Halloween is here and it’s the “sweetest” holiday of the year. Sugary treats are all around and as we all know, children get very excited about this sugary spirit. For parents with an ADHD child though, Halloween can be stressful. They get worried about their child’s behavior and eating. Parents are often anxious about the parties, trick or treating and other activities that their child will be attending.
Chances are, that you have already discussed with a doctor about the effects of sugar on your child’s ADHD behavior, but what you need to know is that according to studies, a “sugar overdose” does not affect one’s behavior. Experts do believe that a balanced and healthy diet can play an important role in ADHD. So is sugar good or bad? A recent study conducted on ADHD children showed that the more sugar they consumed, the more restless and destructive they became. Additionally, some experts believe that extensive doses of sugar may increase inattention is ADHD children.
Here is what you can do to avoid the “bad” effects of sugar:
- Reduce the sugar: We know that Halloween can be all about candy and baking, but you should try keeping the sweetness as low as possible. What can you do? Try reducing the amount of sugar you would normally use. You‘ll still taste the sweetness, but you will avoid that “sugar overdose”.
- Manage the candy: Try making a deal with your child about the amount of candy they are allowed to eat. If you fear that such a deal will not work, choose smart treats instead. This means buying treats lower in sugars. You can also choose candy that contains nuts or fruits in instead of full milk chocolate candy.
- Substitute the candy: Instead of candy, you can make veggie treats. Use colorful vegetables and tasty dips. Or you could use fruits with a light chocolate dip as a replacement of candy, and other sweet treats.
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