How an Elimination Diet Helps Children with ADHD

Help Children with ADHD by Targeting the Root Cause

Lack of focus, hyperactivity, and mood swings are the common challenges in children with ADHD. While conventional treatments often manage symptoms, they may not address the underlying cause.

Functional medicine explores deeper factors such as nutrition and gut health, and how these factors influence behavior. One effective strategy within this approach is the elimination diet, which identifies food triggers that exacerbate ADHD-related symptoms.

Disclaimer: This blog is for informational purposes only and does not offer medical advice or treatment recommendations. Please consult a licensed healthcare provider or dietitian before making dietary changes.

What Is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?

While inattention, impulsivity, or hyperactivity can appear in any child from time to time, persistent patterns may signal a deeper issue. Understanding ADHD and how it presents is an important first step toward getting the right support.

• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a common neurobehavioral disorder of childhood.
• Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) find it difficult to focus, are impulsive, and are overly active.
• The 2022 national survey of parents reveals that an estimated 7 million children in the U.S. have been diagnosed with ADHD.
• Children with ADHD can show behaviors like frequently interrupting conversations, struggling to stay seated during class, and finding it hard to focus on tasks for longer than a few minutes.
• Studies show that symptoms of ADHD can be reduced through an elimination diet.

Identified Food Culprits that Worsen ADHD

Some foods and additives are harmful to children with ADHD, as they trigger the symptoms. Thus, devising a children's ADHD diet is significant for addressing specific symptoms related to behavioral health.

• Artificial Food Colorings and Preservatives: A study by McCann et al. (2027) found that artificial colors and sodium benzoate preservatives can increase hyperactivity in young children.
• Refined Sugar, Dairy, and Caffeine: A 10-week study showed that preschool boys with hyperactivity had better behavior on a dairy-free, low-sugar diet.
• Saturated and Trans-fatty Acids: Saturated and trans fats have been linked to worse behavior and gut microbiome disruption, both of which can negatively impact symptoms.

Understanding the Elimination Diet

The University of Wisconsin-Madison's Department of Medicine and Family Health (2018) defines an elimination diet as an eating plan where foods believed to cause an adverse effect or food intolerance in a person are removed.

• It helps identify food triggers by removing and then reintroducing specific items.
• It is considered safe when nutrient-dense foods, such as vegetables, are included to meet nutritional needs.
• It is commonly used in clinical settings to manage food allergies, gastrointestinal symptoms, and disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and eosinophilic esophagitis.
• This food plan is also used to create an ADHD diet for hyperactive children to reduce symptoms.

How to Do the Elimination Diet

The elimination diet has four steps: planning, avoiding, challenging, and creating a new diet.

• Plan: Begin by consulting with a healthcare provider to discuss your symptoms. Keep a daily journal to track everything you eat and any symptoms that occur.
• Avoid: For 2 to 4 weeks, eliminate identified trigger foods from your diet to allow symptoms to improve.
• Challenge: Once symptoms lessen, gradually reintroduce eliminated foods one at a time, monitoring closely for any reactions. This step identifies problematic foods.
• Adapt: Create a long-term eating plan that excludes only the foods that trigger symptoms. Maintain a balanced, nutrient-rich diet to support overall health.

How Can an Elimination Diet Reduce Symptoms of ADHD in Children?

Diet influences brain chemistry, inflammation, and gut health, all of which relate to symptoms seen in children with ADHD.

The Science Behind it

The gut-brain interactions can result in mood changes, stress, and behavioral symptoms if the body reacts poorly to particular foods or food groups.

• The microbiome–gut–brain axis, or the bidirectional relationship between the gut microbiome (GM) and the central nervous system (CNS), contributes to how the brain and digestive system influence one another.
• The gut microbiome helps digest food, regulates the immune system, and influences brain function by producing mood-regulating chemicals and signaling molecules.
• There is a direct connection between diet and attention deficit disorder. Children with ADHD have poorer diets and higher sugar and processed food intakes.

The Role of Elimination Diet in Reducing the Symptoms

Children with ADHD who follow an oligoantigenic diet often show better behavior and improved focus. This few-food diet is a helpful tool for managing ADHD symptoms.

Benefits of an elimination diet include:

• Reducing Inflammation: Cutting out foods like artificial dyes, preservatives, gluten, dairy, and processed sugar reduce inflammation, protect the gut, and improve mood, focus, and behavior.
• Balancing Gut Microbiome: Avoiding inflammatory and allergenic foods improves gut health, which supports brain chemicals that affect behavior.
• Boosting Nutrient Absorption: Healing the gut helps the body absorb key nutrients like zinc, magnesium, iron, and omega-3s, which are important for brain function.

What Findings Suggest About Diet for Children With ADHD

The elimination diet is a valuable therapeutic tool. However, it is not equivalent to a cure. Families seeking children's ADHD diet plans should view this approach as one part of a broader strategy.

Other Potential Benefits of the Elimination Diet

An elimination diet is also a beneficial therapeutic tool for Crohn's Disease, Colitis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), skin conditions, general gut health, and immune support.

• The Crohn's Disease Exclusion Diet reduces inflammatory food components and manages symptoms of Crohn's, Colitis, and IBD.
• For skin conditions like Eczema and Psoriasis, eliminating common allergens such as milk, eggs, and soy, or reducing saturated fats, can reduce flare-ups.
• An elimination diet supports gut health and immunity by removing foods that trigger bloating, fatigue, brain fog, and inflammation.
• In some cases, eliminating fermentable oligosaccharides may further reduce digestive symptoms and discomfort.

Disclaimer: This blog is for informational purposes only and does not offer medical advice or treatment recommendations. Please consult a licensed healthcare provider or dietitian before making dietary changes.