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