ADD/ADHD

Attention deficit disorder (ADD) with hyperactivity or attention hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the fastest growing childhood disorder in many western countries. Although primarily thought of as a childhood disorder, ADD/ADHD can be found in adults as well. It causes a variety of learning and behavioural problems, often making it difficult not only for the affected individual, but for the entire family. Factors that have been linked to the development of ADD/ADHD include heredity, anxiety, allergies, smoking during pregnancy, hyperinsulinemia, oxygen deprivation at birth, environmental stress or pollutants, artificial food additives, injury, infection, lead poisoning, allergies, and prenatal trauma. In recent years, more emphasis has been placed on the role of diet in ADD/ADHD. Many people with these conditions react to certain preservatives, dyes, and salicylates in foods. These items can throw off the balance in the chemistry of the brains, often producing indesirable changes in behaviour. A low protein diet may be a contributing factor.