| When a child or adult suffers from ADD, their | | | | this treatment. For example, there is some |
| lives can seem insurmountably difficult. Not | | | | concern that these kinds of medications can |
| only are they unable to concentrate in their | | | | actually accentuate feelings of depression, |
| work or school time, but they can also become | | | | often resulting in children or adults that |
| easily frustrated by their inability to keep | | | | are suicidal. And if the child is always |
| up with their normal friends. They find | | | | suffering from depression, this kind of |
| themselves moving from one task to another | | | | treatment plan is only going to perpetuate |
| without being able to complete things as well | | | | the feelings. |
| as their intelligence might suggest. While | | | | |
| science has tried to create medications that | | | | Some newer treatments are including holistic |
| can control this disruption in the brain's | | | | methods like acupuncture, acupressure, |
| chemistry, often these medications can cause | | | | mediation and changes in diet. These seem to |
| more troubles than they are worth. | | | | be working well for many patients, but they |
| | | | are not the only option. |
| Defining ADD and ADHD | | | | |
| | | | Why More People are Turning to Fish Oil |
| ADD or attention deficit disorder has become | | | | |
| a sort of joke in society. When someone has | | | | A few years ago, schools in the UK were |
| troubles concentrating, they are referred to | | | | actually considering making fish oil |
| as ADD in a very negative sense. However, | | | | supplementation a part of the school day |
| there are many children and adults that are | | | | because of its promising effects. A study |
| truly suffering from this condition. Whether | | | | done by Oxford-Durham in 2005 noted that |
| it's a condition of their environment and | | | | children that took fish oil supplements that |
| inability to interact in this environment | | | | contained EFA were more likely to report |
| without certain skills or if it's a condition | | | | fewer problems with concentration and anxiety |
| in which the brain chemistry isn't working | | | | than those in the placebo group. |
| well, ADD is a serious condition that is no | | | | |
| laughing matter. | | | | By studying 100 students, giving half of the |
| | | | students a supplement six times per day of |
| ADD occurs when the brain in unable to | | | | fish oil and EFA and the other half a pill |
| process the messages it receives from the | | | | with olive oil in it, researchers noticed |
| outside environment. Often, the brain is | | | | that students that received the EFA were able |
| working at too fast a speed to process the | | | | to spell better and to read better over the |
| information easily, causing the child or | | | | course of the first three months. As time |
| adult to not be able to do anything with the | | | | continued, these results continued to |
| things they are learning. They can't keep up | | | | improve. |
| with themselves, in a sense, so they're | | | | |
| always looking for new pieces of information | | | | Other studies done at Ohio State University |
| to keep them stimulated. As this happens, | | | | noted that adults can also benefit from fish |
| they can have troubles remembering what they | | | | oil supplementation when they had been |
| are supposed to be doing at their particular | | | | diagnosed with ADD and ADHD. |
| moment or what they have already done. | | | | |
| | | | How to Add Fish Oil to a Child's Day |
| Children and adults may exhibit symptoms | | | | |
| like: | | | | When you are ready to try to add fish oil |
| | | | supplements to your child's diet or to your |
| Problems with focussing | | | | own, you have a number of options to |
| | | | consider. The easiest way to make sure that |
| Issues with completing tasks on time | | | | the patient is receiving consistent levels of |
| | | | the essential fatty acids is through fish oil |
| Low test scores | | | | supplements. High quality supplements will |
| | | | ensure that the right amount is taken each |
| Problems with work assignments | | | | day, without needing to prepare anything for |
| | | | a meal. |
| Inability to concentrate on long term | | | | |
| projects | | | | Of course, if the patient or family has the |
| | | | time to cook, sources like oily fishes are |
| Many times, they will also have troubles with | | | | the best choice. By eating only two servings |
| mood balancing at the same time. They might | | | | of these fishes a week, the benefits of the |
| become so frustrated with the way their brain | | | | fish oil fatty acids can be seen. Since the |
| doesn't work that they can also begin to have | | | | body can not make these essential fatty acids |
| troubles with depression and anxiety. | | | | on its own, it's imperative that they be |
| | | | taken into the body via the diet or by |
| Treatments in ADD Right Now | | | | supplements. |
| | | | |
| One of the most popular ways to deal with ADD | | | | Conclusion |
| right now is with the use of Ritalin as well | | | | |
| as other newer prescription medications. | | | | If a child or adult is suffering from ADD, |
| These medications work to slow the brain down | | | | adding fish oil to the diet can be a good way |
| so that it can process information more | | | | to help to regulate the symptoms as well as |
| easily. In many children, it can be quite | | | | to provide a side effect free way to help |
| effective, but it's not without side effects | | | | their lives. |
| that have made many parents unwilling to try | | | | |