| Children with ADHD | | | | |
| | | | · Environmental imbalances e.g. oxygen |
| As a fellow researcher, parent, guardian, | | | | content of environment, pollution, dust |
| nephew, uncle, carer I feel highly | | | | mites, electromagnetic radiation |
| uncomfortable with the labeling system that | | | | |
| has become a natural part of most societies. | | | | · Physical imbalances e.g. restless leg |
| | | | syndrome, improper breathing technique, lack |
| Let us start a fresh with Children with ADHD. | | | | of exercise |
| Instead of labeling them as 'Children with | | | | |
| ADHD' why not call them 'Gifted', or | | | | · Sleep imbalance e.g. beta brain wave |
| 'Talented' or 'Highly focused', or | | | | predominance, slow to enter deep sleep etc |
| 'Impressively able to multi task'? | | | | |
| | | | · Immune system imbalance e.g. having food |
| The perspective that you use to look at ADHD | | | | intolerances, allergies etc |
| will influence greatly your treatment of this | | | | |
| biochemical imbalance and also the results | | | | · Nutritional imbalance e.g. too much |
| that you are likely to get. Note that I use | | | | sugar or carbohydrates |
| the word biochemical imbalance instead of | | | | |
| dis-ease or disorder. Let me clarify that. | | | | · Water imbalance e.g. dehydration |
| | | | |
| A dis-ease is defined by the Webster's | | | | · Nervous system imbalance e.g. more |
| dictionary as: a condition of the living | | | | sympathetic compared with parasympathetic |
| animal or plant body or of one of its parts | | | | response |
| that impairs normal functioning. There are a | | | | |
| lot of implicit meanings of the word | | | | · Artificial food colouring, flavouring |
| dis-ease. It usually means that the person | | | | and preservatives overload |
| who is dis-eased is in some way or another | | | | |
| 'not normal'. It implies that dis-ease | | | | You will notice as you go through the list |
| requires some sort of treatment, and in the | | | | that there are a lot of interconnections |
| medical world that usually means having to | | | | between the areas. The definitions are |
| take some form of medication. The word also | | | | somewhat arbitrary as the human body needs to |
| implies sickness (ill health) when children | | | | be treated as a whole for any treatment to |
| with ADHD are apparently healthy except for | | | | work. Neglect in any one area may be the |
| their behaviours. | | | | triggering factor for inappropriate |
| | | | behaviours. |
| Disorder is also a misnomer because children | | | | |
| with ADHD don't have really any part of them | | | | The message for today is simply understand |
| that is 'out of order'. Their brain functions | | | | the basis upon which the imbalance is built |
| may be different from that of other people, | | | | and target that imbalance. Stop thinking that |
| they may be hypersensitive, easily | | | | children with ADHD are dis-eased. They are |
| distracted, act on impulse but you have to | | | | not, they simply are more sensitive to their |
| remember that every body is built differently | | | | environment. One of my good friends called |
| and as such require very individual care. So | | | | children with ADHD 'Canaries of the 21st |
| let us get the naming right, ADHD is at its | | | | century' this is because in the olden times |
| simplest a condition of biochemical | | | | canaries were used in mines to detect toxic |
| imbalance. | | | | fumes. Due to their small surface area to |
| | | | volume ratio, the canaries would keel over |
| You can see how the use of language itself | | | | when there were small amounts of toxic gas |
| can greatly change the way we understand a | | | | around. In the 21st century, children with |
| condition as well as treat it. With regards | | | | ADHD might just be doing the same. Their |
| to children with ADHD, the treatment is | | | | behaviour indicates to us that the |
| simply a balancing act (pardon the pun), a | | | | environment is becoming less and less |
| biochemical balancing act if you will. | | | | hospitable and unless something is done, the |
| | | | behavioural symptoms are only going to get |
| So what are the different systems that maybe | | | | worse. |
| imbalanced in children with ADHD? | | | | |
| | | | How is the environment around your child? |
| Here is a brief list | | | | What can you do to improve it? You'll find |
| | | | out very shortly. |
| · Brain chemicals also known as | | | | |
| neurotransmitters | | | | Thank you for reading. |
| | | | |
| · Parenting imbalances also known as | | | | If you have any questions, simply write to me |
| miscommunication | | | | at questions @ the adhd specialist . |