ADHD has perplexed many researchers, doctors, behaviorists, therapists and dietitians for decades.  It has received growing attention in recent years as the estimated number of affected children has been estimated to be 3-5%.  Most notably, the condition has reached epidemic proportions with American children.  It is thought that ADHD is caused by low levels of the brain chemical dopamine, and that if levels of this chemical could be restored either by synthetic or natural means, the condition could be reversed or at the very least, controlled.  Ritalin has been the preferred method of treatment for many doctors over the years, and its effectiveness has been attributed to increased dopamine levels the medication causes.

I will refer to something called the AA/EPA ratio in the next few paragraphs.  Essentially what this measures is the ratio of the harmful omega-6 acids to the beneficial omega-3 acids.  The lower this number is for a person, the better.  It has been found that many people with brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s, dyslexia, stroke and multiple sclerosis have higher ratios than those that don’t, leading doctors and researchers to believe that omega 3 deficiency and higher levels of omega 6’s in the diet is the cause, or at the very least a contributing factor for many of the brain disorders and chronic conditions we see today.  Such findings are directing many in the medical profession to pay closer attention to the subject of fish oil and ADHD.

Researcher Dr. Barry Sears and colleague Rene Espy engaged in a research experiment where a group of children with ADHD were given high doses of fish oil (10-20 grams) while simultaneously controlling insulin levels in all children for eight weeks.

The results were astounding.  After a period of only a few weeks, it was noted that “these children’s ability to concentrate increased dramatically” (Sears 145).  It was also noted that there were “positive changes in behavior both in school and at home” (Sears 145).  The children’s blood was measured at the start of the experiment and it was determined that the average AA/EPA ratio was around 22.  It should also be noted that Japanese children have AA/EPA ratios of around 1.5.  Why the comparison to Japanese children?  The reason is because Japanese children have a much higher intake of omega 3’s from fish in their diet than their American counterparts, and the average AA/EPA ratio for them is 1.5.

After the eight week experiment the children’s blood was measured again and it was found that the average AA/EPA ratio was as low as 3, leading the researchers to believe the reduction in ADHD symptoms of lack of concentration and poor focus were directly due to the high levels of fish oil used in the diet.

Dr. Sears also noted that at the end of the eight week experiment, most of the children resorted back to their old eating habits, stopped taking fish oil, and then rapidly deteriorated back to their previous conditions.

The findings demonstrated that a lower AA/EPA ratio is achieved by reducing omega 6’s in the diet, and increasing omega 3’s via fish oil.  The conclusions to draw from this experiment are that a lower AA/EPA ratio is likely responsible for a reduction in ADHD symptoms and that if the fish oil was to be continuously administered every day, the symptoms of ADHD would either be more manageable or nonexistent.

These results beg the question:  If the children continued on the regimen beyond the eight week trial, would the benefits have persisted?

So, what’s your goal?  Your goal is to determine where you stand on the topic of fish oil and ADHD. Also, to use this information to determine if using fish oil could possibly improve your quality of life or the quality of life of a loved one by reducing or eliminating the effects of ADHD.  Although the experiment is far from conclusive, the results are astounding and shed tremendous light on the miracle of fish oil in the treatment of ADHD.

This post is from: Life With ADHD.

The Truth About Fish Oil and ADHD

ADHD behavior therapy together with medication is now recognized as the best way of treating ADHD . The great example is Michael Phelps who was diagnosed at the age of 9 years. He was put on medication but apparently that did not last long and then went on with ADHD behavior therapy.

As we are talking about Michael Phelps, it is interesting to note that the best sports for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder children apparently are swimming, horse riding and martial arts. The latter is great for helping with focus and concentration which are two of the problems with ADHD children. They also learn to control their bodies and minds. So, whether you opt for ADHD behavioral therapy or not, keep in mind sports for kids is a great way to help with this condition. Buying an indoor jungle gym is a great way for hyperactive kids to let off steam and can be used in breaks from homework too.

ADHD behavioral therapy can help the parents with strategies in the following situations. The child is starting to lie and cheat and is also abusive towards his or her siblings. You can also learn about being a role model and the importance of practising what you preach. Children ape their parents in almost everything so if you never read a book and prefer to watch TV, then why should you be surprised to never find your child engrossed in a book ?

There are also great strategies to learn how to cope with a meltdown. You can learn about using the time-out technique and applying it to yourself when you are about to lose your self-control. If you despair of the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medications which are risky for your child’s health and have neglected considering how and why your parenting techniques are going to be crucial in your child’s development, then check out the links below. Learning and adopting ADHD behavioral therapy together with a natural cure for ADHD could be the best thing you ever did to treat your ADHD child.

This post is from: Life With ADHD.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – How Can ADHD Behavior Therapy Help?