Mental Health Disorders - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Pathway Contributor: Susan Firus

Credentials:
BHE

Bio:
Susan Firus received a Bachelor of Home Economics (dietetics) degree from the University of British Columbia and completed her dietetic internship at Vancouver General Hospital. Her first position was as the dietitian for the Diabetes Specialty Centre and Lipid Clinic at Shaughnessy Hospital. Most of her career was spent working at Dial-A-Dietitian, later Dietitian Services at HealthLinkBC, where she was initially a contact centre dietitian and in later years, a manager. Susan worked closely with Dietitians of Canada on the development of CPEN, a version of PEN customized for a call centre, which was launched simultaneously with PEN. She also assisted with the launch of EatRight Ontario. Susan is currently a contractor for Dietitians of Canada as a PEN evidence analyst.

Contributions:

• Do children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have fewer ADHD symptoms when they consume a gluten-free diet?  

  Role: Reviewer

• Do children who are hyperactive or children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who consume diets low in sugar, compared to children who consume diets high in sugar, experience fewer ADHD symptoms?  

  Role: Reviewer

• Do children who are hyperactive or children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who consume diets low in food additives (e.g. artificial food colours or preservatives), compared to children who consume diets high in food additives, experience fewer ADHD symptoms?  

  Role: Reviewer

• Do children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have lower iron, zinc or magnesium status? Does iron, zinc or magnesium supplementation improve ADHD symptoms?  

  Role: Reviewer

• What are the nutrition-related side-effects of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications and how can dietitians help manage them?  

  Role: Reviewer

• For children and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is any dietary intervention associated with an improvement in ADHD symptoms?  

  Role: Reviewer

• Is there evidence to support polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation (PUFA, omega-3 or omega-6) for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?  

  Role: Reviewer

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