Although ADD & ADHD do have a genetic component, lifestyle, diet and environmental risks are very real.

The are two main reasons parents are taking the drugs . The first, is that they were taking it before their child. The second, is that they were possibly made aware of their own Adult ADD after their child was diagnosed and therefore  prescribed the drugs  also, or they asked their doctors for the drugs.
 
Medication is not the best solution. One of the better sites I've seen on alternative ADD treatment discusses many natural approaches. It is imperative to make the lifestyle changes as discussed in the article by avoiding grains, sugars, etc. But also avoid ALL artificial ingredients, HFCS, dairy as well.

Best in Health,

Dr Dave

That's the problem.  People don't want to change a lifetime of eating what they want.  I talke to clients daily about cutting back on white sugar products and all they do is complain that the family would never "go for it".  I don't see it as an option.  ADD & ADHD are the result of improper diets and the sooner parents take back control of their households the better children will be.  This is a dangerous situation that will not go away with the meds.  High yeast (candida) in the body is one of hte reasons that parents don't change.  They crave the sweets and keep bringing them into the household so it is not possible to keep the children away.  This has to be a family choice and the family has to be educated on the effects that long term medication will have on the body and what options they have.

This is so true.  Unfortunately it is usually these parents that are least likely to "force" their children or themselves to eat the healthy diet free of processed foods.  In working with one mother whose 5 y/o son is on one of these nasty drugs, she informed me that she could not get her son to eat healthy no matter how hard she tried.  This is coming from a woman that is easily 100lbs overweight.

This article is confused and confusing.

1) Are you trying to say that  add children can somehow cause their parents to "get" add?

2) Are you suggesting that the parents just take the speed(meds for add) because its in the house and they like the effect, but themselves don't really have add?

3) The last comment is disingenuous: as a practising physician I can tell you that while treating add/adhd "naturally" is simple, it is far from easy.  Especially when the stimulants "work" as advertised.  The parents are faced with  the choice of a cheap(since they're usually on welfare), easy and instant "fix", versus changing everything in all of their lives.