ADD Symptoms in Children | Causes and Cures

Published May 29, 2011 | By Lisa Greene

Can ADD symptoms in children be cured? Absolutely, and it can be done without medication. While there is some disagreement among experts on the causes of ADD and ADHD, the simple truth is that many ADHD symptoms in children can be controlled with diet.

It has been widely accepted for years that ADD and ADHD are caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. This has not been proven, however, and is just a theory. Other theories include low dopamine levels, genetics, low birth weight, mothers who smoked or drank during pregnancy, and children exposed to lead or other environmental toxins early in life. Only in recent years have doctors acknowledged a link between ADD symptoms and diet.

In numerous studies, it has been shown that the brains of children with ADD and ADHD are different than those of normal children. When a child is diagnosed, the doctor will typically discuss these differences with the parent. During the process of diagnosis, however, the child’s brain is not actually scanned or studied. Only the behaviors and symptoms are studied. Parent and teachers fill out a questionnaire. Then a professional observes the child and checks off symptoms from a checklist. If the child has 6 of 9, the diagnosis is made. These professionals may have never met your child and may watch them only for a short time, or it may be your family doctor, who is probably not an expert on ADD. Once the diagnosis is made, stimulants such as amphetamines or methylphenidate are recommended. While the drugs may help temporarily alleviate ADD symptoms in children, they only work for a short period of time. Your child would have to take them every day, indefinitely, to see results. Also important to consider is there have been few studies to determine the long term effects that these drugs may have on your child.

Since many other factors can cause ADD ADHD symptoms, can you really trust a diagnosis that is made based solely on a child’s behavior? Before giving your child medication, make sure he or she actually has ADD or ADHD. Don’t let a doctor that has spent 30 minutes with your child tell you that he or she must be on daily medication to control unwanted behaviors. These disorders are so widely and quickly diagnosed that today it is estimated that nearly 1 in 10 children are given the diagnosis, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Once diagnosed, our children become immediately labeled, drugged, and expected to conform.

Certain food sensitivities have been proven to cause symptoms of ADHD in children. There are thousands of chemicals in our foods, and each one can cause sensitivity in a child. A child sensitive to food may become hyperactive, impulsive, have difficulty concentrating or paying attention, may be forgetful, or have trouble sitting still. Do these symptoms sound familiar? Just as you wouldn’t treat a broken leg with a band-aid, you don’t treat food sensitivities with stimulant drugs. Yet it happens every day.

The same is true for treating adults suffering from these symptoms. Food sensitivities are not just for children. A diet change can go a long way towards alleviating adult ADD symptoms as well.

When you find what is causing your child’s symptoms, you’ll realize that getting rid of them might be easier than you think. With a few changes, you can control unwanted behaviors with food, not drugs. Click here to find out what foods can cause ADD symptoms in children and what you can do to alleviate those symptoms naturally.

To find out more about what’s in your food and how it may be affecting your child, click here to buy the book, Processed Kids: The Real Mom’s Guide to Raising Natural Kids in a Processed World, by Lisa Greene.