Generation after generation, childhood ADHD diagnoses skyrocket. Does a child you love have ADHD? If so, you know how hard it is to deal with the day-to-day reality. Education and healthcare workers witness the struggles of children with attention deficits. In my nutritional therapy practice, I frequently work with children and families to alleviate the symptoms of attention deficits.
Even if you don’t have a child with ADHD, this issue affects you. In fact, the epidemic of ADHD is part of a larger crisis in the Western world, and we all need to pitch in to reverse the problem.
ADHD Causes
As time goes by, our children face more obstacles to health beginning in early life. Each generation of mothers passes on more toxicants to their babies even before birth, including mercury and phthalates. And each generation of mothers passes on is exposed to more toxic substances, and those substances are passed on from mother to baby during even the earliest stages of fetal development.
Common toxicants that can overload the system of children include perfumes, household cleaning products, laundry products such as fabric softeners and dryer sheets, commercial body care products, herbicides, paints and more. Synthetic fragrances present in the child’s environment can overload the detoxification pathways and exacerbate symptoms.
Here are just a couple of good sources on toxicants that contribute to ADHD:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7455852/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3277258/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29276960/
Heavy metal exposure
Exposure to mercury, aluminum and lead can cause and/or aggravate ADD and ADHD. These metals are toxic to the brain and nervous system and can deplete reserves of vitamins and minerals we all need.
Babies and young children absorb a higher percentage of ingested lead than adults do. The smaller the child, the higher the percentage absorbed. As the late Andrew H. Cutler notes, whereas adults “may absorb 5-10% of the amount of lead they consume…very young children absorb 25-80% of it” and “six-year-olds… absorb 3 or 4 times more than adults (and 2-year-olds absorb 5 or 6 times as much as adults)” (Hair Test Interpretation, p. 99).
Adding insult to injury, lead salts have a sweet taste. Unfortunately, this makes them appealing to little ones who tend to taste everything within reach. This is one reason why pediatricians encourage lead testing for babies and toddlers living in older homes. Recent lead exposures show up in blood and hair tests. However, because lead moves to the bone tissue soon after exposure, blood tests do not accurately detect past lead exposure.
For more on lead exposure in relation to ADHD, see https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6388268/.
Mercury is a potent neurotoxicant, and babies born in mercury-toxic mothers accumulate this dangerous metal in their body tissues during prenatal development. Common exposure sources include amalgam (silver-colored) fillings, thimerosal-containing vaccines, consumption of high-mercury fish and exposure to broken compact fluorescent lightbulbs and broken mercury thermometers. Because mercury has a very long half-life, mercury that the pregnant mother accumulated years ago can impact her developing fetus today. You can learn more about common features of mercury-poisoned children here.
For more on prenatal mercury exposure in relation to ADHD symptoms, see this article.
Common mineral imbalances
Numerous mineral imbalances are common in children with ADHD. The most common include copper dysregulation, mercury toxicity, and deficiency in lithium, magnesium or zinc.
Let’s start with copper dysregulation because it’s almost ubiquitous in these children. Copper is an essential element that becomes quite toxic at levels above what is physiologically necessary. Copper bound to its transport molecule is crucial for good health. However, unbound copper tends to accumulate in the liver and brain. There, it can cause hormonal imbalances, neurological and behavioral problems, and even psychiatric symptoms. As Richard Malter notes in The Strands of Health, copper dysregulation is a risk factor for postpartum depression, newborn jaundice not associated with Rh incompatibility, ADD/ADHD and even bipolar disorder.
While practicing as both a clinical and school psychologist, Malter observed that virtually all the children with ADHD in his practice were affected by copper dysregulation. Malter further notes that hormonal contraceptives and copper IUDs increase copper levels. We are in the midst of an epidemic of copper dysregulation in children of mothers who used these forms of contraception prior to their pregnancies.
As Cutler notes, excess copper and vitamin D increase the absorption of lead (Hair Test Interpretation, p. 99). Further, Malter remarks that vitamin D increases copper retention. This means that children who already have dysregulated copper are more likely to accumulate lead and that children taking vitamin D supplementation are more likely to suffer from both lead toxicity and copper dysregulation.
Conventional approaches
Sadly, allopathic medicine has very little to offer affected children and their parents. Stimulant medications come with their own set of problems. In fact, parents commonly note weight loss, loss of appetite, nausea, fatigue and pallor in their children. Many parents report that the medication seems to work just long enough to keep the child’s behavior under control during school hours. Then, as the medication wears off in the mid-afternoon, their youngster’s behavior, mood and impulse control decline drastically. Unfortunately, many children on these stimulant medications sleep poorly.
Offering something more to children with ADHD
Children with ADHD essentially need what all children need. However, they are more sensitive than the average child to environmental and emotional stressors. They thrive on a nutrient-dense real-food diet low in sugars and refined starches. Clean air and clean drinking water are paramount. Even more than their peers, children with ADHD need fresh air, sunshine, and plenty of time outdoors. This allows them to run around, explore and express themselves through movement. Excess stress, lack of movement and exposure to toxicants may exacerbate symptoms of ADHD.
Every child has a unique biochemical makeup and unique nutritional needs. Thus individualized nutritional therapy services are extremely helpful. I help families develop an effective strategy for their child’s particular situation.
Hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA)
In my work with ADHD, I often use hair tissue mineral analysis. This allows us to assess the levels and balance of essential minerals and toxic elements. In fact, every child with ADHD has a unique pattern of imbalance that responds very well to nutritional and supplemental adjustments. Hair tests are incredibly useful but must be properly interpreted because they are far from straightforward. I’ve been studying and practicing hair test interpretation since 2014. A well-formulated rebalancing plan leads to impressive improvements in ADHD symptoms.
Let’s work together!
If you and/or your child are struggling with ADHD and would like to talk about how nutritional therapy may be of benefit, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
And if you’re a holistic healthcare practitioner looking to provide excellent client-centered support to children and adults with ADHD, check out my case study group, where you can learn from me.