Is Diet a Main ADHD Cause? - Recent Research on Other Causes

Just imagine if there was one main ADHD cause! That would make life simpler if it were due to genetic factors, or diet, or the environment or conditions during pregnancy. It could have something to do with the structure of the brain and the chemical imbalances involved in the neurotransmitters. Actually, it is a combination of all the above, just to make life more complicated and no main ADHD cause has ever been identified.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has done research on diet and it seems that certain dietary supplements can be a help in lessening the symptoms of ADHD. Omega 3 fatty acids and Vitamin B, plus fewer processed foods all seems to help although the NIH estimate that only about 5% of ADHD children are actually helped by diet and they seem to fall into the food allergy category. One study actually showed that certain dietary supplements were just as effective as Ritalin in easing ADHD symptoms. Diet cannot therefore be a main ADHD cause but it can and does affect a child and can exacerbate or alleviate symptoms. Too much sugar can cause a 'crash' and that can lead to temper tantrums or irritability and restlessness.

Recent research shows that the main ADHD cause is more than likely to be an imbalance in the neurotransmitters such as dopamine which are closely connected to the feelings of reward and motivation. This research was carried out at the Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island and it is certainly very interesting to note that this could be the reason why ADHD children can never finish a task as they cannot see the long term benefits or rewards. Yet,when they are involved in computer games or video games, they do much better as the rewards are evident and immediate. There are lessons here for both parents and teachers in that they can try to make tasks at home and at school much more appealing and rewarding. It may be as simple as breaking down tasks into smaller units. It could also explain why ADHD kids are more likely to suffer from being overweight and also drug abuse as these are directly linked to reward and motivation.

There are other ways in which a child can be calmed and helped to focus without subjecting him or her to very doubtful amphetamine like drugs which are losing credibility as the major health authorities are worried about the long term effects and the paucity of complementary treatments for ADHD. That is why ADHD homeopathic remedies rarely get enough attention and yet they can help a ADHD child to remain calm and to suffer less from fidgeting. Looking at these remedies and trying to find a reputable supplier can be quite a task. If the facility is FDA approved, the purity of the ingredients are guaranteed and the manufacture is under the supervision of qualified homeopaths, then there is an excellent chance that you can find a product of superior quality.

Discover other research and treatment for the main ADHD cause available. Experts now tell us that child behavior programs combined with a natural treatment for ADHD is by far the most effective ADHD treatment. Robert Locke is a Health enthusiast who specializes in Children's Health. He has written extensively on ADHD.

Side Effects of Psychoactive Drugs

Like most other drugs, Lorazepam has its set of side effects and while some of these can be quite common and can be observed in most users, some are rare and need to be brought to the notice of a medical practitioner so that immediate action can be taken.

Common Side Effects of Lorazepam

Before we start talking about the specific side-effects of Lorazepam it might be of interest to know how exactly side effects of a drug are tested. The process though might be complicated depending on the drug being tested; the fundamental system is pretty straight forward. The clinical trials to test the side-effects involve two groups of people. While one group is exposed to the effects of the drug the other group is not administered any such drug. Over a period of time, the former group will show effects on their body, both physical and psychological, that will not be evident on the latter group. Any of these effects that were not initially desired when designing the drug will be termed as a side-effect. This is how researchers and pharmaceutical companies gather the knowledge of the side effects. Of course both the groups are made up of volunteers who have willingly joined to allow the test being carried out on their body.

In such clinical trials, the most frequently observed side effects of Lorazepam have been found to be sedation where the person under the drug feels a calming effect, often hampering his working abilities (this side-effect has been observed in about 16 percent of all the people clinically tested) , a certain dizziness (again found in high proportion of users of almost 7 percent), unsteadiness and weakness has been complained by around 4 percent of users.

There is a whole list of other side effects in using Lorazepam. These would include drowsiness and a general feeling of lethargy, fatigue and getting easily tired from minor exertion, a short term memory loss (especially of events that have happened recently), a lack of ability to decide and focus and a general sense of confusion, a feeling of disorientation, hallucinations including visual and auditory ones, severe headaches, slurred speech resulting from an impairment of motor activities, nausea, constipation, vertigo (not just fear of heights but the sense of the head spinning continuously), a loss of libido or other changes in sex drive, erectile dysfunction or impotence, minor levels of low blood pressure and hair loss in some cases.

Serious Side Effects of Lorazepam

While the common side-effects of Lorazepam can be ignored for a few days and most of them are not that serious, the rarer side-effects of Lorazepam must be informed to the doctor who has prescribed the drug so that the issue is settled before it gets out of hand. Most of these side effects are sorted out by changing the dosage of the drug. Some of these side effects are extreme depression, suicidal tendencies, seizures, breathing difficulty, allergies, aggression or violent behavior and insomnia.

To know more about Side Effects of Lorazepam, please visit - Lorazepam and its Side Effects.