ADHD: Anyone doing special diets for their child(ren)?

[Anonymous]

My 8yo DD was recently diagnosed with ADHD. It has not been confirmed, but it is highly like our youngest also has ADHD.

I'm wondering what changes we should make in our diets if any. Has anyone else changed their child's diet? Has it helped? Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

We had the same concerns and discussed them with the pediatrician. She said it certainly doesn't hurt to give them healthy organic foods with no additives and to give vitamin and omega supplements. It may not make a difference, but your kids will still be healthy on the physical level. Be prepared for a whopping increase in your food bill if you go this route. We went organic earlier this year and it is killing our budget

[Anonymous]

We've made no diet changes. There's little evidence that diet causes/ameliorates ADHD. It's certainly good to eat healthy and our son has alway been a good eater and isn't overly sweets-obsessed. I'm on a couple of ADHD listservs and people really resort to what seem like far-out diets. I may think this way because our son does not suffer from hyperactivity. Medication and routine have helped for our son.

[Anonymous]

We avoid all artificial food colorings (especially red 40 and blues). We notice a huge increase in our son's hyperactivity after he consumes them.

[Anonymous]

We gave up chemicals (food coloring and preservatives) which helps, tried gluten and casien free which did less so (and was difficult), give extra zinc and fish oil which seems effective

[Anonymous]

Eating food without artifical colors, flavors and preservatives has been a big help to us. The artifical flavorings seem to be the worst culprit for us. Shopping at places like Trader Joe's makes this easier -- most of their foods have noa rtifical ingredients. We don't buy organic. Check out www.feingold.org for more on ow to avoid artifical ingredients. They have a good shopping guide.

[Anonymous]

Eating food without artifical colors, flavors and preservatives has been a big help to us. The artifical flavorings seem to be the worst culprit for us.

Ditto here. I really believe in my gut (pun intended) that it's the chemicals cooked in a New Jersey lab that are the culprit in tweaky behavior (BHt, Red Dye #40, etc). Not casein and gluten.

Awareness of the existence of celiac sprue disease -- an autoimmune disease -- has made many believe think they're "allergic" to wheat. It's interesting.