Does your child have ADHD? Tips for parents on how to handle!

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a complex mental disorder that affects the behaviour of a child or an adult.

ADHD is characterised by problems paying attention, impulsiveness and hyperactivity. Usually, the symptoms of ADHD begin by age 6 to 12, lasing for at leat 6 months and and causing problems in school, home, or recreational activities. ADHD often lasts into adulthood.

Despite being the most commonly studied and diagnosed mental disorder in children and adolescents, the exact cause of ADHD is unknown. However, it is believed that genetics, family history and an unfriendly environment may contribute to factors that cause the disorder.

Since there's no single test to diagnose the disorder, diagnosis is based on a comprehensive evaluation of the person, including medical exams like hearing and vision tests, to rule out other problems with symptoms like ADHD.

In most cases, treatment for ADHD involves a combination of behavioral therapy and medication. In some cases, ADHD symptoms reduce with age.

Diet and ADHD

If you have a child who is diagnosed with ADHD or are concerned about your child's behaviour, this is what you can do to help your child besides taking him to a specialist such as a child psychologist or developmental pediatrician.

While diet alone hasn't been shown to cause or worsen symptoms of ADHD, it certainly plays an important role in managing behavioural and mental disorders, and deficiencies in certain types of foods can worsen the symptoms. Also, there's no denying that diet plays a crucial role in physical and mental health for growing children.

All children require a nutritious diet that is rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, protein, healthy fats, calcium-rich foods, etc. A healthy diet is important to support the foundation for good health.

There's not known any specific food that causes or cures ADHD in kids, but as with all children, you should avoid giving your kids a large amounts of foods that contain unhealthy fats, sugar and salts.