ADHD

The main symptoms of ADHD are restlessness, inability to concentrate or focus for a sustained period of time. Impetuous and disorganised behaviour make learning at school very difficult for the child. Children who have these symptoms usually find getting along with other children very problematic often leading to fights and misunderstandings. ADHD is not just one condition but covers a multitude of problems which often have different causes. The incidence of these developmental problems is on the increase.

There are many contributory factors including heavy metal toxicity, allergy and changes in the expectations of boys behaviour and environmental pollution.
Recent research suggests that some children find detoxifying many of the new chemicals in the environment very difficult and this can lead to autistic types of behaviour as well as ADHD symptoms.

The medical treatment with Ritalin can be fraught with problems. Ritalin and related drugs are akin to Cocaine, a powerful stimulant. Not only can this make a child more susceptible to solving problems by the use of drugs in later life but they also have quite dangerous side effects including stimulation of the heart.
Little boys, and it effects them more than girls, need a lot of physical activity as they grow - our educational system with it’s emphasis on academic achievement at an early age does not allow for this, nor does much contemporary home life.
There are steps that can be taken to make the development of all these childhood disorders less likely. If you have allergy in the family be very careful how you have your child vaccinated. Have only essential vaccinations and do not have combined vaccinations. Space them so that you can observe any changes in behaviour and stop them if you have any doubts about their effects.

More information on this issue can be found on the site of the National Vaccine Information Centre. Do not allow the dentist to put mercury (silver) fillings into your child’s teeth. These fillings contain over fifty percent mercury which is a highly toxic metal which can damage the immune and nervous system. Alternate composite (white) fillings are readily available so insist on them for your child.
Avoid all processed food and prepare all your child’s meals from scratch making sure it all comes from safe and reliable sources. Use organic if you can find it as it is chemical free and avoid GM products, the incidence of allergy in the US has increased since their introduction of GM foods. Never allow you child pop because it contains either high fructose corn syrup, which disturbs the way the body handles sugars, or aspartame, an artificial sweetener which can over stimulate the brain. Both these affect the way the brain works.

Plenty of outdoor activity is a must for these children; climbing trees, go-carting, swimming and just being in the great outdoors.
Primary children need a good ten hours a night sleep, less as they get older. A cranky child is not a happy and alert child and is likely to become sick more often than if he is well rested. Watching television or playing computer games before bed over stimulates the brain and makes drifting off to sleep peacefully more difficult. Half an hour with a quiet activity and a bedtime story is a better way to prepare them for sleep.

If problems have already developed there are safe and natural ways to improve the situation including detoxing the heavy metals in the system, dietary modification and allergy treatment. Sometimes small changes can make a big difference, sometimes harder work is required. An early start is best as ingrained habits can be harder to change.

Here is a typical ADHD cameo from my clinic (this is a combination of several children and a fictitious name is used).
Bobbie seemed quite calm when he came into the clinic but his mother related that he was in danger of being excluded from his school because of his disruptive behaviour. He asked for a drink and was given some orange juice after which he shot across the room, leapt over the treatment couch and lay writhing on the floor.

We had found the first trigger for his behaviour! Allergy testing showed that he was reacting to all food colourings, additives and preservatives. Bobbie also had depleted fatty acids and was in need of trace minerals. Since he was not absorbing the nutrients from his food I also recommended a good quality probiotic and a multivitamin and mineral.

I began by asking his mother to make all his meals and snacks from raw materials, no processed food at all, no orange fruit or juice or anything that contains them. We made a further appointment for a month later hoping that there would be some improvement by that time. Two weeks later his mother rang to say that his school had asked what had happened since Bobbie was a completely changed child and now no trouble at all. I am glad his mother called otherwise I might never have known the outcome of this case. Of course not all cases are so easily treated but it does illustrate how effective small changes can be.