ADD: Attention Deficit or Nutrition Deficit?

Dr. Mary Ann Block takes on the ADD "industry" -- exposing the myths and exploring the truths

"Even children taking prescribed drugs for [ADD] still have higher levels of behavioural problems and show little improvement in academic and social skills."

If you are reading this article you may have a child or grandchild who is active or has difficulty concentrating, or you have been told this by a teacher. You also may have been told that your child should be taking a drug to control the activity and concentration. Here is some information you might want to consider:

Only a label

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a psychiatric label. According to the National Institutes of Health, there is no valid, consistent test available to diagnose it. In truth, because of the nature of the condition, behavioral scales (like the Connors Scale) are used in the diagnosis, where the child and his or her family is asked to evaluate the student based on criteria determined by the particular test. A guardian, teacher or counselor must consult a physician before medication is prescribed. Of course only a clinical diagnosis can be made because it is a psychological condition.

Nevertheless, even children taking prescribed drugs for the problems still have higher levels of behavioral problems and show little improvement in academic and social skills. Also, did you know there is no information on the effectiveness or safety of drug treatment for more than 1 year? Most studies done on the drugs were short, only up to 3 months long (NIH Consensus Development Conference Statement on ADHD, 1998), With so little information available on the positive and negative effects of the drugs that are used to treat ADHD symptoms, it is amazing that doctors prescribe them so readily and parents give them to their children so quickly.

How young can they be?

Nothing has surprised me more than the prescribing of these drugs to preschool age children. The Journal of the American Medical Association (March 2000), reported a 200-300% increase in the prescribing of Ritalin, Prozac and Clonidine for 2-to-4-year-old children (from 1991 to 1995). No studies have ever been done on children of this age and no long-term studies have been done on any age group.

Ritalin is an amphetamine-like drug, a controlled substance with similar pharmacological properties to cocaine. The two drugs are similar enough that they are used interchangeably in medical research (Archives of General Psychiatry, May 1995), Clonidine is an adult "high blood pressure" drug, and Prozac is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. There are many similar drugs on the market such as Zoloft, Paxil and Luvox. According to the Physician's Desk Reference, none of these drugs should be given to young children.

All drugs have side-effects

The short-term side effects of amphetamine-type drugs are well known. Lack of appetite, insomnia, irritability and the development of tics are common. The long-term side effects are less known since no long-term studies have been done. In addition to the possible physical and emotional side effects, parents should know that if their child has been taking one of these drugs after the age of 12, it can be a permanent disqualification for the military. Allowing a child to be labeled with ADHD, or one of the other psychiatric diagnoses (such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder or Conduct Disorder), seems to do nothing more than qualify the child to take a drug. It does not look for or treat the underlying cause of the problem.

Find out what's really wrong

Evaluating a child for an underlying problem takes time. Every child deserves a complete medical work-up. It should also include a nutritional evaluation, preferably done by a licensed practitioner who has had training in nutrition.

I have found that most behavioral problems have a component of low blood sugar associated with them. A child with an erratic blood sugar content cannot sit still, cannot pay attention and can exhibit aggressive behaviors. The diagnosis of this does not need any lab work. If a child gets irritable or agitated when hungry then improves after eating, the child most likely has hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. In this case, the treatment is as easy as the diagnosis: change the child's diet. Remove all refined sugars and simple carbohydrates. Use complex carbohydrates, proteins and fresh vegetables in the diet. Make sure these children don't get hungry by feeding them healthy protein snacks throughout the day.

A study published in The Journal of Pediatrics (February 1995) found that when sucrose was given to children, their adrenaline levels could be 10 times their normal level up to 5 hours after ingesting the sugar. Most of these children had difficulty concentrating, and were irritable and anxious, which are normal reactions to too much adrenaline in the bloodstream.

Allergies and hypersensitivities affect how we feel, think and act. Sensitivities to foods, and even allergens in the air have been shown to cause many of the symptoms of ADHD. Artificial colors and flavors also affect some children adversely. Dr. Ben Feingold proclaimed this for years, and founded his organization on this, the Feingold Association of the United States (FAUS).