Many doctors say there is no link between ADHD & diet, yet parents and some dietitians have found that not to be true. If your child has asthma and other conditions, and is starting to show hyperactive behavior, those are symptoms that parents see in children who have food sensitivities. Many have reported that dietary changes help; a few have seen drastic changes and found symptoms have gone away. If you go with the suggestions and stick with a healthy yet restrictive diet for the time period prescribed by your therapist , the worst that could happen is it doesn't work and you try something else. Best case would be that your child's symptoms of hyperactivity go away, as well as allergies and other conditions. Either way, food dyes, preservatives and additives aren't needed by anyone, so your child would not be harmed by getting rid of them and would probably be eating foods with more nutrients. The dietary option will take work from you, but doesn't have the mix of side effects that medication does which can impact a growing child--and, again, if it doesn't work, it doesn't have long-lasting consequences. If you commit to trying that route, do it all the way--working with a nutrionist to cut out possible problem foods then adding them slowly back in will help you clearly see if you're child is reacting. Just cutting out one food is like playing the lottery--you may be really, really lucky and randomly pick the food that's causing problems, but chances are you're not going to be a winner and will get discouraged & quit before you do win. Hang tough--it can feel overwhelming, but take it one step at a time.

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Studies published in The Lancet, Pediatrics, and Journal of Pediatrics suggest that some children with ADHD are adversely affected by food additives and that artificial coloring and flavors, as well as the preservative sodium benzoate, can make some non-ADD kids hyperactive. You can read about it here:

The Role of Food Coloring in ADHD

So even if these additives don't cause ADHD, they will exacerbate the symptoms.

As far as ADHD medication. It is a trial and error process. Medications affect each person differently and you'll have to work with your doctor to find the right ADHD medication and the correct dosage. Alternative ADHD treatments can be quite effective, but are more work than simply taking a pill. Non-medical treatments certainly won't harm your son.

First, you want to insure your son gets a correct diagnosis. And there is no harm in working with the school to help set your son up for success.

Good luck, Dena

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