Most of our home environments are riddled with chemicals that can make AD/HD symptoms worse for a person sensitive to them. Potential offenders include the following:

• Cleaning products: Many cleaning products contain chemicals that are derived from petroleum. Just inhaling these chemicals may worsen your symptoms.
• Fragrances: If you look around your home, you'll probably notice a long list of products that contain fragrances, such as toilet paper, soaps, and deodorants.
• Plastic toys, furniture, and appliances: Certain plastics, such as polyvinylchloride (PVC), give off gases that are a problem for some people. Unfortunately, most hard plastic toys, furniture, and appliances are made at least in part from PVC.

If you read labels, you may find some young children's plastic toys that aren't made with PVC; if PVC wasn't used, the product label usually says so. (If the label doesn't say, the toy is probably made from PVC.) Furniture and appliances aren't yet labeled so you may want to avoid plastic altogether if you're concerned about the gas given off by PVC.

• Building materials: Building materials, such as plywood and carpeting, are made with chemicals that can continue to give off gas for quite a while. (That's what creates the "new carpet smell.") These chemicals can be toxic; for example, formaldehyde is used in making plywood.

If you build a new house, consider all the materials that go into it. If you live in a fairly new house, be aware that it could be giving off chemicals that make your AD/HD worse. A good HEPA air filter system can help, but the only real solution is to remove either yourself or the offending materials from your house.

• Synthetic fabrics: Petroleum is a component of so many products that it can be hard to comprehend. Polyester fabric is one such product. People with sensitivities should wear only natural fiber clothing, such as cotton, wool, or silk.
• Perfumes and colognes: Personal fragrances are big business. Unfortunately, the smell of these products can make some people sick. As with other chemicals, some perfumes and colognes contain petroleum-based fragrances that can make AD/HD symptoms worse.