The best diet for kids with ADHD

Dr. David Perlmutter, MD, author of Raise a Smarter Child by Kindergarten, uses drugs to treat ADHD only as a last resort. Among other non-drug options for coping with ADHD, Dr. Perlmutter has developed some diet strategies that can help. Here are some of his best tips.

Top six diet tips for kids with ADHD

• Go organic: Starting when they're infants, Dr. Perlmutter says it's best to feed your children organic whole foods. You can buy prepared organic baby food or, if that's too expensive or not easily accessible where you live, make your own. Organic foods "bypass the pesticides, additives, and toxins that impair concentration and increase hyperactivity in some children," Dr. Perlmutter writes in his book.
  
  
• Avoid high-mercury fish: Nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury, which Dr. Perlmutter believes can zap kids' ability to think and concentrate. "For children, these potential side effects occur with much lower levels of exposure than for adults," he writes. He recommends kids with ADHD to avoid high mercury fish. That includes shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish.
  
  
• Test for gluten sensitivity: In the general population, only 1% of people are sensitive to gluten. But Dr. Perlmutter has found the percentage is much higher in children with ADHD. Your family doctor can check for gluten sensitivity with a blood test. If your child is gluten-sensitive, Dr. Perlmutter says, removing gluten from their diet can produce dramatic and almost immediate results. Gluten is found in wheat, rye, and barley.
  
  
• Add DHA supplements: Dr. Perlmutter explains that ADHD is much more common in boys with low levels of DHA, an omega-3 essential fatty acid that plays a key role in brain function. In his practice, Dr. Perlmutter recommends DHA supplements derived from marine algae. For kids with ADHD, he recommends 400 mg per day.
  
  
• Add multi-vitamins: According to Dr. Perlmutter, all children should take a multivitamin, but he says it is especially important for kids with ADHD. He recommends an Intracellular Vitamin Analysis - a test your family doctor can perform - to get a better idea of exactly which vitamins and minerals your child might need to supplement.
  
  
• Consider other brain-specific nutrients: Dr. Perlmutter uses five supplements (besides DHA) as the foundation of his ADHD diet: N-acetyl-cysteine, Phosphatidylserine, Alpha lipoic acid, Coenzyme Q-10, and Ginkgo Biloba. He says all five have been clinically proven to protect the brain and enhance brain function, and he has had great success with them in his own practice.