Last Updated on Wednesday, 09 June 2010 21:42

Food intolerance or allergy , food additive intake, sweetners and a sugar overload, together with poor intake of vital nutrients (due to poor diet and/or malabsorption), are, without doubt, contributory factors in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), symptoms of which include mood changes, aggression, poor concentration and learning problems, irritability, dyslexia and dyspraxia.

In addition to these therapies, educational support and behaviour management, it is vitally important to change the child’s diet, taking into consideration specific food and chemical intolerances, avoiding artificial colourants, sweetners and preservatives and reducing sugar.

An adequate intake of vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids, especially the B complex vitamins, Vitamin C, Zinc, Chromium, Magnesium, Evening Primrose Oil and fish oils (providing Omega 3 and Omega 6 essential fatty acids), is essential for us all and even more so in the case of these children. Very often the ADHD child, whatever his or her age, only consumes food high in chemical additives and sweetners (which are present in most processed and packaged food and drinks). In addition, these children often eat food of low nutritional value, so that their level of intake of vital nutrients is even lower, and , as a result, various bodily systems, such as the immune system and the nervous system cannot function properly as they lack the necessary input of vitamins and minerals.

With a diet inadequate in those nutrients known to be vital for the functioning of these systems, especially in a growing child, the result is a kind of system overload, an enormous stress which undermines the child’s well- being and his or her ability to be calm, contented, sociable and interested to learn.

Worldwide research amongst doctors, nutritionists, and other researchers, lends support to the importance of diet in hyperactivity and other health problem.

For more details on ADHD visit www.hacsg.org.uk

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