April 6, 2015.
3. A Research Model for Investigating the Effects of Artificial Food Colorings on Children With ADHD, Pediatrics, American Academy of Pediatrics, Vol. 127, June 1, 2011.
4. The Diet Factor in Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Pediatrics, American Academy of Pediatrics, Vol. 129, February 1, 2012.
5. Relative Effects of Drugs and Diet on Hyperactive Behaviors: An Experimental Study, Pediatrics, American Academy of Pediatrics, Vol. 61, June 1, 1978.
6. ADHD Diets, WebMD, Accessed January 2015.
7. Your Child's Diet: A Cause or a Cure of ADHD, American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org, updated May, 2013, accessed February, 2015.
8. What does the research say about the relationship between food additives and ADHD? John E. Huxsah, Mayo Clinic, updated October, 2014, accessed February, 2015.
