Your Questions &
 Laura's Answers

New

July, 2008

Q.  My child seems to react to annatto.  His behavior worsens and he breaks out in a rash.  I thought annatto was a natural color.

A.  Annatto is yellow and is used to dye some foods and beverages.  It is natural but seems to bother many people, including a few children with ADHD.   If annatto bothers your child, avoid it and read all food labels carefully.

Q.  I know my family eats a lousy diet, but I need some tips to make improvements.  Can you help?

A.    You have a lot of company!  I get this question a lot.  Here are some simple suggestions:

 -Replace white flour and refined
  carbohydrates with whole grains--whole
  wheat or whole grain bread, whole grain
   cereals, brown rice, and corn.
-Serve low fat meats but oily fish (sources of
  omega-3 fatty acids) like fresh tuna and
  salmon, eggs, beans, unprocessed nuts and
   seeds.
-Choose low-fat dairy products. 
-Serve 7-9 servings of fresh vegetables and
   fruits. 
-Use canola or walnut oil for salad dressing.
  Olive oil is also healthy but does not contain
  omega-3 fatty acids.
-Keep sugar and corn syrup at very low levels.
-Use very low or no artificial sweeteners.
-Avoid all artificial colors and flavors and
 artificial preservatives.

Q.  My 10 year old son has ADHD for 1 year and on medication for 3 months. I am planning to stop medication because of all the side effects. [Laura says, "Don't do this without talking to your doctor first."] My question is I read about this herbal medicines such as bright leaf focus etc with no side effects. I know you are nutritionist but can you please tell me where to look or research about herbal medicines and how safe is it.   It will help me a lot. 
Also thank you for the wonderful recipes its working very well.
A.  I’m glad you wrote.  I know, it’s really tough to figure which products are appropriate for a child with ADHD.  Are they safe?  Do they work?  I Googled “bright leaf focus” without any hits.  I also tried putting it into PubMed without any results. 
    In general, to evaluate a product I’d see what other people are saying about it who do not have a vested interest in the product.  Sometimes that’s really hard to figure out given the nature of the Internet.  More importantly, I’d put the product into PubMed.  All you have to do is Google “PubMed” and click on its website.  Then enter the term in the search box.  What comes up is a list of the medical journal articles that relate to your search.  For example, if you go to PubMed and enter (without the quotes) “ADHD and Pycnogenol” you will get a list of 8 articles.  If you want to know more about an article just click on it and the Abstract (summary) will appear.  Positive results reported in a medical journal article are far more important and significant than what is said on the Internet.  I hope this helps!  If you have more questions please write again.

Q. I see that Carnation is making new instant breakfasts that are in disposable bottles.  Can I give one to my son who has ADHD when we're running late in the morning?

A.  Sorry, I know that sounds like a great idea, but they are loaded with sugar.  But you can easily make your own (click on Recipes at the right, then scroll down until you find the Instant Breakfast Ideas.)  You could always put them in a bottle if you wished, and tell your child to drink them immediately because there are no preservatives to protect them.

Q.    My boyfriend’s son was diagnosed as being Bi-Polar/ADHD several years ago.  He is now 14 years old.  He is so very out of control.  He can’t focus on anything and runs around and acts like a 4 or 5-year old.  He refuses to take his medicine for his ADHD.  We don’t get a moments peace.  The house is in total chaos.  He doesn’t go to sleep until about 3:00 am and then it’s almost impossible to get him up for school in the mornings.  He is completely out of control.  We can’t take him out in public due to his hyperactivity.  I just need an idea on how to get him to take his medication.  He failing every subject in school.  He says he doesn’t want to take it because it makes him sleepy.  Any ideas?

A.     Sounds like you’re all having a rough time.  Is there something he’d really like to have that you could use as a reward for taking his medicine every day for a week?  Has he been back to see his doctor?  Perhaps he needs to be switched to a different medicine that doesn’t make him feel sleepy, but this all needs to be worked out by you and your doctor.

Is he seeing a psychologist or psychiatrist who can work with all of you to decrease the chaos?  This could be really important.  Try to find someone both you and your son like.

I’d also “clean up his diet” by greatly decreasing his sugar and corn syrup intake and avoiding all foods and beverages that contain artificial colors and flavors.  You’ll have to read all your labels carefully.  Try to increase the fruits and veggies in his diet.  I know, these are not easy steps to take, but they could help a lot.

Q.     Have you ever used or recommended Valerian root for anxiety in children.  I have used it myself as well as some of my family members and wanted to know your thoughts on using it.  Jake gets very anxious in crowded situations and I thought it may be a safe alternative to help him cope better with these situations.

A.  I am no expert when it comes to herbal remedies so I went to PubMed on the Internet, and I came up with one article that had been published in Phytomedicine in 2006 by researchers in Germany.  The researchers gave a combination of valerian and lemon balm to restless children with sleep problems.  The researchers reported quite a lot of success.  The only problem is that the study was not blinded—all the children took the supplement and there was no placebo group.  But it looks like there were few or no side effects.  But this is only one article.  I’d definitely ask your doctor what he/she thinks before trying this.

 

Q.  What do you know about Pycnogenol?  Does it help children with ADD/ADHD? 

A.  Pycnogenol is derived from pine park.  It’s a powerful antioxidant.  Oxidative stress occurs normally within the body and is also promoted by environmental toxins.  Oxidative stress can damage proteins, essential fatty acids and DNA.  Vitamin E and Vitamin C are two antioxidants that help the body detoxify.  Pycnogenol appears to be an even stronger antioxidant.  A couple of preliminary studies suggest that Pycnogenol supplements do improve behavior in some children with ADHD.  You can do a PubMed search yourself to see summaries of these articles.  Pycnogenol appears to be free of side effects, but you should check with your doctor before starting any supplements.

Q.  My 8-year old son has ADHD and mornings are frantic.  He never wants to get out of bed and once he does he’s all over the house.  I know breakfast is an important meal but many days he’s out the door before I can get him to sit down at the table. What about giving him one of the Carnation Milk Instant Breakfast Shakes?

A.  You’re on the right track!  Breakfast is a very important meal.  Your child will feel better and learn better if he’s had breakfast, but not just any breakfast.  It should be high in protein and low in simple carbohydrates like sugar and white flour.  Carnation Milk Shakes are out because they contain too much sugar plus artificial colors and flavors that bother many children who have ADHD.  Instead, you can make your own.  Just mix together 3 ounces of milk, 3 ounces regular plain yogurt, a tablespoons ground flax seed, 3 tablespoons soy or rice protein isolate and ¼ cup unsweetened blueberries, strawberries, or peaches. Process in a blender.  If your child won’t drink it because it’s not sweet enough, try a packet of artificial sweetener or a little stevia.  If you use frozen fruit, the consistency will be like soft-serve ice cream and can be eaten with a spoon!

 

Q.     Is soy oil a good source of omega-3 fatty acids?

R.      Yes, it is BUT it also contains too much linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid.  There are two families of essential fatty acids, the omega-3s and the omega-6s, that must be consumed in the diet because we can’t make them ourselves.  The problem is that most Americans consume too many omega-6 fatty acids that are found in large amounts in corn, soy, safflower, sunflower and peanut oils.  Most Americans consume too few omega-3 fatty acids.  Researchers now believe that the ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to the omega-3 fatty acids is way too high.  So the way to correct this is to reduce omega-6s in your diet and increase omega-3s.  So if you’re consuming soy oil, you’ll be getting some omega-3s but mostly large amount of omega-6s.   

Instead, choose canola oil because it is relatively high in omega-3s but lower than soy oil in omega-6 fatty acids.  After you open it, keep it refrigerated to protect the delicate molecules in the oil. 

For more info, click on News for You in the Table of Contents at the right and scroll way down until you find articles about essential fatty acids—there are several of them!

Q.  I recently read in Time magazine that artificial colors and flavors can make even “normal” children more hyperactive?  What do you think?

A.  Yes, that’s right.  The study was reported in a recent issue of Lancet, a prestigious British medical journal.  Next month, this will be the topic of News for You in this online newsletter.

A.. When I told my doctor that my son was a sugar-holic, she just laughed and told my husband  we just imaged this.  When my son hasn’t had a recent sugar fix, he would scream, “I need sugar NOW!”  He recognized his need for sugar.  Every time he walked past the sugar canister in the kitchen, he licked his fingers, dipped them in the sugar, and then licked them clean!  When I tried to cut out the sugar in his diet cold-turkey, he fell apart.  I had much more success when I gradually decreased the sugar in his diet. His behavior is much improved!  P.S.  I also put salt in the sugar canister! Have you heard from parents of other “addicted” children?

A..  This sugar story is pretty common in the e-mails I receive.  One preschooler would waken with night terrors that always ended up in screams for soda pop!  Although his parents knew they shouldn’t give into him, they were so exhausted they gave him the pop!  I’ve had other children like your son who got their sugar fixes by dipping their fingers in the sugar canister!  Some even stole candy.  So you’re not alone!

Q.  I have a 6 year old son and I have reached the limit. I tried everything except drugs. I  believe he is hyperactive but has not been officially diagnosed.  He does not have problems learning most of the time but he does have a hard time focusing.  I presently give him udo oil, efalex. My observation about my son are he

-jumps all the time

-social behavior always in trouble

-always staring needs refocusing

-runs all the time never walks

-cries all the time

-shows anger

I am having a breakdown because I believe my 2 yr old is the same. I need some direction. 

A.  I'm glad you wrote.  Sounds like things are really tough.  If it's any comfort I get a lot of email like yours where the mother is at her wits end.  So you're not alone.

          The first thing I'd do is to find an experienced, likable child psychologist or psychiatrist to help you with your children.  Bad parenting rarely causes ADHD but learning how to deal with various behaviors with specific, effective techniques can be quite helpful for you and your children.  Your local mental health association should be able to recommend someone in your community who has had a lot of experience helping children like yours.

The next thing to do is to "clean up the diet" both for your kids and yourself.  More fruits and veggies, lean meats, cold water fish like tuna and salmon, beans, whole grains, milk products, unprocessed nuts and seeds (not for little ones and with great care in older children!!).  If you feed yourself well, you may find that you feel better and can cope better.

I'm not sure what "udo" oil is.  The Efalex is a supplement of fatty acids from cold water fish and has been quite helpful for some children.  How much is your son taking? 

I think you'd find my book helpful--12 Effective Ways to Help Your ADD/ADHD Child published by Penguin Putnam.  You can order it online or you can ask your bookstore to order it for you.  Or you can ask your local library to order it for you FREE on Interlibrary Loan.  Reading back issues of my newsletter might be helpful too.  Just click on News for You in the Table of Contents at the right.  Then scroll down until you find articles that interest you.

            I  hope this helps.  Hang in there!! 

17. My son is on his 4^th medication, the Daytra patch along with Clonidine.  Medidate, Ritalin LA, and Focalin XR all caused him either chest pressure or heart palpitations.  Strattera did not work at all.  While on Strattera, he developed a bad head tic, hence the Clonidine.  The head tic disappeared once on the Clonidine, but he still had a mild verbal tic.  Now, after 6 months on the patch, the head tic suddenly reappeared.  I don’t know what to do at this point.  He can’t focus in school without meds, the side effects are so frightening.  What next?  I did try an all natural diet 2 summers ago long with supplements, no help at all.  He seems to sleep fine, no snoring.  Any help would be a blessing.  I just don’t know what to do.  He did see a neurologist and everything checked out fine.

A.   I’m glad you wrote.  Sounds like you’re having a tough time.  I really can’t comment about your son’s medications because I’m just a nutritionist!!  Does your doctor know what is going on now?  This should definitely be your first step.

Can you tell me something about the diet you followed and the supplements your son took during the summer?  Then I might be able to come up with some nutritional suggestions.

17. I am wondering if you have any familiarity with EM Power Plus (http://www.truehope.com).  They’ve suggested amino acid fuel and phosphotidlyl serine for my son’s ADHD and tics.  Any feedback on these ideas?  Can you point me towards any relevant research?

1. Yes, I do know about EM Power Plus although I don’t know anyone who has actually taken it.  It’s a special multi-vitamin and mineral supplement.  Bonnie Kaplan in Canada has been conducting some studies using this supplement, with bipolar disorder.

I have met Bonnie Kaplan.  She came to Purdue to give a lecture, and we had a chance to have dinner with her.  She seems like a straight shooter and very bright.  I was impressed.  She did tell us about her legal problems at the time.  A small group of Canadian doctors have been very vocal about the idea that nutrition can affect behavior and have been trying to block her research.

Bonnie has published extensively in the medical literature about ADHD.  Her fascinating article, “Dietary replacement in preschool-aged hyperactive boys” was published in Pediatrics in 1989.  She has also published the results of EM Power Plus in an open-label trial with patients with bipolar disorder.

If you want to read what her critics have had to say, try clicking below:

 

 

 http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2007/03/01/empowerplus.html. 

Q.  You’ve written extensively about the adverse effects of artificial colors and flavors on behavior.  You also mentioned that natural colors should be okay.  However, my child reacts severely to foods colored with annatto, a natural yellow color.  Would you please comment.

A.  I was surprised by the number of readers who have had similar experiences with annatto.  Annatto is taken from seeds of the annatto tree.  It is commonly found in butter and cheese so read your labels carefully.  As I researched the subject, I found that annatto can cause allergies and eczema and obviously some children with ADHD are sensitive to it.  This is a good example showing that just because a food or additive is “natural” doesn’t mean it can’t cause problems for sensitive individuals.

17. My 15-year-old child was diagnosed with diabetes type I 3 years ago.  When he was 4, he was diagnosed with ADHD.  I stopped his medication in 2001.  He was on Ritalin, as the teachers at school didn’t think he needed it.  However, looking back over the last 3 years, his behaviour has deteriorated to the point of always arguing, aggressive to his siblings, defiance, yelling at myself.  I noticed that he was drinking a huge amount of diet soft drinks and diet cordial, having 2 packs of Equal in his milos, etc.  After searching the Internet, I thought that his behavior maybe due to the amount of aspartame he was consuming.  So for the last week, I have removed all the soft drinks, he has not had any Equal, instead a teaspoon of raw sugar in his milo; his behavior has improved greatly.  He is not moody, etc.  Do you know of any alternative drinks he could have that don’t contain artificial sweeteners, and do you think that this is a problem for his behavior?

A.  Congratulations for your great detective work!  Yes, the aspartame could be causing his behavioral symptoms.  Also, if you were giving him artificially colored or flavored drinks, he could be reacting to them—many children with ADD/ADHD are severely bothered by these additives. 

You could try giving him 100% pure fruit juices but limit the amount to 2 glasses a day because you want to leave room for other healthy foods.  You certainly could try some unsweetened weak tea.  You could also try a glass of lemonade made with 100% pure lemon juice, water, and saccharin or stevia, a naturally- sweet herb. 

 

 

Q. I’ve been following your website for about a year now and finally bought your book, 12 Effective Ways to Help Your ADD/ADHD Child.  We just finished following (faithfully) the elimination diet.  The good news: eczema and allergies are about 90% gone!  The bad news: no effect on behavior and impulsivity.  We’re starting to add back foods one by one to see if we can determine what’s triggering allergies and eczema.  Any ideas for behavior and impulsivity?
            A.  Sounds like you’re doing a great job with your child’s diet.  It’s not easy to complete a careful elimination diet, but it sounds like you have learned a lot from it.  I suspect you will learn more as you add back the foods.  If behavior and impulsivity are still a problem, you might want to try a different elimination diet with foods your child craves.  This will differ from child to child.  For example, the child who loves catsup, spaghetti, pizza, or tomatoes should try a tomato-free diet for a week.  Good luck and let me know how you’re getting along! 

17. Are there dietary factors in Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)?  My son has both ADHD and ODD.

1. There have not been the scientific studies of Conduct Disorder (CD) and ODD regarding nutritional factors as there has been in ADHD.  But there does seem to be some evidence that essential fatty acids, food sensitivities, magnesium and/or zinc deficiencies, and lead toxicity may play a role in causing these.

Q.  I learned years ago that giving Alka Seltzer Gold can reduce the reaction if my daughter inadvertently eats something she shouldn’t.  My questions are:  1. How long after eating the food will the Alka Seltzer work? 2.  How often can she take the Alka Seltzer 3.  How the heck does it work?

A.  Yes, you’re right that Alka-Seltzer Gold (without the aspirin—it comes in a gold box) can turn off reactions in some children and adults rather dramatically.  It’s thought to work by slightly changing the acid/base balance in the body that is out of kilter because of the food reaction.  You could give it when symptoms start to appear.  However, you really don’t want to give it with a meal because it neutralizes the stomach acid that breaks down proteins in the food so they can be further digested.  So you might wait 30-45 minutes after a meal.  Alka Seltzer is very high in sodium so you don’t want to use it very often, but I can’t really give you a specific number!!  Do not use if your child has kidney problems of any kind.  Discuss all this with your child’s doctor before trying the Alka-Seltzer Gold.
Q.     When you wrote about the importance of magnesium in a recent newsletter, you described how to check for Chovstek’s sign by tapping half-way between the corner of your child’s mouth and the lower point of his ear.  You said that twitching under the nose is a positive sign and may indicate a magnesium deficiency.  I have to say that was quite interesting!  In my son who is ADD I could see the twitch, and in my daughter who is NOT ADD the twitch wasn’t there.  They both eat the same foods and take the same supplements.  Wouldn’t you think the Magnesium level would be the same?  They are only 18 months apart.
A.    No, not necessarily.  We all have different requirements for nutrients, including magnesium.  These requirements depend on our genes and our environment.  Even though your children have the same parents, they still have many different genes.  Some people absorb less magnesium than others and/or excrete more magnesium in their urine than other people leaving them magnesium deficient.  Stress also influences the level of magnesium in the body.

Q.  My child has ADHD and was recently found to have elevated levels of aluminum in his hair.  How is this possible?

A.  Like lead, aluminum is a heavy, toxic metal that doesn’t belong in your child’s body.  Elevated plasma aluminum levels in children have been associated with ADHD and learning disabilities. Aluminum levels can be measured in hair, blood and urine.  Cooking foods, especially acidic ones like tomato sauce, in aluminum pots releases the aluminum into the foods.  Instead, use cast iron, glass, porcelain, or stainless steel cookware.  I’ve noticed that covering some foods--cooked rice, for example, with aluminum foil leads to the transfer of small specks of aluminum to the foods.  So if you’re going to use foil, wrap the food in waxed paper, then the foil.  Avoid baking powder that contains sodium aluminum sulfate.  Rumford is an aluminum-free brand you can find at your health foods store.

 

Q.  After talking this morning with my 7-year-old son’s teacher, I realized that he has some serious attention and focusing problems in class.  He is very bright, especially in Math and Science, but he does not finish writing tasks.  For starters, I checked his multi-vitamin I give him every morning and right there it has all the colorants you mentioned!  Blue #2, Red #40, Yellow #6 and SUGAR!  Could you please tell me what would be a good supplement to replace this “One Source” vitamins with.  I am also going to add flax oil to our family’s diet.

A.  You have a number of options.  You could go back to my website at www.nlci.com/nutrition and click on News for You in the Table of Contents at the right.  Then scroll way down until you find the issues of the newsletter that discussed supplements.  Or you could try your health foods store and ask them for a supplement that has roughly the RDAs for your son’s age of all the vitamins and minerals.  You’d don’t want a supplements with mega amounts of the nutrients.

Q..   My name is L***** and I am writing about my 4-year-old son.  My son is very “wild”, has a lot of energy and is definitely “all boy.”  He has a hard time listening at times and doesn’t like the word “no.”  He fights me to go to bed at night and sometimes just lays there awake and fidgets.  He awakens at night sometimes, often the same time.  He sometimes has accidents at night, so we have Pull-Ups on him just at night. 

We try not to give Matthew anything that has the red dye #40 in it.  We look at all the labels when we shop.  We pack snacks to the sitter and inform anyone who watches Matthew what he can and cannot have.  I am not doing this to be mean to my son.  I have to get a hold of his behavior now before he gets older.  If we do not give him anything that contains Red #40 my son’s behavior is good.  When he does have something with Red #40 in it, what a difference!  He’s out of control. 

Matthew’s father and I are not together.  So, when he takes him on his weekend, my son comes back “turned around.”  He is very irritable, doesn’t listen, cries and has temper tantrums if he doesn’t get his way.  I feel his father is just spoiling him and let’s him do what he wants and feeds him whatever.  How do I try and tell his father that what he is feeding him is just hurting our child?  He gives him candy, chocolate, everything I tell him we don’t give him.

A.  If it’s any comfort at all, you are not alone.  I get letters like yours all the time complaining that an ex-spouse won’t cooperate with dietary restrictions.  You can suggest your ex-husband read the scientific reports that corroborate your observations about the artificial colors and behavior.  (Just click on “References for You and Your Doctor.”)   However, I have a feeling it’s going to be hard to convince your ex to change his mind.

When Matthew comes home strung out from all the junk he’s been eating, try to get him to sip on a tablet of Alka-Seltzer Gold (it comes in the gold foil, not the blue) in a glass of water.  It neutralizes the acidity of the body slightly and frequently improves behavior quickly.  (You don’t want to use it all the time because it is high in sodium.)  I’d also give your son lots of affection and cuddling.  It’s not easy to be 4-years old and have big people arguing about you!

Q.  I have an extremely hyperactive son, 5 years old.  I am just getting familiar with the literature on non-pharmaceutical remedies.  I keep finding "annatto" in food colors and am not sure if it is natural or should be avoided.  Thank you for your research and support.

A.  Annatto should be fine. It’s a natural food coloring with a different chemical structure from the artificial colors like Yellow #5, Yellow #6, Blue #2, or Red #40.  The artificial colors are all derived from petroleum and have been shown in a number of studies to cause behavior changes in many children with and without ADHD.

Q.:  Thank you so much for your website.  My 6 year old was diagnosed with ADHD this past winter and I’ve been out of my mind with how to deal with everything.  I refuse to put him on medication.  I don’t believe in it.  But at the same time I want to be able to deal with this naturally.  I do have him in karate and that seems to help him focus, discipline and respect.  A friend mentioned some foods are triggers.  I’ve read on your website that sugar, milk, chocolate and artificial colors and flavors are some of these for some children with ADHD.  I’m curious as to how to eliminate them from our daily lives.  I love milk personally.  I can go through a gallon in three days by myself.  My son is not a huge milk drinker.  But he does drink it.  Usually only 4 ounces at each meal, sometimes more.  As for chocolate…well…I’m a woman, I LOVE chocolate and I don’t know too many kids who don’t’ like chocolate.  Sugar is another tough thing to be dealing with have to eliminate.  I prefer sugar over imitations.  I think I can eliminate artificial colors and flavors.  I’ve never been a big one on those.  Just figured it was a part of life today because it’s in everything.  My son has always been a big eater of fruits and veggies.  We have a veggie garden and he will go down there and pick veggies and eat them before they get back to the house.  I’m hoping you can help me figure out how to get my son on a healthy diet so that he can get through a day without temper tantrums.

A.        I know, it’s not easy to change your diet in today’s world but it is do-able!  You’re already doing some of the things you need to do—reading all labels and avoiding those foods with artificial colors and flavors.  You’re also fortunate that your son loves fruits and veggies.  Give yourself and your son a big high-five!  Since you’re already a label reader, avoid those foods that contain sugar, corn syrup, molasses, maple syrup, and honey.  I know, this is easier said than done.  You can make apple pie with just sweet apples and no sweeteners—it’s really good!  You can also make your own ice cream using frozen concentrated orange juice (see Recipe of the Month).  Next try to switch over to whole grains as much as possible.  Your son needs protein with every meal and sometimes with fruit snacks.  Choose low fat meats and poultry, eggs, beans, unprocessed nuts, and cold-water fish like salmon or tuna.  You want to be sure your son is getting enough of the good omega-3 fatty acids so use canola and walnut oils instead of corn, safflower, sunflower, soy, or peanut oil because these are high in omega-6s which we need to decrease in our diets.  Salmon and tuna are great sources of omega-3 fatty acids. 

            You may also need to try a careful elimination diet as outlined in my book, “12 Effective Ways to Help Your ADD/ADHD Child.”  William Crook, M.D. also has a helpful book, “Tracking Down Hidden Food Allergies.”  I’d try this elimination diet for the whole family, especially for you because of your LOVE for milk and chocolate—we are often sensitive to those foods we crave the most!  It takes 10-14 days to complete this diet and I suspect you will find out interesting things about your son and yourself!  Good luck and best wishes!

Q.  I came across your website recently and found it very interesting.  I have often wondered if my son’s poor diet triggers poor behavior, but have not fully researched this…Here is my question:  We have eliminated popcorn.  Can popcorn trigger bad behavior, like irritability, impulsiveness, and angry outbursts?

A.  Yes, corn can definitely trigger behavior problems in some (not all) children with ADHD.  It’s not the most common food triggers--artificial colors and flavors, milk, sugar, and chocolate rank ahead of corn but it can definitely be a problem in a susceptible child.  One mom was amazed when she watched her young son eat a bowl of popcorn and within a few minutes he began to bang his head against the wall!   Keeping him on a corn-free diet made a world of difference in his behavior! For your son, it could also be any artificial colors and flavors that are in the popcorn you’re using—you’ll have to check the package.  What you could do is to completely avoid all corn in his diet (not an easy task because corn is in lots of foods) for a week.  Then let him pig out on just plain popcorn and see if you get an increase in symptoms.  If yes, then keep all corn out of his diet for several months.  You could check the artificial colors by carefully avoiding them for a week (again, you’ll have to read ALL labels).  Then put a couple of drops of McCormmick’s food dyes (they are with the spices) in a glass of water and let him drink it.  Is there a change?  If yes, then avoid the colors completely which is not a bad idea for all of us because they are almost always found in junky, processed foods that are bad for all of us.

Q.  My child is a picky eater. I was wondering what you think of using Ensure-High Protein Complete Balanced Nutritional Drink for breakfast?

A.  I understand why you want to use an Instant Breakfast but there are several reasons I wouldn’t!!  I checked the ingredients in the Wild Berry flavor.  This may not be the one you are using but it should be close.  First, it is loaded with sucrose (table sugar).  Second, it contains artificial flavors and third it contains artificial colors—Red #3 AND Blue #1.  Based on scientific studies of these ingredients in children with ADHD, I wouldn’t use them because they can act as common triggers for problem behavior.  Milk and chocolate are also common triggers.  All the sugar takes the place of healthy foods in your child's diet.  You might try one of the breakfast shakes I recommend—Just click on "Recipe of the Month" in the Table of Contents and scroll down until you find the shakes. 

  Q.   We have a 7.5 year old son who has been diagnosed with ADHD as well as a phonetical learning disability.  He had a speaking delay until age 3.  He started Ritalin last year but complained he felt “scared” during the day.  He then developed a skin condition called atopic dermatitis [eczema] that flares up at stressful times.  He is violent and has anger outburst where he seems frustrated and "tantrumy." Of course we need counseling for his diet and behavior.  He is a finicky eater so I buy him Ensure plus milkshakes.  What do think about them?  Is there hope for him?

A.  Yes, there is definitely hope for him!  I agree, he definitely needs counseling both for his diet and also for his behavior.  As far as diet goes, I know it’s really hard to feed a picky eater.  I’ve had similar emails from many, many parents expressing their exasperation.  Actually, the Ensure is NOT a good idea nor are the milkshakes.  This is because many children are “turned on” by milk products.  So you’ll want to try a milk-free diet.  Also, Ensure is full of sugar and corn syrup which also “turn on” many ADHD children.  I don’t know what you are making your milkshakes out of but the ice cream also has sugar and/or corn syrup, milk, chocolate, artificial colors and/or artificial flavoring.  Chocolate and the artificial colors/flavors trigger problem behavior in many ADHD children.  I’d add a multivitamin and mineral supplement (just go back to my newsletter at www.nlci.com/nutrition and click on News for You at the right.  Then scroll down until you find the info about supplements.  Also click on Recipe of the Month. Then scroll down until you find recipes for Breakfast Shakes made from Enriched Rice Dream Milk or soy milk.  You could also try Rice Dream “Ice Cream” which is made from rice and is sweetened with fruit sweeteners (some ADHD children can’t handle all this concentrated fruit juices).  My husband adores the vanilla and strawberry flavors.  I hope this helps!  Good luck and best wishes!

Q.  In  everything I read for ADHD it is recommended to supplement with Omega-3 fatty acids.  Each time I try it my child has major temper tantrums all day long.  He also seems to react to eggs and some other proteins but milder.  I cannot find anyone including the neurologist that might have an explanation.  He also has OCD.  Would you have any ideas on this?

A. Yes, some children are worse on omega-3 fatty acids.  They are more likely to respond favorably to omega-6 fatty acids.  To supplement these look for Evening Primrose Oil (EPO) in your pharmacy or health food store.  If you can find a brand that says “Efamol” on the label that would be best because some of the cheaper EPO are phony.   Start with 1 capsule of EPO a day for a week.  Then increase the amount to 2 capsules for another week and so on up to 6 a day.  However, if at say 3 capsules of EPO your son seems better in any way, then just stay with that amount.  More is not necessarily better with fatty acids!

Q.  What do you think about using Splenda (sucralose), the new sugar-substitute?

A.  The best way to satisfy your child’s desire for sweet foods is to offer him/her fruits in his/her diet.  You can use them in cooking too.  However, there are times when this just doesn’t work.  For example, the recipe for Cranberry Sauce.  Cranberries are very tart so I suggested using Splenda.
     I haven’t heard of any child reacting to Splenda but I’m sure it’s possible.  As far as I know this hasn’t been studied scientifically.  I think Splenda is a better alternative than Equal (aspartame).  If your child’s behavior is worse after consuming Splenda then of course you should avoid it.  If your child (or any of my adult readers) reacts adversely to any specific artificial sweeteners, I’d be interested in hearing from you!  In any case, I wouldn’t use very much Splenda in a day—maybe a couple of packets!

Email Laura

Q I’m a 35 year-old woman who has had repeated vaginal yeast infections.  I guess this was because I had recurrent urinary infections that required antibiotics. More importantly, I really have trouble paying attention and I feel spacey much of the time.  At work I I have trouble finishing what I start.  My job is in jeopardy!  I went to a psychologist who said I don’t have ADD because my symptoms didn’t start until I was 25. Can you help? 

A.  Children aren’t the only ones who can have chronic yeast infections.  It’s possible that all the antibiotics you have had over the years have caused an overgrowth of yeast in your intestines—just the way it has in your vagina.  Stay tuned for the next few issues of this newsletter and I’ll talk much more about Candida and what you can do about it!  In the meantime you would find William Crook’s book The Yeast Connection Handbook extremely helpful.

Q.  My 7-year old son was diagnosed with ADHD two years ago and has been on meds every since.  I am not happy with how he feels.  He cries a lot on Concerta.  Straterra does nothing for him but make him sleepy and now he is on Adderall.  I am becoming convinced that diet is a big part of this.  A friend of mine who has ADHD children as well told me to give my son melatonin to help him get to sleep.  I must say that it helps him sleep, but I now have heard that it is not safe.  What do you know about melatonin?  Thanks you so much for this website.  I feel like I am finally getting somewhere! 

A.  Sounds like you’re really determined to help your son!  Hurrah for you!
      Melatonin is a natural chemical that regulates sleep onset.  It is available over-the-counter.  However, I’d check with your doctor before using it for your son.

Q.  My child has ADHD and was recently found to have elevated levels of aluminum in his hair.  How is this possible?
A.  Like lead, aluminum is a heavy, toxic metal that doesn’t belong in your child’s body.  Elevated plasma aluminum levels in children have been associated with ADHD and learning disabilities. Aluminum levels can be measured in hair, blood and urine.  Cooking foods, especially acidic ones like tomato sauce, in aluminum pots releases the aluminum into the foods.  Instead, use cast iron, glass, porcelain, or stainless steel cookware.  I’ve noticed that covering some foods--cooked rice, for example, with aluminum foil leads to the transfer of small specks of aluminum to the foods.  So if you’re going to use foil, wrap the food in waxed paper, then the foil.  Avoid baking powder that contains sodium aluminum sulfate.  Rumford is an aluminum-free brand you can find at your health foods store.

Q. I read your fascinating report about the Oxford-Durham Study by researcher Alexandra Richardson using essential fatty acid supplements to help children with coordination and ADHD type symptoms.  I'd like to try this with my son but I don't know what supplement she used.  Can you help?

A.  The supplement that Dr. Richardson used contained a total of 558 mgs of EPA, 174 mg of DHA, 60 mgs of GLA and 9.6 mgs of natural Vitamin E.  The important factor in this supplement may be its high EPA to DHA ratio.  The supplement was Eye Q made by Eqazen.  You can find the product on the Internet. Or you can look for another supplement that has approximately the same 3.2 ratio of EPA to DHA plus the 60 mgs from Primrose Oil.  Amounts don't have to be exactly the same as Richardson's supplement.

Q.  My son is 15 and has severe ADHD and learning problems.  He has always had trouble getting to sleep.  In the morning he can hardly stagger out of bed.  His teachers complain that he almost sleeps through his first few classes.  Do you have any suggestions?

First, make sure your son is getting enough sleep at night. Help him to understand that sleep is food for the brain.  Encourage him to establish a regular bedtime and wakeup schedule.    Next, your teen should avoid all coffee or colas that contain caffeine.  If your son has a TV in his room, he should turn it off before he falls asleep.  Don’t let your teen work late hours at a job.  These are not easy step for many teens, especially if they are very uncooperative in general.  Help your teen realize that the right amount of sleep will help him perform better in school, look better, and/or perform better on the athletic field. 

If this doesn’t help, ask your doctor for more information on sleep disorders and behavior and learning problems.  You could give your doctor the references cited in this months article in “News for You” if he/she is unaware of this sleep research. 

If necessary, your pediatrician should be able to refer you to a sleep disorder doctor who can evaluate and treat your child.  An actual sleep study is expensive so if your doctor recommends this test, check with your health insurance company.

Stay tuned for next month's tips to help your son sleep well.

Q. My grandson is 5 and goes to bed without problems at 8-9 pm and wakes up at 5-6 am most mornings.  He is okay at first but after a couple of hours he is tired.  Are there any foods he should avoid? He drinks a lot of milk.

A.  First, I’d ask your pediatrician if your grandson could be low in iron or have any other problem that might account for his fatigue.  It would be easy to ask his doctor to check his iron status with a simple blood test for serum ferritin.  Then I’d look at his diet.  What is your grandson’s breakfast like?  I’d try a high protein, low carbohydrate meal and avoid all the sugary foods like sweetened cereals, white toast with jam, pancakes and syrup, doughnuts, sweet rolls, etc.  Instead, try eggs and whole grain toast, leftover cold meat from the night before, a grilled cheese (use real cheese) sandwich on whole grain bread.  Then I’d follow the breakfast with a midmorning high protein snack like natural peanut butter on whole grain bread or whole grain crackers with cheese or natural peanut butter. If he can handle nuts without choking on them, he could have a handful of peanuts, walnuts, cashews, etc. for a high protein snack. 

If he’s drinking a lot of milk, he may not have room left for other healthy foods that would give him important nutrients that aren’t found in milk.  He should be getting about 3 servings of milk products a day.  A serving is an 8 ounce glass of milk, one and a half ounces of real cheese, or a cup of yogurt.  But ice cream does not count!  Milk is a poor source of iron and other important nutrients so if your grandson is loading up on milk, he may not be getting these nutrients.  Low iron levels can make a child irritable, inattentive, and tired.  But your grandson should only take an iron supplement if his iron levels are low.

If he’s a picky eater, I’d add a multi vitamin and a multi mineral.  Choose one that have approximately the RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowances) amounts of vitamins and minerals—I wouldn’t give large amounts of vitamins or minerals.  You could ask your pharmacist to help you find such a supplement but you may have better success at your local health foods store.  I know it’s tough to feed a picky eater, but try to get those fruits and veggies into his diet as much as possible.  Be sure to set a good example for him!

Q.  I am writing because I don’t know where to start.  My 4-year-old daughter has been extremely active since she could run at 9 months!   She started getting ear infections at 10 months and had about 13 in 15 months!  A friend told me to go to a “natural” doctor and he performed some tests on her called “24 hour delayed food allergy tests” at 2 years of age.  She was very allergic to milk, eggs, cheese and chocolate and mildly sensitive to many grains and nuts.  When I took her off of all these foods her ear infections stopped completely and her behavior was considerably improved.  However, our pediatrician “exploded” when I told him I went to this doctor and called him a quack.  We have gradually added back most of the foods to her diet.  Today, I went for her preschool conference and her teacher said, “Your daughter rushes through things, and we need to get her to settle down but we’ll see how it goes next year in preschool.”   Immediately red flags went up and I am thinking, “Oh no, does she have ADHD?”  I want to add that my daughter is extremely bright.  She is reading and has been riding a 2 wheeler since she was 3.  Some days I think she is fine as long as we keep her busy and other days I am so challenged by her!  Please help! 

A.  It’s great that your daughter will have another year in preschool before kindergarten. That alone may help her calm down.   I’d try a careful elimination diet this summer as outlined in “News for You” this month.  Be sure to include all the foods she was sensitive to at age 2.  Do her behavior and attention improve?  I’d also ask myself “Are there foods she is eating on bad days that she isn’t eating on the good days?”  If you have more questions, please write again.  Good luck!

Q.  My son is sensitive to milk.  What can I use as a substitute, especially for milk on cereal?

A.  If your son is allergic or sensitive to dairy products or he won't eat them, he’ll need a calcium supplement for his/her bones and teeth as long as he avoids milk and milk products.   Here are some unsweetened milk substitutes you can try to see what works best for your child.  Soy milk is one substitute you can use but some kids don’t like the taste.  Another product is Enriched Rice Dream Milk derived from rice. They even make an Rice Dream Ice Cream that is sweetened with fruit juices!!  My husband and I both love this “ice” cream.  Banana or nut milk works well for cereal.  Combine 1/2 small banana or 1/3 cup sliced almonds and 1 cup water in a blender on highest speed until smooth.  Use immediately.  Try whipping mashed potatoes with chicken stock instead of milk.  Fruit juices often replace milk in recipes.

Q.  My 7 year old daughter has a hard time with anything attention-related and is noticeably less mature than her classmates.  She has spent just over a week (she cheated once so we had to start over) on the elimination diet outlined in your book, 12 Effective Ways to Help Your ADD/ADHD Child. The problem is neither her teacher, my husband nor I noticed any difference in her attention span during the diet, even after several days elapsed.  What do we do now?

A.  You might wait a couple more days.  Then I think I’d start adding back the foods, one per day.

P.S. from Mom:  I did persist for another week after my email to you.  We learned our daughter reacts to milk with stuffiness and sugar with crankiness and one hell of an attitude!  The less sweets our daughter has, the sweeter she is!  Artificial colors put her into orbit!  I'm so glad I followed your instructions!

Q.  My son is extremely sensitive to artificial colors and flavors like Yellow #5 and Yellow #6, Blue #2 and Red #40.  What about annatto and beet coloring?

A.  Natural colors like annatto and beet powder should be fine.  These are derived from natural sources and not from petroleum like the artificial colors you mentioned.

 

Q.     I was told by my son’s doctor that he is ADHD and she prescribed Concerta for him.  I will not dope up my child instead I have decided to cut down on his sugar dramatically, put him on a multi-vitamin, increase his calcium and add flax seed powder to his diet.  I feel that is working because homework gets done quickly now.  His teacher has also noticed he is paying attention in class so much better.  Is there anything that I may be missing or should add to his diet?  Thanks for taking the time to read my letter.

1. Sounds like you’re doing well.  You might add a mineral tablet  that includes zinc and magnesium.  For more information just click on “News for You” in the Table of Contents.  Then scroll way down until you find all the information about supplements.

I'd also avoid all artificial colors and flavors because studies have shown that they often trigger behavior problems in many children with ADHD.  If you and your doctor are interested in reading about these studies, just click on “References for You and Your Doctor” in the Table of Contents.  You can ask your library to order any articles that interest you free on Interlibrary Loan. 

Recent studies indicate that iron deficiency may be a problem for some ADHD children so you might ask your doctor to order a serum ferritin test.  I wouldn’t add iron unless your son’s test is low. 

So I’d just keep doing what you are doing.  If you have more questions, I hope you’ll write again. 

Q.     My child has severe ADHD and is a really picky eater.  I know  this means he must be at risk for nutritional deficiencies although my doctor says not to worry so much.  He says poor diets don’t cause ADD or ADHD.  But my instincts say otherwise!  Are poor diets related to ADD or ADHD?

1. Absolutely, poor diets CAN be related to ADD/ADHD.  For example, if your child doesn’t get enough meat, poultry, fish or eggs he may be at risk for both iron and zinc deficiencies.  Both of these deficiencies have been implicated in ADD/ADHD.  In fact, iron deficiency and ADHD is the topic of this month’s newsletter.  Zinc deficiency is equally important.  If he doesn’t get the right oils (omega-3 fatty acids) in his diet his brain won’t work right either.  If his diet is based on largely junk foods, then he’ll be getting lots of artificial colors and flavors which have been shown to cause symptoms of ADD/ADHD in carefully controlled scientific studies in about 75% of children studied.  So, you are right.  Your child is what he eats!  Garbage in, garbage behavior out!

Q  D***** who is ADHD.  His dosage of 10 mg of Adderall has just been increased to 15 mg.  He is a bed wetter and will turn 7 on Easter Sunday.  Is bed wetting common?  He also suppresses a lot of anger and when it’s time to let it out, he loses it.  I’m very interested in diet management.

A.     Yes, bedwetting is quite common in children with ADD/ADHD.  You’ll want to see this month’s “News for You” which discusses bedwetting in children with ADD/ADHD.  You could start by keeping a diet diary of everything he eats and drinks and whether he wets the bed or not that night.  If he has nights when he doesn’t wet the bed, what didn’t he eat that he eats on nights he did wet his bed.  You may need to carry out a careful elimination diet as described in “12 Effective Ways…”  You may find that food(s) that make him wet the bed also are related to his anger outbursts.

Q.  Hello.  I have a friend with an 8 year old son who is ADHD and refuses treatment of any kind.  He is violent, disruptive, and not a good student.  He hurts other children and himself and blames others for it.  He wets the bed so heavily that he leaks through a pull-up.  I know that he eats “garbage” and consumes at least a liter of cola throughout the day.  I just don’t know how to help my friend and her son.  I am afraid that he will harm someone or himself and don’t know what else to do. 

A. This does sound like a serious situation.  Unfortunately, children with ADD/ADHD often have other psychological problems such as Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Depression, Anxiety Disorder, etc.  This makes their problems all the more difficult to manage.  Your friend needs to find a child psychologist or psychiatrist who has had lots of experience helping children and families with ADD/ADHD.  This should be someone she likes and trusts and who gives her specific information on how to deal with her son’s behavior.   

She could also look for underlying biological and nutritional reasons for her son’s problems.  Just improving his diet may help a lot.  Coke is definitely not a good idea.  It is loaded with sugar, phosphoric acid, caramel coloring and caffeine.  This child cannot possibly have room left for healthy foods.  Tell her to start by switching to Diet Coke for a few weeks (some children do react to the artificial sweetener, aspartame), then to Diet Sprite, Diet 7 Up or Diet Squirt.  These soft drinks are not artificially colored.  Then she needs to provide 100% pure fruit juice, but even there the amount shouldn’t be more than 8-16 ounces a day.  I’m sure her son will complain, but he is only 8 years old so she should have control over what he eats!

 

Q.     I’m having trouble getting my ADHD child—and the rest of the family too—to consume flax oil or flaxseeds added to our diet.  Do you have suggestions?

1. I think you’ll find this online cookbook really helpful.  It’s FREE and you can download it from the Internet:  www.flaxcouncil.ca/pdf/flaxcook.pdf.  It’s published by the Flax Council of Canada.

Q.  I have recently heard that chemicals such as MSG (monosodium glutamate) and enhancer types as well as aspartame could be a culprit in triggering problem behavior.  What do you know about this?

A. I haven’t seen any specific articles recently.  MSG is a flavor enhancer and is found in many processed foods and in restaurant foods.  What is really important is to answer the question, “Does MSG bother my child?”  To determine this avoid all foods that contain MSG and/or aspartame for 7-10 days.  Then give your child a food containing MSG.  If there is no reaction give him a second portion.  Is your child worse?  On a different day, do the same for aspartame.  Just put several packets of Equal in 100% fruit juice and let your child drink it.  Repeat if there is no reaction.  Is your child worse?  In any case, you’ll want to keep the levels of aspartame very low in your child’s diet.
 

Q.  After reading all your pages on your website, I’m left with a burning question.  My son has terrible problems holding his urine, he can pass water 10 times in an hour and still wet himself in between.  Since a baby he has always drunk far too much and has been tested for diabetes but his blood levels of glucose were normal.  So my question is, would supplementing with essential fatty acids help both his behavior and his urine frequency problems?
A.  Yes, it’s quite possible that supplementing with essential fatty acids might help your son.  You never really know until you try it so there are no guarantees!  I’d start by adding omega-3 fatty acids to his diet.  You could try a teaspoon or 2 of flaxseed oil.  Be sure to keep the oil refrigerated after opening.  Don’t expect an immediate response—you may start to see improvements in a week or two and more improvement should continue over a couple of months.  I hope you’ll keep in touch and let me know how you’re getting along!

Q.  My son has severe ADHD.  Also, he’s really thirsty and makes frequent trips to the bathroom.  I was so concerned about these symptoms, I asked my doctor to screen him for diabetes.  His blood sugar was normal but his thirst and frequent urination remain.  Does this have anything to do with his ADHD?

A.  I’ve had a number of parents tell me their children are so thirsty they have asked their doctors to test them for diabetes but tests show they have normal blood sugar levels.  After ruling out diabetes, parents should be  looking at a possible marginal deficiency of essential fatty acids and adding “good fats” to the diet.                                                                             

Q.  My 7-year old son was diagnosed with ADHD two years ago and has been on meds every since.  I am not happy with how he feels.  He cries a lot on Concerta.  Strattera does nothing for him but make him sleepy and now he is on Adderal.  I am becoming more convinced that diet is a big part of this.  A friend of mine who has ADHD children as well told me to give my son melatonin to help him get to sleep.  I must say that it helps him sleep, but I now have heard it is not safe.  What do you know about melatonin?  Thank you so much for this website, I feel like I am finally getting somewhere! 

A.  I’m glad you wrote.  You have to keep in mind that I’m a nutritionist and the best person to discuss the melatonin issue is your child’s doctor because melatonin is more like a drug than a nutrient.  Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal body in the brain and helps regulate sleep cycles.  So it's not a a chemical that we get from our diet.  Melatonin is available over-the-counter.  A recent study published in the European Journal of Pediatrics (2003, vol. 162, pp. 554-5) reported that melatonin was an effective sleep aid in children with ADHD and had few side effects.  However, an article published in Lancet (1998, vol. 351, p1254) reported that in neurologically disabled children, melatonin appeared to increase seizures. So I’d thoroughly discuss this issue with your doctor.

Q.: I have a 13-year old ADD son whose main goal has been to attend the Coast Guard Academy.  He has researched, plotted and planned for 2 years about attending.  I have just read the question you answered about military service and am crushed. [Potential recruits who are taking Ritalin or other drugs for ADHD currently or previously are not eligible for service].  He is extremely bright, but we have taken meds since he was ten.  Are there any exemptions?  I realize his goals will change by the time he is of age but I am also sure they will included some type of military service because he loves it and is driven to get what he wants.

A.  I understand your concerns.  I went to the US Coast Guard website and emailed the contact person for medical questions, Mrs. Kathy Lyons.  Here’s what she had to say: “ In reply to your question the following applies: attention deficit, hyperactivity disorder or learning disability such as dyslexia which interferes with perceptual or academic skills past the age of 12;  use of medications to reduce symptoms of ADD or ADHD within the previous 12 months, are causes for being disqualified.  If the applicant is free of medication for 1 year, they would be considered for a waiver.  Hope this is helpful.”

Q.  I have a very hyperactive 4 year old who has been diagnosed with ADHD.  However, changing his diet has helped immensely.  We totally avoid artificial colors and flavors and we have drastically reduced the amount of added sugars (sucrose, table sugar and corn syrup) in his diet.  Here’s my question:  The other day he was sitting calmly in his car seat and we stopped to get gas.  He got out of the car with me and told me loved the smell of the gasoline.  Within a few minutes he was extremely hyperactive and barely controllable.  Is it possible that the gas fumes set him off? My husband and doctor think I’m nuts!

A.  No, you’re not nuts!  Yes, it is possible that the gas fumes set him off!   Some children with ADHD react to a variety of chemicals such as gas.  Other common problem chemicals are tobacco smoke, fresh paint, chlorine, formaldehyde, and scented products.

 Q. I am a concerned mother who would like to find out where in my community I can find a support group to help me find a way to help my son.

A.  Just click on “Other links” in the Table of Contents of this newsletter.  I’d try the link to the Feingold Association which is more nutritionally related and also the CHADD website which is much more medication-oriented.  Both organizations have a number of support groups in this country so hopefully there is one near you.  Good luck and best wishes!

Q.  I see you've written some books.  What are they?

A.  Yes, I've written 6 books on diet and behavior since 1977.  They are:
How to Feed Your Hyperactive Child (Doubleday)

How to Improve Your Child's Behavior Through Diet (Doubleday)

The Complete Book of Allergy Control (Macmillan)

The New Way to Sugar-Free Cooking (Doubleday)

Solving the Puzzle of Your Hard-To-Raise Child (Random House)

12 Effective Ways to Help Your ADD/ADHD Child (Penguin Putnam)

Q.  My child was diagnosed with ADHD.  I would like to know what I can eliminate from the diet that will get her on the right track.  I would like to get more information on them before I decide if that is the road to take.  But I know that diet is a key to a new beginning.  Thank you in advance for your response.

A.  Studies (click on “References for You and Your Doctor” in the Index to see the various references) have shown that artificial colors and flavors, chocolate, sugar, corn syrup, and milk are the most common trigger foods for worsening behavior in children with ADHD.  Other common problem foods are wheat, rye, corn, egg, citrus, and legumes.  Not all children react to the same foods or food additives.  One child may be sensitive to artificial colors and flavors while another child reacts to wheat and milk.  Different children, different pieces of their jigsaw puzzle!  To determine which foods, if any, affect your child, you’ll want to try a careful elimination diet.  For 7-10 days you avoid all of the above foods.  I know, that seems impossible but it’s not!  Is your child better after the first few days?  Then at the end of the 7-10 days you introduce one of the foods back into the diet and note any reactions.  Then the next day you try the next food, etc.  Because this is time consuming and stressful  you’ll want to try the elimination diet correctly the first time so you’ll need more information than I can provide here.  Two excellent books are “Tracking Down Hidden Food Allergy” by William Crook, M.D. or my book, “12 Effective Ways to Help Your ADD/ADHD Child.”  I hope this helps.

 

Q.  Do you feel there could be any relationship between ADHD and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

A.  I’m glad you wrote.  I just had a letter from a woman who had written me some years ago for help for her ADHD son and her own chronic fatigue.  I recommended essential fatty acids for both of them and they have done really well.  Studies have shown that mothers of children who have ADHD are more likely to suffer from depression than mothers of children without ADHD.  It wouldn’t be surprising if many of the moms have chronic fatigue also.  There may be 2 reasons for this.  First, it’s really exhausting and traumatic to parent some of these children!  Parents are exhausted mentally and physically.  Second, these moms may have the same underlying biochemical factors as their children.  This could include food sensitivities, poor diet, essential fatty acid deficiencies, etc.  So I recommend to moms that they try to find the nutritional and biochemical pieces of their own chronic fatigue syndromes while they search for the pieces of their children’s ADHD jigsaw puzzle!

Q. My son is 10 years old and I have been trying for a couple of years to get him support in school for what is considered a slight learning disability.  He is NOT a problem child—never a behavior problem at school.  The teachers report that he has trouble “focusing” on his work.  When he pays attention, he gets it, but he starts work before directions are given, and his work is often poor.

At home, he is like a different person.  He argues with me a lot (especially over homework) and he is always on the go.  It’s as if he doesn’t have an off switch!  The doctors say he really doesn’t exactly fit the ADHD profile but they want to medicate him.  I have resisted medicating him because he is a vibrant, creative character.  Will his life be easier if I medicate him?  Will he be a better student and get better grades?  Is there some other way to accomplish this.  I would like to get more information on how to change his diet.  He ingests a lot of sugar products as well as chips, pop, etc.  I have been saying for quite some time now, that he is a bona fide “sugar addict.”  What should I do?

A.  I understand your concerns about medication. You have to keep in mind, though, that I’m a nutritionist.  However, you could undertake a trial of the medication and see how he responds.  You will want to discuss this further with your doctor. Yes, there are dietary approaches you could try while he is on or off medication.  Yes, I often hear from parents that their child is a sugar-holic.  What I’d do is to slowly reduce his sugar intake so he won’t have withdrawal symptoms!  As you use up the sugary stuff in the house, gradually replace it with healthy foods.  The foods to avoid are those containing sucrose, table sugar, honey, molasses, corn syrup or high-fructose corn syrup, maple syrup, etc.  If you want to see whether or not this makes a different for him, let him have a pig-out day (on a weekend) when he eats his old sugary favorites. See how he feels and acts. He’ll likely notice the change himself.  After that just don’t keep junky foods in the house.  Also avoid those containing chocolate and also those containing artificial colors and flavors.  You’ll have to read all your labels carefully.  I think my book, “12 Effective Ways to Help Your AD/HD Child”, would help you make progress.

Q.  I am writing to you on behalf of a friend of mine.  She has a 17 year-old son with ADD. He has tried to get in to the US Navy but has been told he cannot get in unless he is off medication.  Are there any natural remedies that may help?  Thank you.

 A.  Yes, it’s true the services will not accept recruits who take stimulant medication. In fact, I believe the rule is that taking stimulant medication after age 12 is a disqualification for military service.   It’s easy to see why:  if you’re in the deserts of Iraq or the mountains of Afghanistan and you forget or run out of your medication, you and your comrades would be “up the creek!”  Even if this young man could find nutritional solutions, this wouldn’t work in the services where he would be unable to control what he eats. 

Q.  I’ve managed to keep my 9-year-old medication free since he was first diagnosed with ADHD almost 3 years ago.  We follow the Feingold diet and my food journal has led to be my being convinced that artificial colors and preservatives have a noticeable effect on my son’s behavior that often lasts nearly 40 hours.  He is allowed very little sugar (until his father gets hold of him) and his diet is supplemented with essential fatty acids, minerals and protein powder.  Despite these efforts his classroom behavior is poor one week into the new school year.  Do you believe than herbal supplement like Clarocet or Focus might be of benefit?

 Also, after a Saturday in his father’s company where he’s been fed soda, milkshakes, sugar-coated peanuts, candy and every other trashy food on the planet, is there a way to de-tox my son?  The sugar is not good for him.  I watch his mood swings (especially the anger and over reacting) and wish I could clean out his system!

 A.  I’m glad you wrote.  First, what fatty acids is he getting and how much of each?  This is important.  I’d also try giving him a 50-100 IU capsule of vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol only) every day.

I just checked out Focus Factor on the web.  The vitamins and minerals could be beneficial (see the October and November News for You).  It also says it has DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid) but I can’t imagine there is enough of it to make much of a difference.  I’m not familiar with Clarocet.  I just don’t know much about herbs so I really can’t help you there.

 As far as “detoxing your son” when he’s been with dad, you could try giving him a tablet or 2 of Alka-Seltzer Gold (in the gold packets, not the blue) in a full glass of water as soon as he gets home.  This seems to slightly alter the pH (acidity) in the body and has a quick, calming effect on many ADHD children when they are off their diets.  HOWEVER, this is not something to do all the time:  Alka-Seltzer Gold is loaded with salt.  Children or adults with kidney problems should not take Alka-Seltzer.  I hope you’ll keep in touch and let me know how you’re getting along.

Q.  My son (age 13) has just been diagnosed with ADD.  He is not hyperactive at this age.  He complains that he is very tired at 3:00 P.M. during soccer practice.  I have given him Coke with caffeine and peanut crackers to see if that works.  I noticed that afternoon tiredness was a symptom of ADD.  Any ideas on what might work and if caffeine which should quiet hyperactivity would be wrong for focused activities like soccer.

A. I’m glad you wrote.  First, have you checked with your son’s doctor?  What does he/she say? 

Does your son eat breakfast and lunch, and if so, what is he eating?  This is really important!  Garbage in, garbage out!  If breakfast is nothing or is sugar-loaded cereal, a doughnut, pancakes with maple syrup, a poptart or some other sugary breakfast treat, his attention in his morning classes will be poor and he’ll also be tired later in the day.

Try a high protein breakfast instead—eggs, homemade sausage, cold meat leftover from the night before, grilled cheese (real cheese) on whole wheat bread, etc.  Remind him that it is really important to eat lunch—as high protein as possible.  If lunch is chips and a soft drink like many teenagers then he won’t be at his best for afternoon classes or soccer.   I think a healthy snack before soccer makes sense but I’d avoid the Coke.  It’s full of sugar (9 teaspoons per can), has artificial colors which have been shown to bother many children with ADD/ADHD, and contains phosphoric acid which leaches calcium out of bones!  The trouble with all the sugar is that it temporarily boosts energy then lets you down later.  Instead, I’d go with 100% pure fruit juice in the juice packs.  I’d put natural peanut butter or real natural cheese on the crackers (whole wheat if possible) or send a package of nuts and an apple with him.

IQ. When I told my doctor that my son was a "sugarholic," she just laughed and told my husband and me that we just imaged this.  When my son hadn’t had a recent sugar fix, he would scream, “I need sugar NOW!”  He recognized his need for sugar.  Every time he walked past the sugar canister in the kitchen, he licked his fingers, dipped them in the sugar, and then licked them clean!  When I tried to cut out the sugar in his diet cold-turkey, he fell apart.  I had much more success when I gradually decreased the sugar in his diet. His behavior is much improved!  P.S.  I also put salt in the sugar canister! Have you heard from parents of other "addicted” children?

 Y.  This sugar story is pretty common in the e-mails I receive.  One preschooler would waken with night terrors that always ended up in screams for soda pop!  Although his parents knew they shouldn’t give into him, they were so exhausted they gave him the pop!  I’ve had other children like your son who got their sugar fixes by dipping their fingers in the sugar canister!  Some even stole candy.  So you’re not alone!

Q.   What are the symptoms of omega-3 deficiency?  In addition to the hyperactivity that my daughter exhibits, she also has a skin rash that hasn’t responded to any treatment, as well as unusual thirst and urination.  The thirst and urination problems are so significant that her pediatrician has tested her several times for diabetes and urinary track infections.  Can these be related to not getting enough omega-3 fatty acids?

A.  Absolutely.  The symptoms of essential fatty acid deficiency include excessive thirst,  frequent urination, dry skin, dry hair, dandruff, brittle nails or nails that peel easily, and follicular keratorses (hard little bumps on the backs of the arms and thighs that make the skin feel rough to the touch).  Your child doesn’t need to show all these symptoms, just a few.

Q.  My 12 year old son refuses to eat breakfast in the morning but he does enjoy drinking Chocolate Instant Carnation Breakfast.  I know breakfast is important for him so are the Instant Breakfasts okay?

A. Sorry, not a good idea.  I know it’s tough to get children to take the time for a nutritious breakfast.  These instant breakfasts are loaded with added sugars—about 4 ½ teaspoons in a serving.  Also, chocolate is a common trigger food for many children with ADD/ADHD. What you can use is an easy-to-prepare homemade instant breakfast that tastes good but supplies extra protein, essential fatty acids—both essential for normal brain function—but does not contain added sugar.  Please click on “Recipes of the Month.”  You could add unsweetened carob powder as a substitute for cocoa powder in many recipes.