VR Helps Teens with Social Anxiety

Could virtual reality be the solution to teens social anxiety, 

ADHD and Aspergers? Research says yes.

By

 Raphael Konforti

 - 

November 23, 2016

Virtual reality is proving to be a viable solution to easing the social anxiety teens with ADHD and Asperger’s syndrome encounter daily. These teens go through tremendous difficulty developing the social skills to interact with peers and adults in what most consider normal social situations. The Center for Brain Health at the University of Texas has been successfully improving these teens social anxiety via VR sessions, helping them to make friends and communicate openly. 

The VR program looks like any other first person video game but actively focuses on engaging in social interactions. Teens might experience an encounter where they invite someone to a party, meet a peer for the first time or even confront bullies. They do this by simultaneously interacting with two clinicians. One clinician role plays the virtual partner while the other provides instructions and coaches them through a headset in an adjacent room. Teens completed 10 of these one hour sessions spread out over five weeks.

Prior to VR sessions, participants were tested on their emotional skills and had a brain scan. Already several studies have been published on the success of this method. Even beyond the data participants felt real, life changing results. “I’ve learned how to start a conversation, just how to break the ice”. Said Jeff, a participant with Asperger’s. 

According to the mother of one participant, “Before it was all about what she thought and then she would impulsively jump in and then she would get a bad response. So, what this has been able to do is let her think about what other people are thinking or feeling and then how she can react appropriately.” 

Researchers are just as excited and proud of the study’s results, “It’s exciting that we can observe changes in diverse domains including emotion recognition, making social attribution, and executive functions related to reasoning through this life-like intervention,” said Dr. Daniel C. Krawczyk, associate professor of cognitive neuroscience and cognitive psychology in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences. “These results demonstrate that core social skills can be enhanced using a virtual training method.”

Currently the VR program is only available in Dallas and costs $1800 per student. Researchers are working to get funding to spread the program which could easily be implemented across the country. Researchers hope to only expand the program but grow the reach of each study. 

“This research builds on past studies we conducted with adults on the autism spectrum and demonstrates that virtual reality may be a promising and motivating platform for both age groups,” said Tandra Allen, head of virtual training programs at UT. “This was the first study to pair participants together with the goal of enhancing social learning. We observed relationships in life grow from virtual world conversations. We saw a lot of growth in their ability to initiate and maintain a conversation, interpret emotions and judge the quality of a friendship.”

This study is proof that social anxiety and other social disorders don’t have to be debilitating. Teens and even adults can benefit from practicing controlled social interactions in virtual environments.

Published on Sep 20, 2016

Kicking off our new series Brain Power TODAY, special anchor Maria Shriver visits a teen socialization lab at the University of Texas at Dallas, where a virtual reality program helps teens develop their social skills despite such challenges as ADHD and Asperger’s syndrome.
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Virtual Reality Could Help Teens Deal With Social Anxiety, ADHD, And More | TODAY

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Raphael Konforti

Raphael Konforti graduated from the University of Florida with a Masters of Exercise Science, Go Gators! Holding his PTAGlobal CPT since 2009, Raphael has worked in variety of fitness education roles around the world. He is currently the Fitness Education Coordinator for Youfit in Florida. He prides himself on making the complicated, confusing fitness industry easy to understand. Doing that while slipping in a good joke is his passion. He loves surfing, diving, strongman competitions and yoga, yup pretty random mix.

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Stop ADD and ADHD in 18 Days by Eliminating This!

Published on Jul 16, 2014

Dr. Bob DeMaria discusses the role of a certain fat in so many foods and how it relates to ADD And ADHD. His book illustrates how those conditions can be stopped in 18 days. Find out how that can be and how the conditions can be tied to what you eat!
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ADHD and Exercise: How to Treat Symptoms Through Exercising

Uploaded on Apr 14, 2011

Adults and children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD) benefit from physical activity, but what can people with ADD/ADHD and physical disabilities do? Whether you are out of shape, have limited mobility, or live with extreme limited mobility, ADD/ADHD coach Beth Main will help you find fitness ideas and other alternative treatments that fit your lifestyle!

This video was originally made for: http://www.additudemag.com/adhdblogs/...

Learn more about Beth Main:
http://www.additudemag.com/authorID/3...

http://www.adhdsolutions.net/

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How do you discipline kids with ADHD?

CNN's Kelly Wallace and Paul Callan discuss how to effectively discipline kids with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder in light of a video that surfaced showing two kids with the disorder being handcuffed by a school resource officer.

Source: CNN
http://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2015/08/06/adhd-discipline-handcuffed-kids-controversy-intvw-wallace.cnn/video/playlists/brutally-honest-kelly-wallace-parenting/



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Nutrition For Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD - Educational Video

Uploaded on Jun 16, 2007

The Film, "Is Your Child's Brain Starving?" 
Lecture on how diet can contribute to ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) by Dr. Michael R. Lyon, MD. Shot at Mount Royal College, Calgary, Alberta. Dr. Lyon - "As the director of a medical & research centre, I have explored a variety of potential treatments to improve brain function in children and adults, without the use of drugs like Ritalin. Although I believe there is promise in certain herbal medicines and in non-drug treatments such as biofeedback, I have seen the most profound improvements in learning and behaviour through an intelligently applied nutritional program." Notes from cameraman (Gordon McDowell):

Dr. Lyon later emailed me a copy of his Power Point presentation , which I've incorporated into the video.
Director: Gordon McDowell
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Contact Information: Dr. Michael R. Lyon, MD is Medical and Research Director of FunctionalMedicine.Ca
Gordon McDowell created the video.
Creative Commons license: Attribution-ShareAlike.

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How Adventure Helps ADHD

Time spent in nature and participation in adventure sports is known to have a profound effect on those who struggle with ADD/ADHD.

The Academy at SOAR is a boarding school in North Carolina for children with ADD/ADHD, and in this video director Joseph Geier leads students on a multi-day rock climbing trip to Seneca Rocks in West Virginia. 

http://www.outsideonline.com/2048486/how-adventure-helps-adhd



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'Twas the Night before an ADHD Christmas

Uploaded on Dec 24, 2011

Rick Green reads the holiday classic "'Twas the Night Before an ADHD Christmas"

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Natural Cures for Insomnia

Published on Nov 11, 2014

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In this video I’m going to go through the steps you need to follow to naturally cure insomnia.

1. Eliminating carbohydrates before bed and consuming quality fats in it’s place (Avocado and yogurt)

2. Reduce stress by avoiding the television screens and computer screens before bed and read something that helps you relax (journal, bible)

3. Take quality supplements, especially a Magnesium (400-500mg before bed)

4. Use essential oils like Lavender and Chamomile by rubbing a few drops on your neck before bed or taking a detox bath with epsom salts

5. Changing your lifestyle like lowering the temperature in your house (60s), making sure your bed is comfortable, making sure your room is dark

Following these steps will help you fall asleep fast and help you overcome insomnia naturally.

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20 Tips for Helping Kids with ADHD Succeed in School by Dr. Hallowell

• “Most teachers and adults could benefit from pretending that all kids in their class have ADHD – what is good for kids with ADHD is good for all kids.” – Dr. Hallowell

• There is no substitute for parent understanding the child’s mind and conveying that over and over again to teachers! A child needs an advocate after a diagnosis of ADHD and too often testing results get “filed away”.
• Become a partner with your child’s teacher. Don’t go in with a set of things you “want” from the teacher. Go in with the goal of creating a relationship that will support your child. Consider baking brownies or helping out in class. Treat your child’s teacher as the professional she is.
• Creativity is impulsivity gone right. Encourage it in your child and use it yourself.
• Most kids with ADHD don’t do things the “normal way”. Don’t feel bad about this, and don’t say or do things that will make your child feel badly about his or her unique approach. Also, work with teachers to get rid of the shame in approaching problems and situations in a  non-standard fashion.
• Getting rid of shame and fear are key!! The greatest learning disorder of all is fear. All kids, and this includes kids with ADHD, need to feel emotionally safe in the classroom and at home. Talk with your child about his or her classroom and social experiences to make sure this is happening. Remember Dr. Hallowell’s own experience learning to read with dyslexia and how much having Mrs. Eldredge’s arm around him encourage him to try.
• Set your child up to make progress on something that matters to him. This builds confidence and motivation. (For more on building confidence, see the book “The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness” by Dr. Hallowell.
• With all children, but particularly with kids with ADHD, simple, consistent rules are the best.  This is true of the classroom and at home. For example, always treat others with respect is a simple rule that can be applied to many situations.
• Use all modalities/multi sensory training: Visual, auditory, kinesthetic.
• Create a predictable schedule at school and at home. Kids thrive in situations that have enough predictability that they don’t need to guess about what is coming next (this does not mean “boring” though!) An important part of that schedule is getting enough sleep. Get your kids into bed early, if at all possible.
• Give warnings about upcoming transitions from one activity to another. For example, “Now we are going to write our practice sentences, then we are going to move into science.”
• Don’t be stingy with accommodations. One example is extended time on tests. The idea of the test is generally to see if a child has mastered certain material. Does the amount of time that is needed on the test make a difference? Why not give all kids untimed tests?
• It is easier to take on a big task if it is broken down into small steps.
• Monitor progress often and give feedback often.
• All kids need escape valves. Make sure to provide time to get up from desk, walk around, have recess, bring some physical activity into what they are doing.
• Make sure to give positive feedback when it is deserved. Don’t fake it, though. Kids know whether or not you are just trying to puff them up.
• Teach outlining and memory tricks
• Make a game out of learning.
• Consider talking with your teacher about having a home to school notebook for quick comments on daily basis and easy communications.
• Family dinner is one of the highest predictors of high SAT scores. Take the time to have family dinner and connect with each other.
• Driving in a car is another great way to connect with your kids. Spending time, anywhere, is important. Check in regularly with your kids.

Meet Dr. Hallowell

Are you looking for practical, how-to solutions to life’s personal challenges? Best selling New York Times author and world-renowned ADHD expert, Dr. Edward (Ned) Hallowell offers groundbreaking advice on how to:

• Survive in an ultra-competitive, ultra fast, attention deficit society while remaining sane
• Raise happy children
• Manage worry
• Forgive
• Bring the best out of your employees
• Get the most out of life with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
• 
  

A graduate of Harvard College and Tulane School of Medicine, Dr. Hallowell is a child and adult psychiatrist and the founder of The Hallowell Center for Cognitive and Emotional Health in Boston MetroWest, New York City, San Francisco and Seattle. He was a member of the faculty of the Harvard Medical School from 1983 to 2004 until he retired to devote his full professional attention to his clinical practice, lectures, and the writing of books.

Dr. Hallowell is a highly recognized speaker around the world. He has presented to thousands on topics such as ADD,strategies on handling your fast-pace life, the Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness, how to help your employees Shine, ADHD and Relationships and other pertinent family and health issues. He has been prominently featured in the media, including 20/20, Oprah, Dr. Oz, CNN, PBS and NPR as well as 60 Minutes, The Today Show, Dateline, Good Morning America, US News and World Report, Newsweek, the Harvard Business Review, Washington Post, New York Times and other popular publications.

From corporate audiences to parent-teacher workshops and national television shows, people who listen to Dr. Hallowell come away stimulated, inspired and empowered to change their lives. He is a charismatic speaker, combining the knowledge of a Harvard instructor with his incredible understanding of ADHD, human nature and the struggles we face in this crazy/busy world.

Dr. Hallowell is considered to be one of the foremost experts on the topic of ADHD. He is the co-author, with Dr. John Ratey, of Driven to Distraction, and Answers to Distraction, which have sold more than a million copies. In 2005, Drs. Hallowell and Ratey released their much-awaited third book on ADHD, Delivered from Distraction. “Delivered” provides updated information on the treatment of ADHD and more on adult ADHD.

Dr. Hallowell’s most recent book, Driven to Distraction at Work: How to Focus and Be More Productive was published 2015. In Driven to Distraction at Work, Dr. Hallowell identified the underlying reasons why people lose their ability to focus at work. He explains why commonly offered solutions like “learn to manage your time better” or “make a to-do list” don’t work because they ignore he deeper issues that are the true cases of mental distraction.

He is also the host of “Distraction” a weekly podcast series created to explore how we are driven to distraction and offers coping strategies to turn modern problems into new-found strengths.

Learn more at drhallowell.com, sign up for his free monthly e-newsletter and follow him on Facebook, Twitter, linkedIN, Pinterest and Youtube.

In Dr. Hallowell’s book SHINE:  Using Brain Science to Get the Best from Your People he draws on brain science, performance research, and his own experience helping people maximize their potential to present a proven process for getting the best from your people. He introduces the 5 steps in the Cycle of Excellence: Select, Connect, Play, Grapple and Grow, and Shine.  He shows how each step is critical in its own right and translates into actions a manager or worker can do and do now to propel their people to excellence.

In Married to Distraction: Restoring Intimacy and Strengthening Your Marriage in an Age of Interruption, Dr. Hallowell teams up with his wife, Sue George Hallowell, a couples’ therapist, to explain the subtle but dangerous toll today’s overstretched, under nurtured lifestyle takes on our most intimate relationship. The good news is that there are straightforward and effective ways to maneuver your marriage out of the destructive roadblocks created by the avalanche of busy living.

Dr. Edward Hallowell & Sue Hallowell: Married to Distraction on The Today Show – NBC

Dr. Oz intereview –  Dr. Hallowell on “The Medical Condition You Didn’t Know was Ruining Your Marriage.”  Click here to watch Dr. Hallowell discuss Marriage and ADHD.

Dr. Hallowell’s book with Dr. Peter Jensen, SUPERPARENTING FOR ADD: An Innovative Approach to Raising Your Distracted Child, was published in December, 2008. With decades of experience working with ADD children, Dr. Hallowell understands how easily the gifts of this condition are lost on a child amid negative comments from doctors, teachers, and even loving but frustrated parents. He has long argued that ADD is too often misunderstood, mistreated, and mislabeled as a “disability.”

Dr. Hallowell observes that people who do not have ADHD still often show many of its symptoms due to lives that are so busy that they overload their brains. He explores this phenomenon in his book, CrazyBusy: Overstretched, Overbooked, and About to Snap! In this book, Dr. Hallowell shows how the hectic pace of modern life has led our society to suffer from broader, culturally induced ADD. His insight into how to unsnarl frenzied lives and take charge of how we really want to be living provides true inspiration to us all.

In addition to his fame in the world of ADHD and pseudo-ADHD, Dr. Hallowell is also an expert in parenting, how to manage anxiety, and the importance of connection and forgiveness.

Dr. Hallowell lives in the Boston area with his wife, Sue, a social worker, and their three children.

Teaching Kids to Cook—and Care A unique volunteer experience helps kids make a difference

What do you get when you mix kids of all ages with a celebrity chef and give them a mission to cook for people in need? A unique and eye-opening volunteer experience for the whole family.

To my considerable delight, eight-year-old Alister is making dessert. Yes, my youngest son is peeling pears—brow slightly furrowed, tongue poking out of his lips in concentration. Once peeled and cored, the pears will be poached and served with a citrus-infused panna cotta. Pretty fancy for a kid in Grade 3, right?

Cooking with kids

Nearby, Alister’s 12-year-old brother, Cameron, is chopping onions. His eyes are stinging, but with Chef Carl Heinrich nearby, Top Chef Canada winner and co-owner of the popular restaurant Richmond Station—and Bolognese sauce for 50 to prepare—there’s no way he’s going to throw in the towel. Or the chef’s knife.

The boys and I are at the Massey Centre in East York with Kids Cook to Care (KCTC), a unique nonprofit that gives child volunteers a chance to cook for people in high-need communities, acquiring practical kitchen skills with some knowledge of different ethnic cuisines mixed in. Tonight they’re working alongside eight other kids ages six to 16 to make an Italian meal for the young expectant and new moms who live at the centre.

The birth of a unique program

KCTC was founded in 2009 by Toronto moms Jill Lewis and Julie Levin. “There was a lack of authentic volunteer activities for kids—little kids—to do in Toronto. So I thought, why not put them in a kitchen, hook them up with a celebrity chef, and let magic happen?”

“We used to live in New York, and when we were there we volunteered at a shelter on the upper west side,” says Lewis. “When we moved here, I promised the kids we would cook and care in Toronto, but no one would let us into their homeless shelters or soup kitchens. It was adult-only or ages 10 and up. So with a girlfriend we decided, ‘Let’s do something, and see if we can make a difference.’”

The importance of volunteering

When Lewis approached me about KCTC, I jumped at the opportunity to participate with my two sons. As with so many well-meaning but busy families, I’d wanted for some time to find a hands-on volunteer opportunity that would allow them to make a difference while getting face-to-face with those who have less. But I never managed to research how to make that happen. Our contributions to good causes had become mostly about making monetary donations to charities, something that can be pretty invisible to kids.

Even better, the opportunity totally fit with my nature, which is to demonstrate affection and concern for others through food. Like the legions of casserole-bearing women before me, I’m all about the food love—in times of crisis (such as sickness or grief) or in times of joy (such as the arrival of a new baby). And in between, there’s the everyday business of sustaining my family with—at least on good weeks—wholesome food.

Heinrich says KCTC holds a lot of meaning for him. “I very much relate to the program, to the kids cooking and especially to the Massey centre. My mother had me when she was 19 years old and I was her second kid. We went through probably more difficult times than most growing up.” His education as a cook began when he was in his early teens and his mom, then in her late twenties, was working full-time and juggling her duties as a single mother of three.

“My oldest sister and I started cooking one meal a week. That’s why I choose this meal because the sauce was one of my first meals cooking for my family. I’d come home from school, open the cans, brown the beef, have a sauce ready, boil some water, and my mom would come home and tell me when the noodles were done. That started, not necessarily the career, but the passion for food. We never ate out at restaurants and we never had expensive ingredients. It was ground beef and frozen chicken breasts, but we ate well on a budget.”

Capable and confident kids

Just as the leftovers from Heinrich’s first batches of spaghetti sauce would be turned into lasagna and then chili later in the week when he was growing up, the kids at KCTC chop enough onions and mushrooms, and—with a little help from some moms who handled stirring over the hot industrial stoves—make enough sauce to leave a giant pot of leftovers for the young women.

Next, the little hands roll balls of pasta dough into long snakes, older kids slice them into pieces, and everyone’s thumbs are put to use shaping the pasta. The kids then fly into action when Heinrich says the meal cannot be served until the kitchen is clean. The other moms and I look at each other. If only we could command such efficiency!

The kids then form an assembly line to plate the pasta, sauce, salad, and garlic bread, and the youngest volunteer—six-year-old Grace—proudly helps ferry the plates from the counter to the residents, many of whom are cradling babies in their arms.

To get to the Massey Centre on time that day, I’d pulled the kids out of school an hour early, a decision that was easy to make given the richness of the experience. When all the guests were served, the kids joined the residents at the tables with the plates of pasta they’d been so eager to taste while working in the kitchen. My boys sat next to a young woman who didn’t yet have a babe in arms. “Stay in school, kids. And don’t cut class either. It’s a bad path to go down.”

There was never any doubt, really, but I couldn’t help feeling that this one moment alone made it well worth having the kids miss last period of school that day.

WRITTEN BY Brandie Weikle  @bweikle  Thenewfamily.com

Brandie Weikle is a parenting editor, writer, and founder of The New Family blog.

7 Practical Tips for Single Moms with ADHD

Single moms with ADHD have a lot of stressors to contend with. Being a single parent is hard enough. But when you have ADHD, as Terry Matlen said, “multiply the stress by a million.” ADHD affects your ability to pay attention, prioritize, plan, organize and recall details, thereby making working and running the household that much tougher. Plus, because ADHD is highly genetic, it’s very likely that one or more of your kids has ADHD, she said.

Matlen’s clients tell her that their biggest concern is that there is no support and they’re constantly on call. “The sense of isolation is huge for these moms.” So is the guilt. They worry that they’re letting down their kids, she said.

“Not only is [a single mom with ADHD] trying to maintain her own stability, supporting and caring for her children singlehandedly, but she’s feeling almost like she’s drowning in trying to do it all herself.”

Many moms also struggle with depression and anxiety, because understandably, this is a lot to navigate.

Thankfully, there are many things you can do. Below, Matlen shared key suggestions and reminders.

Prioritize treatment.

“It’s imperative to get your own ADHD optimally treated. If not, life with ADHD and kids will be very, very difficult,” said Matlen, MSW, ACSW, a psychotherapist and coach who specializes in adult ADHD. If your kids have ADHD, make sure they’re receiving treatment, as well, she said. (See here and here for more info.)

When your ADHD is properly treated (with therapy, medication or both), you’ll see improvements in all areas of your life and your kids will, too.

Lower your expectations. 

Matlen stressed the importance of being realistic about your situation. Don’t let others make you feel bad either. It’s OK if your house is more cluttered than your friend’s house or dinner includes shortcuts, she said.

Look at the areas of your life where you’re holding sky-high expectations, and set more realistic expectations. See how you can make your life easier and thereby more satisfying.

Get support. 

Having emotional support is vital. Get support from friends and family and women in similar situations, said Matlen, author of several books on ADHD, including The Queen of Distraction: How Women with ADHD Can Conquer Chaos, Find Focus and Get More Done. Because many women are pressed for time, she suggested finding support groups online. Matlen runs a Facebook group for women with ADHD, and many are single moms. This site features free resources for women with ADHD.

(Matlen also runs a fee-based program for women with specific meeting times; they get together to work on paperwork, chores, time management and other concerns.) CHADD offers some online groups here.

If you do have time, check out support group meetings in your area. CHADD has meetings in some cities. You can see if there are any in your area here. There might be other meetups in your area, as well, like this one.

Get creative with childcare. 

If you can’t afford childcare, try a co-op where moms take turns caring for children, Matlen said. “For the working single mom, this may only make sense on the weekends, but it may be worth it to save your sanity and give yourself time away from the kids.”

Find a gym that has childcare, if you enjoy taking classes or using machines. Split the cost of a sitter with a friend, Matlen said. Or barter with your friends. “For example, offer to watch your friend’s children on a weekend in exchange for them keeping an eye on your kids.”

See if you can make adjustments with work.

For instance, Matlen suggested asking to work part of the time from home, or asking for flextime. This way you have more control over your schedule. Also, consider if you can work part-time – and supplement your income in other ways. Many women sell items on eBay or Etsy, or tutor and work as virtual assistants, she said.

Many women with ADHD make excellent entrepreneurs, “as long as they have administrative help to take on the detail work that often makes them crazy.”

Matlen suggested consulting with a career counselor. (Some career counselors also specialize in ADHD.)

Get creative with chores.

Because your time is limited, try “twinning” activities, as Matlen calls combining tasks. For example, while watching TV, fold laundry. Your young kids can even match socks.

Also, make chores fun, she said. “Get an over the door basketball hoop with a laundry basket below and have the kids toss their dirty clothes in there.”

Plan out meals. 

“Have a family pow-wow every Sunday — check your schedule for the week ahead and write down your dinner plans for each night on your calendar or planner,” Matlen said. Get everything you need at the grocery store instead of scrambling at the last minute.

On particularly busy days, pick something quick and easy, such as carry-out, she said.

Being a single mom with ADHD comes with many challenges. But there are helpful strategies that can simplify your life and reduce stress. Make sure you’re getting support and receiving proper treatment for your ADHD (and your children are too). Try to get creative with household tasks and childcare.

And remember that you’re doing your best. You really are.

Mom and daughter photo available from Shutterstock

About Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S.

Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S., is an Associate Editor at Psych Central. She also explores self-image issues on her own blog Weightless and creativity on her blog Make a Mess: Everyday Creativity.

View all posts by Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S. →

ADHD and Essential Fatty Acids Natural interventions worth considering

Research shows that children with ADHD may use up essential fatty acids (EFAs) more quickly than children who don't have ADHD. EFAs offer a natural intervention for ADHD.

It is estimated that 2 percent or more of children in Canada have symptoms that would lead them to be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a behavioural disorder marked by impulsivity, hyperactivity, and/or inattentiveness. Essential fatty acids may be beneficial as natural interventions for ADHD.

ADHD treatment

Children with ADHD often have difficulties in school as well as in social situations, and the diagnosis can cause significant challenges for both children and their families. As awareness of this diagnosis has increased, more support has become available and more research into potential treatments has been funded. Despite increased awareness, first line treatment options for ADHD have not changed considerably in recent years, as stimulant medications remain at the top of the list of treatments offered.

Canada is one of the top countries in the world for the prescription of stimulant medications for the treatment of ADHD, and there has been an upward trend in the prescription of these medications in recent years.

Although these medications can provide relief of ADHD symptoms in many cases, many people are questioning the number of prescriptions being written. Many also have concerns about the long-term benefit and safety of using these medications. Still others, particularly many parents of children with ADHD, want to know what alternatives to medication exist and what natural interventions may be helpful either on their own, or in addition to more standard ADHD treatments.

Essential fatty acids

In the search for natural interventions, much interest has been focused on the use of essential fatty acids (EFAs). Of most interest have been docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), two types of omega-3 fatty acids with important jobs to do in our bodies. These healthy fats are particularly important for the developing brain, both in the womb and throughout childhood. As a result, much interest and research has been focused on investigating the potential role of the EFAs in ADHD and other behavioural disorders.

So far, results from these studies have been mixed. What has been consistently shown is that the use of EFAs is thought to be safe and without significant side effects, features which make them worth considering in the eyes of many parents and natural health care practitioners.

Recent research on EFAs for ADHD

Teacher-rated improvements

One study that showed beneficial effects of EFA supplementation documented positive effects on Conner’s Parent/Teacher Rating Scales when 500 mg of EPA was used for a period of 15 weeks.

The Conner’s scales are used to help evaluate ADHD symptoms. There are scales for both teachers and parents, and in each case a series of questions is answered, which helps to rate a child’s ADHD symptoms. In studies of potential ADHD treatments, administering the Conner’s scales before and after an intervention is often one of the measures used to evaluate if the treatment has had any effect.

In this case, EPA supplementation was associated with improved teacher-rated measures of inattention. In 48 percent of children who were “oppositional” (those who displayed behaviour such as frequent arguing, defiance, or refusal to comply with adult requests or rules) EPA treatment was associated with at least a 25 percent improvement in the total score on the Conner’s scale for teachers.

The authors of the study also measured blood and cell levels of fatty acids. Children who appeared to respond positively to EPA treatment were more likely to be those who had lower blood cell concentrations of EPA in measurements at the beginning of the study, before the intervention.

Parent-rated improvements

A more recent study showed other encouraging results: 90 children with a diagnosis of ADHD received either an EPA-rich supplement, a DHA-rich supplement, or placebo pills for four months. Blood cell fatty acids were measured, as well as parent-rated behaviour, reading, and learning.

After four months of treatment, increases in blood cell levels of DHA were associated with improved reading, spelling, restlessness, and oppositional behaviour in those children who had learning difficulties. Increases in EPA were associated with improvements in shyness and anxiety as assessed by parents.

A 2007 study also showed improvements in parent-rated ADHD symptoms when children ages seven to 12 supplemented with EFAs for a period of 15 weeks, with parents noting improvements in inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behaviour.

Although improvements demonstrated in these studies may be small, they are encouraging. The safety and multiple requirements by the body for EFAs, and particularly the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, make them worth considering for children with ADHD.

Children with ADHD may have higher EFA needs

Essential fatty acids may be especially important for these children because of a difference in the way their bodies appear to metabolize these vital fats. Children with ADHD have been shown repeatedly to have measurable differences in cell levels of omega-3 fatty acids compared to non-ADHD children. Although it is often speculated that this could be the result of decreased omega-3 intake compared to children without ADHD symptoms, the explanation looks to be more complicated than that.

At least one research study has shown that although diets may differ between adolescents with ADHD and others (as adolescents with ADHD in the study ate more calories and fats), their intake of essential fatty acids is similar. However, despite a similar intake in omega-3s, the adolescents with ADHD were more likely to have low blood levels of total omega-3s and of DHA in particular. This suggests that these teens might metabolize fats differently and/or may have an increased need for certain fats compared to those without ADHD.

Simply put, something about kids with ADHD could be making them burn through their EFAs more quickly. This in turn would increase their need for EFAs in order to maintain proper cell and tissue functions.

Obtaining sufficient EFAs

So how can interested parents increase their children’s intake of EFAs? The main source of the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA are fish oils. Algae-sourced DHA is now available as well, for those who prefer to avoid fish.

Increased intake of fish in the diet can be helpful, but to get the very high doses used in the studies discussed above, use of supplements is usually required as well. Always consult a health care practitioner first, especially when giving a child high doses of essential fatty acids. Fish oil products for children are available in a variety of tasty flavours, so parents can more easily boost their children’s intake.

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What about GLA?

A 2010 study suggests that some children and adolescents with ADHD may receive effective relief of symptoms when combining omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA with the omega-6 fatty acid gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). According to the study these three compounds in specific combination were found to achieve improvements in reading, writing, aggression, and anxious behaviour.

Get a good night’s sleep

Children with ADHD are more likely to have sleep problems than those without ADHD. Following these tips may make it easier for your child to fall asleep—and stay asleep.

• Keep a consistent schedule and bedtime routine.
• Encourage your child to get plenty of exercise during the day.
• Manage your child’s sleep environment by keeping the bedroom cool and removing or reducing possible distractions, such as noise.
• Eliminate any caffeinated foods or beverages from your child’s diet.
• If your child is taking conventional medications for ADHD, consult with your health care practitioner about changing the timing of these medications, as they may interfere with sleep.

WRITTEN BY Serenity Aberdour, ND

Serenity Aberdour is a naturopathic doctor in Vancouver, BC. serenitynd.com