Health Ideas That Promote a Child’s Success

Sleep---a child needs 9-10 hours per night of actual sleep time.  Function during the day is clearly affected by less sleep than this amount.  This goal holds for adolescent patients as well.

Exercise---one hour per day is optimal.  Exercise burns off excess energy and a child copes and focuses better with exercise.  Do not allow loss of recess or limited exercise as a punishment—find an alternative approach.

Limit video gaming and screen time—a maximum of one hour per school day is an important approach.  Many parents do not allow any gaming on school nights and find this effective.  Certainly, keep gaming and computer time at least one hour away from bedtime—since this activity interferes with sleep.  Video gaming has been shown to hamper schoolwork the next day, increases impatience-frustration and impulsiveness and negatively affects social interaction with peers.

Vitamins---a multivitamin containing vitamin D (400-800 units) will be a benefit to your child.  Vitamin D has an effect on brain function and children low or borderline in Iron do not perform as well at school and mental tasks.

Fish Oil—Omega 3 Fatty Acids—have been shown to help children and teens with ADHD, education issues and autism traits.  A child 6-12 years can take half the adult dose and if over 12 years can take the adult dose.

Avoid:

            Caffeine

            Chocolate

            Food coloring/dyes (red and yellow are the most frequent problems)

            Avoid decongestants like Sudafed and other decongestants (they work like caffeine but more intensely)

Deeply restrict Sugar and White Carbs

            Sugar intake often makes traits of ADD and ADHD worse and can also cause significant Mood Swings

(Switch to whole grain bread, wheat pasta, complex rice (not fast or instant rice))

Severely restrict bread, chips, crackers, sugar, fructose, cookies, potatoes, fries, noodles, instant rice, bread-like snacks, Goldfish, and other carb snacks.  Avoid drinks with sugar or calories, avoid juice and eat fruit instead, skip the Gatorade and drink Crystal Light instead. Increase fruit and vegetables to 50% of dietary intake.  Use protein or healthy fats along with fruits for snacks:  nuts, cheese, yogurt, meat and cheese rolled up, beef jerky (no sugar added), fruit—snack time should be 150 to 200 calories.

Do not skip meals---a child’s body needs fuel.