ADD, Depression, and Diet

There is a link between the 3 - ADD, Depression, and Diet.  Your child with ADD may suffer with symptoms of Depression -
     * mood swings on a day to day basis
     * a decrease or increase in appetite
     * inability to sleep or sleeping too much/lethargic
     * feelings of worthlessness or guilt

            "About half of all children who have ADHD have trouble regulating their emotions, and this problem
            can also lie at the root of primary depression." - 

                    http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/1015.html

This can go for us adults too.  I know I have suffered from depression at times and it seems to be for no reason!  I had Postpartum Depression after my third and realized that medication didn't help me, it actually made me feel guiltier and more depressed.  (I'm not saying that medication is never needed for severe conditions, but it wasn't right for me at that time).

            "Depression is estimated to be 2.7 times more prevalent among adults with attention-
             deficit/hyperactivity disorder than among the general adult population."

http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/748.html

There is really good news!  Diet can really help ADD/ADHD kids (and adults) to feel happier and have a more neutral mood.


            "For a lot of years, there has been anecdotal evidence linking depression with gluten (along with more
             serious mental disorders, up to and including schizophrenia).
             Clinical depression appears to be linked with serotonin levels in the brain.
             Serotonin is a natural substance which is produced in the body. This natural production appears to be
             impaired or reduced in various groups of people, including depressives.
             The reasons for this impairment are not yet completely clear. However, 90% of the production of    
             serotonin occurs in the digestive tract. So it begins to make sense that the food eaten might have an
             effect, either positive or negative, on serotonin production.
             Another report by Alessio Fasano and Carlo Catassi states that there is an "Asymptomatic Silent
             Form" of celiac disease. Symptoms of this form of gluten intolerance (which may not all be present)
             are: iron deficiency, a tendency to depression, irritability, or impaired school performance in children
             "feeling always tired," and easy fatigue during exercise, and reduced bone mineral density.
             Gluten-free diets (sometimes combined with dairy-free) have been used for autism, depression and
             schizophrenia, with some success. Even though the mechanism is still not fully clear, it does appear
             that there is a scientific basis for a connection between gluten and depression in susceptible
             individuals."
                              http://www.glutenfreedietbook.com/articles/index.php?article=16

So...I have a confession!  When Pumpkin is home, we eat a pretty good gluten-free/sugar-free diet, but when he is at school or in bed...I'll bring out the forbidden food.  Thinking that it can't harm me too much, I have overindulged a little this week - seeing that it was my birthday I deserved that HUGE piece of chocolate cake after the kids went to bed!  (Cake = gluten and sugar together)

I have noticed that I've been more irritable, a little lethargic, and have an increase in cravings the last couple of days.  I know this is because of my diet.  (My husband confessed that he hasn't been feeling great lately either).  Maybe time for a detox again?  I think we (that means my husband and I) will be more strict with our diet - gluten and sugar free - starting on Monday :)   .....what?  It's still my "birthday weekend"!

Sick or Just Needing a Social Break?

So, today was the first time Pumpkin acted like he was sick so he wouldn't have to go to school.  I do want to give him the benefit of the doubt and he did have a small cough.  My husband and I suspected it might be something else so we talked to him about "sick days" and that he could only have so many.  If he used one today then he might have to go to school on a day where he was even more sick because he is using his day today.  He still was quite adamant about not feeling well.

      {Just a side note...I used this a few times when I was a kid - I'm pretty sure we all faked the sick -
       anyways, I knew my mom knew the truth but she never questioned me about it.  She was always
       supportive and let me stay home "sick".  I was always so thankful for those days - there were only a
       few!}

So, we let him make a very grown-up decision to use one of his sick days to help his cough.  Then he started telling us that some of his friends don't want to play with him at recess.  He goes on to tell us that some friends like to run and play tag but he doesn't like to do that (ADD kids sometimes don't do well with contact sports), some kids play with legos but when he asks to play with them, they say no.  This just broke my heart!  I know there are probably many aspects and reasons for poor Pumpkin to not have many friends.  In fact, I don't want him to have tons of friends, I just want him to have one good friend who is like him - a good friend, funny, sweet, creative, and just fun to be around.  Children with ADD/ADHD often have problems with social skills for various reasons.  Many times they don't do well with competition and big group settings.  Sometimes they don't perceive things the way they should and take things too literally or personally.  Sometimes they are bullied which causes more anxiety and more stress than they already have.

There are things parents can do to help their kids have friends.  ADDitude Magazine has some great articles that can be found here.  They also have a lot of other resources that can help parents manage social interactions with their kiddos.

Well, as you can see, the kids are enjoying a good movie, still in their jammies, and eating popcorn.  Let's hope he wants to go back to school tomorrow! :)

The Weekends

I have a weird love/hate relationship with the weekends.  I love them because that means no real routine with a hurried breakfast and driving to school on time.  I love them because my husband is home and that gives me a break.  I love them because we get to go to the beach or some other fun place.  But...I somewhat dislike them because there is no real routine and I never know what to make for breakfast.  I somewhat dislike them because the kids are excited that Daddy is home and are jumping all over the place and that gives me a break to do the laundry :[  I somewhat dislike them because we usually end up going out to the beach all day and coming home with 3 exhausted kids and more laundry to do.

Maybe we should have more of a routine on the weekends.  Children with ADD need routine and set schedules.  However, with such a strict routine during the week, it's nice to have a break!  Today, at the beach, Pumpkin ran and ran with Daddy.  It was great to see him have such a fun time, smiling and then continuing to be a good boy through dinner and into bedtime!  I love it when he's happy!!!