ADD/ADHD

Attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) are chronic disorders of attention span and impulse control, which can begin in infancy and continue through adulthood. ADD is characterized by short attention span and poor impulse control, whereas ADHD includes these features in association with hyperactivity. Many children are not diagnosed with ADD/ADHD until specific behaviours are noticed in the classroom environment. However, many children who appear to have ADD/ADHD characteristics such as inattentiveness, impulsivity, underachievement and hyperactivity do not have this condition. Unfortunately ADD/ADHD is all too often over diagnosed, and as a result, over treated. A confirmed diagnosis of ADD/ADHD requires an ongoing joint assessment by the physician, a psychologist and (if it’s a child) the teacher. In the case of children it’s important to realize every child has unique needs in learning and play that cannot be addressed by one system of education.

A new term, called “spirited,” is a more descriptive term for some children who are otherwise intelligent and perceptive, but have a difficult time reconciling their unique attributes within a homogenous standard. Recently the term ‘indigo children’ has been used to describe these children, and advocates of this title appreciate these children for their vivacious natures that are often confronting for older generations. Like ADD/ADHD people, spirited people may have a difficult time screening out external stimuli in order to complete a given task, but unlike ADD/ADHD, can usually perform to an acceptable level if effort is made to accommodate their unique needs in the learning environment. ADD/ADHD has also been linked to periods of high stress in the home during early childhood.

There is no definitive diagnosis for ADD/ADHD but rather, a spectrum of behaviours that depending upon the context, may or may not be criteria for an accurate diagnosis. When EEG tests have been conducted on ADD/ADHD children there appears to be diminished electrical activity of the right frontal, central and temporal regions of the brain when engaged in such activities as listening to a story or figuring out math problems. These parts of the brain are thought to attend to the individual’s ability to plan, organize, and control one’s social, motor and emotional behaviour, as well as to form one’s ability to concentrate. Individuals with ADD may express the following symptoms:

• Easily distractible
• Difficulty listening and following directions
• Difficulty focusing and sustaining attention
• Inconsistent performance in school work
• Difficulty remaining seated
• Disorganized, loses things easily
• Poor study skills, difficulty working independently
• Talks excessively
• Doesn’t listen to what is said

ADHD is used to describe the student, who, in addition to the above conditions, displays the following behaviours:

• High activity level
• Trouble with transitions and making changes
• Aggressive behaviour
• Socially immature
• Impulsivity and lack of control
• Low self esteem and high frustration level

It appears that the goal of modern education is to reduce human behaviour to an acceptable norm, and that any behaviour outside this norm prompts a quick “evaluation” of the offending child, leading to an equally quick “diagnosis” and “treatment.” The problem with such an approach is obvious: we are all unique individuals with specific learning styles. Large classroom sizes, overworked teachers and under-funded schools all contribute to the difficulty in accommodating a wide range of behaviours. Two hundred years ago children never spent most of their waking lives in the classroom: they were outside shoveling out the hen-house or feeding the cows, helping in the kitchen or with the family business, learning skills as they could use them. Formal education was often based on the apprenticeship model, one or two students working under a teacher’s direct supervision. But, society changed, and as the industrial revolution fell upon us the whole dynamic of the social fabric was altered. Cottage industries based in the home were replaced by jobs at the factory, and people were uprooted from an agricultural, pastoral lifestyle to an urban environment. Parents were forced to look outside their home and community to find work, and as a result, the home was no longer safe for children. Children needed a place to go, a place that would take over a part of the task of parenting to give them the skills they need to survive. Thus was set up this monolith of education, a publicly subsidized daycare that society paid for through taxation to allow it’s citizens to work for other people, to work for industry, to work for something that perpetuated the need to have someone else look after their children.

Unfortunately, school can only teach a very limited number of skills, and most of these skills are out of context with the reality of children’s lives. Make no mistake: school is work, and for some children, the worst kind of work. Is it any surprise that many children look for ways to turn off their mind when they get home from school, by playing video games or watching hours of television? Could it be that the high number of ADD/ADHD children is simply an artifact of our industrialized society, where children are no longer children and are expected to behave like adults, but with none of the privileges?

The cause of ADD/ADHD is multifactoral. Apart from inappropriate learning environments, there are very often allergies or sensitivities to a wide range of dietary articles, such as food preservatives, artificial colours and flavourings, herbicides and pesticides. In many cases there is reactive hypoglycemia, and considering level of sugar that some of these children are consuming this should be no surprise. Additional factors may include air-borne environmental toxins, mercury amalgams, a lack of fresh air, a lack of exercise, overexposure to the rapid-fire images of multimedia, and chronic infections such as Candida. Above all, these children are extremely sensitive to their environment and need much love and patience.

Medical treatment of ADD/ADHD

Medical treatment for ADD/ADHD consists of the use of psychostimulants such as methylphenidate (Ritalin) or antidepressants such as desipramine (Norpramin). Possible side effects to methylphenidate include appetite suppression, sleep disturbances, irritability, motor and facial tics, depression and lethargy. Possible side effects to desipramine include nervousness, sleep problems, fatigue, stomach upset, dry mouth, tachycardia and arrhythmia.

Holistic treatment of ADD/ADHD*

Botanicals

Nervine relaxants, to reduce irritability and hyperactivity: Chamomile (Matricaria recutita), Lavender (Lavandula officinalis), Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata), Vervain (Verbena hastata), Valerian (Valeriana officinalis), Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), Wood Betony (Stachys betonica), Catnip (Nepeta cataria), Lemonbalm (Melissa officinalis), Sarpagandha (Rauwolfia serpentina)

• Psychostimulants, to coordinate brain function in distractibility and poor concentration: Guarana (Paullinia cupana), Coffee (Coffea arabica), Yerba Maté (Ilex paraguariensis)

• Nervine trophorestoratives, to nourish, balance and support the nervous system: Milky Oats (Avena sativa), Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), Mandukaparni (Centella asiatica), Brahmi (Bacopa monniera), Sweet Flag (Acorus calamus), Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus), Damiana (Turnera diffusa)

• Alteratives, to promote detoxification: Red Clover (Trifolium pratense), Yellowdock (Rumex crispus), Turmeric (Curcuma longa), Lignum vitae (Guaiacum officinale), Bladderwrack (Fucus spp.), Barberry (Berberis vulgaris)

Supplements

• vitamin B complex, 100 mg t.i.d.
• vitamin C, to bowel tolerance
• iron, 20 mg b.i.d.
• calcium/magnesium, 1:1, 800 mg each b.i.d.
• zinc, 50 mg daily
• chromium, 200 mcg t.i.d.
• EPA/DHA, ensures proper neural development, 1000 mg each daily

Diet

• high protein/fat, low carbohydrate, sugar-free diet
• eliminate common allergens, e.g. dairy, wheat, citrus
• avoid packaged and refined foods
• organic produce and free range meat only
• rule out reactive hypoglycemia

Aromatherapy

• Citrus, Melissa, Chamomile, Hops, Lavender, Rosemary, Sage

Topical

• oil massage, Balashwagandhalakshadi taila, Brahmi taila

Behavioral therapy

• Biofeedback
• Biokinesiolgy (Brain Gym)
• NLP (neurolinguistic programming)

Additional factors

• heavy metal toxicity (aluminum, cadmium, lead)
• rule out environmental toxins (at home, school or workplace)
• rule out candidiasis and immunodeficiency

*NOTE: All doses are approximated for a 65 kg adult. To determine an appropriate dose for a child divide the child’s weight in kilograms by 65 kg to determine the percentage of the adult dose. Thus an adult dose of 5 mL for a 30 kg child would be (30/65=) 46% of 5 mL, (5 mL x 0.46 =) or 2.3 mL.