The question of whether Attention Deficit Disorder diets are effective is extremely controversial, and depends upon who you ask. In the past, one proposed cause of this disorder was too much sugar, food coloring and over-processed food. Parents were advised to feed the afflicted child a diet of as much fresh food and less sugar as possible; feeling so frustrated and, at the same time, compassion for the child, parents all over the country did exactly that.
There was but one problem; the so-called Attention Deficit Disorder diet didn’t work. Lengthy and painstaking medical research does not support the popular view that changes in a child’s diet would relieve symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder. The Attention Deficit Disorder diet was merely grasping at straws, said the research. The research in the 1970’s studied children on an Attention Deficit Disorder Diet, and children who had no restrictions on sugar, food colorings, and processed foods. All the studies indicated that the kids on the Attention Deficit Disorder diet had no clinically significant symptom relief. Today, dietary “treatment” of the disorder has been largely abandoned.
Should I Try an Attention Deficit Disorder Diet Anyway?
Why not? Eating fresh foods and cutting down on sugar certainly won’t hurt you or your child. Fresh fruits, vegetables, pasta and bread, rice, beans, dairy products, lentils; all are very good nutritional sources. Besides, what if you or your child is the exception to the rule? What if an Attention Deficit Disorder diet does provide some symptom relief? It wouldn’t be the first time scientific research was rebuffed!
Social scientists believe that if you are convinced that a treatment will work, it probably will, at least for a while. Thus, if you sincerely believe that the answer for you or your child is an Attention Deficit Disorder Diet, you’ll most likely notice symptom relief because this is what you deeply want to believe. Researchers may sneer at this, but they aren’t you, and they’re not your child. The decision is yours alone.
Another point to consider is the belief by some medical researchers that Attention Deficit Disorder in children is over-diagnosed, and these children do not have the disorder. But to control their disruptive, defiant behavior, these children are incorrectly and overly medicated. When somebody finally figures out that the child is misdiagnosed and medicated for no reason, the child is then behaviorally managed.
The Attention Deficit Disorder diet can become a major player in helping parents set limits on a child’s behavior, including cutting out sugary junk food and processed food. Teaching the child about the benefits of healthy eating via the Attention Deficit Disorder diet will go a long way in helping a behaviorally-challenged child to exercise self-control.
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