ADD/ADHD

Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder is a behavioral disorder hallmarked by the inability to focus or control behavior and impulses compared with individuals of a similar age and in more than one venue (e.g., at home and at school). This primarily affects children but some adults too. Specialized evaluation and testing is required to make the diagnosis, and stimulant medication (e.g., Ritalin) is used to control symptoms.

This is not a condition caused or triggered by food allergies, despite popular convention that dyes and additives may trigger ADD/ADHD. There is no known underlying immune-mediated reaction that would classify such triggering as an allergy. Evaluation for food allergy is not recommended and would not provide any useful insight.

For more information on ADD/ADHD, visit the National Institutes of Health Web site.