Often called the most common mental disorder in children, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is thought to affect between two to eleven percent of all school age children worldwide, and three to seven percent in the United States. There are some conflicts in the medical community about whether the condition is under diagnosed or over diagnosed, especially when the symptoms can be brought about by other conditions that must be ruled out. (Source: Papalia, Olds, Feldman 2008)
Symptoms for ADHD include: aggression, nervousness, agitation, anxiety, inattentiveness, and hyperactivity. Because these symptoms can be caused by many other conditions or because they are not always the same for each child, the diagnosis is very difficult and may be a last grasp at a medical term for behavior that is interfering with performance at school or causing problems for the family at home. It appears that ADHD may be linked to genetic as well as potentially caused by traumatic birth circumstances such as premature birth, drug or alcohol use while pregnant, and oxygen deprivation for the baby.
ADHD is not always diagnosed in childhood and can often be missed well into the teen years or even adult hood. Teens that have ADHD are more likely to have behavior problems that can include legal troubles, school problems, drug or alcohol abuse issues, and rebellion. Many of the teens that run away from home may have problems with ADHD. Adults, especially women are being diagnosed with the disorder even well into their thirties or forties after the diagnosis was not made in childhood.
Some of the typical symptoms of ADHD can be the cause of an undiagnosed underlying health problem. These include: food allergies, nutritional deficiencies, yeast infection, thyroid function, and anemia. Hypoglycemia is also one of the causes that should be investigated and ruled out. Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar can show the symptoms such as aggression, nervousness, agitation, anxiety. (Source: Gottlieb, 2000)
The body needs blood sugar for energy. When there is not enough fuel to keep the body going, the blood sugar will drop lower than it should be, leading to these negative feelings and potential behavior problems. Hypoglycemia can also cause fainting and nausea. To avoid the behavior and physical problems that hypoglycemia can cause, it is important to try to eat at least every two hours with smaller meals that includes some protein and carbohydrates to keep the body’s glucose level even throughout the day.
Protein should be included in every snack and meal because it breaks down much more slowly than other nutrients and keeps the blood sugar level more even. Protein bars, shakes, and other supplements are perfect to use and should be small enough to toss into a backpack. Parents should note that in some schools, the policy is to treat protein supplements and similar items as medications meaning that your child will have to adhere to the policy set by the school district.
Healthy Body, Healthy Mind
There are three reasons that children with ADHD should avoid high sugar foods: 1) it will actually exacerbate the hypoglycemic related symptoms and 2) they will edge out the healthier foods that the child actually needs in their diet 3) it may trigger behavioral problems.
When high sugar foods are eaten, insulin is rushed out to deal with the overload. Instead of burning food for energy, the body uses up its energy to store the sugar as fat leaving you tired and cranky- and probably hungrier than you were before you ate the snack. A protein bar, shake, or a liquid protein supplement is a better snack idea than a piece of cake or a soda because it does not spike the sugar and will not bring on the symptoms that tend to cause problems. It will also allow you to feel fuller for longer because the protein will take longer to digest.
If the child has an option between a healthy bowl of steel cut oatmeal and a sprinkle of cinnamon in the morning or a bowl of sugar frosted candy flakes, which do you suppose he will take? That sugar filled cereal will have him pepped up and squirming in his seat for the first hour or so but by nine am, that same child is probably staring out the window, daydreaming, and catnapping. By lunch, the feelings of nausea, anger, and agitation are probably getting to him and he is probably either in trouble or about to be in trouble. Depending on what he eats for his lunch, the child will either return to the hyper and squirming from the morning or he will be okay, at least until the meal is digested by the body. If he had consumed a protein, carb, and fiber loaded breakfast, he might have had a much different day. If the child left for school at eight, had a snack at ten, lunch at twelve, and another snack at two pm, there would probably be far less behavioral problems. It will probably still be necessary for the child to take medications and these should never be stopped without the advice and consent of the treating doctor.
Protein Supplements as Snack Options
A good snack would be a turkey sandwich, but the child is not going to be excused to sit in the hallway and have a nosh in the middle of class. A protein snack like a shake or a protein supplement shot can be consumed quickly and easily and will not interfere with the child’s classroom behavior. Profect, is only 2.9 fluid ounces in size and can be consumed in seconds but will give the child 25 grams of protein. It is available in fruit flavors like Blue Raspberry, Grapefruit-Mango, Fresh Citrus Berry, and Cool Melon Splash. It comes in a plastic vial that the child will think is pretty cool and there is no worry that it will break.
A protein bar can be a good choice for a snack but will take longer to eat. It should be high in protein but should not have a lot of added sugar or it will not be as beneficial as it should be.
Protein shakes are also a good choice, but again, may take too long to consume and may be a problem depending on the school district’s policy. A protein shake can be made from whey protein, rice, soy, or egg protein. Keep in mind the trigger foods for the child when choosing the right supplement. The doctor may be able to make a good suggestion for you.
Children are not the only ones who are diagnosed with ADHD, more and more adults are being diagnosed with the disorder later in life. The food guidelines for children may be beneficial for adults as well. Again, it is important to discuss any diet changes with the doctor especially if there are other health conditions that are being treated at the same time.
Protica Research (Protica, Inc.) specializes in the development of Capsulized Foods. Protica manufactures Profect, IsoMetric, Pediagro, Fruitasia and over 100 other brands, including Medicare-approved, whey liquid protein for diabetic patients. You can learn more at Protica Research – Copyright