HOW TO TREAT HEPERKINETIC SYNDROME
Do not attempt any diet without consulting your family doctor or specialist. If your child is under a child psychiatrist who is totally unsympathetic to dietary ideas, then ask your family doctor to refer you to someone else – an allergist for example, or a more open-minded psychiatrist – who will be prepared to supervise an elimination diet.
The specialist may have their own preferences as regards the diet, but if not. Children may need a calcium supplement, to compensate for the lack of milk in the diet, and the doctor can prescribe this. Children who also have asthma should be tested cautiously. Any child who has had severe allergic reactions in the past should not be tested for foods at home as the reaction can occasionally be life-threatening.
Drugs used to control behaviour, such as amphetamine derivatives, can be continued during the diet. If there appears to be an improvement in behaviour then you can try delaying the medication, or reducing the amount, but keep an eye on the situation and be prepared to top up the dose if necessary. Drugs used to control specific symptoms such as asthma or hay-fever should not be used routinely during the diet – only use them if they are actually needed. Needless to say, you should discuss all these points with your doctor before making any changes to the child’s medication.
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