Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are developmental disorders that affect 5% of the United States population. They are most typical in children under the age of 19 but are frequently seen in adults. They typically begin during childhood and are characterized by a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity, as well as forgetfulness, poor impulse control or impulsivity and distractibility. AD(H)D is currently considered to be a persistent and chronic condition for which biomedical intervention has proven to be helpful. AD(H)D is most commonly diagnosed in children, but over the past decade, has been increasingly diagnosed in adults. About 60% of children diagnosed with AD(H)D retain these conditions into adulthood. They appear to be highly inheritable, although one-fifth of all cases are felt to be caused by trauma or toxic chemical exposure. Therapeutic options include a combination of biomedical treatments, nutritional supplementation and dietary modification. Behavioral modification, meditation, lifestyle change and counseling may be of some help. The scientific consensus in the field, and the consensus of the national health institutes of the world, is that AD(H)D are disorders which impair functioning and that many adverse life outcomes are associated with AD(H)D.
The most common symptoms of AD(H)D are:
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Distractibility
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Short term memory loss
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Procrastination
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Difficulty with concentration & focus
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Tardiness
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Impulsivity
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Weak planning & execution
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Problems organizing ideas & belongings
Not all individuals with AD(H)D have all of these symptoms. Most ordinary people exhibit some of these behaviors but not to the point where they seriously interfere with the person’s work, relationships, studies, or cause depression or anxiety (children do not often have to deal with deadlines, organization issues and long term planning so these types of symptoms often become evident only during adolescence or adulthood when life demands become greater).
Hyperactivity is common among children with AD(H)D but tends to disappear during adulthood. However, over half of children with AD(H)D continue to have symptoms of inattention throughout their lives. One of the things said by parents/teachers of children with AD(H)D is that it is very much like “having twenty televisions lined around oneself and having them all turned to different channels. The volume on each is constantly changing and one finds it hard to focus on any one thing.”
Typical testing or modification would include:
Elimination of foods which contain food dyes and artificial colors
Elimination & treatment of significant food allergies as determined by allergy testing.
Rotational Diet, food sensitive elimination
Remove toxic metals
Utilize our magnetic bed and Infrared Sauna
Treat yeast overgrowth
Digestive Enzymes
Probiotics (beneficial bacteria)
Treatment of harmful bacteria overgrowth
Appropriate vitamin and mineral supplementation
Supplement with a good source of Omega 3 fatty acids