What springs to mind when someone mentions that a child has Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD. Previously separated to ADD or ADHD)? Running around the classroom disrupting other kids? Anger outbursts where a child storms out of class? Inability to concentrate and subsequent poor school work? What about psychological pain and confusion at your body's lack of control of your own thoughts? What about bodily fatigue from auditory over-stimulation? What about loneliness, sadness and frustration at your own lack of impulse control? These are just a hint of the pain and frustration that ADD/ADHD kids, and indeed adults, persevere. What's worse is that many of these kids go without optimal help, perhaps just "white food and medicine." Well, Fin Mackenzie is here to change that! Growing up with her own challenges and now having her own kids with ADHD, Fin knows all-too-well the hurdles facing kids with ADD/ADHD. Her approach has led her to write a course for health practitioners (coming soon!), where she goes through all the practical steps to optimise kids' mental, social and physical health. Today we  go through the DSM V diagnosis criteria, what kids with ADD/ADHD feel, what they need in social and schooling circles, and the foods, nutrients and herbs which can help benefit these kids who often have great gifts if only they could be helped to reach their full potential.It's a long podcast- there's a lot to cover…and more to come in her course! Stay tuned!REFERENCES:Diagnostic Manuals. RANZCP. https://www.ranzcp.org/clinical-guidelines-publications/clinical-guidelines-publications-library/diagnostic-manualsRhys Price-Robertson. Diagnosis in Mental Health. Institute of Family Studies, Aust Govt. 2018 Jul (Accessed 2022 Dec 2): https://aifs.gov.au/resources/policy-and-practice-papers/diagnosis-child-mental-health#:~:text=In%20Australia%2C%20the%20DSM%2D5,causes%20or%20surrounding%20social%20context. ADD/ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. MINDD Foundation. 2023 (Accessed 2023 May 24). https://mindd.org/conditions/add-adhd/Patrick RP, Ames BN. Vitamin D and the omega-3 fatty acids control serotonin synthesis and action, part 2: relevance for ADHD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and impulsive behavior. FASEB J. 2015 Jun;29(6):2207-22. [Full Text] https://faseb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1096/fj.14-268342Faraone SV, Banaschewski T, Coghill D, et al. The World Federation of ADHD International Consensus Statement: 208 Evidence-based Conclusions about the Disorder. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2021 Sep;128:789-818. [Full Text] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8328933/ Rucklidge JJ, Eggleston MJF, Johnstone JM, et al. Vitamin-mineral treatment improves aggression and emotional regulation in children with ADHD: a fully blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2018 Mar;59(3):232-246. [Full Text]  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7779340/Sarris J. Herbal medicines in the treatment of psychiatric disorders: 10-year review. Phytother Res. 2018 Jul;32(7):1147-1162. [Abstract]  https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ptr.6055Sarris J, Ravindran A, Yatham L