ADHD or Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder refers to a chronic disorder that starts to manifest in childhood which is described with inattentiveness, over-activity, impulsivity or a combination of any of those manifestations.  This is a mental or neurobehavioral disorder. ADHD is a common behavioral disorder that affects an estimated 8% to 10% of school-age children. Boys are about three times more likely to be diagnosed with it. The diagnosis of ADHD involves many disciplines to include comprehensive medical, developmental, educational and psychosocial evaluations.

Symptoms of ADHD in Children

It is relatively easy to spot a child with ADHD. The child is in constant motion and oftentimes he squirms and fidgets. He lacks attention to listen and has difficulty playing quietly. When he talks, is doing it excessively. He likes to interrupt or intrudes to others. When he does a certain task, he is distracted easily and he cannot seem to complete a task.

Commonly Used Chemicals and Children with ADHD

A team of researchers from Boston University School of Public Health suggests a link between polyfluoroalkyl chemicals (PFC’s), industrial compounds that are widely used in many consumer products and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children. PFC’s are highly stable compounds and once it is absorbed by the body, it can take years for some types of PFC’s to be partially eliminated.  The study reported that children with ADHD tend to have higher levels of PFC’s in their blood. The study with PFC’s was focused on ADHD because studies on some animals have suggested exposure to PFC’s can have neurotoxic effects and ADHD is one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders.  According to the lead author of the research Kate Hoffman, given the extremely prevalent exposure to PFCs, further investigation into the impact of PFC exposure on ADHD and other neurodevelopmental endpoints is warranted. However, she further suggested that although the study suggested there is a link between PFCs and ADHD, it is still not known if there is a causal relationship between the two.

Biography: Shawn Phillips is a well-known Holistic Personal Trainer in Los Angeles and Certified Nutrition Coach specializing in body sculpting, nutrition, lab testing, and exercise coaching. For a FREE consultation call him at (310) 720-8125.