Food additives linked to ADHD

One of the most common diagnoses we see in school is ADHD.  And is it any wonder?  According to CNN.com, this diagnosis has risen 22% in the last few years!  Why is that?  According to Health.com, this is in part due to the use of the following food additives: Blue #1 and Blue #2, Green #3, Orange B, Red #3, Sodium benzoate, Red #40 (the most widely used food coloring in the U.S.), Yellow #5 (the only food dye tested and officially linked to hyperactivity) and Yellow #6.  What can a parent do to be sure they aren't feeding the family a big helping of ADHD?  Some good rules of thumb are to limit processed and pre-packaged foods, always read labels in the grocery store, and limit eating in restaurants.

Should the school be able to dictate your child's diet?

The newsmedia was buzzing earlier this year when a girl brought a cookie in her brown bag lunch and was told by the school she couldn't eat it. Watch this video clip from Fox2 News Detroit as three local experts debate who should have input into what kids are eating.  http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/health/school-lunch-menu:-who-decides%3F

Bathroom Blues

Fact: our bodies must rid themselves of toxins.  Fact: in order to rid our bodies of toxins, we must keep our routes of elimination open and empty them as needed.  So what is one disturbing trend we have noticed in the first few weeks of school?  Kids are not going to the bathroom!  In fact, some kids are holding it to the point that they can't hold it anymore and wet their pants like they are in pre-school.  Maybe it's just the middle school age, but it seems like this year there are a lot of kids who are afraid to tell a teacher when it's an emergency.  This is not healthy for the student, physically or emotionally.  What can we do?  First and foremost, let your student know that when a teacher offers extra credit for unused bathroom passes that does not mean to save all your passes at all costs.  Secondly, remind your child that if it's an emergency they absolutely must let the teacher know.  "Wait until Johnny gets back" is just not an acceptable answer in an emergency because let's face it, who knows how long Johnny will be gone?  And finally, if they tell the teacher it's an emergency and the answer is still no, better off to just leave the room and deal with the school's behavioral consequences than to deal with the social and emotional fallout of an accident past the age of 6.  Agree?  Disagree?  Let us know!

Omega-3's can help calm ADD/ADHD symptoms

A growing body of scientific research has shown that Omega-3 fatty acids contribute to healthy brain formation, function and performance.  When comparing children with attentional disorders to children without, children with ADD/ADHD had much lower levels of DHA in their blood.  DHA is an essential omega-3 fatty acid.  This is great news for parents who prefer not to medicate their ADD/ADHD children with amphetamine-like drugs such as Ritalin.  The Standard American Diet is quite lacking in Omega-3's, but optimal amounts can be reached by using a high quality fish oil supplement and adding milled or ground flaxseed into foods like yogurt or cereal, according to Dr. Mark Stein of University of Chicago. The omega-3 supplement we prefer is Nordic Naturals, a high quality medical grade supplement that won't leave a fishy taste in your mouth and throat.  Have you used dietary supplements to manage your child's symptoms.  Leave a comment and let us know what worked and what didn't!

Back to Sleep

As the leaves begin to fall off the trees, children and adults alike struggle to adjust to the back-to-school routine of bedtimes and alarm clocks. Here Dr. Michael Breus gives us some tips for how much sleep kids of various ages should be getting and how to ease them back into it. Good stuff!

What's for lunch?

A recent study conducted by the University of Michigan, Michigan State University and Food and Nutrition Database, Inc. in Okemos, MI found that students who consume food from school vending machines consumed an average of 253 more calories per day than students who brown bagged it. Vending machines full of snacks loaded with sugar, salt, fat and cholesterol can be found in about 88% of U.S. high schools, 52% of middle schools and 16% of elementary schools. Around 22% of students eat from these vending machines daily. It looks like we are on our way to a very large public health problem in about 40 years when many of these students start to experience the "payoff" of their unhealthy eating habits such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. We are wondering if parents know what their kids are spending lunch money on? Do your kids brown bag it every day? If they do buy lunch, are there certain items you expect them to purchase? Do they fill you in on what they ate if you let them buy lunch? We suspect a lot of parents DON'T know what their kids are eating for lunch or even if vending machines are available in their school cafeteria. As a parent would you be opposed to laws governing what can and can not be offered in the school cafeteria? Lots of questions for you all today. Fill us in!

Can diet improve functioning for ADD and Autistic children?

As school counselors we often hear parents rave about the positive changes they see in their children with ADD/ADHD or Austism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) just from changing their diet.  Gluten-free has been a very popular diet for many of these kids and has seemed to make a real difference.  We just recently heard of the Body Ecology Diet and it sounds like it has been quite successful in helping with these disabilities, as well as many other issues such ranging from acne to adrenal fatigue, chronic pain, and fibromyalgia.  Here are links to the website and the page on Autism and ADD/ADHD treatment.  We're going to try it and see if it helps our health issues.  Let us know if you try it for your child with ADD or ASD and how it works.  We'll keep you updated on our progress too!

Are your child's school supplies toxic?

Environmental toxins have been linked to ADD/ADHD, Autsim Spectrum Disorder, fatigue, memory loss and a whole slew of other problems.  According to Center for Health, Environment, and Justice, PVC (a very common type of plastic) is the most common toxin found in school supplies.  Now I know what you're thinking: your kid isn't eating his or her supplies.  But here's the kicker, PVC releases fumes into the air which your child then breathes in for the 8 hours a day they are at school.  The Center has just released a list of PVC-Free school supplies to help parents make healthier choices for their kids.  Many of the companies on the list are "regular" brands you can find at office supply retailers, such as Avery, Faber-Castell, PaperMate, Pilot, Crayola, etc.  However, beware only certain products from each manufacturer made the list.  So not all products by PaperMate are PVC free, but their new line of biodegradable pens/pencils made from corn-based material are.  Print the list and take it shopping!  Let us know if you find any great products that didn't make the list or if you have a hard time finding any of the products.  We may be able to help.  Download the list by clicking here.

Back to School Anxiety?

As the days of summer come to an end, many kids are becoming increasingly anxious about going back to school.  Maybe they moved to a new neighborhood or they are transitioning from elementary to middle school or middle school to high school.  Bach Original Flower Remedies makes a great, all-nature product called Bach Kids Rescue Remedy (they also have a formula for anxious adults) to help reduce emotional stress and create a feeling of calmness.  I love the adult version of Rescue Remedy and always carry it in my purse because you just never know what you will encounter throughout the day.  Check it out and let us know what you think! http://www.nelsonsnaturalworld.com/en-us/us/our-brands/bachoriginalflowerremedies/new/bach-kids/