ADHD / Dairy Products/Diet | ADHD Information

Hi.  Just wanted to let you guys know about a great book called "Optimum Nutrition For Your Child's Mind" by Patrick Holford.  It is amazing how closely the symptoms of some vitamin and mineral deficiencies resemble ADHD symptoms including inattentiveness, behavior problems, problems with spelling, handwriting and coordination.  All sorts of things can screw up a child so that they cannot properly digest and therefore absorb their vitamins.  Doctors in this country are very resistant to this idea because they don't want to take the time to do their homework.  It is easier to dole out drugs but nutritional approaches are much more popular in Europe.  We found a chemical imbalance on the internet called Pyroluria and had to beg and convince our sons pediatrician to let him have the test.  As it turns out, he has it.  A lot of ADHD kids do.  It is a toxin the body produces that binds with B6 and zinc and prevents them from absorbing it.  We took him to a nutritionist who specializes in ADHD and she is testing his hair, saliva and did a full G.I. panel to test for other potential problems such as heavy metals or liver toxicity. His doctor actually said "why test him for Pyroluria because I won't know how to treat him if he has it."   She had never heard of it. 

Another problem is never before in history have children had such poor diets.  Food colors, preservatives and artificial flavors are garbage and most foods have had all of the vitamins processed out and then artificially put back in with chemically produced "fake" vitamins.  Now that I know the truth, all of those cartoon TV commercials for breakfast cereals and cookies aimed at our children make me really angry.  I no longer see them as harmless.  If you read the book it explains the complex workings of the brain in an easy to understand way and how huge a role vitamins, minerals, allergies, and antinutrients such as chemical food additives play in the proper functioning of your child's brain.  By the way, if you are interested in a Pyroluria test, the Bio-Center Lab in Wichita Kansas will send you out a kit for .00 to do the urine test at home along with a freezer bag to send it back to them.  It is a very sensitive test and must be done properly such as protecting the sample from light and adding it to ascorbic acid.  The lab our doctor had it done at locally did it all wrong so we are having it redone at Bio-Center Lab and the results will probably be even higher.  We are anxious to start treating him to see if it works but have to wait for all of the test results to come back.

     

Hi everyone. I read in an earlier post about the link between seratonin and dairy products, ie that dairy products produce it.  So, when my son had an outburst on the weekend, I gave him a glass of milk and hey presto, it did seem to help. Whether it was just the act of me giving him milk that defused the situation or whether there is something in this I don't know, but I will be doing it again.  Does anyone know any more about this, or where I can find out? 

Also, my son is not diagnosed yet (paed appointment in November) but shows all the symptoms of ADHD which is why I am reading posts here daily, to see how everyone treats the symptoms.  (I know there are many disorders presenting with the same symptoms). Does anyone know whether ADHD like symptoms can be caused by poor diet alone or does there necessarily HAVE to be something underlying?

If anyone knows or can point me where to read up about this I would be so happy.  thanks guys.

I have read about allergy to some foods, and also about thyroid problems. Actually, when my son was in the dignosis process he was asked to have a blood test to know if his symptoms were thyroid related. They weren't so he was finally dx adhd.

When you go to the appointment make sure you ask about thyroid if your doc doesn't mention it.

Good luck!!!

Welcome.... check out the info on the Alternatives and COmplimentary Meds section of this board.  Many of us are controlling symptoms with diet mods and supplements!  Thank you - will do!  Happy to tell you that after conference with my son's teacher today he really did well at school today.   I think I will make a list of things I want to ask the doc about.

HI, I am willing to try anything, to control outbursts, and to make his self esteem higher... My son drinks only about 2 glasses of milk a day, do you think that is enough to have an impact????   He also loves those cheesesticks... What can I give him so he is not missing the milk?  There has got to be something in the dairy isle, that is non dairy milk product, I just dont jnow what it is called..

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Amazing how different things can affect different people.  My son is quite talkative and participates well in the class.  I think a lot of it with him is self esteem. His is very low.  But for a while I am going to try the milk when he gets himself in a state.  See if I see much effect!

Our son has the opposite reaction to milk / dairy. He displayed ADHD and autistic symptoms and at 6 although talking and going to regular school would very rarely interact with us verbally.  At school he would become easily exhausted amd put his head down.  One day in a OT waiting room  I saw an article about dairy allergies. AHH!! Our son craved milk - he didn't eat much so we gave him milk - at breakfast he would slump at the table and be all "loose" - exhausted.

So we took him off dairy - PRESTO our son woke up out of a deep brain fog.  The teacher, unaware of what we were doing, call us up and said it was like a miracle - he was awake and fully participating in class.  He's been off dairy every since.