Sensitivities, allergies and hyperactivity

The relationship between children and food is a tricky one with all the sensitivities and allergies of today. Children are being born with allergies from the get go, whilst others develop them before their fifth birthday. There has been much speculation that some of the culprits are vaccinations, foods we are eating and toxins we are coming into contact with during pregnancy.

It has also been stated that there is a relationship between autism and food especially as scientists have now found that there is a direct link between the neurological and immune systems. The first protocol for some, especially in the USA is to put children on the autism spectrum on a dairy and wheat free diet to alleviate some of their symptoms for it is believed that autism is an allergy to gluten and casein.

In his book’ Mother and Child’ Jan de Vries a well known naturopath, talks about children who attended his clinic as patients with autism, allergies and hyperactivity.
In the cases of autism he always recommended a diet free of gluten and casein alongside nutritional supplements and homeopathic remedies.
With regards to hyperactivity he talks about many triggers for children such as additives,  preservatives, phosphates and sulphites.
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Additives such as flavouring and colouring have had a bad press for a long time, but seem to have been addressed by some companies.  Certain sweets and candy now have only natural flavours and colours, obviously in response to people’s avoidance of said products.
I know the food our kids eat definitely affects their mood for I have seen my children’s behaviour change just on consuming too much sugar or junk food. 
You can find lists of additives which are deemed harmful by the FDA online. I personally try to avoid giving my children additives as much as possible.

It is not just foods that contain additives. Certain brands of antiseptic cream contain additives that are linked to hyperactivity in children and some toothpaste also contains similar ingredients. So if you are a parent of a child who is highly sensitive then it may be worth looking at these types of products also.

It is strange that some children can eat almost anything without the slightest bit of difference and others seem to react to everything and anything. Whether it is the ingredients that really are the culprits or we are becoming more sensitive to what we are consuming and coming into contact with no one knows for sure. It is not possible to avoid everything that is harmful to our children. The best option is to introduce a healthy diet and be conscious of anything that they have an adverse reaction to.

So many children are being sent for assessment at school for their behaviour. Perhaps some do need therapy or medical help, but for some a change of diet and some nutritional input may be all that is necessary. Diet and nutrition should definitely be looked at in all cases of children struggling on any level. The food we feed our children does play a major role in their overall well being and their diet can certainly compliment any other help or treatment they may be receiving. It is true what they say, that ‘food is medicine.’

Children are our compass, they point us in the right direction. Currently that direction is one of choosing to eat healthy foods, life giving foods, organic foods and accepting nothing less.  If we give them less they do not function optimally. They are showing us the way forward and inadvertently prompting us to re-evaluate our beliefs, eating patterns and lifestyle.