ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD)

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ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD)

 

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We have successfully treated hundreds of ADD and ADHD cases, and have had to

use Ritalin in less than 5% of them.

We find that almost all of ADD and ADHD cases have excess aluminum in their

tissues, as well al low Manganese and Lithium levels.

Most of them are also sensitive to sugars and glutens.

We pinpoint the cause by using one or more of the following diagnostics:

* _Amino Acid Analysis_ (http://www.drmanso.com/labtests.html)

* _Hair Analysis_ (http://www.drmanso.com/hairanalysis.html)

* _Food Allergy Tests_ (http://www.drmanso.com/foodallergytest.html)

We then supply the nutrients that are missing, and eliminate the offending

substances to bring about the results we want.

INTRODUCTION

Today one out of every five children has a behavior or learning disorder. It

is a devastating problem that destroys lives or makes living a depressing

and nightmarish experience for both parents and children. The children's'

behavior often exhaust the parents, and can lead to divorce. Schools spend more

on

special education, yet the test scores and dropout rates are still dismal.

The problem doesn't end as the children grow up. We just rename the problem

delinquency and crime. Medication, psychotherapy, special education, more

prisons and police might control the situation. However, none of these methods

address causes! Let us focus on causes.

CAUSES OF ADD

The causes of attention deficit disorder (ADD) can be divided into those

within a person, and those outside. Outside influences include problems in the

family and home environment, and inappropriate educational environments or

methods. Family factors include; divorce, two working parents, exhausted

parents, poor parenting, influence of television and the moral climate of the

home.

The school system may not be appropriate for all children, causing part of

the problem. The area that is seldom addressed is the factors within the child

himself. These are not mentioned because such factors as nutrition and

biochemistry are still routinely ignored by both physicians and psychologists.

This

article will focus on what is known about children with ADD, and how they

can be helped through simple methods that correct body chemistry.

The Biochemistry of ADD

The relationship between behavior and nutrition is not new. Early in the

century a deficiency of B vitamins was found to be associated with mental

confusion, fatigue and even psychosis. In 1950, Abram Hoffer, M.D., a Canadian

psychiatrist, originated the field of orthomolecular psychiatry. He discovered

that some cases of serious mental illness including schizophrenia could be

reversed by giving sufficient amounts of niacin and other vitamins. His work is

still ignored in conventional psychiatry.

Benjamin Feingold, M.D., a San Francisco allergist, wrote Is Your Child

Hyperactive? some twenty years ago. He found that by eliminating sugar,

additives

and preservatives from hyperactive childrens' diets that half the children

reverted to normal behavior. He pioneered the idea that children could have an

allergic reaction to common food colorings and additives that affect their

behavior. These are called central nervous system allergies. They are

reactions to a food, chemical, mold or other substance that cause changes in

brain

chemistry and behavior.

Between 1979 and 1983, the New York City school system removed the sugar,

additives and preservatives from its school lunch program. That change alone

produced a 15-percentage point increase in performance on standardized tests.

The simple dietary change moved the New York City schools from below national

average to above national average. This study was well controlled, and

involved 800,000 children. Other reasons for the outcome were carefully ruled

out.

(S. Schoenthaler; International Journal of Biosocial Research 8/2:185-195,

1986). However, the sale of children's cereals laced with sugar and hundreds of

questionable food additives continue unabated. Physicians continue to ignore

the effects of these non-foods and rarely even question parents about their

child's eating habits. McDonalds has now set up shop within some school

cafeterias. While the FDA seeks to protect us from dangerous vitamins, approval

is

given for soda pop containing 10 teaspoons of sugar per can. Soda pop also

contains caffeine and phosphoric acid, a chemical which interferes with the

absorption of calcium, magnesium and zinc.

The high salt content of many junk foods such as chips and French fries

reduce magnesium levels, worsening magnesium deficiency. White flour and

refined

sugar products have been stripped of their B-vitamins as well as their trace

minerals. Often, these denatured foods are children's dietary staples.

In a word, childrens' diets today are atrocious. Blame must be shared by the

medical profession, parents, and the FDA which approves of the junk food,

pesticides and other chemicals routinely applied to, or mixed with, our food.

The same agency harasses those who would offer healthier alternatives. Until

the consumption of sugar, questionable chemicals and stimulants by children is

reversed, ADD, delinquency and crime problems will probably only worsen.

Toxic Metals

The effects of toxic metals such as lead on children's behavior has also

been known for years. In May 1987, The Lancet, a prestigious medical journal,

reported that in a study of 800 English school children, the more lead in the

childrens' blood, the slower their learning rate. Researchers also found that

there was no safe level of lead. Other toxic metals such as cadmium, copper

and mercury are also known to be associated with behavior change, delinquency

and criminality. This information is available in toxicology books, but is

overlooked for several reasons. Physicians do not regularly assess toxic metals

as part of a medical checkup. Psychologists are also not trained in this

knowledge, nor in the assessment tools for toxic metal detection.

In a study of naval recruits, those with high cadmium had the most behavior

problems. Mercury toxicity produced the Mad Hatter described in Alice in

Wonderland. Yet 100 million silver amalgam fillings are placed annually in the

United States. They contain about 50% mercury. Many are placed in children.

Copper imbalance is commonly found in the hair analysis of ADD children. The

copper is often passed through the placenta to the children at birth.

Copper interferes with zinc, affects thyroid activity, and enhances the

biogenic amines. These are neurotransmitters that stimulate brain activity.

Carl

Pfeiffer, M.D., Ph.D. and Dr. Paul Eck have documented the effects of excess

copper. They include hyperactivity, mood swings, anxiety, panic attacks,

depression and anti-social behavior. Copper stimulates the old brain, or

diencephalon. This is sometimes called the animal brain, as compared to the

cortex or

new brain. The old brain is responsible for our animal responses, while the

new brain modifies these responses and is responsible for complex thought and

the higher emotions. People with a copper imbalance actually revert back

toward primitive animal responses to their environment.

Copper imbalance is very common. The only reason one can imagine copper

imbalance is not recognized is that physicians do not look for it, either in

the

blood or hair where it is easy to detect.

Mineral and Vitamin Deficiencies

Mineral nutrition has a great bearing on behavior. In my experience,

calcium, magnesium and zinc are deficient in almost all ADD children.

Supplementation of these minerals can change someone from a little monster or

animal into a

sweet child. I have heard this comment from so many parents that I am no

longer surprised, although I am amazed at how easy it can be to transform

behavior. Recently a mother called to say her daughter had transformed within a

month from a nasty, mean 4-year-old into a sweet child. She said it was like

getting to know a different child.

Calcium and magnesium help relax muscles and have a calming effect on the

nervous system. Magnesium deficiency is associated with belligerence and

irritability. Many ADD children are tired, because they have trouble going to

sleep

or staying asleep. This only adds to their difficulties. Calcium and

magnesium also function as psychological buffer elements. This means they

protect a

person from the effects of stress. When they are deficient, the child is more

reactive, and has a harder time being around other children and maintaining

a focus of attention.

Zinc functions as a mood stabilizer. Some researchers actually consider it a

calming neurotransmitter in its own right. In the absence of adequate zinc,

copper and cadmium accumulate in the brain and other organs, with a negative

effect upon brain chemistry. Unfortunately, many mother's diets are low in

zinc. In fact, according to Carl Pfeiffer, author of Mental and Elemental

Nutrients, the entire American population is borderline zinc deficient.

Other trace elements such as manganese and chromium also play a critical

role in behavior because they influence glucose tolerance. This is discussed in

more detail in the next section. Vitamins work in conjunction with the

minerals. B vitamins are particularly important for the nervous system.

However,

all are important for proper body functioning.

Sugar Blues and Behavior

A number of years ago a man who murdered the mayor of San Francisco was

acquitted based on the Twinkie defense. He claimed to be hypoglycemic and out

of

control of his behavior. It is a poor excuse for murder, but it is true that

when blood sugar falls below about 50 or 60 milligram, radical behavior

change can occur. Many parents have confirmed that their child's behavior

deteriorates after even a small amount of sugar. Sugar quickly alters calcium

and

phosphorus levels. If there is a hypoglycemic tendency, the blood sugar level

later drops too low. The brain begins to starve. It is similar to a computer

during a power drop, except the brain tries to survive any way it can, and may

take drastic action.

Robert Atkins, M.D., measured glucose tolerance in every patient entering

his office and found that 75% had some degree of glucose intolerance. He says

that many physicians do not properly perform and interpret the glucose

tolerance test. Unless one measures insulin as well as glucose, a false

negative

test result can occur. I concur with this, on the basis of hair mineral testing

which suggests sugar intolerance in many individuals who have had normal

glucose tolerance tests. In many cases, a test is not needed. If a person is

irritable before meals, has trouble skipping meals, has reactions to sugar or

inordinate sweet cravings, he or she probably has impaired sugar tolerance. It

is very common among children.

One need not look far for the causes. High sugar diets overwork the glucose

regulating mechanism. Deficiencies in zinc, chromium, manganese and B

vitamins further reduce the body's ability to properly utilize glucose. Toxic

metals

replace the physiological minerals and further disturb body chemistry. The

problem can be controlled and corrected by changing the diet. Adding protein

and at times fat to the diet helps maintain stable blood sugar levels. Mineral

imbalances can be corrected with supplements.

Some parents today feed their children sugar-laden foods out of ignorance or

laziness. Others, however, think they are doing the right thing by feeding

their children natural, unsweetened apple juice and lots of fruit. They feel

that natural sugar is better than sucrose or fructose in processed food. The

only advantage of the natural food sugars is that they come with some minerals

and vitamins. However, the sugar is the same. It will cause problems for any

child who is sugar-sensitive. Parents are often amazed at the improvement in

behavior when all sugars are removed from the diet. Any sugar upsets blood

sugar equilibrium and can enhance yeast growth. Sugar also enters the blood

stream very rapidly. This speeds up the metabolic rate, which is already

excessive in most children with ADD.

Born Sick

One measure of a culture is the attention paid to producing healthy children

who, after all, represent the future of the society. By this standard, we

rate poorly. The connection between healthy parents and healthy offspring is

rarely stressed to young people preparing for marriage and parenting. Our

infant mortality rate is high. Our birth defect rate has doubled since 1950! We

seem much more interested in heroics and glamorous cures than taking simple

steps to prevent birth defects and produce healthy children. It is really

bizarre.

Weston Price, in Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, describes a Fiji

Island society in which when a woman marries, she is immediately fed special

foods

to have healthy children. A picture shows a woman holding a special kind of

crab to feed newly wed women to produce healthy children. This is sensible

prenatal care! Tissue mineral analysis research confirms that a common

contributor to ADD and many other childhood problems is that so many children

get a

poor start in life. Most children today are born toxic and deficient, due to

the nutritional imbalances of the parents. Neurotoxicology books confirm that

lead, cadmium, copper and other toxic metals pass right through the placenta

from mother to child. Children are described as sinks for these metals.

Once again, the solution is not difficult. Prenatal care must begin at

marriage, or earlier! The concept of giving a prenatal vitamin when a woman

realizes she is pregnant is much too little, much too late. By the time

pregnancy

is detected, the child has been in development for several weeks. At least 6

months is needed to replenish even one mineral! Prenatal vitamins are not even

complete or geared to the individual.

Animal researchers know that the result of poor diets or toxins fed to

animals often don't show up immediately. It may take several generations before

problems start appearing. The situation in America today is that several

generations have lived on junk food and been exposed to many chemicals and

low-dose

radiation. The effects are showing up in this generation of children. Until

change occurs in our value system and true prenatal care is practiced, there

is little hope for giving children a healthy start in life. All the genetics

research that makes the nightly news is not going to correct nutritionally

induced problems. What the reporters fail to mention is that nutrients activate

genes. Nutrients are needed for the expression of our genetic potential.

This is why zinc and folic acid, for example, will prevent particular birth

defects. Without these nutrients, the genetic potential cannot be expressed and

the result is a defective child. I am not saying that nutrition will solve

everything, but it is a central factor in birth defects and genetic problems

that is hardly mentioned.

Drugging the Children

Many children suffer from antibiotic overkill, sometimes beginning the day

they are born. Antibiotics are given for ear infections, colds, flu, sore

throats, acne, and many other conditions. While at times these may be

necessary,

many times they are not needed. A study in the Journal of the American

Medical Association, 1991; 266(23):3309-3317 concluded that children treated

with

Amoxicillin for middle ear infection had 2 to 6 times the recurrence rate of

those who did not receive the antibiotic.

Antibiotics damage the normal intestinal flora and weaken the immune system.

The effect persists long after the antibiotic is discontinued. A combination

of antibiotic usage, copper imbalance, antibiotic residues in meat, and a

high-sugar diet forms the perfect environment for candida albicans overgrowth.

Candida albicans is a normal inhabitant of the human intestine. However, when

it overgrows it produces alcohol and acetaldehyde, both poisons that can

severely affect behavior. Candida overgrowth should be suspected in any child

who has taken repeated doses of antibiotics. A trial with an anti-candida

medication and low sugar diet will often produce dramatic improvement in energy,

behavior and other problems within a week or two!

Once again, most physicians and psychologists don't look for the problem, so

they don't find it. However, it is there, and it is commonplace! One can use

vitamins and herbs as ecchinacea and golden seal, and conservative methods

of treating infections whenever possible. When used correctly, these methods

work very well. Always consult someone knowledgeable if you are not sure what

to do. Antibiotic overuse also contributes to resistant bugs and other

chronic infections. The antibiotics kill the bugs, but do not enhance the

child's

immune system. Over time, chronic conditions develop that can affect a child

in subtle ways. Chronic infections can contribute to fatigue, irritability and

poor concentration. The child may miss too much school, affecting school

performance. One of the most common remarks from parents of children who are

placed on corrective nutrition programs is that the children rarely get sick any

more, and when they do the episode is mild and over quickly.

Fast Metabolism and ADD

Most ADD children are fast oxidizers. This term means that on a mineral

analysis calcium and magnesium levels are low, while sodium and potassium

levels

are high. This mineral pattern is associated with overactivity of the thyroid

and adrenal glands. It is a fast metabolic rate that contributes to a short

attention span, hyperirritability, and often aggressiveness and belligerence.

 

Fast oxidizers are also allergy-prone. Low calcium and magnesium enhance

cell permeability, which permits foreign proteins to pass into the blood

causing

allergic reactions. Fast oxidizers are also very prone to hypoglycemia, as

they burn their food more rapidly than normal.

These children are made worse by sugar and all sweets, which further speed

up their metabolism. This includes fruit and fruit juices. They benefit from

more fats and oils, which have a slowing effect on their metabolism. Many

parents are afraid to give their children fats for fear of obesity or raising

cholesterol. Children need fat, an essential nutrient for the development of

their nervous system. Natural peanut butter, avocado, butter, cheese, olive

oil,

eggs, meats, and other fat-containing foods are very beneficial for these

children. They do not cause increased cholesterol or obesity provided the child

is healthy.

Stress further increases the oxidation rate. Stress can take the form of too

much television, too much activity, or even too many children in a

classroom. Fast oxidizers easily become wound up and need peace and quiet to

function

best. Chronic overestimation in these children leads to its opposite, a

burnout condition which is becoming more common in children. Correcting fast

oxidation is another key to ADD that is routinely overlooked, but fairly simple

and inexpensive to improve.

Burnout and ADD

Normally, young children are fast oxidizers. However, we now see more

children in slow oxidation or with the four-low-electrolyte pattern. These

patterns

represent an exhaustion pattern at a young age. These children can also

develop ADD because they are exhausted, even if they seem to play and act like

they have plenty of energy. The energy can be nervous energy, and they are not

as healthy as they may appear. Commonly, their mineral test reveals toxic

metals and other imbalances as well. These childrens' learning ability and

concentration deficit will often improve when their body chemistry is brought

into

better balance.

WHAT CAN BE DONE?

Prevention must start now! Mothers, and potential mothers, begin NOW to eat

well, quit smoking and, if you feel the need, have your body chemistry

checked. Do this before you become pregnant, because it takes time to bring

body

chemistry into balance. The father's role in prevention is not as clear

although genetic problems are of course passed on from both parents.

* If you have a child with a learning or behavior disorder, simple

measures can make a big difference:

* Feed your child a variety of fresh, natural, minimally processed

foods. Take the time to prepare and eat regular meals.

* Keep your child away from sugar in all foods - including many

breakfast cereals, snack foods, etc. Even unsweetened fruit juices and fruit

can

cause problems in sensitive children.

* Avoid giving children soda pop and other junk foods, even if they

contain no sugar and no caffeine. These foods contain little nutritive value

and

can contribute to deficiencies. You are not depriving your child. Explain to

the child why. Many children will understand that they feel better off the

junk food.

* Don't overfeed on starches. They can worsen blood sugar imbalances in

some children. Good quality fats and oils can be very beneficial.

* Some children are sensitive to food additives. Try eliminating

additives, preservatives, artificial colors and flavors, and Nutrasweet. You

may

notice an improvement in behavior.

* Some children have sensitivities to particular foods. A way to detect

this is to note in a journal for two weeks what your child eats, and his

behavior afterwards.

 

Crime and Delinquency

This article would not be complete without noting the connection between

children's behavior problems and those of adults. It is no accident that both

problems are escalating together. Mineral analysis research on delinquents and

adult offenders reveals the same nutritional imbalances as are present in the

ADD and hyperactive children. An excellent book on this subject is Diet,

Crime and Delinquency by Alexander Schauss, Parker House Books, 1982. The book

cites many studies showing a clear relationship between nutrient deficiencies,

toxic metals, hypoglycemia, food allergies, and junk food diets and criminal

behavior. As we spend more money for prisons and police, would it not be

wise to examine causes, instead of always dealing with effects?

Conclusion

In our experience, most children with ADD have one or more of the following

nutritional imbalances: mineral and vitamin deficiencies, toxic metal

accumulation, stimulants in the diet, junk food or other improper diet, hidden

infections, chronic candida albicans infection, food or environmental

allergies, a

rapid rate of metabolism, and often nutritional imbalances passed on at

birth. Some also have structural imbalances correctable through chiropractic or

osteopathic methods.

Diagnostic labels and routine medical evaluations are of little help for

these children. Ritalin and related drugs control behavior but often do not

improve school performance. However, simple changes in the diet, and correction

of candida, allergies and nutrient imbalances helps many of these children to

lead normal lives.