| A child who suffers from ADHD is hyperactive and | | | | 9. Make sure your child doesn’t snack in between |
| diet significantly influences their behavior as well as the | | | | meals, otherwise he will spoil his appetite. |
| severity of the symptoms. Investigate on your own the | | | | 10. Don’t try and force or browbeat your child into |
| relationship between certain food stuffs and your | | | | eating healthy foods, try and talk with them. If you take |
| ADHD child's actions, keeping track of them so you | | | | a forceful stance, the child will in all probability rebel and |
| can determine what things they eat that causes the | | | | become even more belligerent. |
| worst reactions. | | | | DO’S: |
| Eventually you can prepare a good food menu for | | | | 1. Buy organic products. They tend to be without the |
| your child. Unfortunately, many parents with ADHD | | | | chemicals and pesticides used in ordinary food and the |
| children are not aware that diet for ADHD children | | | | increased amount of chemicals present in these items |
| plays an important part in their behavior and that there | | | | are not beneficial for anyone! |
| are lots of resources such as menus to better | | | | 2. Make sure that plenty of water is drank every day. |
| manage ADHD children. | | | | 3. Make sure that they eat plenty of fresh fruit and |
| Some of you may ask "Is there a menu good for | | | | vegetables. |
| ADHD children?" Hence, the following is a checklist of | | | | 4. Make available plenty of different of foods, this |
| dietary things to do and not to do when preparing diet | | | | option to choose what to eat will encourage your child |
| for children with ADHD : | | | | to enhance his diet and get to discover new things. |
| DON’TS: | | | | 5. Use supplements to give them a boost, but always |
| 1. Do not give them foods which use chemical | | | | make sure to consult with your doctor before |
| preservatives and additives. | | | | engaging in this practice. |
| 2. Don't use diary products, so yogurt, ice cream, milk | | | | 6. Nourish your child using flax seed or primrose oil. |
| and the like must not be eaten. | | | | Also seriously consider high-level sources of Omega |
| 3. No sugary drinks or carbonated beverages like | | | | oils; borage oils and some fish oils are excellent |
| soda. | | | | sources. |
| 4. Fruit juices should not be given as well, these are | | | | Add a small amount a day into foods as you make |
| usually high in sugars. | | | | them, or add to salad dressings, etc. |
| 5. Don't consume junk food which has all the problems | | | | 7. Don't forget to inspirit your ADHD child for their |
| of processed foods. They are not good for any of | | | | commitment to giving up the items\snacks they like |
| us really, but even more so for the ADHD child | | | | most. |
| 6. Cut down on the amount of sugar consumed by the | | | | And lastly, consider changing your diet as well. We |
| child, and make sure to watch very closely how much | | | | as parents should always set a positive example and |
| they do have. Why not substituting a healthy snack | | | | it is far easier to get your child to do something if |
| such as a apple or raisins as opposed to a chocolate | | | | you're doing it as well. They do always look up to us |
| bar? | | | | (whether we ant them to at the time or not) and we |
| 7. Cook only fresh meat, and do not give them | | | | can alleviate a huge part of their objections if we do it |
| prepared meat as these usually are loaded with | | | | as well. |
| chemical preservatives and additives. | | | | Who knows; it may make *you* feel better as well. |
| 8. No any fried products like chips etc. | | | | |