Have you heard about ADHD? What is ADHD? Yes, ADHD is Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It is usually considered to be a neurobehavioral developmental disorder. It affects about 3-5% of school aged children with symptoms starting before seven years of age. It is characterized by a persistent pattern of impulsiveness and inattention, with or without a component of hyperactivity.

ADHD occurs twice as commonly in boys as in girls. ADHD is generally a chronic disorder with 10 to 40% of individuals diagnosed in childhood continuing to meet diagnostic criteria in adulthood. As they mature, adolescents and adults with ADHD are likely to develop coping mechanisms to compensate for their impairment.

Iron supplements are sometimes recommended as a treatment for ADHD. Studies have found that children with ADHD are more likely to have low levels of iron than children without ADHD, and iron deficiency seems to correlate with the severity of ADHD symptoms.

Iron is needed by the body to make the neurotransmitters involved with ADHD, including dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. There is not enough scientific evidence to recommend iron supplements to all children with ADHD. However, there are a few early studies, which have not been confirmed by additional research, suggesting improvement in ADHD symptoms, as well as learning problems, in children low in iron.

The recommended dose of iron sulfate is 5 mg/kg/day. Remember, high doses of iron are toxic, and rarely lethal.

Tags: ADHD, iron supplements
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