JANUARY 30, 2017
Magnesium for Kids:
An essential nutritional element for growing bodies is magnesium. Children need it for proper growth and development of bones, brain development, energy supply, immune system support and general wellness. In our modern society burdened with processed fast foods and industrial farming methods which deplete soils of valuable minerals, we are often short-changed in quality nutrition – particularly magnesium. Magnesium deficiency in children can look very much like symptoms of ADHD. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a developmental problem which results in poor concentration and control of impulses. It can affect children’s learning and social skills, and also family functioning. About 3-5 of every 100 children in Australia have ADHD. It is much more common in boys than girls. Common signs and symptoms are:
Inattention: Difficulty concentrating, forgetting instructions, moving from one task to another without completing anything.
Impulsivity: Talking over the top of others, losing control of emotions easily, being accident prone.
Overactivity: Constant fidgeting and restlessness.
SPECIAL NOTE: It is important to remember that all young children have a limited attention span and sometimes do things without thinking. The group of ADHD symptoms can often be misinterpreted and misdiagnosed. Before you reach for drug therapies take heed of the warning from Professor Peter Gotszche: “Drugs for ADHD are dangerous. We don’t know much about their long term harms, but we do know they can damage the heart in the same way as seen in long-term cocaine addicts and lead to death, even in children. We also know that ADHD drugs cause bipolar disorder in about 10% of the children, which is a serious condition.” QUOTE from ‘Deadly Medicines and Organised Crime – How big pharma has corrupted healthcare’ by Professor Peter Gotszche. ISBN-13: 978-1846198847 Could it be that your child’s restlessness, hyperactivity and lack of concentration are symptoms of magnesium deficiency? If they are sugar sensitive that gives you another clue because as magnesium becomes more deficient in the body, sugar sensitivity increases. Just as a diabetic cannot readily disburse blood sugar to stay in the normal range and insulin takes the excess sugar to the liver for conversion to adipose fat, in a young person the sugar sensitivity manifests more as hyperactivity. In this case the body is forced to dissipate simple carbohydrate energy as soon as it enters the system. One jelly bean can send that child into a manic tirade swinging from the chandeliers, or an uncontrollable temper tantrum of screaming, anxiety and a beetroot red complexion. Finally, when all the energy is expired, they collapse in a heap, exhausted. Ever noticed what happens after kids gorge on cupcakes, candies and ice cream at birthday parties? It takes 28 magnesium molecules to metabolise one molecule of sucrose, so consumption of sugars strips the body of magnesium resources, leaving it starving for the most important mineral in the body for electrical system function and metabolism. The whole nervous system relies on magnesium for energy balance and conductivity. Lack of magnesium can severely affect heart rhythm, muscle relaxation, blood circulation and brain function. That’s why magnesium deficiency symptoms can also manifest as cramps, shakes, involuntary muscle spasms, tics, fits and sleep disorders. In a PubMed published study titled: “Assessment of Magnesium Levels in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)” (STUDY ABSTRACT: Pub Med / Magnes Res. 1997 Jun;10(2):143-8.Kozielec T1, Starobrat-Hermelin B.) they found that: “A positive influence of magnesium in the prevention and treatment of hyperactivity in children is more and more frequently raised in the literature. The aim of our work was to estimate magnesium contents in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, (ADHD). The investigations comprised 116 children (94 boys and 20 girls), aged 9-12 years, with recognized ADHD. In 68 out of 116 patients examined ADHD occurred with other coexisting disorders specific to the developmental age and in the remaining 48 patients it occurred together with disruptive behaviour. Magnesium levels have been determined in blood serum, red blood cells and in hair with the aid of atomic absorption spectroscopy. Magnesium deficiency was found in 95 per cent of those examined, most frequently in hair (77.6 per cent), in red blood cells (58.6 per cent) and in blood serum (33.6 per cent) of children with ADHD. THE CONCLUSION from the investigations is that magnesium deficiency in children with ADHD occurs more frequently than in healthy children. Analysis of the material indicated the correlation between levels of magnesium and the quotient of development to freedom from distractibility.”
Magnesium-Bath-Kids In addition to correcting diet by avoiding processed foods and sugars, eating more vegetables and drinking more water, children with ADHD-like symptoms can greatly benefit also from magnesium chloride flakes bathing. This is the best kind of magnesium for kids that they can absorb in the right quantity without fear of overdose such as with oral supplements. The body is in control of what it takes up. Magnesium chloride salts soaked into the skin via bathing is a very gentle and relaxing method of boosting their magnesium nutrition. It is also hydrating and soothing for sensitive skin. Magnesium for kids should be mandatory! Just a half a cup in their bath each night will work wonders to relax them and get them ready for a good night’s sleep. And while you are at it, make sure to look after Mum and Dad too with plenty of magnesium transdermally absorbed to help cope with all the stresses of the day. Magnesium chloride bathing and footsoaking is wonderfully detoxing and reviving. Adequate cellular magnesium helps us to feel stronger on the inside and more able to deal with life’s challenges. by Sandy Sanderson © 2017