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ADD/ADHD
Connections between
ADD/ADHD & Other Conditions
Find out what
researchers have published in professional journals on connections
between AD(H)D and other conditions.
Ear
Infections (Otitis Media) & ADD/ADHD
Otitis media in
children with learning disabilities and in children with attention
deficit disorder with hyperactivity:
"Based on
parental report, children with ADD-H had significantly more complaints
of earaches during the preceding 3 months and significantly more ear infections during the preceding
year...Although middle ear disease in preschool children has repeatedly
been linked to later language deficits, this study suggests that middle
ear disease in school-age children may also be associated with
hyperactivity and/or inattention, independently of learning disability."
- Adesman AR,
Altshuler LA, Lipkin PH, Walco GA. Pediatrics 1990 Mar;85 (3 Pt
2):442-6. Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics,
Schneider Children's Hospital, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New
Hyde Park, NY 11042.
Minimal brain
dysfunction and otitis media:
"The frequency
of otitis media among 22 hyperactive
children with learning disorders was compared with the frequency of
otitis media in a sample of 772 normal children, using the same
criteria for the diagnosis of otitis media in both groups. The groups
were matched for social class and age when studied (7 to 13 yr. of
age). A significantly higher percentage of hyperactive children (54%)
had more than 6 episodes of otitis media than was found in the normal
group (15%). Thirty-six percent of hyperactive children had more than
10 episodes compared to 5% in the normal sample."
- Hersher L.
Percept Mot Skills 1978 Dec; 47 (3 Pt 1): 723-6.
An association
between recurrent otitis media in infancy and later hyperactivity:
"An association
between the frequency of otitis media
in early childhood and later hyperactivity is reported in this study.
The subjects were 67 children referred to a child development clinic
for evaluation of school failure. Ranging from 6 to 13 years old, all
the children demonstrated specific school learning problems, and 27
were also considered hyperactive by two or more raters. Sixteen of the
hyperactive children were treated with central nervous system stimulant
medication. In retrospect, there was a positive correlation between an
increasing number of otitis media infections in early childhood and the
presence and severity of hyperactive behavior. Ninety-four percent of
children medicated for hyperactivity had three or more otitis
infections, and 69 percent had greater than 10 infections. In
comparison, 50 percent of non-hyperactive school-failure patients had
three or more infections and 20 percent had greater than 10 infections.
Twenty-two of 28 children (79%) known to have more than 10 infections
experienced recurrent otitis before 1 year of age."
- Hagerman RJ,
Falkenstein AR. Clin Pediatr (Phila) 1987 May; 26(5): 253-7.
Topographic
mapping of brain electrical activity in children with food-induced
attention deficit hyperkinetic disorder:
"...This
investigation is the first one to show an association between brain
electrical activity and intake of provoking foods in children with
food-induced attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. CONCLUSIONS:
These data support the hypothesis that in a subgroup of children with
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder certain
foods may not only influence clinical symptoms but may also alter
brain electrical activity."
- Uhlig T,
Merkenschlager A, Brandmaier R, Egger J Eur J Pediatr 1997
Jul;156(7):557-61. Institute for Child Health Research, Clinical
Sciences Division, West Perth, Australia.
Controlled trial
of oligoantigenic treatment in the hyperkinetic syndrome:
"76 selected
overactive children were treated with an oligoantigenic diet, 62
improved, and a normal range of behaviour was achieved in 21 of
these...symptoms, such as headaches, abdominal pain, and fits, also
often improved. 28 of the children who improved completed a
double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled trial in which foods thought to provoke symptoms were
reintroduced. Symptoms returned or were exacerbated much more often
when patients were on active material than on placebo. 48 foods were
incriminated. Artificial colorants and preservatives were the commonest
provoking substances, but no child was sensitive to these alone."
- Egger J,
Carter CM, Graham PJ, Gumley D, Soothill JF. Lancet 1985 Mar 9;
1(8428): 540-5.
Controlled trial
of hyposensitisation in children with food-induced hyperkinetic
syndrome:
"Food
intolerance seems to be an important cause of the hyperkinetic
syndrome, but restricted diets are expensive, socially disruptive, and
often nutritionally inadequate. Enzyme-potentiated desensitization
(EPD) may overcome some of these difficulties. EPD was tested in a
double-blind placebo-controlled trial among 40 children with
food-induced hyperkinetic behaviour disorder. A total of 185 children
with established hyperkinetic syndrome underwent oligoantigenic dietary
treatment for four weeks. 116 whose behaviour responded had provoking
foods identified by sequential reintroduction. Foods that reproducibly
provoked overactivity were avoided. 40 patients who were then invited
to take part in the hyposensitisation trial were randomly assigned to
treated and control groups. Treated patients received three doses of
EPD (beta-glucuronidase and small quantities of food antigens)
intradermally at two-monthly intervals. Controls received buffer only.
Thereafter, patients were allowed to eat known provoking foods. Of 20
patients who received active treatment, 16 became tolerant towards
provoking foods compared with 4 of 20 who received placebo (p less than
0.001). Our results show that EPD permits children with food-induced
hyperkinetic syndrome to eat foods that had previously been identified
as responsible for their symptoms. These results also support the
notion that food allergy is a possible
mechanism of the hyperkinetic syndrome."
- Egger J,
Stolla A, McEwen LM. Lancet 1992 May 9; 339 (8802):1150-3. University
Children's Clinic, Munich, Germany.
Nutritional Concerns & ADD/ADHD
Essential fatty
acid deficiencies:
"Boys with lower
omega-3 fatty acid values in blood were much more likely to have
learning problems and lower overall academic skills and math skills
than children with higher fatty acid
values."
- Stevens, LJ
and Burgess J. Omega-3-fatty acids in boys with behavior, learning, and
health problems. Physiology Behavior 1996; 59: 915-920.
Zinc deficiency:
"...Children
with ADHD had significantly lower zinc
levels than control children. 30% of children with ADHD had
severely deficient values. It is possible that low zinc values may
result in depressed production of melatonin and serotonin in the brain,
resulting in some of the symptoms of ADHD."
- Toren P. et
al. Zinc deficiency in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Biological Psychiatry 40: 1308-1310, 1996.
"Monkeys with
moderate zinc deficiency had
impaired visual attention and short term memory tasks."
- Golub MS et
al. Modulation of behavioral performance of prepubertal monkeys by
moderate dietary zinc deprivation. Am J Clin Nutr 60: 238-243, 1994.
Vitamin B-6
supplementation reverses ADHD:
"Results of the
study indicates that vitamin B-6 at doses between 15-30 mg/kg body
weight was effective as Ritalin in treating attention deficit
hyperactivity."
- Coleman M. et
al. A preliminary study of the effect of pyridoxine administration in a
subgroup of hyperkinetic children: a double blind crossover comparison
with methylphenidate. Biological Psychiatry 14: 741-751, 1979.
Sensitivity to
food colors and flavors:
"This study
demonstrated a functional relation between the ingestion of a synthetic
food color (tartrazine) and behavioral change in 24 atopic (allergic) children, with marked reactions
being observed at all six dosage levels of dye challenge. When they
reacted to the (food) dye, the younger children had constant crying,
tantrums, irritability, restlessness, severe sleep disturbance, and
were described as 'out-of-control, easily distracted and excited, and
high as a kite'."
- Rowe K and
Rowe K. Synthetic food coloring and behavior: A dose response effect in
a double-blind, placebo-controlled, repeated measures study. J.
Pediatrics 125: 691-698, 1994.
ADHD and toxic
metals:
"The striking
dose-response relationship between levels
of lead and negative teacher ratings remained significant after
controlling for age, ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status. An
even stronger relationship existed between physician-diagnosed
attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and hair lead in the same
children. There was no apparent 'safe' threshold for children."
- Tuthill R.
Hair lead levels related to children's classroom attention-deficit
behavior. Archives of Environmental Health 51: 214-225, 1996.
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