ADHD: We Have Not Properly Diagnosed This Condition

ADHD: We Have Not Properly Diagnosed This Condition

When medical treatment for ADHD involves added side effect such as: strokes, convulsions, hallucinations, depression, and suicide, you have the wrong medication. These are very serious side effects for treating a not-so-serious health condition.

Taken from the Toronto Star report, “The regulator says the benefits of the drugs, when properly prescribed and used, outweigh the risks.” But what if the condition of ADHD is wrongly diagnosed and grouped as a mental disorder? Like drawing fish in a net, they become part of the catch. Children as young as 6 are being drugged for ADHD. The article goes on to say, “All side effects doctors aren’t required to report.” Parents are left in the dark, for they don’t know all the risks.

According to the CDC, 1 in 5 children have a mental disorder in the USA; potentially, that is 6.6 million children needing prescription drugs, which is big business and normally for the extension of their lives.

When we think of ADHD, we associate the condition and victims as being erratic in behavior and hard to control due to their overactive minds. Children that are diagnosed as having ADHD disrupt the norm; in classrooms, they need added attention, which takes the teachers’ attention away from fellow students. Home life is also disrupted as they constantly move like rabbits. In other words, they require much more work than non-ADHD children.

Society needs these children controlled and the only means they have at their disposal is pharmaceutical drugs. Clarification must be given: ADHD children are not stupid or retarded. In actuality, their intelligence is above normal in most cases. The diagnosis is wrong. Physicians group ADHD behavior but don’t check if the patients have any other underlying medical conditions such as dietary triggers. Instead, they are grouped as mentally unstable.

The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry conducted a study involving 7-year-old Swedish students.[1] The study concluded that pure ADHD is rare, even in a general population sample.

Thus, studies reporting on ADHD cases without comorbidity probably refer to highly atypical samples. By and large, such studies cannot inform rational clinical decisions.

Medical comorbidity–more specifically, psychiatric comorbidities–occur alongside eating disorders. Understanding that comorbid conditions are intertwined with an eating disorder, and treating both the eating disorder and co-occurring illness (in this case, ADHD) are critical in dealing with the issue for recovery. When comorbidities or the underlying issues are present, the main objective of treatment is psychiatric and medical stabilization. The core issue, the diet, must be addressed first before patients can be treated therapeutically for ADHD.

The western diet is the main cause of ADHD; hidden refined sugar is one of the main culprits. The clinical Raine Study followed 2,868 live births, and 14-year follow-up. Two major dietary patterns were identified: “Western” and “Healthy.” A higher score for the Western dietary pattern was associated with ADHD diagnosis (odds ratio = 2.21, 95% confidence interval = 1.18, 4.13) after adjusting for known confounding factors from pregnancy to 14 years. ADHD diagnosis was not associated with the “Healthy” dietary pattern. Conclusion: A Western-style diet may be associated with ADHD.

Before we begin medicating our children for ADHD, the first step needs to examine the diet, and once the diet becomes “healthy” the condition may no longer exist.

As with all disease conditions the bedding ground for most are initiated within the human gut microbiota, if the gut bacteria are unbalanced it creates an imbalance throughout the body including conditions of ADHD and other forms of mental imbalance. According to clinical studies certain strains of probiotics have been helpful in treating ADHD. According to a double-blind study at Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia, by Dr. Adolf Drolc, Maribor, Slovenia; titled A Pilot Randomized Control Trial With the Probiotic Strain Lactobacillus Rhamnosus GG (LGG) in ADHD: Children and Adolescents Report Better Health-Related Quality of Life. [2]

Objective: “Double-blind pilot randomized placebo-controlled trial examined the possible effect of the probiotic strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG ATCC53103 (LGG) on symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), health-related quality of life (QoL), and serum levels of cytokines in children and adolescents with ADHD.”

Results: Thirty-five participants were randomized, with 32 completing the study (91.4% retention). There was a significant improvement in the PedsQL Child Self-Report Total Score after 3 months of treatment in the probiotic (p = 0.021, d = 0.53), whereas there was no significant improvement in the placebo group (p = 0.563, d = 0.04).

Conclusions: Children and adolescents with ADHD who received LGG supplementation reported better health-related QoL compared to their peers who received the placebo. This suggests that LGG supplementation could be beneficial. Life Choice Laktokhan 4 probiotic human strains include the probiotic strain Lactobacillus Rhamnosus as its principle ingredient with Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterium longum.

After dietary factors are addressed, natural treatment can begin. The protocol that has worked with my patients in the past is a two-part process, one to ensure sound sleep and one to address focus.

DMAE: 3 capsules taken on an empty stomach and Sweet Dreams Melatonin Liquid: 14 drops in small amount of water taken on an empty stomach, relaxation will occur within 10 minutes, must not be operating any machinery or taken when doing anything physical.

DMAE:

DMAE is known for its brain function enhancements.
It is a naturally occurring nutrient found in seafood, such as anchovies and sardines–just like the old saying that fish is brain food.
DMAE helps elevate mood, improve memory, increase cognitive and learning ability, also physical energy.
Many people will take DMAE for its mild stimulant effect, yet DMAE helps most people fall asleep, sleeping more soundly, and having less fatigue during the day.
DMAE has the ability to enhance brain functions at the higher level and can compensate for various neuropsychological deficits ranging from cognitive processes to aging itself.
DMAE greatly reduces the lipofusion from brain and nerve cells and is able to cross the blood brain barrier.
DMAE has proven to be a safe alternative for such learning and behavior problems as attention deficit disorder (ADD) and Hyperkinesias. Other conditions for which DMAE is useful are chronic fatigue, mild depression and confusion.

Melatonin Liquid:

The hormone melatonin in clinical studies has shown to produce rapid sleep onset, and to increase the duration of sleep. Melatonin is a well tolerated, non-habit-forming agent which does not produce grogginess.
Melatonin is an antioxidant it may turn back the ravages of time by “resetting” the body’s aging clock.
Melatonin has demonstrated beneficial effects against jet lag, without the apparent adverse side effects of other remedies.
Studies recently indicate melatonin may bolster our immune system, slow the growth of cataracts and tumors, and help fight off heart disease, all of which are exacerbated by stress.
More than 50 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders, including insomnia, excessive drowsiness, and restless movement during sleep. Sleep disorders can disrupt a person’s lifestyle by causing a shorter attention span, decreased energy and physical strength. More importantly, those suffering from a lack of sleep are more prone to accidents, depression and infections.

ADHD testimonial

“Life Choice I would like to let you know how helpful your products have been for my son and I, we both have ADHD. I give my son 7 drops of Sweet Dreams liquid melatonin before bed, it helps him sleep through the night and awaken refreshed. Before school I give him your DMAE Lights On, it keeps him calm and focused, it has made a huge difference. BTW I take them both as well and have had very good results.” -Dale B, Calgary, AB

Additional Reading:

CDC issues first comprehensive report on children’s mental health in the United States http://www.cdc.gov/media/dpk/2013/dpk-child-mental-health.html

ADHD Is Associated With a “Western” Dietary Pattern in Adolescents

http://jad.sagepub.com/content/15/5/403.short

Comorbid Diagnoses: When Other Illnesses Occur Alongside an Eating Disorder

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kenneth-l-weiner-md-faed-ceds/eating-disorders_b_1761513.html?

ADHD drugs to add suicide risk warnings

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/adhd-drugs-to-add-suicide-risk-warnings-1.3015562

ADHD drugs suspected of hurting Canadian kids

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2012/09/26/adhd_drugs_suspected_of_hurting_canadian_kids.html

DMAE: “DMAE” http://www.wholehealthchicago.com/3378/dmae-dimethylaminoethanol/

Melatonin Liquid: (1) “Long-term follow-up of melatonin treatment in children with ADHD and chronic sleep onset insomnia.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19486273 ; (2) “Diagnosing the Wrong Deficit” http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/28/opinion/sunday/diagnosing-the-wrong-deficit.html