Can Breakfast Be A Treatment For Adhd Besides Medicine ?

The age-old advice of "starting your day with a good and nutritious breakfast" has an added significance for people with ADHD. Although the exact cause of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) remains unknown, most scientists believe the cause is genetic in nature and that there are some abnormalities in the brain. If it really is the gene, then there's not much one can do about in that respect. But from the view of brain functionality, much can be done to ensure its proper development. This article will highlight the importance of breakfast and some nutrients which have been found to be important for proper brain functioning, especially in the context of ADHD people.

A few studies conducted in several states in the US some time ago revealed that kids who go to school hungry (not taking breakfast) were prone to display clinical levels of psychosocial dysfunction compared to children who were well fed. It was observed that those hungry kids displayed a greater number of behavioural, academic, and emotional problems like aggression and anxiety.

In a different study to study the effects of consuming a balanced breakfast, it was found that increased nutrient intake did improve the children's academic and psychosocial functioning. These children, who were given a proper breakfast, showed marked improvements in terms of attendance, less hunger pangs, and improvement in their studies, notably maths.

No wonder medical experts often advised that children, especially those with ADHD, should observe a balanced diet which can improve two of their key problem areas - learning and behaviour. It should also be noted that a balanced diet would also serve to protect the child against chronic diseases like obesity, heart ailments, and diabetes later in life.

So, which nutrients are deemed important for overall intellectual and behavioural development? One of them is protein. Studies have amply shown that protein deficiency can have a profound effect on a student's intelligence, behaviour, and cognition. Numerous studies have found that children who consumed proper protein-caloric beverage do consistently outperformed the undernourished kids in virtually all aspects of their lives.

Iron also has an important role to play. The existing documentation is that iron deficiency can severely affect a child's learning and behaviour. Do you know that iron deficiency is one of the most common nutritional problems among children in America? Parents should take serious note of this because mild iron deficiency in infancy and childhood can be solved by taking iron supplements or food rich in iron. But if the iron deficiency level is categorised as "moderate or severe", iron supplementation may prove to be useless. The possible end result is severe neurological damage.

Young adolescent females are especially prone to iron deficiency. This is not surprising because of an increase in iron requirements during puberty and through menstrual losses. A simple illlustration of the importance of iron in terms of learning, attention span, and memory can be seen during the school years. Studies have shown that during elementary and middle school years, girls are tops when it comes to maths. But when puberty sets in and iron level dropped during high school and college days, maths scores also drop, thus giving the impression that boys suddenly are masters of calculations.

In a nutshell, be careful about your children's nutritional requirements, especially if they have ADHD. By ensuring that they have a balanced diet, especially a nutritious breakfast every day, it will certainly help their learning capabilities and behaviour in many ways.