More than 7,000,000 North American children take Ritalin to help them with their Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders.  And yet 100 years ago, before the advent of food additives, chemical pollution, drugs, refined sugar products, and processed foods, these disorders didn’t exist.

Now, new UK Government Research confirms that:

“colourings used in many children’s foods and drinks are liable to cause temper tantrums and disruptive behaviour in as many as a quarter of toddlers.”

The food additives were tested on 277 three-year-olds from the Isle of Wight, England, between 1999 and 2000.  For two weeks the children drank fruit juice containing artificial colourings and preservatives.  They drank a placebo fruit juice for another two weeks.  Many parents reported significant changes in behaviour. 

Scientists at the Asthma and Allergy Research Centre, originally commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture, concluded that “significant changes in children’s hyperactive behaviour could be produced by the removal of colourings and additives from their diet”.

In a nutshell what can you do?

• Eliminate sugar, colourings, flavourings and preservatives from the diet.

• Consider whether the child may have allergies and food intolerances.

• Get the whole family to follow a healthy eating plan.

• Deal with ear infections through prevention, rather than ‘cure’ with antibiotics.  (Please note: sometimes, once an infection has taken hold, antibiotics will be needed. Take the advice of your medical practitioner)

• Give every child a good quality multivitamin and mineral supplement, plus some omega-3 oil.  We recommend BioCare Vitaforte Banana powder  or  BioCare Children’s Multivitamins and Minerals capsules.  For the omega-3 oil we recommend Nutri Eskimo-3 liquid which is pleasant tasting and easy for children.

Always with children, check recommendations with the child’s medical doctor, who should know the health needs of the individual child.

The researchers added: “The findings of the present study suggest that benefit would accrue for all children from such a change, and not just for those already showing hyperactive behaviour or who are at risk of allergic reactions.”

“The colourings tested in this new research are used in familiar children’s foods such as Jammie Dodgers, Smarties, Wagon Wheels, Walkers Football Crisps, and Irn Bru and Tizer fizzy drinks.”

“Nearly two fifths of children’s foods and drinks contain additives”, Annie Seeley, a nutritionist with the commission, said last week (24 October 2002).

The additives tested were the artificial food colourings Tartrazine (E102), Sunset Yellow (E110), Carmoisine (E122), and Ponceau 4R (E124), and the preservative Sodium Benzoate (E211).

This is the first time that a scientific study sponsored by the Government has corroborated the suspected link between food additives and changes in children’s mood and behaviour. 

Following the study, the Food Commission (the independent pressure group that campaigns for safe food) says that it found that more than 200 children’s foods and drinks contain one or more of the additives called into question by the research.

Further information on Attention Deficit Disorders

There are three separate disorders associated with attention deficit:

• Without hyperactivity (ADD)

• With hyperactivity (ADHD)

•  ADD residual types (individuals over 18 years)

The causes appear to be mainly toxicity and/or deficiency.

ADHD: look at consumption of food additives, sugary foods, and food allergies.

ADD: consider heavy metal toxicity, nutrient deficiencies, especially omega 3 oils, and repeated antibiotic use.

Symptoms of hyperactivity and/or inattentive children include:

• Brain fog

• Mood swings

• Tearfulness

• Aggressiveness, hostility, anger

• Over activity

• Frequent headaches

• Recurrent ear infections

• Bedwetting

• Digestive disorders

• Aches and pains

• Short attention span

• Learning problems

• Respiratory problems

• Irritability

• Drowsiness, fatigue

• Depression

Wholesome Diets

There is a strong link between diet and behaviour.  Parents must be aware that ADHD children are particularly sensitive to food additives, such as colourings, flavourings and preservatives. 

Due to the inefficient absorption and metabolism of nutrients, these children tend to have marked nutrient deficiencies.

A wholesome diet consisting of fresh fruit, vegetables, brown rice, brown pasta (better still, wheat-free pasta), lentils, fresh meat and poultry, fish, and filtered water and redbush tea is strongly recommended.  Season with fresh herbs and spices rather than prepared flavourings.

It is essential to read labels when shopping.  Steer clear of all foods that contain additives.

Snacks can include rice cakes, nuts and sundried dried fruit.

For the allergic child, a diet that excludes the allergens must be adhered to.

No child likes to be treated differently to the rest of the family, so it would be best if the whole family embarked on a healthy eating plan.  Do not keep ‘junk’ food in the house, as this leads to temptation and temper tantrums.

Salicylates

Many foods contain natural salicylates, which are very similar to aspirin. Some, but not all, children with ADHD are sensitive to salicylates, and if they also suffer from asthma or urticaria it is worth experimenting with a low-salicylate diet.

Foods that contain little or no salicylates, and would therefore be safe (unless the child happens to be allergic to any of them) include:

• All meat, fish, shellfish, dairy produce and eggs

• Fruit: bananas, mangoes, paw-paws, peeled pears, pomegranates, Golden Delicious apples (many other fruits are high in salicylates)

• Vegetables: peeled potatoes, butter nut, pumpkin, cabbage

• Grains: wheat, oats, barley, rye, rice

• Nuts: hazelnuts, pecan nuts, cashew nuts and coconut

See Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder on the main site for more information.

Placing a child on a natural organic food diet will help their body to rid itself of toxins and to restore the necessary vitamins, minerals and other nutrients to the brain. 

A children’s multivitamin and mineral supplement, plus some omega 3 fish oil will also be helpful here. Eskimo-3 liquid is a pleasant tasting omega-3 liquid which is often preferred by children who are frequently resistant to swallowing capsules and tablets.

Food allergies and intolerance can be identified through one of the following means:

• Food elimination diet, preferably with the help of a nutritional therapist (look in Yellow Pages).  It is important that the child gets a varied diet in order to get all necessary nutrients.

• Food intolerance/allergy test with an experienced kinesiologist or via a blood test.  (Search the internet for “Kinesiology Association” to find local practitioners.)

Recurrent ear infections have been reported to be twice as common in children with ADD or ADHD.  Look on the main site at ear infections.  It’s very important to address this problem early, as repeated antibiotic use can lead to a host of problems later in life.

Heavy metal toxicity, which affects brain function, is more common when there’s poor nutrition.  Klamath Lake Algae plus a children’s multivitamin and mineral supplement can help to detoxify the child of these toxic metals.

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