The role of vitamins cannot be denied in the proper growth and development of children. We all study the issues and problems that specific vitamin deficiency can cause and probably have learnt that vitamin A is good for the eyes, deficiency in vitamin C causes scurvy and deficiency in vitamin B causes beriberi. But not many of us know that a vitamin deficiency can cause many other issues as well.
There are some studies that show that adequate amounts of vitamin B6 or pyridoxine are required to allow for normal brain development in children. Vitamin B ensures that brain chemicals like serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine are synthesized so that normal development of the brain can occur. A study proved that pyridoxine is more helpful than the most common stimulant that is used for brain disorders in certain cases. However, the issue is that these results were no significant and have not been replicated enough for it to be considered standard ADD treatment.
The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry state that a megavitamin therapy that involves vitamins in excess of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) can help with learning disabilities and hyperactive children. This is why. ADD and ADHD are probably caused due to low levels of the chemical dopamine. This is the brain neurotransmitter that allows people to feel good. It also activates the frontal lobes in the brain. Since the frontal lobe is the seat of most feelings, sensory perception and executive functions, it can be expected that when dopamine levels are low, they will cause a person to be unfocused and distracted.
To make dopamine, the enzymes made from DNA convert tyrosine and phenylalanine into L-DOPA in the presence of folic acid, Vitamin B3 and iron. A second enzyme converts L-DOPA into dopamine if adequate vitamin B6 is available. This dopamine converts to norepinephrine in the presence of vitamin C.
Dopamine deficiency can be cause by the environment, inadequate nutrition intake, food and air allergies, stress and genetic predisposition. And therefore given that the vulnerability of getting dopamine deficiency is high in the current environment of pollution, stress and junk food, it is pertinent that an adequate amount of vitamin be ingested for prevention and possible cure of child ADHD treatment.
Though an herbal remedy, such as BrightSpark, for ADD is also an option that you could choose among others like naturopathy and medication, intake of vitamin does not harm anyone. However, what should be kept in mind is that excessive amounts of vitamin intake should be done under the supervision of a trained physician or a nutritionist.
Clinical & Child Psychologist
Behavioral problems in children are common these days. The children throw tantrums, or do not listen to their parents, or do not pay adequate attention in studies, they do not eat properly or do not like to take the balanced diet and so on. Sometimes they love to throw stones on animals or they bully other children who are younger than them or they defy the authorities.
If this is the case then it may be a serious problem leading to conduct and opposition ally defiant disorders. We should keep an eye on them and if they are highly aggressive then we must seek psychological treatment for it. Such treatments include, ignoring, time outs, reward management, withdrawal of reinforcements etc.
If your child is throwing tantrums, ignore their behavior. If you are saying him or her even that “do not behave like this” then you are giving them negative attention. And the child knows that if he does that behavior then he would get attention from the authorities. So best technique is to not to give any attention to them. Similarly, if the child does not listen to you, give him a time out.
Time out is the technique of sending the person to the safe but uninteresting place where he has to sit their without doing any activities eg: asking your child to sit in the corner of the room facing the wall. You have to specify them that your time starts when you start facing the all, withholding all the activities. Then know the interests of your children and try to manage it terms of rewards eg: If your child likes chocolates then give him chocolates only when he gives the desired behavior.
Similarly, you can give tokens or stickers etc. to be exchanged for the rewards, defined beforehand. eg: One token could be exchanged with one “parantha” or two tokens could be exchanged for one favorite T.V. show, seven tokens could be exchanged for an outing and so on.
Actually, the selection of the technique depends upon the analyses of behavior according to the ABC model.” A” means antecedent so it is the cause of the behavior. “B” means behavior itself and “C” means the consequences resulting from that behavior. The basic conceptualization is that if we remove the causes itself we can improve or modify one’s behavior eg: if two children are talking in the class then changing the environment itself i.e. changing their seats. This is called as environmental manipulation changing the cause of the behavior and manipulating it. The another method is to change the behavior itself, eg: giving them something that interests them more than talking .The third step is changing the consequences itself e.g. talking behavior followed by a time out. Thus understanding the basics of behavior we can manipulate the antecedents, behavior and consequences. These practices could be applied with the help of a psychologist to modify those behavioral problems.
I am indebted to this blog and its comment posters for enlightening me .