True Attention Deficit Disorder is a physiological condition that results from a lack of blood and oxygen to the prefrontal cortex of the brain. Glucose metabolization is lowered, which results in lessened brain activity. The control impulses are missing. Therefore, thoughts, feelings and impulses, whether appropriate or not, tend to be expressed.

Children with this condition will instinctively seek to stimulate the frontal lobe. This often results in maladaptive behavior such as picking fights, or disrupting the classroom. As adolescents, these children are more likely to take drugs, get in trouble with the law or commit suicide.

In ADD impairment of left and right brain cross-over occurs. In the vast majority of ADD sufferers the right brain hemisphere is dominant. This is the area of the brain that governs the senses, emotions and creativity. It views the world from a three-dimentional perspective and is how we interact with the world. The right brain is awed by the beauty of a sunset, captivated by the rainbow colours of an oil slick in a puddle. It feels compassion for a lost puppy, but has absolutely no concept of time. It is often perceived as the feminine side of our ego.

Those who are dominant in this hemisphere learn kinesthetically, or via their senses and by interaction in the learning process. They are often left-handed or stronger on the left side, and may possess a wonderful imagination, possibly even psychic or clairsentient ability. You may perceive them as dreamers, since their minds often wander. They may have a hard time keeping their bedrooms or work space in order, may often lose things and are often late for school. They may also be more concerned with making friends than with academic performance.

Those who learn kinesthetically may not all be true ADD victims, but they do not do well in a school system designed for visual and auditory learning. By the time they hear a segment of information, try to process it through the workings of their emotions or internal visualization process, roll it back and forth to examine it in detail, and then absorb the results of their perceptions, they have missed the full gist of the information and are totally lost. Or, piqued by some piece of information that has stimulated their imagination, their thoughts may wander off in an entirely different direction.

What is missing is the balance that occurs through engaging the left hemisphere of the brain. This hemisphere essentially processes information and sensory input from the right hemisphere. It sees the world two-dimensionally, from a logical, analytical perspective. Processing information sequentially, it understands the linear concept of time, performs mathematical calculations, creates organization and routine, and attempts to rationalize. Individuals with a dominant left brain perform well in a school setting and find it easier to study.

More males are diagnosed with ADD or behavior problems than are females. But, ADD is not entirely gender-related. Right brain qualities are viewed as acceptable or normal in girls and not as abherant behavior. In addition, girls are less likely to manifest aggressive tendancies. Also, in many cases, proper testing has not been conducted. ADD has been improperly diagnosed simply by assessing the conduct or poor intellectual performance of the child.

ADD can only be accurately diagnosed through specialized brain wave monitoring. There is currently only one service in the entire Niagara Peninsula that performs neurofeedback tests to determine brain wave activity. This is the only way to determine the presence of diminished prefrontal cortex activity that characterizes true ADD. The test will also reveal if anxiety is the problem. The 2-hour test costs $150 and is covered by many extended health care companies. Once this factor has been eliminated, you can then begin to address the disorder or look for other causes of the learning or behavior problems.

Parents are rightfully reluctant to use stimulant medications such as Ritilin to control the behavior of their children. While medication is such an easy and tempting way to eliminate chaos in the home, it will not work for about 30% of children. It may even magnify hyperactive behavior late in the day when the drug has worn off. The side effects of any pharmaceutical including this metabolite can be cumulative. Ritalin is an amphetamine. It acts like adrenaline to increase heart rate, constrict blood vessels and raise blood pressure. In addition, it produces toxic free radicals. Although it passes through the system quickly, 80% of it becomes toxic.

Ritilin has not been studied long enough to determine the long-range effects to body systems such as the liver, central nervous system and brain. More importantly, it does not cure ADD. It merely suppresses the symptoms. While this may make life easier for those who have to deal with the child, it results in a chemical dependancy. The child does not outgrow or overcome the ADD, which means an individual may have to continue taking the drug throughout their whole life in order to function within society. Children have no say in what type of treatment or drug to which they will be subjected, yet they will have to suffer and endure the repercussions of side effects, possibly for the rest of their lives.

Although still controversial, a recent study indicates that a natural mixture of ginseng and Chinese Ginko Biloba, known as AD-FX is just as effective as Ritilin. However, ginseng stimulates nerve growth, so it may also reverse the biological cause of ADD. Fewer side effects occur.

Many physiological or emotional problems can result in symptoms similar to ADD or ADhD. Children are not the only ones succeptible. For instance, similar symptoms can be caused by an internal build-up of poisons from digestive disorders or stress, parasites, candida overgrowth, allergies, dental mercury, common home pollutants such as construction material off-gasing, moulds, or carbon monoxide and exposure to heavy metals. Refined sugar consumption or chemical additives and artificial sweeteners in processed or junk food will upset the body's chemical balance, compromise the central nervous system, impair organ and brain function, and make the individual moody, irritable, unstable, depressed and unable to concentrate. Liver toxicity often causes high ammonia in the bloodstream which can produce symptoms that mimic mental illness. Sometimes it may take years for the cumulative effects of minute substances to finally yield a detrimental effect.

In about 75% of ADD sufferers, the intestinal wall is more permeable and digestion is slowed, allowing environmental toxins such as chemicals and heavy metals to enter the brain and organs more readily. Learning disabled, hyperactive, retarded and autistic children possess elevated copper or lead levels. Iron and copper can interfere with brain chemicals and the body's electrical impulses, resulting in depression, anxiety, aggressive behavior and memory loss. Mercury affects the central nervous system, digestive system and disrupts the thyroid, pancreas and heart. It causes irritability, anxiety, nervousness, exaggerated, irrational or uncontrolled behavior, depression, withdrawl, loss of memory, inability to concentrate, lethargy, and a host of other ADD-like symptoms. It can also cause visual and speech impairment.

Add to that common household airborne toxins and allergens from cigarette smoke, furnaces, moulds, scented products, cleaning products, pesticides, lawn care chemicals, house dust and construction material off-gasing and particulates. Poisons do not need to be ingested. Since pollutants are heavier than air, they are in greater concentrations lower to the ground. Children are much shorter than adults. They breathe ten times faster and inhale more air per body weight. As a result, they inhale higher percentages of dangerous pollutants.  Also. many chemicals are easily absorbed through the skin as children pay on carpets or on grass.  Since many pesticides and chemicals are neuro-toxins, an accumulation of these toxins may account for some of the symptoms of ADD.

In fact, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies made an alarming connection between pesticides and ADHD in children.  The US Centre for Disease Control found widespread contamination of humans by deadly chemicals.  Certain types of chemical residues were found to be almost twice as high in children. 

If anyone in your household is displaying behavioral problems or learning impairment, look for the causes around the home first. It is no co-incidence that ADD and ADHD sufferers have a high incidence of allergies and immune impairment. Install a good quality independant air purifier in your home. Upgrade to a pleated or hepa furnace filter and change it often. Control humidity and remove mould with bleach and water. Use a once-through furnace humidifier that has no standing water. Remove carpeting from the bedroom.

Next, examine the diet. Research has shown that Trans Fatty acids interfere with the absorption of Omega-3 fatty acids which are important for proper brain function.  About 90% of the trans fatty acids consumed by children are chemically manufactured.  These include hydrogenated oils.  Most fast foods and almost all packaged or processed foods contain trans fatty acids, including those labelled 'cholesterol-free' and 'low in saturated fat'.  Even baby biscuits and infant cereals contain TFA's.   

Acidophyllus supplements will help to increase digestion to reduce build-up of metabollic wastes. Taking digestive enzymes with meals will also help, especially if allergies prevail. Periodic detoxification of the liver is vitally important. Include naturally-detoxifying foods in the diet, such as dandelions, rappini, burdock, sea vegetation and sprouts.

Even if you can avoid contaminants in your environment, today's groceries contain more than 3,000 toxic chemical additives, preservatives and colourings, in addition to nickel and chlorine from processing methods!

Also beware of foods that have nutrients added. All this means is that the food processing procedure has removed most of the original nutrient content, requiring the re-introduction of vitamins and minerals. However, most of these supplements are inorganic and cannot be properly digested. In fact, ingestion of these minerals, especially iron, can cause toxic overload.

The body uses enzymes to break down food into useable form. These enzymes are designed to deal with organic compounds. They cannot break down inorganic, chemical or artificial substances, which leaves these substances to accumulate as toxins. When levels are high enough, a physiological reaction occurs. Food colourings and synthetic sweeteners, in particular, can aggravate allergic reactions, and cause restlessness and irritability. Breakfast cereals are a big culprit.

Allergies set up an adrenal stress reaction within the body, as does hypoglycemia or consuming sugar. Even meat is suspect, since animals produce huge amounts of adrenaline while they are being slaughtered, which you, in turn, consume.

Over-processing of the adrenal gland can result in aggressive behavior or learning diabilities. This can be caused by many factors, such as living with fear, anxiety, or stress, such as in a home with conflict, sibling rivalry, or an abusive parent, including one that is sexually abusive, or by relocation, the introduction of a new sibling or a family breakup.

Any food you consume in excess or crave is one to which you are probably allergic. One craves things that cause the body stress because is causes a rush of adrenaline. This triggers the release of glucose into the bloodstream, creating a sort of "high". Unfortunately, high stress levels not only activate the secretion of adrenaline and various other neuropeptides, they also raise the heart rate and tax the immune system, making the individual more succeptible to colds and viruses.

Adrenaline can become addictive. Children who grow up in stressful situations, such as in alcoholic homes, often become accustomed to the high of adrenaline, and are attracted to similarly stressful situations as adults, unconsciously seeking chaos whenever they experience the uncomfortable void of a calm period.

Ginger is an excellent adrenal inhibitor. Homeopathic remedies, herbal preparations and Bach Flower Essences can also help. Energy therapies promote balance and harmony within the body, significantly reducing the effects of physical stress.

Try an 'elimination diet' to figure out your 'trigger' foods.  Avoid eating a suspected food for at least a week.  Initially the symptoms may worsen before they disappear.  If you stop eating a food and it causes withdrawl symptoms  such as fatigue, a void feeling, depression, anxiety, or poor concentration, or these symptoms resume when you begin eating the food again, you have your answer. 

Common villains are chocolate, dairy products, yeast, wheat products and corn.  Their derivatives are often hidden unobtrusively in everyday foods such as bread, cooking oils, pasta, cereals and salad dressings.

Lactose intolerance is a very common allergy and is one of the first things to suspect in ADD. Many people cannot digest dairy products because they lack the digestive enzyme lactase needed to break down milk sugar. Researchers feel this is because milk is not needed in the diet after infancy. This lack of specific enzyme production may account for many food sensitivities. However, lactose intolerance can also indicate a calcium deficiency.

Don't let your doctor tell you that mineral and vitamin supplementation is not important. Nutritional deficiences are probably the single greatest contributing factor to ADD and ADHD. This explains why more boys tend to suffer from ADD. At birth, a male's brain is heavier, so the need for nutrients is higher both before and after birth. A deficiency therefore occurs more readily. If a young child hasn't the proper nutrients to build his nervous system, not only can he not function properly, he cannot repair his own neurones.

Chronic malnutrition or improper body pH also leads to biochemical imbalance. This plays a large part in behavior disorders and personality malfunctions. In fact, at least nine biochemical imbalances result in violent behavior!

Since minerals are inorganic and highly alkaline, the body cannot readily absorb them. Vegetables absorb inorganic minerals from the soil and change them into a digestible form so that we, in turn, can benefit. However, now that our soils are so depleted, we do not obtain enough minerals from our diet. Supplementation is vitally important, but you must be sure to use a form that can be assimilated. Don't rely on fortified foods which often contain cheap, inorganic minerals.

Chelation will provide you with approximately 190 ml of actual mineral per 1000 ml dose. This means you must ingest more than 5 times the amount to get the minimum RDA! Colloidal and homeopathic minerals provide better than 95% absorption, since they are electrically charged and in a minute form the cells can readily absorb.

A quick way to test for mineral deficiency is to test for correct body pH. Draw saliva into the mouth and clear it. Do this twice. Then place litmus paper on the tongue. This is best done first thing in the morning or at least two hours between meals. Also test the urine. If the colour of the litmus turns blue or purple, the body is sufficiently alkaline. If it is green, the body is too acidic, indicating a mineral deficiency or improper diet. Supplement with some form of readily assimilable Calcium/Magnesium.

Magnesium supplementation can decrease hyperactivity. This may be because it relaxes the central nervous system. Or, its role in digestion and elimination may help to keep the body free from metabollic toxins. Possasium Phosphate is also beneficial. This mineral helps to clear metabollic toxins which contribute to tiredness, memory loss, sleeplessness, and lack of motivation. Foods and supplements high in natural Potassium and Iodine such as kelp and blue/green algae can help to keep the thyroid in balance.

The entire family of B-vitamins is very important for emotional and psychological balance and well-being. The B's are often called "stress vitamins" because stress quickly depletes them and because supplementation aids vitality and psychological balance.

Children struggling with co-ordination, visual, learning and behavioral difficulties, particularly hyperactivity, may be deficient in Essential Fatty Acids. Omega 3 & 6 Essential Fatty Acids cannot be manufactured by the body. They must be included in the diet. Remember taking cod liver oil every morning when you were a kid? Your mother was making sure you got your EFA's! Essential Fatty Acid deficiency is now chronic in the North American diet due to processing and refining of foods and oils. About 40% of children with ADD lack EFA's.

EFA's regulate important functions and affect every cell in the body. They stimulate the immune system, elevate mood, energy and endurance, and help you process what you see. About 20% of the brain and 30% of the eyes are made up of fatty acids. Some individuals have a reduced ability to convert dietary fatty acids into the form needed for eye and brain membranes to function properly and for conversion to chemical messengers involved in the regulation of cell activity.

Junk food such as donuts, cookies, soda pops, candy and potato chips contain empty calories that deplete Chromium and Zinc levels and cause blood sugar fluctuations. These foods also contain high levels of chemical additives, dyes, artificial sweeteners, and refined sugar or refined flour, including appetite stimulants to make you crave more. Studies have shown that criminal tendancies and anti-social behavior can be linked to diets high in junk foods.

Watch for a combined zinc/magnesium/vitamin B6 deficiency, manganese or chromium deficiency, or hypoglycemia from eating empty calories. Chromium works together with insulin in the breakdown of sugars for conversion to energy and certain fats. It also plays a vital role in the activities of certain enzymes.

Refined sugar makes the body more acidic and interferes with the body's cellular ability to carry oxygen. This can affect behavior and thought processes so much that the individual loses control. In fact, many people who have hypoglycemia are misdiagnosed with mental illness. In addition, carbonated beverages deplete potassium, upset the thyroid gland and cause hormonal imbalances, as well as deplete the body's electrolyte balance.

An excess of silica will do the same. Silica binds with potassium to produce calcium for the body, resulting in a potassium imbalance or deficiency. Silica is used in gelcaps.

Parasites and chronic candida infections can also wreak havok with the body. Normally harmless, candida and parasites multiply out of control when too much sugar or yeast is consumed, or when antibiotics are administered. High levels of antibiotics are found in most beef.

Today, three out of four people routinely have parasites. We readily pick them up from pets, food, and handling objects. Consuming vital nutrients the body needs, their toxic excrement and emissions can weaken the immune system, create acid pH, cause fatigue, irritability, hyperactivity and other nervous system problems. Grinding teeth is one indication of their presence.

Since many young children are prone to ear infections, they are routinely administered antibiotics. These drugs are designed to kill bacteria. This includes ALL bacteria in the body, including the beneficial intestinal colonies needed for proper digestion of food. An unbalanced metabolism allows for a proliferation of parasites and bad bacteria. Once candida or parasites have multiplied out of control in the intestinal track, they migrate to other parts of the body, including the organs and brain, causing symptoms of mental or emotional imbalance.

Routinely administering a quality herbal parasite cleanse and metabollic detoxification in spring and autumn will help to keep candida and parasites unter control. Always consume acidophyllus or yogurt for at least a week after taking antibiotics, and then supplement periodically.

Do not neglect to ensure your child drinks ample quantities of water. This may seem like too simple a solution, but, a lack of water will disrupt the electrical and chemical functions of the body at the cellular and atomic level. In essence, you are short-circuiting or eliminating the grounding necessary for the body to function properly. Both the emotional and physiological are affected. This can worsen pre-existing conditions. In addition, the body continually needs water to flush out toxins and impurities. A rule of thumb is to divide the body weight by 2. This is the number of ounces required each day.

One of the most prevalent and least-recognized causes of brain impairment, stress and illness is the presence of electro-magnetic fields. Appliances and wiring within our homes generate magnetic fields that interact with our bodies' electrons. The frequency produced by man-made electrical products averages 60 hertz. The body vibrates at only about 12-14 hertz. These higher frequencies not only overstimulate the central nervous system and cause chaos to our atoms, they can impair the brain's ability to cross over hemispheres, reverse the body's polarity, create a build-up of toxins within the cells of the body, and alter our pH.

Irritability, hyperactivity, depression, lack of focus or concentration, insomnia, nervousness, mental illness, calcium deficiency, fluctuating emotions, personality changes, hormonal imbalances, dizziness, confusion, bed wetting and even diseases such as cancer, leukemia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Multiple Sclerosis can be attributed to the presence of electro-magnetic fields. Less resistance to stress is also apparent. Babies may cry chonically for no apparent reason. These same symptoms may be experienced when sleeping above junctions in the earth's natural magnetic ley lines.

Examine where your child sleeps. The greatest detrimental effect of electro-magnetic fields occurs during the first two hours of sleep, when most cell division occurs. In addition, the bedroom is the one place where we spend the longest continual uninterupted period of time, so exposure is the most detrimental. Look for EMF-producing devices such as a monitor in the crib, a waterbed, a clock radio, or some other type of continually operating electrical device beside the bed. Are there electrical or extension cords or wires crossing under or within 3' of the bed, including within the floor, ceiling or walls, or a satelite dish or microwave tower pointing in the direction of your child's bedroom?

Does the child spend a great deal of time in front of a computer or television? Are fluorescent lights present in the classroom? Are high tension hydo lines or transformers located near your home? Are your gas or water pipes used as grounding for your electrical wiring? Do you use a hair blower? Could an underground spring be located beneath your home?

Some environmental essessment companies will monitor the levels of EMF's in your home or your child's bedroom. Although there are really no safe levels of EMF's, any reading over 2-3 milligausse is a potential health hazzard. A professional dowser can also detect natural and man-made magnetic fields and energy vortexes, as well as underground "black water".

There are devices that have been designed to neutralize the effects of EMF's. Personal devices can be worn as pendants, or units may be installed in the home to clear a radius of up to 65' for all family members and pets. They start at about $100.

A month-long double-blind study was recently conducted by Clarus Systems of California to determine if children with learning disabilities could be benefit from blocking electro-magnetic fields. The results were conclusive and almost immediate. The teachers could immediately tell which classrooms recieved the active units and which ones had the placebos. Overall, there was a 38% reduction in problem behaviors! Outbursts decreased by 58% and irritability declined 39%, while academic ability increased by approximately 50%. Hyperactivity declined 24% and fatigue was lessened by 27%. Social integration did not significantly alter.

Injuries or minor malformations of the neck and spine which may pinch or stress the craniosacral system should also be considered. The craniosacral system is located along the spine from the skull to the tailbone. Consisting of membranes and cerebralspinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord, it maintains the environment in which the central nervous system functions. Although easily damaged or stressed, its role is so vital that any imbalance can cause sensory, motor and/or neurological disabilities.

Birth trauma can affect the craniosacral system of a baby, precipitating future difficulties such as learning diabilities or hyperactivity. A child suffering trauma at birth will be more colicky. Then they will become hyperactive during the "terrible two's". They will often experience immune problems, frequent colds, a continually runny nose, or constant ear infections. The parent is not likely to attribute these things to neural damage until the child eventually exhibits learning problems at school.

Children quite often fall, bump their heads, or injure their tailbones, leading to minor misalignment of the spine. Subluxations of the spine can also spontaneously occur when stress and tension or allergies and food sensitivities are present. In ADD and ADHD children, these misalignments most often occur in the neck or near the base of the skull.

Craniosacral Therapy works by helping the body's natural healing mechanism dissipate the negative effects of stress on the central nervous system. The craniosacral system has its own very subtle "pulse" that can be felt through the body. Using a very light touch, skilled practitioners monitor this rhythm at key points to pinpoint the source of an obstruction or stress. Then they assist the natural movement of the fluid and related soft tissue to help the body self-correct. Chiropractors can also perform minor adjustments on children to re-align the spine. Massage therapy and Rolfing are alternatives to nervous system adjustments.

Also do not ignore the possibility of hearing impairment or eye dysfunction. A child who only sees two-dimensionally may not be able to track full sentences or paragraphs, follow mazes or do puzzles. Their eyes break sentences into two or three word parts, making it hard for them to comprehend or make sense of what they are reading. Unfortunately, they can often be misdiagnosed as Dyslexic or ADD. There is a therapy available to train the eyes to function better. Also test for nearsightedness. If children cannot read the blackboard or hear the teacher clearly, how can they learn?

Does your child already wear eyeglasses or contact lenses? This prevents the full spectrum light of the sun from entering the eyes to nourish the pituitary gland. Apart from diminishing the gland's ability to regulate the endocrine system, sunlight deprivation can cause depression and lethargy. This is particularly a problem in the winter time. Everyone needs at least two hours of natural light a day to remain healthy and emotionally balanced. If your child is not physically active and prefers to stay indoors, or wears eyeglasses, this may be part of the problem.

For some people, physical activity is necessary to stimulate brain activity. Walk with the arms swinging freely in opposing directions to the movement of the legs. This allows right brain--left brain crossover to take place. An infant must learn to crawl this way. The opposite leg and arm should move together. If your child did not crawl in this manner, or has problems with co-ordination and athletic ability, this may be where the problem began.

Allow the child to spend time walking briskly without carrying anything. Make sure they swing their arms. If you have Down Syndrome or physically challenged infant or child, stimulate the brain by holding the feet and "pedalling" the legs.

If you suspect your child has ADD or ADHD, a brain biofeedback test should be conducted. Academic or psychological tests and profiles will not provide the answers you need. Observing brain wave patterns is the only conclusive way to determine that the frontal lobe of the brain has been deprived of blood and normal integration of the two hemispheres is not taking place. Once you have eliminated this as the cause of the behavior or learning problem, you may then investigate the many other possible causes.

If your child does have true ADD, the brain has to be trained to integrate itself. This is the only way to eliminate the problem so that it will not continue into adulthood. Biofeedback/neurofeedback, hypnotherapy or art therapy are being successfully employed. In addition, the child's self-esteem must be supported and encouraged.

Hypnotherapy will only work if the individual is a willing participant. There are three approaches. In the indirect approach, the therapist accesses the unconscious mind to uncover the source of the problem, such as a traumatic event or an abandonment issue. The most appropriate re-programming technique can then be employed. In the direct approach, the hynotherapist leads the child to more positive learning modes through suggestion. This can only be accomplished if an interview has been conducted so the therapist can use the individual's own "lingo". In this way they will be more receptive. The third approach is to learn self-hypnosis.

Art therapy helps to integrate the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Using music to inspire them, individuals express their inner feelings on paper using colour and shape. By turning right brain emotion into an objective, tangible form, the rational left brain can understand, process and integrate subjective feelings and sensory input in a healthy manner. In addition, the individual can express repressed emotions that may be blocking or holding them back, freeing them to be more productive.

Play classical or new age music designed for meditation to help integrate the brain hemispheres.  This is particularly helpful while the child is doing homework or studying. 

Neurofeedback training monitors the individual through a computer. An interactive computer interprets the brain wave patterns and displays graphs and stimulating graphics such as puzzles. Visual stimulation serves to wake up the frontal lobe of the brain. The individual responds, scoring points and hearing a tone when they produce the correct brain wave pattern. They are also given tasks to perform such as solving mathematical equations. Throughout the session a qualified therapist assesses the individual's methods and performance continually.

By constantly receiving positive re-enforcement for focusing their attention and challenging them with games that will appeal to their own competative nature, the individual finds it increasingly easy and rewarding to focus. After about forty sessions self-discipline becomes a positive habit pattern by moving from the subconscious to long-term memory. Some ADHD children may require more sessions.

Although ADD has only been recognized in the past 15 years, it is an inherited trait that is perpetuated through generations. Unfortunately, as an adult, an inability to focus or control impulse can result in a continual change of jobs, family breakups and further loss of self-esteem. As a result, many children with ADD live in lower income homes and may not have access to the treatments they need to help them. Some therapies are at least partially covered by extended health care, but the majority require cash payment. A naturopath is uniquely qualified to help you devise a drugless multi-dimensional individual plan to help your child.

The bottom line is that attention and behavioral problems all have some underlying physiological cause. The answer is not to suppress or mask the symptoms with drugs. Although that may make life temporarily easier for everyone in the family, ultimately it does nothing to benefit the individual suffering with the problem. The only true solution is to find the source and either eliminate or address it. It is a trial and error process that will take some time and possibly considerable mony. But, that is the only way the individual and his or her family can ever hope to have a normal life.

In the meantime, don't neglect the support and strength YOU will need to cope with this problem. There are ADD support groups to help you. Look for one in your area. ~~