Iron Deficiency In Children with ADHD
By Dykman KD and McKinley RN

To study the effect of polysaccharide supplements upon the severity of symptoms in children with a diagnosis of Attention- Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), 19 ADHD children were recruited from a parent support group and were recruited from a parent support group and were assessed initially and 6 to 8 weeks later for inattention, hyperactivity-impulsivity, and health benefits. All subjects received glyconutritional supplements and phytonutritional supplements. At the time of the study, seven of the subjects were not on any medication; eight were on prescribed doses of methylphenidate, three had previously taken methylphenidate and had stopped, and one was on an antidepressive medication. Glyconutritional supplements significantly decreased the number and severity of ADHD symptoms and improved health as rated by 32 indices. Age, gender, and drug/no drug conditions were not confounding influences. Present results suggest that symptoms of ADHD may be reduced by polysaccharides, which in the form of glycoconjugates play a crucial role in both cell communication and healthy functioning.

Iron deficiency in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

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1: Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2004 Dec;158(12):1113-5.

Konofal E, Lecendreux M, Arnulf I, Mouren MC.
Service de Psychopathologie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Hopital Robert Debre, Paris, France. eric.konofal@rdb.ap-hop-paris.fr

BACKGROUND: Iron deficiency causes abnormal dopaminergic neurotransmission and may contribute to the physiopathology of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate iron deficiency in children with ADHD vs iron deficiency in an age- and sex-matched control group. DESIGN: Controlled group comparison study.

SETTING: Child and Adolescent Psychopathology Department in European Pediatric Hospital, Paris, France. PATIENTS: Fifty-three children with ADHD aged 4 to 14 years (mean +/- SD, 9.2 +/- 2.2 years) and 27 controls (mean +/- SD, 9.5 +/- 2.8 years). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Serum ferritin levels evaluating iron stores and Conners' Parent Rating Scale scores measuring severity of ADHD symptoms have been obtained.

RESULTS: The mean serum ferritin levels were lower in the children with ADHD (mean +/- SD, 23 +/- 13 ng/mL) than in the controls (mean +/- SD, 44 +/- 22 ng/mL; P < .001). Serum ferritin levels were abnormal (<30 ng/mL) in 84% of children with ADHD and 18% of controls (P < .001). In addition, low serum ferritin levels were correlated with more severe general ADHD symptoms measured with Conners' Parent Rating Scale (Pearson correlation coefficient, r = -0.34; P < .02) and greater cognitive deficits (r = -0.38; P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that low iron stores contribute to ADHD and that ADHD children may benefit from iron supplementation.

Download - Is ADHD a Real Disease? (275k PDF)

Source: http://www.clickpress.com/releases/Detailed/2728005cp.shtml

It turns out that for most, ADHD is a bogus disease. Yet, many public schools across the country now pressure parents to give Ritalin to their kids to "treat" this alleged disease.

[ClickPress, Thu Jul 21 2005] The vast majority of Ritalin and Adderall is given to school children to treat an alleged disease called ADHD. Children who suffer from ADHD are said to be inattentive, impulsive, and hyperactive. They often get bored easily in class, squirm in their seats, are always on the go, or don’t get along with other students or the teacher. In other words, many children diagnosed with ADHD may simply be bright, normal kids, full of energy and bored out of their minds sitting in public school classrooms.

In his testimony to the Pennsylvania House Democratic Policy Committee, Bruce Wiseman, National President of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights, stated that “thousands of children put on psychiatric drugs are simply ‘smart.’” He quoted the late Sydney Walker, a psychiatrist and neurologist, as saying, “They’re hyper not because their brains don’t work right, but because they spend most of the day waiting for slower students to catch up with them. These students are bored to tears, and people who are bored fidget, wiggle, scratch, stretch, and (especially if they are boys) start looking for ways to get into trouble."

Boredom is not the only reason children can exhibit symptoms of ADHD. Perfectly normal children who are over-active (have a lot of energy), rebellious, impulsive, day-dreamers, sensitive, undisciplined, bored easily (because they are bright), slow in learning, immature, troubled (for any number of reasons), learning disabled (dyslexia, for example), can also be inattentive, impulsive, or hyperactive.

Also, many factors outside the classroom can stress or emotionally affect children. Some of these factors are: not getting love, closeness, or attention from their parents; if a parent, friend, or sibling is sick or dies; if the parents are divorcing and there is anger, shouting, or conflict at home; domestic violence at home; sexual, physical, or emotional abuse by parents or siblings; inattention and neglect at home; personality clashes with parents or siblings; envy or cruelty directed at a child by classmates or by siblings at home, and many other factors.

Also, many other medical conditions can cause children to mimic some or all of ADHD’s symptoms. Some of these conditions are: Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), allergies, learning disabilities, hyper or hypothyroidism, hearing and vision problems, mild to high lead levels, spinal problems, toxin exposures, carbon monoxide poisoning, metabolic disorders, genetic defects, sleeping disorders, post-traumatic subclinical seizure disorder, high mercury levels, iron deficiency, B-vitamin deficiencies (from poor diet), Tourette’s syndrome, Sensory Integration Dysfunction, early-onset diabetes, heart disease, cardiac conditions, early-onset bipolar disorder, worms, viral and bacterial infections, malnutrition or improper diet, head injuries, lack of exercise, and many others.

Because these medical conditions can cause some or all of ADHD’s symptoms, it becomes next to impossible for any teacher, principal, or family doctor to claim with any certainty that a child has ADHD. To be certain, a doctor would have to test the child for all these other possible medical conditions. Since parents or doctors rarely do this, every diagnosis of ADHD is suspect, to say the least.

Any of these medical conditions, normal personality variations, emotional problems, or outside-the-classroom stress-factors can disturb a child’s attention, natural enthusiasm, or desire to learn in class, and make the child exhibit symptoms of ADHD. Yet, as psychiatrist Peter R. Breggin, author of "Talking Back To Ritalin," and director of the International Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology, notes, “These are the types of [normal] children who get diagnosed as suffering ADHD and who get subdued with stimulants and other medications.”

Many reputable authorities, such as Dr. Breggin, deny that ADHD, the disorder for which Ritalin is most commonly prescribed, even exists.

Parents, do not fall for the ADHD propaganda that public school authorities are now attempting to force on you and your children. ADHD turns out to be a bogus disease. Many public schools now use this bogus disease as a convenient excuse to pressure parents to give their normal, energetic, but bored children mind-altering drugs. I also urge you to read Dr. Breggin's book, "Talking Back To Ritalin."

Effect of nutritional supplements on attentional-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

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1: Integr Physiol Behav Sci. 1998 Jan-Mar;33(1):49-60.

Dykman KD, Dykman RA.

This study reports the effects of two nutritional products upon the severity of symptoms in children with confirmed diagnoses of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): a glyconutritional product containing saccharides known to be important in healthy functioning and a phytonutritional product containing flash-dried fruits and vegetables. Seventeen ADHD children were recruited from a local parent support group. Parents of five of the subjects did not have their children on methylphenidate. Of the remaining twelve, all on methylphenidate, six were left on prescribed doses (random assignment). The other six had their doses reduced by half after two weeks (study duration was six weeks). The subjects were assessed initially and three subsequent times over a period of six weeks (longitudinal nonrandomized design). The behavior disorder items for ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), and Conduct Disorder (CD) as listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM IV) (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) were rated by teachers and parents on a 3-point scale. Also included was a Side Effects Scale described by Barkley (1990). The children received the glyconutritional supplement for the entire six weeks. After three weeks, the phytonutritional supplement was added to the diet to increase the probability of positive results. The glyconutritional supplement decreased the number and severity of ADHD, associated ODD and CD symptoms, and side effects in all groups during the first two weeks of the study. There was little further reduction with the addition of the phytonutritional supplement. The three study groups did not differ statistically in degree of reduction over observations. Present results suggest that symptoms of ADHD may be reduced by the addition to the diet of saccharides used by the body in glycoconjugate synthesis.

Publication Types:
* Clinical Trial
* Randomized Controlled Trial