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Possibly the most misdiagnosed disorder of the modern age.

ATTENTION DEFICIT aka ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER

This illness needs a very careful look before any conclusions are formed.

 

There are numerous approaches to the treatment and management of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.  The mainstream physician will almost reflexively prescribe the dangerous drug, Ritalin.  That's what mainstream physicians are trained to do and very few mainstream physicians think beyond the generally accepted and comfortable conventional medical procedures and protocols.  After all, if that's what The Physician's Desk Reference recommends, it must be the right thing to do.  That would appear to be the reasoning of the conventional medical practitioner.

Ritalin itself is a dangerous drug on the FDA Schedule along with cocaine, and other narcotic drugs.  Ritalin is addictive, as all narcotic drugs are.  Ritalin has been indisputably linked to sudden death syndrome in children!    We're not talking about an occasional fatality here. It's a much too common occurrence.

Ritalin will also mask and suppress any underlying disorder which more often than not, is the  real cause of apparent ADD/ADHD.  Some allergies, for example, produce symptoms indistinguishable from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.   Anyone faced  with a child or adult displaying the symptoms of ADD/ADHD needs to take great care to avoid jumping to conclusions about these symptoms.

Another area where ADD/ADHD is commonly and most often unjustifiably held out as the culprit is in dealing with high energy, healthy young boys.  These guys are naturally hyperactive and easily bored, posing a sometimes highly stressful challenge to their parents and teachers.  The easy way to control them is to drug them.  Not good.  Girls too, often display the same characteristics, albeit to a somewhat lesser degree.  This high spirited attitude does not in itself make them ADD.  Just because a kid is a king sized pain in the neck does not make him ADD/ADHD.

 

SOME ILLUSTRIOUS PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LABELLED WITH IT

It would appear today that just about every normal, healthy and intelligent child has some form of ADD/ADHD.  Take your healthy, energetic, active, imaginative, creative child in to a psychiatrist and you'll come out with a child labeled as suffering from ADD/ADHD.  At least it seems that way.  Here are a few people who have been either diagnosed outright with ADD/ADHD, suggested as being afflicted with it, or said to have had it , after their deaths, by those "experts" who claim to know about this "disorder."   Bill Gates, Lindsey Wagner, Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, Michael Jordan, Ludwig van Beethoven, Dustin Hoffman, Terry Bradshaw, Ansel Adams, Ann Bancroft, Alexander Graham Bell, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Abraham Lincoln, Whoopi Goldberg, Tom Cruise, Elvis Presley, Bill Cosby, John F. Kennedy, Prince Charles, Alfred Hitchcock, Napoleon Bonaparte. The list can continue for many pages.  Often, the diagnosis and subsequent drugging is just a convenient way for parents and teachers to deal with a child whose intellectual capacity is proving to be too much of a challenge.  Parents need to be aware of this and cross check every diagnosis of ADD/ADHD that comes back to them.

 

Some children simply find it more difficult to settle down and pay attention.  This of course, does not go down well in the classroom.  By supporting harmony and balance in the brain and soothing nerves, the best climate for concentration can be created and maintained.  If the body's systems are balanced and functioning as they should, cognitive, emotional and behavioral conditions for concentration are placed at optimum levels. 

A child displaying symptoms of ADD/ADHD taken to a psychiatrist will come out with a label (psychiatrists are good at concocting labels, it's their stock in trade) and a pocket full of drugs.  Take the child to an allergist and the odds are good that more drugs will be prescribed.  Allergies are difficult to track down and the incentives for prescribing drugs are huge.  Ritalin, a quick fix bogus medical practice is producing enormous profits, swamping out any rational concern about actual need!

 

THERE IS LITTLE, IF ANY, NEED TO DRUG YOUR CHILDREN!!!

Rather than suppressing symptoms by drugging your children, it's much better to take a holistic approach to the problem.  By supporting harmony and balance in the brain and soothing nerves, we can create the best climate for concentration.  If the body's systems are well balanced and functioning as they should, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral conditions for concentration will be at optimum levels. And the need to drug your children is removed.

All ADD/ADHD children are sensitive to some of the molecules naturally present in their bodies, and to artificial lighting, especially fluorescent. Often full spectrum  lights can work wonders on such a child. Many ACAM  (American College for the Advancement of Medicine) physicians successfully treat children with ADD/ADHD  without the need for drugs and it' would be a good idea to consult such an alternative physician. Or you can also  contact the American Academy of Environmental Medicine for a physician referral. You can find the contact information for these organizations on our RESOURCES PAGE.

There are some very effective natural remedies out there that can go a long way toward alleviating the problems associated with ADD/ADHD.  One of these natural remedies is called BrightSpark.  This is a safe, natural, non-addictive product containing 100% homeopathic ingredients especially selected to temporarily relieve hyperactivity, distractability, and impulsiveness in children.  BrightSpark is formulated for children by a clinical psychologist and is a registered OTC (over the counter) homeopathic remedy. BrightSpark should be given at the first sign of impulsive, attention seeking and erratic behavior, for short term relief.

BrightSpark will alleviate behavioral problems, particularly in social environments for those who struggle with anger outbursts and inappropriate behavior that resists all parental discipline. Taken internally, BrightSpark encourages a balanced mood and a positive demeanor.  It helps the body restore balance at a cellular level.  BrightSpark is manufactured in an FDA approved facility under the supervision of a registered pharmacist, and homeopathic physician. Its individual ingredients are listed in the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the U.S.  Get more info on BrightSpark for Child ADD and ADHD  This product has earned a top rating by LeQuadillage for purity, effectiveness, ease of ingestion, and hassle free administration.  BrightSpark is completely safe to give with prescription or other medications and will help immensely without compromising health in any way.

No alternative physician who treats ADD/ADHD in children has ever found the need to place a child on Ritalin.  Other methods of treating these children involve a thorough allergy and sensitivity workup.  Significant food allergies are often found and when these allergies are addressed, the disorder simply goes away.

 

FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS 

The brain's information processing system is made up of billions of nerve cells known as neurons and synapses, which transmit information between each other at lightning speed.  Efficient functioning depends a lot on the supply and flow of  oxygen rich blood and nutrients to all parts of the brain.  A natural supplement is available which can go a long way toward normalizing out of sync brain function.  If regular exercise, a healthy diet, and sufficient sleep don't seem to be doing what they're supposed to, then it's time to look for additional support.  This can be readily found in  Focus Formula, a powerful herbal supplement formulated especially for the brain.

Focus Formula supports the healthy functioning of the brain and nervous systems to encourage normal and efficient concentration and memory functioning.  Focus Formula uses a range of herbs to maintain the blood flow and nutrients needed for concentration and memory.  Bioavailability and balance of all the ingredients is assured by very meticulous formulation and manufacturing techniques and the same attention to all details assures that the likelihood of side effects is virtually eliminated.   Get more info on Focus for ADHD

 

 

 

POSITIVE PARENTING IS KEY!

A review published in Clinical Pediatrics suggests that parents of kids with ADHD are often more controlling and disapproving of their children. These parents are prone to reprimand their children for minor offenses.  Or what they deem to be offenses.  They are less supportive than parents of kids that do not have this disorder.  Parents need to be careful about excessive control and should learn to reward for good behavior as opposed to punishing bad.  There are training programs available that teach parents to do this and any parent with an ADHD child should make it a point to look into these programs very carefully.  Positive relationships are absolutely essential to any treatment program for ADD/ADHD.  Always bear in mind, drugs often do more harm than good and are never the long term answer.

NEURO FEEDBACK

A difficult, labor intensive, and expensive treatment called EEG Biofeedback has delivered very promising results. This treatment tries to train patients to control brain waves associated with focus and attention.  This treatment looks safe, and the results are permanent after treatment is completed.  This is directly counter to the medication protocols which need to be te taken for years and never achieve anything resembling permanence.  The evidence that EEG BIOFEEDBACK actually works continues to accumulate and it may be that sometime in the future, health insurance will cover its cost.

MEDITATION

A number of recent studies have appeared suggesting that  transcendental meditation may help improve behavior in kids with ADD/ADHD.  TM affects the brain by reducing stress and anxiety, which allows the prefrontal cortex, the part that governs attention and focus, to function properly. Yoga is an outstanding tool for meditative exercise.  Find everything you need for yoga exercise and relaxation, including your own personal yoga instructor!   When you get there, look especially at the Yoga for Kids section.

GET YOUR KIDS OUTSIDE!

In 2004, the American Journal of Public Health published a very carefully researched study which showed without question that kids with ADD/ADHD showed strong improvements after playing outside in a natural environment.  Another study out of the University of Illinois showed that  attention improved more in kids who took a 20 minute stroll in the park, over those kids who walked the same amount of time outside in a downtown or residential area that did not have much greenery.  The contention here is that children benefit greatly from nature and this study certainly seems to bear that out. ...AND SEE THAT THEY GET ENOUGH SLEEP! The March 2009 journal Sleep reports on a study that concludes that kids with ADD/ADHD got less sleep than their healthy counterparts.  This sugests that sleep problems may well be associated with ADHD.  Dr Julie Wei, associate professor of otolaryncology, at the University of Kansas School of Medicine believes that as many as 25% of children diagnosed with ADHD may have sleep disordered breathing, not ADHD.

TONSILECTOMIES

Dr Wei and her associates had assessed the behavior of 71 patients after their tonsils and adenoids were removed.  Most of these patients did not suffer from ADHD.  Six months after surgery, the entire group showed significant improvement in former behavioral issues.  Specifically in inattention, hyperactivity, and oppositional behavior.

SO THIS IS IMPORTANT! IF YOUR CHILD SNORES HABITUALLY, CONSULT A PHYSICIAN, PREFERABLY AN ALTERNATIVE PHYSICIAN.  THIS MAY BE A SIGN OF SLEEP DISORDERED BREATHING.

 
  EXERCISE IS SUPER IMPORTANT

Study after study has built the undeniable wisdom that physical activity is good for the brain and the heart.  More recent research has unfailingly linked aerobic exercise with the level of kids' achievement in math and reading.  Alternative physicians who treat ADHD  place exercise on the list of  treatment programs right behind creating a loving, positive environment at home.  Invariably, these doctors place in a position ahead of getting enough sleep.

 

 DIET

There is a whole lot of conflicting research and opinion out there about the role of diet in the treatment of ADHD.  We're not going to get into that here, because we haven't been able to come up with any conclusive findings at this point in time.  Many foods have taken a bad rap in the past when it came down to their affect on ADHD and we're not going tp say anything that may prove to be false later.  Research in this subject is ongoing and intensive and hopefully, one day soon, some usable information may come out of it.

There is however, a growing consensus, based on solid factual evidence, that Omega3 Supplements need to take a top level position in the diet of any child with symptoms of ADHD.  This supplement has been undeniably shown to improve brain function and focus in both children and adults.

 NOTE
Alternative physicians in your area can be
located by consulting the ACAM ROSTER
Be assured, no one is going to try to sell you
anything when you get there.  The service
is FREE, with no strings!

 
THE FEINGOLD PROGRAM

Dr Ben Feingold, former Chief of Allergy and eminent pediatrician at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in San Francisco developed this diet to treat ADHAD.  He basically based his theoretical approach to this diet on the fact that ADHD was unknown in the 1940s, and he began with a comparison of what children were eating then and what they are eating today.

 

DIET COMPARISONS

1940	TODAY
Plain old white toothpaste Old Fashioned Oatmeal Corn Flakes, Cream of Wheat Toast with butter & jam Natural Cocoa   Genuine whipped cream Cod Liver oil	Multi colored toothpastes Sea Treasures etc. Fruity Pebbles Pop Tarts Cocoa, artificial flavorings & dyes Cool Whip Flintstone Vitamins with flavorings & artificial coloring

  In the 1940s,  typical school lunches were meat loaf, freshly mashed potatoes, vegetables, milk, and desserts like cupcakes made from scratch.  Water from the drinking fountain was available.  Today, a typical school lunch consists of highly processed foods full of synthetic additives, no vegetables, and artificially flavored chocolate milk.  Liberally provided are artificially flavored soft drinks loaded with caffeine, aspartame, and a host of other chemicals.  You get the idea.  MANY BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS GET THEIR START IN YOUR SHOPPING CART!

Dr Feingold does not refer to his method of addressing ADHD as a diet, preferring to to call it a program.  The first stage eliminates the chemical compounds  in food additives and salycilate compounds in foods and also non food items such as those found in fragrances. All of these items need to be removed from the child's access.  Then, the second stage involves identifying the salycilates the child can tolerate, if any.  The result is that a great many kids that actually have ADD/ADHD experience remarkable improvements in focus and behavior.  During the nineties, numerous studies were conducted on this approach and found that 75% of children improved substantially on a diet that restricts food additives.

 HERE'S WHAT THE FEINGOLD PROGRAM ELIMINATES

• Synthetic Colorings: They're made from crude oil!
• Artificial Flavoring:  Combinations of chemicals. Imitation vanilla, or vanillin is made from paper mill waste products, for example.
• Artificial Preservatives: BHA, BHT, TBHQ, which are made from petroleum.  They'll often call them antioxidants although they have no relation to the healthful antioxidants we all need.  they simply prevent or delay the oxidation of fats in foods, which turn them rancid.
• Salycilates:  These are a group of chemicals related to aspirin.  They are a natural occurring pesticide in some food plants, such as soy beans.  They are also manufactured and used in many products including medicines, perfumes, and solvents.  The Feingold diet does not eliminate all of them. Look below for foods that contain naturally occurring salicylates considered not only safe, but highly desirable.
• Aspartame:  Of the artificial sweeteners, this is the only one eliminated in the program.

MSG, sodium benzoate, nitrites, sulfites, are considered highly undesirable, but are not eliminated in this program.

FOODS WITH NATURALLY OCCURRING SALYCILATES

 Almonds, Apples, Apricots, Berries, Cherries, Cloves, Cucumbers, Currents, Grapes, Nectaries, Oranges, Peaches, Peppers, Pickles, Plums, Prunes, Raisins, Tangelos, Tangerines, Tomatoes, Coffee & Tea.

PROCEEDING WITH THE FEINGOLD PROGRAM

Because many studies have shown the sensitivity of some children to dyes, the best way to begin the program is to eliminate all foods, vitamins, and toothpastes that contain artificial colorings.  Get the child to regularly take a properly formulated omega3 supplement!   This is important!

If by excluding only the dyes there is little effect, then get a journal to record everything you do and begin the full Feingold Program.  Eliminate all substances listed above, and continue if necessary  by eliminating:

• Corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, and corn sugar found in soft drinks and other sweetened foods.
• Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) and Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein.
• Sodium Nitrite, found in deli and lunch meat.
• Calcium Propionate in baked goods. 

 If the child's behavior improves, then you may begin restoring some of the foods that were eliminated.  Every week or so, restore one eliminated food or ingredient and watch for change.  If nothing negative occurs, bring back another item.  You will slowly learn the food items that are causing the problem.  Remember to keep a careful record in a journal.

You may need to go on eliminating foods.  Some children are sensitive not only to food additives, but also to wheat, eggs, milk and dairy, chocolate, tofu, corn and corn products including corn sugar and corn syrup.  Eliminate as many of these foods as possible and be sure to keep these kids away fromartificial colorings and flavorings.  They're poison at best.  Children can have fresh meat, poultry, vegetables with the exception of corn and soybeans, fruits and fruit juices except citrus (no oranges, lemons, or grapefruit), rice, oats (natural rolled oats, keep them away from the processed cereals).

 

 GETTING STARTED WITH DIET

If you choose to consult an alternative physician, you'll probably be given  a whole list of foods to avoid giving your hyperactive child.  Here are just a few that you can begin with.  They may be all you need to eiminate from the diet. (Your own too, it wouldn't hurt.)

• Raw Oysters; Raw Fish: Their overall safety is touch and go.   Best to stay away from them. Forget the Sushi!
• Sprouts:  They breed bacteria better than a petri dish.
• Bagged Leafy Greens:   Buy whole heads of lettuce and other greens.  You don't know what's in the bag, how it's been handled, and where it's from.  Not good.
• Hot Dogs:  Made with junk meat.
• Hamburgers:  More junk meat. Scraps from dozens of cattle all mixed together at the processing plant.  If you want a hamburger, buy a Round, Shoulder, or Rump Roast, cut it up and grind it yourself.

Combine this regimen with the recommended dosages of Omega3DHA, together with Total Balance Children's.  Doing this will ensure that the child receives proper nutrition and bring optimal balance to vital biological functions.

Information on all recommended dosages, technical details, explanations, and a complete overview of the workings of truly effecvtive supplementation for many ailment specific, as well a general purpose products available can be found by visiting the world's premiere manufacturer of ailment specific supplementation.

GETTING SERIOUS

If you've tried the above progam without any positive results, it's time to get with an alternative physician.  Your average mainstream, allopathic doctor will likely prscribe Ritalin at this point, which is like using a hammer to crack an egg.  Dr Julien Whitaker, one of the nation's leading alternative physicians has stated flat out that doctors who put children on mood altering drugs are more dangerous to our society than any illegal drug dealers.   

Bear in mind that a child's unruly behavior  is rarely - rarely - mental.  More often it's a physical problem and allergies are far out front as the primary suspects.  Allergies are difficult to trace, and the allergy tests are unreliable.  So this might be a good time to try an elimination diet.  Let's start out by listing some of the allergens most likely to cause hyperactivity:

• Articial coloring and Preservatives
• Artificial flavoring and Food additives
• Sugar, Milk, Cocoa
• Corn, Wheat, and other grains (except oats & oatmeal)
• Eggs
• Apples, Grapes, Oranges, and their juices
• Tomatoes and tomato juice
• Peanuts and Peanut butter
• Bananas
• Yeast, Dust, Molds, Pollen, and Chemical odors

So the way the elimination diet works is by eliminating the major foods the child may be allergic to.  This process can sometimes be abbreviated by starting out with the food the child craves most ardently.  Its been shown time and again that foods like this are the ones we're most likely to be allergic to.

Now we go to eliminating all of the foods that could be causing an allergic reaction.  Here they are:

FOODS TO BE ELIMINATED

• All foods containing wheat flour, corn, and all cereal mixtures
• Fresh, frozen, or canned citrus; orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit
• Fresh, frozen, or canned corn, peas, mixed vegetables
• All lunch meats, wieners, bacon, hamburger, ham, dyed salmon & lobster (remember the artificial colorings), breaded meats, & breaded meat stuffings.
• Milk and all dairy drinks (no casein or whey)
• Fruit beverages (those that are allowed are listed below)
• Kool Aid,  All Coffee creamers, and All Soda pop
• Corn chips, Chocolate, Cocoa,  Hard candy, Ice cream, Sherbet
• Sugar, Fructose, Dextrose, Aspartame
• Bread, cake, cookies
• Eggs
• Jelly and Jam
• Jello
• All Margarines and Diet spreads containing dyes and corn
• Sorbitol
• Peanuts & Peanut butter
• Cheese
• Dyed vitamins and dyed mouthwash, toothpaste, cough syrup; colored pils, or liquid medicines (Here's why you should have a doctor following you on this)

Well, what's the kid supposed to eat then?  Letting a child starve is pretty much unacceptable, so fortunately, there are things the child can safely eat.  Here they are:

FOODS ALLOWED

• Rice and Rice puffs, Old Fashiond Oatmea, with honey
• Barley
• All fresh fuits with the exception of citrus (Canned fruits are ok if they're in their own juice, without any artificial colorings, preservatives, or flavors)
• Most vegetables, with the exception of those listed above
• Homemade French fries
• Potatoes
• Non-basted Chicken or Turkey
• Veal,  Beef, Pork, Lamb, Fish, Tuna
• Spring water, Single herb tea, plain tea, with honey
• Bottled pure Grape juice, pure frozen apple or pineapple juice
• Potato chips without additives
• Rye-Krisp crackers and pure honey
• Unsulfered raisins
• Oil & vinegar dressing, if made at home
• Sea salt, pepper
• Homemade soup

When starting on this regimen, you eliminate all the foods listed under Foods To Be Eliminated, replacing them with the Foods Allowed.  Stay on this for a full week.  Then, pick any one of the eliminated foods and serve an excessive amount of that one food that day.  Go down the list, using a different food each day.  Carefully record any reactions you observe.  It's very important to keep a journal.  This is a very tedious procedure, but it will pay off over the long run.  If you get no improvement, or only marginal improvement, you will be armed with a lot of very good information to give to your alternative physician, should it become apparent that you cannot do this alone.

 

At LeQuadrillage we do not oppose the use of medications to treat ADD/ADHD under any and all circumstances.  We believe strongly that practioners need to look at the alternative treatments that have proven to be effective and at the very least, keep an open mind and integrate them into any treatment program they devise.  If your doctor refuses to consider this, find another.  Sometimes drugs are necessary, but we feel they should be used only as a last resort with an eye to removing the child from them as quickly as possible.  Drugs should always be used with restraint and the cradle to grave drug philosophy needs to be abandoned.  Always check with an ACAM PHYSICIAN when in doubt.