ADHD Or the Color of Food?

This is the first in our series of "If It's not ADHD, What is It?"

If you've read a lot about hyperactive, impulsive, can't focus kids--those kids we call ADHD--you've probably run across information suggesting that artificial coloring and artificial flavors can cause this annoying behavior. Or at least make the behavior worse. Behavior that gets in the way of learning. Gets in the way of positive social skills.

For some kids, simply making sure they don't eat anything with artificial color (not that such is an easy task), takes care of hyperactivity.

Now British Scientists are suggesting that at least one third of all kids diagnosed with ADHD have an "allergy" to artificial colors, many of which come from coal tar and petroleum. For some kids, it's not ADHD. It's eating too many fluorescent green Tic Tacs. 

The scientists have put pressure on the British Food Standards Agency to force manufacturers to stop using these chemicals. Enough pressure that the European Union is considering banning artificial color and flavoring. In the U.S., the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is holding out until there's more research.

In the British studies, two groups of children showed changes in behavior when given the artificial coloring during controlled trials. The kids couldn't sit still and concentrate. Had problems reading and became loud and impulsive.

It's unclear if enough kids took part in the trials to make the results statistically significant. And unclear how the researchers reached the conclusion that one third of all kids diagnosed with ADHD, suffer nothing more than a reaction to artificial color in food.  So maybe the study isn't statistically significant. Nevertheless, we do know that lots of kids react to artificial color and its partner artificial flavor.

So before you accept an ADHD diagnosis and a prescription for stimulant drugs, eliminate foods with artificial color and flavor. See what happens. Jim Stevenson, a researcher at the University of Southampton, even suggests that banning artificial colors will also help reduce anti-social behavior in teens.

The British now have some 900 "foods" that contain artificial coloring, like green Tic Tacs. How many "foods" in the U.S.? Probably more than 900. So read the labels. Check out what's in that "food" your kids are gobbling.

Get your kids doing their own scientific study. Could even be a project for a science fair. Start by guessing. Brightly-colored packaged food, candy, or snacks probably contain artificial color.  Now teach them how to read labels.

Then chart what kind of reaction they have to artificial color and flavor. Do they have more energy when they eat "natural" food? Are they less moody? Calmer? More focused? Less aggressive? Less hyper? Less spacey?

If your kids don't react to artificial color and flavor, you'll need to emphasize that many people do react. And that it's always better for their health to avoid artificial junk. That there could be (and probably are) long-term consequences to eating lots of artificially colored and flavored food. 

I just looked at the label on a lollipop I got at the bank. (I refuse to bank at an institution that doesn't have lollipops on the counter.) Sure enough, found the dreaded words "artificially flavored" right there on the cellophane wrapper. Doesn't say "artificial color" but I'm sure it's not natural! Do I really want to be licking on coal tar and petroleum? Guess I'll have to change banks.

And have you ever wondered if your kids really have ADHD? Now you can get the FREE "Maybe They Don't have ADHD" inventory and checklist. Lists 43 factors that contribute to ADHD-like behavior. Copy the checklist. Use it over and over. Give it to teachers and parents. Help stop the over-diagnosis of ADHD!

You'll get the ADHD inventory and checklist when you subscribe to the FREE "ADHD NewsTips," a three-times weekly email with easy to use, effective tips for helping those ADHD kids. You'll find it at http://www.adhdchildrentoday.com/newstipssubscribe.htm

from MaryJo Wagner, Ph.D. - The Learning Doctor, helping you help your kids learn any subject at any time easily and quickly.