Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a developmental disorder that affects the thoughts, behaviors, cognitive capacity and personality of children. Children with ADD show deficits in attention, but also typically show some symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity. Many children with ADD have metabolic conditions, such as reactive hypoglycemia or reactive hyperinsulinemia, says the ADD ADHD Advances website. These children respond to sudden increases in blood sugar with surges of insulin and other hormones that trigger a blood sugar crash and ADD symptoms. To treat your child's ADD effectively, you should manage the foods your child eats carefully to stabilize blood sugar. Further, the food you feed your child affects the availability of important chemicals, such as the neurotransmitters serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine that are involved in the regulation of mood, attention and behavior.
High-Protein Foods
A high-protein diet stabilizes blood sugar and furthermore improves production of amino acids that are involved in the production of important brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. Feed your child protein at every meal and at mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks. High-protein foods include tofu, nuts, beans, meat, poultry and dairy products, such as milk, eggs, cheese and yogurt.
Cold-Water Fish
Cold-water fish and seafood, like cod, mackerel, salmon, shrimp and tuna, are high in protein and have the added benefit of providing an essential fatty acid called DHA that can improve ADD symptoms.
Complex Carbohydrates
Provide meals and snacks that contain both proteins and complex carbohydrates. Both nutrients are necessary to construct and transport neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, into the brain. Feed your child combination foods, like tuna on whole grain bread or peanut butter on celery, to optimize brain and metabolic functioning.
Avoid Simple Carbohydrates
Sugars and starches are simple carbohydrates that are quickly digested and released into the bloodstream in the form of glucose. Many children with ADD are sensitive to these blood glucose surges, says the ADD ADHD Advances website. To avoid glucose surges, minimize your child's consumption of sugar, fruit juice, candy, cake, baked goods, sweetened cereal, pasta and soda pop.
Avoid Processed Foods and Additives
Benjamin Feingold, M.D., a pediatric allergist, author and creator of the Feingold Diet, has suggested that children with ADD may be sensitive to food additives. Substances, such as bleaching agents, colorings, flavorings, preservatives, emulsifiers, salicylates, thickeners and vegetable gums, may trigger ADD symptoms in some children. Avoid processed and preserved foods to minimize your child's exposure to these triggers.
