ADD/ADHD Awareness & Strategies

In an effort to save you time and help you better understand the wide array of options available – from healing therapies to nutrition, we’ve created this directory of resources available on both bluedominoes.com and other websites. There’s no single solution that works for everyone and our goal is to share resources to provide pathways to your child’s brighter future. We encourage you to share your most helpful therapies, books, etc. so that we create a destination for parents to create a healthy family environment and explore a range of treatment options for you to discuss with your physician.

It is estimated that between 3 and 5 percent of children have ADHD, or approximately 2 million children in the United States. This means that in a classroom of 25 to 30 children, it is likely that at least one will have ADHD.

The National Institute of Mental Health recommends that experts rule out the following prior to making an ADHD diagnosis:

- A sudden change in the child’s life such as the death of a parent or grandparent; parent’s divorce, a parent’s job loss.
- Undetected seizures, such as petit mal or temporal lobe seizures.
- A middle ear infection that causes intermittent hearing problems.
- Medical disorders that may affect brain functioning (including lead)
- Underachievement caused by learning disability
- Anxiety or depression

Symptoms of ADHD
According to the CDC , a diagnosis of ADHD is made when the following circumstances are present

- Inattention
o Makes careless mistakes
o Has trouble keeping attention on tasks or play activities
o Does not seem to listen when spoken to directly
o Has trouble organizing activities
o Easily distracted
o Forgetful and loses things
- Hyperactivity
o Often fidgets with hands and feet or squirms in seat. Also has trouble staying seated.
o Often runs about or climbs when and where it is not appropriate.
o Often has trouble playing or enjoying leisure activities quietly
o “On the go” or often acts as if “driven by a motor”
o Talks excessively
- Impulsivity
o Blurts out answers before questions have been finished
o Trouble waiting one’s turn
o Interrupts or intrudes on others

Lead and ADD/ADHD
Lead has been linked to ADD/ADHD by several studies and at levels below the current actionable levels of 10 mcg/dl.  The following links provide information about the connection:

1. Exposures to Environmental Toxicants and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in U.S. Children

2. ADHD linked to prenatal lead exposure, secondhand smoke

3. Even Low Lead Exposure Linked to ADHD

4.  Environmental Toxins, ADHD, and Autism

5.  Lead and its Relationship to ADHD and Autism

Aspartame and ADHD
Expert Advice on Aspartame
A letter that was written to the Alabama Board of Education that cites numerous experts, some of which state aspartame affects the mental state of adults and children.

Recommended Books for ADHD
1. No More ADHD by Dr. Mary Ann Block
Outlines reasons and solutions for children exhibiting ADHD symptoms such as heavy metal toxicity, food sensitivities, leaky gut, allergies, and more. Dr. Block offers nutritional suggestions, osteopathic manipulation treatment, elimination diets, and offers an overview of supplements that typically help with ADHD symptoms.

2. Ritalin-Free Kids: Safe and Effective Homeopathic Medicine for ADHD by Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman and Robert Ullman
Provides a basic overview of homeopathy and case studies of children treated by the Ullmans. If you are unfamiliar with homeopathy and are looking for a natural way to treat your child, this book is a good way to familiarize yourself with these principals and the amazing progress some of their clients make with homeopathy.

3. Is This Your Child? by Doris Rapp, MD
Dr. Rapp discusses how chemicals, allergies, and some foods can affect behavior. She provides valuable insight on how to recognize if your child is being affected and provides easy to implement solutions. The information is provided in an easy to understand, non-alarming fashion, and really makes you think about what your child is eating and being exposed to.

4. Our Toxic World by Doris Rapp, MD
Provides information for parents on chemicals, genetically modified foods, pesticides, and other environmental factors that are affecting the general population and most evidently our children. This is a great book that helps you identify potential problems and offers alternatives for parents.                                                                                                                   

5. Is This Your Child's World? How You Can Fix the Schools and Homes That Are Making Your Children Sick by Doris Rapp, MD
 Dr. Rapp provides examples and illustrations of how children are affected by chemicals, pesticides, and foods in their school environment. She provides solutions to issues faced by schools. This would be a great book to provide to a teacher, principal, or superintendent of your school.

6. Turning Lead into Gold: How Heavy Metal Poisoning Can Affect Your Child and How to Prevent and Treat It by Nancy Hallaway and Zigurts Strauts
This book takes you on a journey of a mom who is also a nurse and discovers her twin boys have lead poisoning. They exhibit autistic and ADHD symptoms, and after having her children properly diagnosed, she was able to begin chelation therapy and her boys showed steady improvement. A great book that takes you through the hazards of lead, the symptoms, and how they correlate closely with some psychological diagnosis.

7. Why Your Child Is Hyperactive by Ben Feingold
Dr. Feingold pioneered the link between food coloring and hyperactivity. He outlines protocols he used with different patients and their improvement. Even though this book was written years ago, it is still pertinent today as we realize nutrition really does impact our brains, how we think, and how we react. His organization, The Feingold Group is still active today and has been instrumental in helping children and parents eat better and recover from their previous diagnosis.

8. Victory Over ADHD by Deborah Merlin
An incredible story of a mom whose twins were diagnosed with ADHD. She follows their yearly progress in school, helpful therapies as well as their diagnosis of lead poisoning. Deborah shares that Vitamin C really helped to reduce the lead exposure which was one of the underlying components of her children’s ADHD. She also discusses the benefits of early intervention and her negotiation with the school for programs for her children. Today her twins are 19 and are attending college.

Recommended Therapies
For your ADHD child, the The following therapies should be considered
1. Interactive Metronome
2. Scientific Sound Healing
3. HANDLE Therapy
4. Music Therapy/Lessons

Nutritional Strategies for Children with ADHD
1. Feingold Diet - According to the Feingold Association of the U.S., numerous studies show that certain synthetic food additives can have serious learning, behavior, and/or health effects for sensitive people. The Feingold program eliminates the following additives:
• Artificial (synthetic) coloring
• Artificial (synthetic) flavoring
• Aspartame (Nutrasweet, an artificial sweetener)
• Artificial (synthetic) preservatives BHA, BHT, TBHQ

2. Since the National Institute of Health recognizes the link between lead and ADHD and since the Feingold diet works well for some children, artificial food coloring needs to be avoided since most colors contain lead.  Please see Artificial Food Coloring for more information

3. Allergies and ADHD – According to Allergykids, 90% of all allergies are attributable to one of the following: wheat, eggs, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, fish and shell fish. They also note that one of the signs of an allergy is behavioral and temper changes.

Also, please read Food Intolerance & Allergies in the ADHD Child: How Diet and Seasonal Exposures Impact Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity

4. Healthier Treats

There is a wide selection of natural candies perfect for children and adults. Many of the treats mentioned in this article are also suitable for children following gluten-free/dairy/casein free, and/or the Feingold Program.

5. Some recipes that your children might enjoy

Camps in the San Diego, California area
ClubXcite is San Diego's Leading Mentoring Program. They have a variety of programs available. ClubXcite has structured programs for kids who need a little extra attention such as children who are socially awkward, have difficulty focusing, have learning disabilities, struggle getting motivated, bi-polar, or have behavior problems.

Are you familiar with another resouce/link we haven’t mentioned? Share it with us – we’d love to hear it with you.