| If there were an identifiable cause of ADHD, then | | | | vaccinations and exposure to cigarette smoke, |
| it would be infinitely easier to prevent and cure | | | | certain toxins, and heavy metals like mercury |
| the condition. Unfortunately, there is no single, | | | | from amalgam fillings. A Cesarean section or a |
| simple cause of ADHD. Western medicine believes | | | | stressful childbirth are also fairly common |
| that it is caused by a deficiency in key | | | | antecedents. |
| neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine. | | | | Even if an individual is exposed to all these events, |
| When doctors make an ADHD diagnosis, they | | | | ADHD will not occur unless the antecedents meet |
| prescribe medications to temporarily correct this | | | | a second factor - the triggers. Triggers are |
| imbalance. However, ADHD is not simply a matter | | | | certain environmental factors that cause |
| of a chemical imbalance, and to think that it can | | | | symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention, and |
| be simply cured by a pill is a very narrow, | | | | impulsivity to emerge in an individual predisposed |
| short-sighted view of the condition. | | | | to the disorder. These triggers include poor |
| A little known fact about ADHD is that it is a | | | | nutrition, food allergies, physical inactivity, |
| spectrum disorder - a condition that affects each | | | | imbalances in the immune system, inadequate |
| individual in different ways. Every person | | | | rest, and lack of exposure to fresh air, sunlight, |
| diagnosed with ADHD experiences a different | | | | and water. More often than not, it is poor nutrition |
| combination of symptoms because ADHD is | | | | and the wrong foods which trigger ADHD in |
| caused by a complex set of factors. Brain | | | | young children. In fact, renown pediatric |
| chemistry is only one of them. Although one | | | | allergologist Dr. Feingold pointed out that ADHD |
| article is hardly enough to give a complete | | | | only emerged when certain foods with additives |
| discussion on the many possible causes of ADHD, | | | | and preservatives became popular among children. |
| what you will learn here is an alternative | | | | Once you understand how antecedents and |
| perspective on how ADHD develops in a person. | | | | trigger come together to cause ADHD, you will |
| There are two different factors that intersect to | | | | also see why medications like Ritalin are not |
| cause ADHD. The first of these are called | | | | enough to treat the disorder. ADHD medications |
| antecedents - certain events that predispose the | | | | only temporarily correct the chemical imbalance; |
| individual to the disorder. The occurrence of | | | | its benefits don't even last an entire day! Besides |
| antecedents do not guarantee that a person will | | | | that, medications do not do anything to correct |
| develop ADHD; however, it will make him or her | | | | the environmental triggers, which are the real |
| more likely to develop it later in life. These | | | | culprit of the disorder. Instead of swallowing a pill, |
| antecedents are either genetic or acquired. | | | | what your child needs is a comprehensive |
| Genetic antecedents are basically genes that place | | | | treatment plan that will neutralize the antecedents |
| an individual on high risk of developing the disorder. | | | | and triggers, and a lifestyle change to prevent |
| Acquired antecedents consist of events that | | | | these factors from aggravating the disorder. This |
| happen during the mother's pregnancy and during | | | | is the only way you will truly be able to help your |
| childbirth and that make the child more susceptible | | | | child overcome ADHD naturally. |
| to developing ADHD. These events include | | | | |