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A randomised, controlled study into the effects of food on the behaviour of young children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

Completed
Conditions
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Mental and Behavioural Disorders
Registration Number
ISRCTN47247160
Lead Sponsor
Child Psychiatry Department of Radboud University Nijmegen (The Netherlands)
Brief Summary

Not available

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
Completed
Sex
Not specified
Target Recruitment
80
Inclusion Criteria

1. ADHD combined subtypes or hyperactive/impulsive subtypes diagnosed according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders fourth edition (DSM IV); diagnoses based on structured psychiatric interviews and standard questionnaires (ten-item Conners list and ADHD rating scale) to be completed by parents and teachers
2. Children aged between three and eight
3. Children not taking or not responding adequately to medication
4. Behavioural problems originating prior to children reaching the age of four

Exclusion Criteria

1. Adopted children and foster children
2. Children taking and responding to medication
3. Co-existing neurological diseases, such as epilepsy, neurofibromatosis, etc..,
4. Intelligence Quotient (IQ) below 70
5. Alcohol/drugs use or smoking by mother during pregnancy
6. Prematurity/dysmaturity (children born before 36th week of pregnancy or with a weight below 1500 grams) or problems during delivery requiring admission to the neonatal intensive care unit
7. Children diagnosed Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) and/or Multiple-Complex Developmental Disorder (MCDD)

Study & Design

Study Type
Interventional
Study Design
Not specified
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Parent and teacher ratings on the 10-item Conners list and the ADHD rating scale. There are three measurement points:<br>1. The start of the trial<br>2. The end of the baseline period, and <br>3. The end of the diet or control period
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
1. Parent ratings on oppositional defiant behaviour, aggressive behaviour, compulsive behaviour, nervous tremors or obsessive behaviour<br>2. Parents ratings on other complaints the child may experience. Questions are asked about physical complaints, such as gastrointestinal problems, headaches, stomach aches, eczema, asthma, ear, nose or throat complaints, nosebleeds, excessive sweating, and sleeping problems
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