ADHD or Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is most commonly diagnosed disorder in children, best described as the co-existence of attention problems and hyperactivity. It affects 2% to 5% children from all over the world and its symptoms start showing before seven years of age.
Symptoms
It is extremely hard to tell the difference between the normal child’s behavior and an abnormally active behavior. The most common symptoms of hyperactivity are: over activity, leaving projects unfinished, inability to sit still at meals, lack of interest in staying with games, clumsiness, daydreaming, nonstop talking, inability to respond to discipline, speech problems, temper tantrums, inability to listen to a story to the end, recklessness, impatience, destructivity, lying…
Symptoms may often remain into adulthood. However, many adults remain untreated and they often may appear chaotic and disorganized or even develop associated psychiatric conditions such as depression, anxiety disorder, learning disability, or substance abuse.
Treatments
Natural remedies, such as protein foods and meditation, can help in treatment of ADHD but no treatment should begin before making an official diagnosis.
There are several methods of treatment and they often consider combination of behavior modification, counseling, life-style changes and medication. Some parents would rather seek the alternatives than to put their child on medication and natural remedies are often used in these cases.
Special diets
One of the means of management ADHD is by conducting a strict diet. Protein rich foods can help brain produce dopamine and norephrine, natural chemicals that help a person stay focused and concentrated. Children need about 30 grams of protein and dietary studies reveal that an increased use of eggs, poultry or soya milk can be beneficial. Omega-3 fatty acids, usually absorbed by eating fish, can increase child's mental concentration.
Elimination of Allergens
Some studies show that food allergies usually make the ADHD symptoms worse. If parents suspect their child has food allergy that is causing ADHD, they should remove certain foods from their child's diet and monitor the child's behavior for any changes at least two weeks. After allergy causing foods are removed the symptoms should reduce gradually. Foods that most often cause allergic reactions are peanuts, eggs and milk.
Meditation
Transcendental meditation is often being used as a natural remedy in ADHD treatment. It helps children coping with stress and stay focused and calm. Studies show that 10 minutes long meditation, performed twice a day, helps lessen the symptoms of ADHD. Yet, children diagnosed with ADHD who did transcendental meditation every day in six months had the same ability to stay focused as their friends who didn't have ADHD.
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