I. What is it Like to be an ADHD Person? (ADHD Signs and Symptoms)
What do persons with ADHD are like?
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been described as the most prevalent childhood disorder (Dell & Shultz, 2009). A person with ADHD has difficulty focusing on a particular task, which he/she finds commonplace or boring, which makes him/her to get easily distracted at it. He/She has a hard time controlling the things he/she has to do or say, as well as, the amount of physical activity he/she has to perform as compared to someone without an ADHD. Because an individual with ADHD has greater impulsiveness and restlessness, he/she may be categorized as being impulsive, inattentive, and/or hyperactive. Hence, a child who is a quiet dreamer (that is, sits at his/her desk and stares blankly) and someone who is hyperactive (that is, talks without ceasing and cannot sit still) both may have the disorder. Below are the most common categories for people with ADHD:
Category 1: Inattentiveness
The signs and symptoms for people with ADHD inattentiveness are that they readily tune out when the task is boring or repetitive. Most often, they cannot concentrate on a particular task, rather skip procedures or bounce from one task to the next without finishing any of them. Additionally, they do not find much time to organize their work as compared to most typical children of their age. In short, children who are inattentive because they have ADHD usually get bored prior to completing a task, easily distracted, make careless mistakes, do not pay attention to details, have difficulty recalling instructions, have trouble staying organized, and so on. But if they have quiet or calm environment and they enjoy their task, they can somewhat focus just like savants do (Ohio State University, 2013).
Category 2: Hyperactivity
On the other hand, children who are ADHD hyperactive are quite naturally active, that is, always moving from one place to another. Likewise, they ‘multitask’ or bounce from one task to another. When they are forced or instructed to sit, they tap their foot, shake their legs, and/or drum their fingers on top of their armchair. Some of the symptoms of hyperactivity among children are being squirmy and fidgety, excessive talker, quick temperament, running/moving/climbing inappropriately and constantly, hard playing in relaxed way, and so on.
Category 3: Impulsiveness
Children who are ADHD impulsive have problem controlling themselves shown through various ways such as making tactless observation, asking irrelevant questions, asking too much personal questions, invading people’s space, interrupting conversations, and so on. In addition, they overreact emotionally, moody, etc. that make them seem needy, weird, and/or disrespectful. Some symptoms of people’s impulsivity include acting without thinking, saying/doing things at an inappropriate time, interrupting others, bursting in anger or temper tantrum, making guesses instead of solving the problem at a proper duration, and so on.
II. Brief History of ADHD and the Initial Surrounding Controversies
ADHD as it has previously been thought of
ADHD has more than a century of historical account (Lange, Reichl, Lange, Tucha, & Tucha, 2010). In 1902, George Still, a British pediatrician, described what he called as an abnormality in children’s moral regulation or what has come to be known today as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD is also known as hyperactivity, hyperkinetic disorder, as the most common neurobehavioral developmental disorder that begins at childhood and might persists until adulthood (Millichap, 2009). It is generally characterized by distractibility, impulsivity, inattention, and/or simply hyperactivity. Other than the use of various treatment options (e.g., stimulants, behavior therapy, counseling) to treat ADHD, simple diet changes like purchasing organic milk, eggs foods and reading the ingredients on labels, eating fresh produce rather than can and frozen, are beneficial in the long term treatment of the said disorder. Anything in moderation is still the best way to go in order to avoid further complications. However, from then until now, there are controversial issues surrounding ADHD, which will be discussed as I continue with my presentation of this topic.
The search for the ADHD cure
In 1936, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of Benzedrine, a form of amphetamine, for children with hyperactivity. The following year, Charles Bradley, a physician, discovered that young patients who took it as their medicine have improved behavior and school performance. However, in 1952, American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) initial publication of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), which includes known causes, symptoms, risks, treatment, etc., did not introduce the disorder. Yet, it was only in 1968, in its second edition of DSM that it officially acknowledged ADHD (first called as hyperkinetic impulse disorder) as a mental disorder. Then, in 1955, the FDA approved the use of Ritalin (methylphenidate), a stimulant that is still in use today, for the treatment of ADHD among children. A decade later, APA changed the name of the disorder to ADHD, which is still in use these days. Several years later, with the release of DSM-III, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder became the official distinguishing name of the disorder (Kentucky State University, 2007). The use of stimulants is also one of the controversies concerning how to treat ADHD best.
Identification of the disorder means more and more of it.
During the 1990s, ADHD cases started to significantly increase because growth in population also meant more ADHD young individuals. Likewise, many parents who have learned more about ADHD reported it to doctors and that doctors themselves have better ways of diagnosing the disorder. With increasing cases, so is the number of effective interventions and medications to treat it. In 2000, the DSM-IV was issued in which ADHD has three subtypes: (1) combined; (2) predominantly inattentive; and (3) predominantly hyperactive-impulsive. These days, medical researchers continue to identify the underlying causes and possible treatment of the disorder. Findings have shown that genes play a greater role for children with this disorder. Children whose parents have ADHD are more likely to have it as well. However, it is still unclear how environmental factors determine who acquires the disorder or not.
III. ADHD – More of Its Controversies
ADHD? Come’ on
ADHD also has no single cause that was established so far and “children with ADHD do not belong to a homogenous group” (Fritz, 2012). Further, no standardized assessment method because it is up to the clinicians whether they will use written test or professional judgment on what parents or teachers have to say to them. Thus, what one clinical expert might categorize as ADHD may be different from another expert. Despite the increasing standardization of the final diagnosis of the disorder, as mentioned, it would still depend on what an expert would say and those of another specialist. Other than the common signs and symptoms of ADHD, sometimes children are just experiencing signs and symptoms akin to the said disorder (for example, dyslexia, anxiety, depression, hearing problem, family problem, and related ones). Because of these similar conditions, assessment of ADHD is made more complicated. In addition to those that were already mentioned, overlapping conditions include sleep disorders, Asperger’s syndrome, autism, dyspraxia, and so on, not to mention other factors before, during, and/or after diagnosis.
ADHD Diagnoses
ADHD oftentimes starts during childhood, but diagnosis is sometimes done only during adulthood. Because of this, many adults have to endure the disorder for a long time. Further, even children who were diagnosis earlier keep having the ADHD symptoms even when they are already adults. Specialists do not know yet, with certainty, the exact causes of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder. Nonetheless, most experts know that the disorder is strongly linked with heredity. Additionally, they found out hormones that control certain levels of neurochemicals, also known as neurotransmitters, is different among children with ADHD. In other cases, no genetic link is associated to the disorder but due to other factors such as drinking alcohol and/or smoking during pregnancy and related complications (e.g., smaller or less active prefrontal cortex, undernourishment, exposure to lead, pesticides, to mention a few) (Kuo & Taylor, 2004).
Blaming One’s Genes
But what is really the connection between genes and ADHD? In most cases, ADHD runs more frequently in families who have it. If both parents have the disorder, there is a greater probability for their children to have it. However, only one-third of either parent who have the disorder have ADHD children. The reason for ADHD as it relates to neurophysiology is that people have dysregulation (that is, abnormal brain functioning) of certain neurotransmitters and neuropathways. Moreover, certain brain areas of these people are less active or smaller in comparison to children without ADHD. In some researches, scientists found out that dopamine, a neurotransmitter, plays a role in this disorder. An abnormality in the level of dopamine causes abnormal functioning in sleeping, attention, learning, movement, and so on. In cases of higher dopamine level through medication (Ritalin), drug abuse (cocaine, nicotine), and other psychostimulants, they help people with ADHD. However, people with ADHD who resort to drugs may become addicted or risk themselves of drug misuse.
Drugs, alcohols, and thingamajig
In times past, researchers claimed that the cause of ADHD was alcohol or drug abuse by pregnant women, brain damage or head injury, and/or childhood psychological trauma. However, it conflicts with other findings or evidences for parents who do not take alcohol or abuse the use of drugs even during pregnancy considering that they have good health and family backgrounds. Additionally, some experts, specialists, and clinicians simply claim that ADHD is not adequately recognized. It is also believed that many young individuals are either under-diagnosed, misdiagnosed, or overdiagnosed (Connor, 2011). Hence, it all boils down to diagnosis issue because there is no physical exam (e.g., blood test) for it.
Megavitamins or Over-dosage?
In the early 1950s, Humphry Osmond and Abram Hoffer used megavitamins (that is, large doses of vitamins B3, B6, and C) for treating schizophrenia. They based their megavitamin therapy theory that such mental illness and related ones are caused by abnormality in the specific gene responsible for it. Hence, people with behavioral disorders should be given large amounts of these vitamins to make the symptoms diminish or vanish in proportion. In the late 1960s, Linus Pauling, Nobel laureate for chemistry, supported Osmond and Hoffer’s theory. In the 1970s, Allan Cott also claimed that people who are hyperactive have vitamin deficiencies, which should be replaced by megavitamins and megaminerals (Restor Medicine, n.d.). Because of this development, parents considered daily dose of megavitamins as better and natural ways to treat ADHD symptoms among children as compared to psychostimulants. Other elements, such as zinc, magnesium, and iron, were later used for treating this disorder. However, there is no conclusive findings that megavitamins improved their attention; instead, there are reports that it only increased children’s disruptive behaviors. Furthermore, even normal dosages of multivitamins did not demonstrate effectiveness in the treatment of ADHD, despite the need of many children and even adults for daily recommended level of vitamins and minerals. Note that an overdose of zinc, for example, is proven toxic.
The Media Hype.
Various media often take advantage of issues that are controversial, that sell news. ADHD is not an exception because it is very controversial for many people, especially teachers and parents with hyperactive, impulsive, and/or inattentive children or learners, respectively. Media often portray ADHD as resulting from bad parenting, diet, food intolerance, and over-watching television shows. Moreover, the media oftentimes portray a child who is out of control, destructive, antisocial, malicious, etc. as having ADHD, which in fact is not always the case. Sometimes it is just a case of conduct disorder, defiant disorder, or similar ones, which can co-exist with ADHD, but not the causes of it. On the part of parents whose children are troublemakers, they sometimes do not want their children to be diagnosed with the disorder, which makes it highly unlikely for children to be helped (Koch, 2013).
Other than the issues already mentioned, some media are against stimulant drugs because they view them as parents making their children dependent on them, which may result to addiction. Ritalin, for instance, is thought incorrectly to cause seizures, brain damage, withdrawal, and other damages to behavior. As a result, parents are extra cautious that these drugs will cause more harm than good in their children. However, doctors know a lot of scholarly reviews about adjustment periods when finding the right dosage for their patients. Despite anything to that, it cannot be gainsaid that most stimulants have accompanying side effects, which are mostly predictable and not as serious as commonly depicted by the media.
V. The Simple Solution: Simple Diet for People with ADHD
Simple yet healthy diet
According to the study conducted by Howard, et al. (2011) to 14-year follow-up of 115 adolescents with ADHD, A simple yet healthy dietary pattern was not associated with ADHD, unlike Western-style diet. With proper nutrition, which includes minerals, amino acids, multivitamins, and essential acids, it is possible to prevent some neurological developmental disorders from taking place. It has been apparent that inadequate dietary components (for example, proteins) can adversely affect children’s normal behavioral and learning abilities. Lack of sufficient vitamins or minerals can interfere with children’s learning within a specified period. Even though there is no convincing finding that poor diet can cause ADHD, good food and /or supplements are sure to treat the disorder, just like medications do. Nevertheless, healthy diet and eating habit is supported by most, if not all, professional health organizations.
Proper food combination is the key
Other dietary supplements that serve as stimulants (e.g., herbs, antioxidant, nootropics, deanol) were used for treating ADHD. Herbs (e.g., passion flower, lemon balm, kava, valerian, chamomile), and antioxidants (e.g., pycnogenol, gingko biloba) were, for centuries, used in traditional medicine and for treating sleep disorder among children with ADHD. However, as a caveat, some of these natural stimulants should not be taken with other drugs (e.g., gingko biloba and aspirin) because they trigger adverse effects. Moreover, reports on their efficacies related to ADHD treatment were mostly anecdotal without sufficient scientific proofs. Most of these stimulants enhanced the cognitive performance of children with ADHD; however, no sufficient scientific evidence is convincing enough for their recommendations. But more research are underway to warrant any potential future benefits that would complement their effectiveness just like other treatment options.
Substitution and Elimination Method in Diet
Omega-3 and similar essential fatty acids are improve the learning performance of children and adolescents with ADHD (Dell & Shultz, 2009). Because this fatty acid is obtained naturally, they should be included to the normal recommended daily diet of children with ADHD. On the other hand, there are substances that should be eliminated in the typical daily diets of children, such as preservatives, sugar, and other artificial additives, because they cause harm more than good in diminishing symptoms of ADHD. It was Bejamin Feingold, an allergist, who theorized that these additives can cause hyperactivity in children, thus proposing his well-known Feingold Diet. However, when controlled studies were conducted, no dramatic improvements in behavior were noted. Despite the inconclusive evidence supporting the effectiveness of Feingold’s Diet, newer research findings have revealed that avoiding sensitizing foods in children actually improve their behavior. Some of these foods that affect ADHD individuals include salicylate-containing grapes, tomatoes, and oranges, as well as, nonsalicylate foods such as chocolate, soy, milk, wheat, corn, and legumes (Stevens, et al., 2011). Further, other than sensitizing diets for children with ADHD and have such additive sensitivities, sugar free foods were not shown to cause ADHD.
Because kids with ADHD, just like other normal children, have strong craving for sugar, it has formerly believed to be cause for ADHD. The same holds true for aspartame (an artificial sweetener) free food. It has not been proven that it causes ADHD, except that it is not recommended for phenylketonuriac children or those whose system find it hard to metabolize aspartame. Further, even fungus or yeast free diet does not offer sufficient evidence for the treatment of ADHD. Although it has not been mainly established that artificial foods, flavorings, and/or additives, foods free from co-sensitive ingredients tend to be the rule for hyperactivity and inattention, rather than the exception for children with ADHD to have significant improvement in their disorder symptoms (Steven, Kuczeck, T, & Arnold, 2011; Stevens, et al., 2011).
VI. Conclusion
ADHD is a neuropsychological, developmental disorder that causes impairment in the normal performance of people with ADHD. Over time, evidences from recent findings have shown that ADHD should be recognized and treated as an intermingling of genetic, neurobiological and environmental causes. Because drugs are not the only remedies, they should be prescribed along with other treatment options (for example, behavior therapy, counseling). In addition, parents and teachers should always provide practical yet effective social support systems and other suitable school-based techniques. Specialists and other experts’ opinions and advice cannot be oversimplified.
It is generally recommended that children and even adults to have simple diet for proper growth and development. With sufficient dosage of multivitamins, minerals, and other elements, there can be improvements in the learning performance of individuals with ADHD. For children with ADHD who have food sensitivities, in contrast to those who have not and yet have ADHD, they will not benefit from elimination diets in treating effectively the disorder. Nonetheless, children who have ADHD and are having special diet should still continue with the more effective treatment of their ADHD. Coupled with a simple diet, behavior therapy, stimulant medication, and other treatment options, as described above, would improve children with ADHD’s wellbeing.
According to Harvard Mental Health Letter (2009), “the consensus on a sensible approach to nutrition for all children include diet that fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy unsaturated fats, and good sources of protein.” “Simply eating healthier” food like purchasing organic milk, eggs foods and reading the ingredients on labels, eating fresh produce rather than can and frozen, are beneficial in the long term treatment of ADHD (New York Daily News, 2013). Anything in moderation and non-antagonistic (e.g., foods that are not causes of allergies) to an individual, especially among the ADHD group, is still the best way to go to avoid any and further complications. Thus, this paper answers the main question how diet affect abnormal behavior in children with ADHD.
References
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