Sometimes life is not so easy. Like when I discovered that after a quarter century of medical experience I had failed to diagnose an obvious disorder...in myself!

One day, a few years ago, frustrated with my chronic inability to focus on what she was saying, my wife suggested that perhaps I suffered from ADHD. Suddenly a light flashed on in my brain. Of course! Quickly reviewing my childhood in the context of what I had learned in recent years about ADD and ADHD, I suddenly realized that she was right: I had suffered from a mild form of ADHD all my life. Keeping my attention focused has always seemed to require great effort. As a kid, I was impulsive, and had a hard time paying attention in school. I was easily distracted, and, yes, hyperactive. In fact my sixth grade teacher, in an attempt to understand my lack of ability to focus and concentrate in class, insisted on having my hearing tested. (It was normal.) Even as a medical student, I coped with my learning disability by studying several textbooks more or less simultaneously, flipping from one to the other as my attention span waned. And as an adult, I do better when I have several projects brewing, so I can move from one to the other as my concentration flags.

Compared to the average case, however, mine has been a very mild form of ADHD.

Kids with ADD/ADHD suffer from altered brain biochemistry, which results in decreased ability to focus, altered moods, and cognitive deficits. ADD is a potentially devastating disorder that impairs children's ability to learn in school and to function normally in social environments. While Ritalin, a toxic drug, is passed out like candy in public schools to suppress the symptoms of this disease, non-toxic and natural treatments that more closely address the underlying causes of the symptoms of ADD often go unnoticed. Most parents of ADD kids are not aware that nutritional imbalances, allergies, and toxic exposures play a major role in causing ADD. This article will explore the alternative medical approach to this potentially devastating condition. Read it and please pass this information on to friends or relatives who may be parents of kids suffering from ADD.

What is ADD/ADHD? Kids with ADD are hyperactive: they have a hard time sitting still. They suffer from an attention disorder; that is, they are easily distractible, have short attention spans, and find it difficult to concentrate and listen. They are impulsive, may have disorders of memory and learning, or manifest specific learning disabilities. They may also have abnormal EEGs and specific neurological signs.

There are actually three forms of the disease. In addition to ADD, ADHD is simply ADD with hyperactivity. A "residual" type affects older persons (like me). In the article that follows, for simplicity, I will use "ADD" to refer to all three types.

Experts agree that ADD is multicausal. That is, in any one case there are usually several factors that contribute to the disease. These are: nutritional deficiencies, food allergies, chemical sensitivities, and toxic exposures (from food, air, water, chemicals, and drugs).

So what should a parent of an ADD kid do? First, get tested. Functional testing can form the basis for drug free, natural therapies for ADD. Because most ADD kids have multiple food allergies, I recommend a Food Allergy Panel. (The best and most inexpensive of these is offered by Meridian Valley Labs in Kent, WA. 1-425-271-8689.) All foods that cause even moderate antibody elevations should be eliminated.

Next, get a Hair Mineral Analysis from Doctor's Data. This test is a "must" because a high percentage of ADD kids have significant body stores of certain toxic metals, especially lead, aluminum, and cadmium. These can be removed using nutritional medicines.

Essential minerals may also be deficient or elevated in ADD kids. The essential minerals copper and manganese are often elevated, while iron, calcium, zinc, and magnesium are often deficient. Hair Mineral Analysis will show which toxics are present in excess and which essential minerals are deficient and therefore require replacement.

Fats play a significant role in brain biochemistry. Essential fatty acid imbalances have been closely linked with ADD. Essential fatty acids are necessary for nerve cell membrane integrity. The body makes locally acting hormones called eicosanoids from fatty acids. Eicosanoids help regulate sleep, act as natural sedatives, and ensure proper communication within the brain. The best test to assess fatty acid metabolism is the Great Smokies Diagnostic Labs' Essential and Metabolic Fatty Acid Analysis. A variety of essential fatty acid products is available to restore balance.

In some children it is necessary to evaluate digestive function. Microbes manufacture toxins in the gut that can alter brain chemistry and adversely affect nerve cells. If there is evidence of yeast overgrowth, bacterial imbalance, or parasitic infection--or if there are intestinal symptoms of any kind--a Great Smokies Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis should be done.

The first step in treatment should be to remove the Ritalin. Are kids with ADD suffering form a Ritalin deficiency? I don't think so! At best, Ritalin is a quick fix that masks the symptoms. At worst, it is a nerve toxin with unknown long-term effects. According to Lendon Smith, M.D., the famous pediatrician, "The nutritional approach may be slower, but it is much safer."

Diet is all-important, and should be focused on natural whole, unprocessed foods, free of additives, preservatives, and food coloring agents. Inadequate nutrition--in the form of a diet of refined, processed foods, deficient in essential vitamins, minerals, and enzymes--will effectively damage nerve cell function. All known food allergens must be removed to reduce stress on the brain and immune system. Sugar should be avoided altogether. And a high quality multivitamin-mineral formula is essential.

Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of phytonutrient flavone compounds in treating ADD. Quercitin and other bioflavonoids, pycnogenol, ginkgo, grape seed extract, and other phytonutrients provide powerful antioxidant protection, support the immune system, maintain healthy blood vessels and capillaries, and promote proper liver function for detoxification.

My wife is still not happy when my focus drifts (for some reason my symptoms are especially acute when she asks me to do the dishes or take out the trash), but at least now, after all these years, I finally have a diagnosis.