Sonia Gray

And atmoxetine's effect size is pretty good.

But in New Zealand, only 5% of ADHD prescriptions are for non-stimulant medication compared to 13% in Australia and even higher in other parts of the world.

And that's possibly because at this stage we don't have the same range of options that are funded.

But sometimes clinicians start with Ritalin and don't move on from there, even if it's not a good fit.

So it's really good to arrive with some knowledge yourself.

So what about non-drug treatments for ADHD?

Well, surprise, Dave and his team have published a review paper on those too.

And some of the results are surprising.

The first thing they looked at was the effectiveness of different dietary interventions.

No, but it's good to know where the science sits.

And I had assumed that food colouring was a myth from way back.

I think that will surprise a lot of people.

But two things to mention here.

Firstly, this is not all food colourings and not all kids with ADHD will be affected.

but it's something to be mindful of.

And the finding on sugar, well, it's fascinating, but obviously it doesn't magically make sugar good for you.

But according to this robust, randomized, controlled trial, consuming sugar will not make your ADHD child more hyperactive.

So if your child's eating sugar and you get a judgmental side glance from another parent, you can, politely, point them in the direction of the science.

Now, what about omega-3 fish oils?

Yeah, yeah, and it has other benefits as well.