A study published in the journal, Pediatrics, in January of 2012 concluded that adding essential fatty acids could treat children with ADD and ADHD. It went on to state that adopting a healthy dietary pattern that includes fish, vegetables, fruit, legumes, and whole grains is a good idea because most kids with ADD and ADHD consume a diet high in fast foods, red meats, processed meat, potato chips, high-fat dairy, and soft drinks. They found it was unusual for a child to have these conditions if they consumed a healthy diet.
We have known for decades that essential fatty acid (EFA) metabolism is abnormal with kids who have ADD and ADHD. They actually consume as much EFAs as normal kids, but they cannot metabolize them into their downchain metabolites that include EPA, DHA, arachidonic acid, and gammalinolenic acid. It is possible to treat these kids with EFAs and lower symptoms along with the dyslexia, dyspraxia, and night blindness they so often suffer from. There is a product called Efalex that has the proper balance of these EFAs.