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ADD and ADHD Prevention: Right from the StartBySally Goldberg, Ph.D.Q. ADD and ADHD seem to be so prevalent. Isthere anything I can do in the early years to preventthis from happening to my child?A. Absolutely yes … and right from the start.Bonding and attachment beginning in the first few months isthe place to start. From the moment of birth, begin building yourpositive relationship with your child. You as the parent are the firstand most important teacher. As you interact and grow together,there is much you can do to foster paying attention, followingdirections, completing tasks and concentration.Nursing and Bottle FeedingRemember to maintain eye contact with your baby as younurse or bottle feed. This eye contact is as important to thenursing process as is the intake of the nutrients. The physicalconnection you make at this time plays a major role in yourrelationship-building process. Use nursing as the guide for bottlefeeding. It cannot be done in any other position.Stroller RidesFor short distances, the position your baby is in is notimportant. However, during your outside stroll in yourneighborhood, keep your baby in a position where you can seehe or she at all times. Interact on your stroll. Point out beautifulflowers and trees and other sights of interest. Your walk togetheris a special time for connecting and building your positiverelationship. Put the cell phone away, if possible. Do whateveryou can to keep it from interrupting this special time that you andyour baby have together.Being Fair, Firm and PositiveAdopt this attitude for parent-child interaction. Use it as youguide your young child who is exploring the world and learningthe many ways in which it works. Fair means that you make yourexpectations clear. “This is where you play, eat, put your toys,”etc. Firm means that you stick to what you request. Show that youmean what you say. Keep your consistency. Positive means thatyou have your child’s best interests at heart. What you request foryour child is for his or her own good. You continually teach yourchild how to do well for the future.Food, Exercise and SleepKeep these basics clear. Serve whole, natural foods as muchas possible. Keep away from the artificial colors, flavors andpreservatives. Do the same with the whites -- sugar, flower,potatoes and rice. In addition, try to eliminate french fries andtraditional potato chips which have omega 6 fatty acids.Moreover, try to include as much fish as possible which is rich inomega 3 fatty acids. Set up active play times for your child. Thenbe sure to keep a regular bedtime, and plan around it carefully.Proper food, adequate exercise and regular sleep are all dailymusts.There may be a genetic component to ADD and ADHD.However, even if there is, knowing what environmental influencescan ameliorate the situation will help a lot. While thesecharacteristics are complicated, you now know some simple stepsyou can take right from the start that can help to minimize oreven eliminate these problems from interfering with your child’ssuccess in school and later in life.— Sally Goldberg, Ph.D., speaker, author and coach, is a professor ofeducation at the University of Phoenix, South Florida Campus.She is also founder/director of Dr. Sally Parenting, Inc., a full serviceresource for parents. For questions or comments, contact Dr. Sally atwww.drsallyparenting.com, drsally@drsallyparenting.com,or 480-766-6323. ❂What’s onYour Mind?Do you have a question you need answered?Just ask the experts at AdviceWise.Send your questions to: advice@floridawisemagazine.comWe may edit your letters for length, content and clarity. FWM appreciates your inquiries, but do to spacerequirements we may not be able to respond to each inquiry. The publishers’ accept no liability and makesno claim to the accuracy of the advice given by the authors and accepts no responsibility directly or indirectlyfor any personal liability, loss, or risk incurred as a consequence of the use and application of any advice.22 April 2006