Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, sometimes referred to as ADD, is a chronic neuropsychological disorder most often diagnosed in childhood. Its symptoms include inability to concentrate, impulsive behavior, inattention and hyperactivity, which interfere with a child's functioning and often lead to school and behavior problems. The Mayo Clinic states that millions of children are affected by ADD and that the disorder often persists into adulthood. Effective treatment for ADD generally includes psychiatric medications, counseling and behavior modification, but some parents have found that dietary adjustments improve their children's ADD symptoms. If your child has ADD, you may want to try the following strategies.
Step 1
Eliminate artificial colors from your child's diet. For some children with ADD, artificial colors, especially yellow, red and green, seem to exacerbate symptoms, reports the University of Maryland Medical Center. Therefore, it can be helpful to limit or eliminate food that contain artificial dyes, such as certain snack foods and cereals.
Step 2
Eliminate salicylates. Salicylates are chemicals similar to aspirin that are found in many foods, including berries, chili powder, apples, grapes, cloves, oranges, peaches, peppers, plums, prunes and tomatoes, and are implicated in ADD symptoms for some children. A well-known dietary treatment for ADD, known as the Feingold diet, focuses on eliminating these chemicals from a child's diet, says the University of Michigan Health System. While this approach is very successful for some, it is extremely difficult to enforce and usually requires guidance from an expert familiar with the Feingold plan.
Step 3
Eliminate common allergens, such as wheat, dairy and eggs. Some children with ADD seem especially sensitive to these foods, and cutting them out can improve ADD symptoms. However, this hypoallergenic diet is not effective for everyone.
Step 4
Consider eliminating or cutting down on sugar. Many parents assert that sugar increases their children's hyperactivity, but studies so far have not shown a strong association between sugar and ADD symptoms. However, as it may help some children's symptoms, eliminating dietary sugar could be worth a try, especially since sugar adds no nutritional value to your child's diet anyway. Concentrate on avoiding added sugars such as those in snacks and processed foods, rather than natural sugars such as those in fresh fruit.
