Attention and Behavioral Problems Can Be Alleviated with Good Food and Supplements
By Caryn Talty | 1,347 views | 
1 Comment »Categories: Children, Children's Health, Nutrition
Prior to beginning any type of drug therapy program, the first thing a parent should do when their child begins to exhibit behavioral problems in school is take a serious look at their son or daughter’s diet. Recent studies have shown that food allergies or sensitivities can cause hyperactivity in children, and in many cases it can also be the cause of neurological dysfunction.
Children exhibiting attention difficulties, hyperactivity, irritability, and other behavioral problems can often times see a relief of symptoms by simply eliminating problem foods and beginning a proper diet and supplement program. Correcting nutrient imbalances in the brain, ie: levels of specific vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids, is vital for a successful outcome.
Children exhibiting behavioral, learning, and neurological problems should take vitamin and mineral supplements as treatment. Certain vitamins are water soluble and therefore safe to give. But not all vitamins are water soluble, and there are certainly many side effects to overdosing on supplements that the body stores. Vitamins and minerals are needed for normal production of neurotransmitters, and children that are chronically lacking specific nutrients will begin to develop chronic behavioral symptoms. Any deficiency will have wide ranging effects.
In general, B vitamins improve mental activity and agility, as do fish oil. Magnesium helps to calm and is also important for absorption, but is generally lacking in our modern diets and unfortunately, most supplements you can buy in the stores. Magnesium works with Calcium and Zinc, and the three minerals must be balanced for optimal function. For example, when the diet is high in calcium the body is further depleted of magnesium as the two have an antagonistic relationship. Too much calcium, called hypercalcemia, can affect every major organ in the body: the kidneys, heart, GI tract, nervous system, and cognitive abilities. Too little magnesium can cause a whole host of problems including: migranes, muscular twitches, insomnia, anxiety, hyperactivity and restlessness with constant movement, etc….
Anyone desiring to begin a vitamin supplement program should do so with the help of a qualified physician who can test for deficiencies to lessen the risk of overdose. But parents can try an elimination diet without allergy testing to see if there are also certain foods triggering their son or daughter’s symptoms.
The four most obvious foods to start eliminating are: milk, wheat, eggs, and corn. In addition, you need to eliminate all food colorings, artificial flavors and preservatives. Total elimination of these things, and any other suspect foods should be done for at least three weeks before an improvement can be noted. It takes the body quite some time to eliminate toxins that have been present in abundance. Once the child’s behavior/ ability to attend has begun to improve, reintroduction of foods can begin. When a relapse occurs, note the food eaten and the time it took for the reaction to occur. Some food sensitivities may not appear until hours after eating.
In short, sometimes the solution we seek is not found in a magic pill after all. It could be the stuff sitting on our fork.
Tags: Attention and Behavioral Problem, Children, Food Supplement, Hyperactivity, Mineral, Neurological Dysfunction, Nutrition, Vitamin
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Meet the Author
July 14th, 2007 at 5:52 am
While this is already a well documented topic, it is good to see such comprehensive coverage, particularly the emphasis on the crucial balance of vitamins.