Re:intense & very strong willed 4 year old (now adding Biomedical Underpinnings)
Karen
To Julie and all who can really relate,
These behaviors are very consistent with those of ADHD (as it is defined).
I have been a huge researcher on this topic due to my DD's similar/related
issues (mostly former issues). These behaviors are an *important sign* that
there are biomedical issues that need to be addressed.
For my DD, these behaviors are mostly former issues due to the Feingold
program/diet (www.feingold.org) plus a gluten-free, casein-free diet, and
dietary supplements under the supervision of her DAN! doctor. DAN! stands
for Defeat Autism Now!, but these approaches are working well for a majority
of those with ADHD. Contrary to what the mainstream medical community would
lead us to believe, the Feingold program is helping the vast majority of
those with these types of behavioral issues. It is not always the *total*
answer, but it is usually an important foundational layer of improvement.
Often, additional dietary supplements are required *regardless* of how
balanced the diet is. Many of these children have chemical/nutritional
imbalances such as low zinc, and many other issues of the digestive tract.
MUST READ:
http://www.dreddyclinic.com/ADHD/Digestive_&_Metabolic_Problems_Abound_in_Pa
tients_With_ADHD_&_Autism.pdf:
"'The GI tract in most of these patients is, to put it bluntly, a total
mess', said Dr. Bradstreet. He insisted that without cleaning up the gut
problems, it is impossible to make headway in resolving ADHD and autism.
Lower GI dysfunction, enzyme deficiencies and impairments of hepatic
detoxification pathways are very common."
I have been "connecting the dots" with both research and my experience with
many people in my life. This stuff is very legitimate *and* important.
Untreated underlying biomedical issues can lead to progressive problems
throughout life, both behavioral and physical. Any doctor will not do.
They should know about the Organic Acid Test and others.
I have more to say but will use separate posts for brevity.
For the sake of children and adults with ADHD and related conditions,
Karen
These behaviors are very consistent with those of ADHD (as it is defined).
I have been a huge researcher on this topic due to my DD's similar/related
issues (mostly former issues). These behaviors are an *important sign* that
there are biomedical issues that need to be addressed.
For my DD, these behaviors are mostly former issues due to the Feingold
program/diet (www.feingold.org) plus a gluten-free, casein-free diet, and
dietary supplements under the supervision of her DAN! doctor. DAN! stands
for Defeat Autism Now!, but these approaches are working well for a majority
of those with ADHD. Contrary to what the mainstream medical community would
lead us to believe, the Feingold program is helping the vast majority of
those with these types of behavioral issues. It is not always the *total*
answer, but it is usually an important foundational layer of improvement.
Often, additional dietary supplements are required *regardless* of how
balanced the diet is. Many of these children have chemical/nutritional
imbalances such as low zinc, and many other issues of the digestive tract.
MUST READ:
http://www.dreddyclinic.com/ADHD/Digestive_&_Metabolic_Problems_Abound_in_Pa
tients_With_ADHD_&_Autism.pdf:
"'The GI tract in most of these patients is, to put it bluntly, a total
mess', said Dr. Bradstreet. He insisted that without cleaning up the gut
problems, it is impossible to make headway in resolving ADHD and autism.
Lower GI dysfunction, enzyme deficiencies and impairments of hepatic
detoxification pathways are very common."
I have been "connecting the dots" with both research and my experience with
many people in my life. This stuff is very legitimate *and* important.
Untreated underlying biomedical issues can lead to progressive problems
throughout life, both behavioral and physical. Any doctor will not do.
They should know about the Organic Acid Test and others.
I have more to say but will use separate posts for brevity.
For the sake of children and adults with ADHD and related conditions,
Karen
Karen
My response to someone on another list:
.< Can someone give me information on Feingold, SCD, GFCF and supplements?
...
www.feingold.org
[email protected]
SCD = Specific Carbohydrate Diet (I think). That's about all I know on SCD
(besides that parents report good success with it).
GFCF = gluten free (wheat and other), casein free (milk protein)
[email protected]
[email protected]
For supplements: [email protected]
Additional resources:
Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies:
The Groundbreaking Program for the 4-A Disorders by Kenneth Bock, M.D., and
Cameron Stauth
http://www.naturaladd.com/resources/articles/nutrition_adhd.html
Children with Starving Brains, by Jane Hersey
The Brain-Gut Connection
Gut and Psychology Syndrome
Special Diets for Special Kids
Why Can't My Child Behave by Jane Hersey
12 Effective Ways to Help Your ADD/ADHD Child by Laura J. Stevens, M.S.
Karen
.< Can someone give me information on Feingold, SCD, GFCF and supplements?
...
www.feingold.org
[email protected]
SCD = Specific Carbohydrate Diet (I think). That's about all I know on SCD
(besides that parents report good success with it).
GFCF = gluten free (wheat and other), casein free (milk protein)
[email protected]
[email protected]
For supplements: [email protected]
Additional resources:
Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies:
The Groundbreaking Program for the 4-A Disorders by Kenneth Bock, M.D., and
Cameron Stauth
http://www.naturaladd.com/resources/articles/nutrition_adhd.html
Children with Starving Brains, by Jane Hersey
The Brain-Gut Connection
Gut and Psychology Syndrome
Special Diets for Special Kids
Why Can't My Child Behave by Jane Hersey
12 Effective Ways to Help Your ADD/ADHD Child by Laura J. Stevens, M.S.
Karen
Karen
The following is offered as evidence that the symptoms of ADHD for many
represent sub-optimal functioning as opposed to just a personality
difference:
1) The growing body of evidence that behavior tends to "normalize" when
toxic food additives (or other offending foods) are eliminated.
2) ADHD-like symptoms are often produced by a sleep disorder and then
disappear when the sleep issue is corrected, such as with tonsil removal
http://news.ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=565800. Also, sleep studies show that when
healthy, neuro-typical people are sleep deprived, they develop ADHD symptoms
(until normal sleep is restored). More than 40% of patients with ADHD
report significant sleep disturbance including insomnia and parasomnias.
3) The research is said to be fairly conclusive about smaller size of a
certain section of the brain, but I believe that the size may return to
normal when blood flow is increased to that part of the brain through
dietary intervention, etc.
4) Symptoms mimicked after head injuries.
5) The symptoms of ADHD correlate with the following to a significantly
higher degree:
- Learning disabilities
- Stuttering: Studies show that as many as 26% also stutter
- Forgetfulness
- Smoking of mother while pregnant
- Childhood lead exposure
- Chinks in the myelin sheath (insulation) that protects cerebral nerve
cells (Girls tend to manufacture significantly more myelin sheath than boys,
which may finally explain why so many more boys than girls have ADHD)
- Fetal alcohol syndrome
- Birth trauma
- Concentrations of lead in the blood, exposure to lead
- "Left-neglect" (This is when the brain sometimes misses visual cues on the
left side of one's field of vision, especially when bored, because the right
side of brain seems to be involved in keeping us alert/awake when bored.)
- Different eye-movement pattern (when watching something) from those
without ADHD. (In fact, there have been many breakthroughs in improving
symptoms of ADHD through "behavioral optometry".)
- Maternal stress (including emotional) doubles the risk of ADHD.
- Allergic shiners (under the eyes)
- Sensory processing issues.
- More driving errors, car accidents.
- Bedwetting.
- Various digestive disorders
6) In Neurology / Neuroscience News : ".Applying the model to children's
behavior revealed that stop signal task times are significantly longer in
children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders than
in other children" .
(http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=68295&nfid=rssfeeds)
From an article in the Rapid City Journal:
"ADD is viewed as a mental disorder, but it actually stems from brain
starvation, brain poisoning, overall brain stress and genetics. (Refer to my
September article for a description of all six ADD types. In its broad
definition, ADD encompasses hyperactivity as well as other similar
imbalances.)
Psychiatrist Charles Gant, in his book "ADD and ADHD Complementary Medicine
Solutions," writes, "Absolutely 100 percent of human beings, without
exception, can be made to display the symptoms of inattentiveness by simply
driving their brains into chemical imbalance, either with enough of a toxin
exposure (brain poisoning) and/or with enough of a nutritional deficiency
(brain starvation)."
Gant continues his reasoning by encouraging readers to remember the way they
felt when they had a bad case of flu. "Did you become inattentive, restless
and fidgety and have trouble sleeping? Did you lose motivation, feel lazy
and lose interest in work? Did you become irritable and uncooperative? Of
course you did. Are flu symptoms caused by psychological problems, by lack
of social support or poor parenting? Of course not. That's ridiculous.
"The symptoms of inattentiveness, restlessness, fidgetiness, insomnia,
laziness, irritability and uncooperativeness were caused by brain poisoning
with viral and other toxins, and possibly worsened by malnutrition and
dehydration."
Did you just say "wow" because you have never thought about this? After the
flu is over, we can balance our brain by nutritional support and cleansing
our body and brain from poison; in the same way most ADD sufferers can
restore their brains to normal function by addressing all of the causes of
its starvation and poisoning."
Finally for now, from
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070412/hl_afp/healthchildren_070412154123 :
"A research team led by Professor Johannes Hebebrand of the University of
Duisburg-Essen in western Germany studied 329 families in which one child
had attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder syndrome. They found that a
great majority -- around 70 percent -- had a combination of three mutations
in the gene for the so-called dopamine transporter linked to hyperactivity.
'People who have this combination in both copies of the gene have a 2.5
increased ADHD risk. People with only one copy of this variant still have
almost twice the risk,' Hebebrand said in a statement."
I have a feeling that this mutation confers susceptibility to digestive
disorders.
Karen
represent sub-optimal functioning as opposed to just a personality
difference:
1) The growing body of evidence that behavior tends to "normalize" when
toxic food additives (or other offending foods) are eliminated.
2) ADHD-like symptoms are often produced by a sleep disorder and then
disappear when the sleep issue is corrected, such as with tonsil removal
http://news.ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=565800. Also, sleep studies show that when
healthy, neuro-typical people are sleep deprived, they develop ADHD symptoms
(until normal sleep is restored). More than 40% of patients with ADHD
report significant sleep disturbance including insomnia and parasomnias.
3) The research is said to be fairly conclusive about smaller size of a
certain section of the brain, but I believe that the size may return to
normal when blood flow is increased to that part of the brain through
dietary intervention, etc.
4) Symptoms mimicked after head injuries.
5) The symptoms of ADHD correlate with the following to a significantly
higher degree:
- Learning disabilities
- Stuttering: Studies show that as many as 26% also stutter
- Forgetfulness
- Smoking of mother while pregnant
- Childhood lead exposure
- Chinks in the myelin sheath (insulation) that protects cerebral nerve
cells (Girls tend to manufacture significantly more myelin sheath than boys,
which may finally explain why so many more boys than girls have ADHD)
- Fetal alcohol syndrome
- Birth trauma
- Concentrations of lead in the blood, exposure to lead
- "Left-neglect" (This is when the brain sometimes misses visual cues on the
left side of one's field of vision, especially when bored, because the right
side of brain seems to be involved in keeping us alert/awake when bored.)
- Different eye-movement pattern (when watching something) from those
without ADHD. (In fact, there have been many breakthroughs in improving
symptoms of ADHD through "behavioral optometry".)
- Maternal stress (including emotional) doubles the risk of ADHD.
- Allergic shiners (under the eyes)
- Sensory processing issues.
- More driving errors, car accidents.
- Bedwetting.
- Various digestive disorders
6) In Neurology / Neuroscience News : ".Applying the model to children's
behavior revealed that stop signal task times are significantly longer in
children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders than
in other children" .
(http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=68295&nfid=rssfeeds)
From an article in the Rapid City Journal:
"ADD is viewed as a mental disorder, but it actually stems from brain
starvation, brain poisoning, overall brain stress and genetics. (Refer to my
September article for a description of all six ADD types. In its broad
definition, ADD encompasses hyperactivity as well as other similar
imbalances.)
Psychiatrist Charles Gant, in his book "ADD and ADHD Complementary Medicine
Solutions," writes, "Absolutely 100 percent of human beings, without
exception, can be made to display the symptoms of inattentiveness by simply
driving their brains into chemical imbalance, either with enough of a toxin
exposure (brain poisoning) and/or with enough of a nutritional deficiency
(brain starvation)."
Gant continues his reasoning by encouraging readers to remember the way they
felt when they had a bad case of flu. "Did you become inattentive, restless
and fidgety and have trouble sleeping? Did you lose motivation, feel lazy
and lose interest in work? Did you become irritable and uncooperative? Of
course you did. Are flu symptoms caused by psychological problems, by lack
of social support or poor parenting? Of course not. That's ridiculous.
"The symptoms of inattentiveness, restlessness, fidgetiness, insomnia,
laziness, irritability and uncooperativeness were caused by brain poisoning
with viral and other toxins, and possibly worsened by malnutrition and
dehydration."
Did you just say "wow" because you have never thought about this? After the
flu is over, we can balance our brain by nutritional support and cleansing
our body and brain from poison; in the same way most ADD sufferers can
restore their brains to normal function by addressing all of the causes of
its starvation and poisoning."
Finally for now, from
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070412/hl_afp/healthchildren_070412154123 :
"A research team led by Professor Johannes Hebebrand of the University of
Duisburg-Essen in western Germany studied 329 families in which one child
had attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder syndrome. They found that a
great majority -- around 70 percent -- had a combination of three mutations
in the gene for the so-called dopamine transporter linked to hyperactivity.
'People who have this combination in both copies of the gene have a 2.5
increased ADHD risk. People with only one copy of this variant still have
almost twice the risk,' Hebebrand said in a statement."
I have a feeling that this mutation confers susceptibility to digestive
disorders.
Karen
Karen
Finally, below is my long testimonial as a former skeptic about diet and
supplements for ADHD. It is in the form of replies to a post (on another
list) challenging their effectiveness. Its not just about how it worked
for us; its also about the evidence that the success rates are tremendous.
Its quite long, but I urge list-mates who may be dealing with these issues
to print it out and read it at your leisure, so that you dont miss out on
any parts which may be important to you in your journey.
Karen
Original testimonial post:
RE: Feingold program and biomedical approach
(Long post, so I have broken it into sections with headings.)
What I have witnessed statistically is that the vast majority of those with
ADHD symptoms actually do have those food sensitivities (discovered only
after the possibility is explored systematically), which is exactly why the
properly-executed and individually-tailored diets are helping so many.
My journey as a skeptic:
I was a big skeptic of the ability of diet (beyond a balanced diet) and
supplements to help ADHD. I thought I was too educated to fall for that
naturopathic stuff. I had read statements from the American Academy of
Pediatrics and CHADD and couldnt figure out why parents were still
bothering to pursue nutritionally-based alternative treatments. My DD
Whitney is adopted and ADHD-wise, she is a carbon copy of her birthfather.
So it seemed to me that it was clearly genetics in her case. I thought,
Since its so obvious that its genetic, it is very unlikely that food
sensitivities would play a role in her case anyway. Besides, it seemed to
me that if it was food-related (digestive tract-related), I would see more
ups and downs in her behavior, rather than the consistent non-stop
hyperactive-impulsive 24/7 Texas Tornado, as we called her.
But I was relentless in my pursuit of more information about ADHDall
aspects in all forms. One day it occurred to me that food sensitivities
themselves can have a genetic component. But I still wasnt convinced
enough that it would help her for us to go through the hassle of trying a
difficult elimination diet; our household was chaotic enough already.
However, she had had chronic headaches for a long time, and her doctors at
that time did not seem interested in pursuing a cause. I felt that I had to
do *something* about her headaches. It seemed that an elimination diet such
as Feingold would have a greater likelihood of at least helping her
headaches. But before I could bring myself to pay for a Feingold
Association membership, I still wanted more independent evidence that I was
not about to be scammed. The membership is relatively cheap, but it was the
principle of not giving even one dollar to scammers. As a result of a bit
of further research, I found this article in BBC News and others like it:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/2404169.stm
I also found interesting results on a website which allows users to rate
various treatments for each of various medical conditions. For the
hyperactive Impulsive type, the users currently rate Diet: Feingold 8.7
out of 10. They rate Adderall 7.1, Dexedrine 9.0, Methylphenidate 6.9,
Ritalin LA 8.0, and Strattera 4.6. (If the ratings were to factor in the
importance of treating underlying causes, I believe that the Feingold
program would rate much higher in comparison to the medications. I have now
witnessed the difference in Whitneys personality on Metadate CD, which
worked well for her as far medication goes, versus dietary intervention.
With the latter, her little personality shines through much more tangibly.)
The site with the treatment ratings:
http://www.revolutionhealth.com/drugs-treatments?stype=c&display_treatments=
t&q=Attention+Deficit+Hyperactivity+Disorder%2FAttention+Deficit+Disorder+pr
edominant+hyperative-impulsive
Taking the plunge:
As a result of this and other data (including posts on
Feingold-Program4us@YahooGroups), I finally took the plunge. Within 1 ½
weeks of starting the diet, her headaches were gone and have not returned.
That was many months ago. Over the following few weeks, I began to realize
that we were seeing improvements in many of her ADHD symptoms, including
eye-contact, listening, self-control, attitude, and cooperation. In her
case, her hyperactivity seemed to remain until we started the additional
protocol of supplements and further dietary restriction under the
supervision of a DAN! Doctor. Also, she appears healthier overall. I just
now remembered how pale she used to look at times. Her appetite has
improved, even when compared to when she was not on medication. She has
become less of a picky eater. Her signs of anxiety (picking at lip, biting
nails) have disappeared. Her TV addiction is gone. She no longer makes
negative comments about herself. (Yes, she had severe symptoms of ADHD.) I
was so used to the old meltdowns over small issues (after the meds wore off
in the afternoon) that I sometimes still brace for a meltdown when I have to
deny her something, when, to my pleasant surprise, she moves right on
without a trace of disappointment.
More evidence:
I would have continued to think that only 3 percent or so, as indicated by
the mainstream medical community, are helped by dietary intervention, and
that Whitney was one of them. I *would* have thought that if it hadnt been
for the overwhelming evidence that I encountered to the contrary during my
journey. I recently heard it said that truth hangs together. That really
struck a chord with me, as I have gleaned pieces of information and
families stories from so many different sources over time. These pieces
began to slowly fit together as do pieces of a puzzle. Even on support
groups that are treatment neutral, when the topic of dietary intervention
arises, almost all I ever witness are posts about how helpful it has been.
In fact, I have yet to discover a family either through personal
conversation or through online support groups who systematically tried the
Feingold program and did not ultimately witness noticeable improvements.
(This is certainly not to say that the effectiveness rate overall is as high
as what I have witnessed. These are just the facts of my personal
experience.) I am aware that there are occasional posts (quite the
exception) on the Feingold list by families who have not seen very much in
results so far. Usually, the moderator or others on the list encourage such
families to review their skin-care products, toothpastes, home cleaning
agents, brands of vitamins, etc. I have not noticed whether those families
(or that family; it may have been only one) eventually saw more results.
The Feingold Association recognizes that some ADHD-sufferers do not respond
to the Feingold program alone. The Association suggests that additional
dietary intervention, such as avoiding corn syrup, MSG, gluten, casein, may
be required in some cases. It also recognizes that many are helped further
(as was Whitney) through DAN! Protocols.
I shared our experience with two families in my community, who then
(skeptically in one case) tried Feingold. No skepticism remains in either
family. When I share Whitneys success with friends and acquaintances, they
sometimes tell me about someone they know who had a similar experience with
dietary intervention. Again, I never hear the oppositethat they know of
someone for whom it did not work.
Those who are on the cutting edge of the biomedical approaches are
increasingly recognizing the link/overlap between ADHD and autism. The
reason many parents are also of this opinion is that they have seen their
children improve from Autism to having ADHD only, and, not uncommonly, they
continue to improve from there. So it was interesting to discover that,
after Whitney underwent lab tests as ordered by her DAN! Doctor, her urinary
oxalates were found to be over 73 (mmol/mol creatinine). The median level
for neurotypical children is around 12; for autistic around 71. (There were
some other lab results that also came back out of normal range, but not as
much so as for autistic children.)
I mention this about oxalates in order to introduce another puzzle piece in
my experience with ADHD and biomedical causes. I set up a lunch with
someone who had facilitated a few local CHADD support-group meetings. Her
adult son has ADHD, and she works professionally with ADHD-sufferers, so I
wanted to share with her what I had learned. She did not know much about
dietary intervention, but she was aware that her son reacted to artificial
food coloring. When I told her about the link between oxalates and kidney
stones, she told me that her son had already passed three stones, and he is
only in his twenties!
These are just a few examples of the confirmations that I encounter at every
turn that the vast majority of ADHD-sufferers would probably see significant
improvement through individualized biomedical treatment approaches
(including dietary intervention and supplements).
The biomedical professional community seems to now be of the opinion that
this is not an either/or proposition. In other words, yes, ADHD involves
problems with chemical transmitters in the brain, *and* the evidence is in
that, for a majority, biomedical issues (including digestive disorders and
food-sensitivities) are causing the neurotransmitters not to fire
neurotypically.
The studies:
those foods away it helps greatly. All in all, a diet cannot fix ADHD, it
has been proven over and over again.
Might you be able to share your sources for this proof? Im not trying to
put you on the spot, but I would like to be able to review and perhaps
eventually respond. (My whole goal here is to prevent families from being
dissuaded from trying the biomedical approach based on faulty evidence
regarding success rates. I dont want to see other children and parents
suffer needlessly, when there is so relatively little to be lost in trying
such an approach.)
For example, most of the studies to date addressed only artificial colorings
and preservatives (http://www.feingold.org/pg-research.html). Yet the lay
person ends up with the impression that the whole Feingold program has been
studied. Let me explain why such results are very misleading, even about
the additives that *were* tested, due to what I call the masking effect.
The experience of families on the Feingold program is that *any* category of
infraction can cause a behavioral reaction. So, it requires the elimination
of *all* categories of banned foods to achieve good results in many cases.
It is like a car chained to a fence by four strong chains. If you cut one
chain, and then test (however scientifically) to see if the car can move
when one chain is cut, you might wrongly conclude that cutting chains is an
ineffective remedy for a stubborn car. The three other chains masked what
would have otherwise tested as an effective measure for releasing the car.
My research has shown that most who try Feingold discover that they are
sensitive to at least some of the fruits and vegetables which are high in
salycilates. (Such fruits and vegetables are eliminated during the first
stage of the Feingold program.) Such sensitivities in test participants
would have masked the effectiveness of the elimination of other banned
foods.
There was a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effects of
artificial food colorings and benzoate preservatives on hyperactivity. Not
surprisingly, the conclusion was that these additives had an adverse effect
on the children. What is surprising is that the test used only 20 mg per
day of coloring, considering that only one tablespoon of green ketchup (the
study was in the UK) contains 150 mg of coloring. Imagine how much *more*
impressive the test results might have been had it been designed to more
closely match the real world.
Here is the Feingold link to studies and articles published in peer reviewed
journals: http://www.feingold.org/pg-research.html.
Evidence can come from many sources, and the attempt-to-be-scientific
community does not have a corner on it, especially when they do a poor job
of duplicating the real world. It seems to me that real-world evidence is
parents who witness their childrens behavior and response to dietary
intervention in the real world, and then share it so that others in the real
world may benefit.
Following a biomedical approach:
& maintain and most people cannot do it long.
The Feingold program is a lot of work in the beginning in terms of being
time-consuming. Those of us who continue to follow Feingold report that it
soon becomes relatively easy, once the new routines are established. Was
there a study on what percentage of those starting Feingold were able to
continue it? These claims about how hard the program is are part of what
dissuaded me for too long from starting on what turned out to be a
miraculous journey.
The question is Is it worth it? To me, absolutely. Once I realized that
Whitney really has digestive tract issues, what other aspects of her health
could be affected in insidious ways over time if she does not receive proper
dietary treatment (as though living with ADHD alone was not enough of a
challenge)? If this real-world evidence is valid, all of us involved with
ADHD might ask ourselves the same question about ourselves and our loved
ones.
Besides Feingold, Whitney is gluten-free, casein-free, and
oxalates-restricted, so my workload is much greater than that required for
Feingold alone. Yet the extra time required to control her diet is more
than made up for by the reduced workload of parenting a far less challenging
child, by having a household that is many times more calm than it was.
Also, the food control workload is not emotionally draining the way
parenting a challenging child was.
Childrens compliance with dietary control:
Another important point for those considering a biomedical approach is that
the longer you wait (i.e. the older your child becomes), the harder it is to
gain your childs compliance, which could, in turn, impact the rest of your
childs life. Also, it may seem daunting, because you know how hard it will
be to gain compliance from your oppositional child. It may be harder at
first, but remember that as childrens health (and brain function) improve,
so does their level of compliance (and harmony in the home).
Help for adult ADHD also:
These approaches seem to also have a high rate of success among adults with
AD/HD (including my moms husband, who started Feingold earlier this year).
Hoping this Helped:
I so hope this helps. The only reason that I have spent so much of my
precious and limited time on this is for the sake of other sweet children
(like my dear Whitney) and their parents. It would be easy for me to forget
about support groups now that things are so much easier in my life. But
that would feel like, Ive got mine; pull up the ladder. When ADHD
affects so many, so profoundly, I cannot, in good conscience, do that.
Karen in Temecula wine country
supplements for ADHD. It is in the form of replies to a post (on another
list) challenging their effectiveness. Its not just about how it worked
for us; its also about the evidence that the success rates are tremendous.
Its quite long, but I urge list-mates who may be dealing with these issues
to print it out and read it at your leisure, so that you dont miss out on
any parts which may be important to you in your journey.
Karen
Original testimonial post:
RE: Feingold program and biomedical approach
(Long post, so I have broken it into sections with headings.)
> Most of the "diets" that are out there that say they help ADHD only helpthose that ALSO have food sensitivities that cause the ADHD symptoms.
What I have witnessed statistically is that the vast majority of those with
ADHD symptoms actually do have those food sensitivities (discovered only
after the possibility is explored systematically), which is exactly why the
properly-executed and individually-tailored diets are helping so many.
My journey as a skeptic:
I was a big skeptic of the ability of diet (beyond a balanced diet) and
supplements to help ADHD. I thought I was too educated to fall for that
naturopathic stuff. I had read statements from the American Academy of
Pediatrics and CHADD and couldnt figure out why parents were still
bothering to pursue nutritionally-based alternative treatments. My DD
Whitney is adopted and ADHD-wise, she is a carbon copy of her birthfather.
So it seemed to me that it was clearly genetics in her case. I thought,
Since its so obvious that its genetic, it is very unlikely that food
sensitivities would play a role in her case anyway. Besides, it seemed to
me that if it was food-related (digestive tract-related), I would see more
ups and downs in her behavior, rather than the consistent non-stop
hyperactive-impulsive 24/7 Texas Tornado, as we called her.
But I was relentless in my pursuit of more information about ADHDall
aspects in all forms. One day it occurred to me that food sensitivities
themselves can have a genetic component. But I still wasnt convinced
enough that it would help her for us to go through the hassle of trying a
difficult elimination diet; our household was chaotic enough already.
However, she had had chronic headaches for a long time, and her doctors at
that time did not seem interested in pursuing a cause. I felt that I had to
do *something* about her headaches. It seemed that an elimination diet such
as Feingold would have a greater likelihood of at least helping her
headaches. But before I could bring myself to pay for a Feingold
Association membership, I still wanted more independent evidence that I was
not about to be scammed. The membership is relatively cheap, but it was the
principle of not giving even one dollar to scammers. As a result of a bit
of further research, I found this article in BBC News and others like it:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/2404169.stm
I also found interesting results on a website which allows users to rate
various treatments for each of various medical conditions. For the
hyperactive Impulsive type, the users currently rate Diet: Feingold 8.7
out of 10. They rate Adderall 7.1, Dexedrine 9.0, Methylphenidate 6.9,
Ritalin LA 8.0, and Strattera 4.6. (If the ratings were to factor in the
importance of treating underlying causes, I believe that the Feingold
program would rate much higher in comparison to the medications. I have now
witnessed the difference in Whitneys personality on Metadate CD, which
worked well for her as far medication goes, versus dietary intervention.
With the latter, her little personality shines through much more tangibly.)
The site with the treatment ratings:
http://www.revolutionhealth.com/drugs-treatments?stype=c&display_treatments=
t&q=Attention+Deficit+Hyperactivity+Disorder%2FAttention+Deficit+Disorder+pr
edominant+hyperative-impulsive
Taking the plunge:
As a result of this and other data (including posts on
Feingold-Program4us@YahooGroups), I finally took the plunge. Within 1 ½
weeks of starting the diet, her headaches were gone and have not returned.
That was many months ago. Over the following few weeks, I began to realize
that we were seeing improvements in many of her ADHD symptoms, including
eye-contact, listening, self-control, attitude, and cooperation. In her
case, her hyperactivity seemed to remain until we started the additional
protocol of supplements and further dietary restriction under the
supervision of a DAN! Doctor. Also, she appears healthier overall. I just
now remembered how pale she used to look at times. Her appetite has
improved, even when compared to when she was not on medication. She has
become less of a picky eater. Her signs of anxiety (picking at lip, biting
nails) have disappeared. Her TV addiction is gone. She no longer makes
negative comments about herself. (Yes, she had severe symptoms of ADHD.) I
was so used to the old meltdowns over small issues (after the meds wore off
in the afternoon) that I sometimes still brace for a meltdown when I have to
deny her something, when, to my pleasant surprise, she moves right on
without a trace of disappointment.
More evidence:
I would have continued to think that only 3 percent or so, as indicated by
the mainstream medical community, are helped by dietary intervention, and
that Whitney was one of them. I *would* have thought that if it hadnt been
for the overwhelming evidence that I encountered to the contrary during my
journey. I recently heard it said that truth hangs together. That really
struck a chord with me, as I have gleaned pieces of information and
families stories from so many different sources over time. These pieces
began to slowly fit together as do pieces of a puzzle. Even on support
groups that are treatment neutral, when the topic of dietary intervention
arises, almost all I ever witness are posts about how helpful it has been.
In fact, I have yet to discover a family either through personal
conversation or through online support groups who systematically tried the
Feingold program and did not ultimately witness noticeable improvements.
(This is certainly not to say that the effectiveness rate overall is as high
as what I have witnessed. These are just the facts of my personal
experience.) I am aware that there are occasional posts (quite the
exception) on the Feingold list by families who have not seen very much in
results so far. Usually, the moderator or others on the list encourage such
families to review their skin-care products, toothpastes, home cleaning
agents, brands of vitamins, etc. I have not noticed whether those families
(or that family; it may have been only one) eventually saw more results.
The Feingold Association recognizes that some ADHD-sufferers do not respond
to the Feingold program alone. The Association suggests that additional
dietary intervention, such as avoiding corn syrup, MSG, gluten, casein, may
be required in some cases. It also recognizes that many are helped further
(as was Whitney) through DAN! Protocols.
I shared our experience with two families in my community, who then
(skeptically in one case) tried Feingold. No skepticism remains in either
family. When I share Whitneys success with friends and acquaintances, they
sometimes tell me about someone they know who had a similar experience with
dietary intervention. Again, I never hear the oppositethat they know of
someone for whom it did not work.
Those who are on the cutting edge of the biomedical approaches are
increasingly recognizing the link/overlap between ADHD and autism. The
reason many parents are also of this opinion is that they have seen their
children improve from Autism to having ADHD only, and, not uncommonly, they
continue to improve from there. So it was interesting to discover that,
after Whitney underwent lab tests as ordered by her DAN! Doctor, her urinary
oxalates were found to be over 73 (mmol/mol creatinine). The median level
for neurotypical children is around 12; for autistic around 71. (There were
some other lab results that also came back out of normal range, but not as
much so as for autistic children.)
I mention this about oxalates in order to introduce another puzzle piece in
my experience with ADHD and biomedical causes. I set up a lunch with
someone who had facilitated a few local CHADD support-group meetings. Her
adult son has ADHD, and she works professionally with ADHD-sufferers, so I
wanted to share with her what I had learned. She did not know much about
dietary intervention, but she was aware that her son reacted to artificial
food coloring. When I told her about the link between oxalates and kidney
stones, she told me that her son had already passed three stones, and he is
only in his twenties!
These are just a few examples of the confirmations that I encounter at every
turn that the vast majority of ADHD-sufferers would probably see significant
improvement through individualized biomedical treatment approaches
(including dietary intervention and supplements).
> They do not help the true ADHD since that is a brain chemical /transmitterdisconnection and not some dye or food product causing it.
The biomedical professional community seems to now be of the opinion that
this is not an either/or proposition. In other words, yes, ADHD involves
problems with chemical transmitters in the brain, *and* the evidence is in
that, for a majority, biomedical issues (including digestive disorders and
food-sensitivities) are causing the neurotransmitters not to fire
neurotypically.
The studies:
> BUT, I do know from a family members experiences that dyes (usually reds)and some food products do cause hyperactivity and outbursts. So if you take
those foods away it helps greatly. All in all, a diet cannot fix ADHD, it
has been proven over and over again.
Might you be able to share your sources for this proof? Im not trying to
put you on the spot, but I would like to be able to review and perhaps
eventually respond. (My whole goal here is to prevent families from being
dissuaded from trying the biomedical approach based on faulty evidence
regarding success rates. I dont want to see other children and parents
suffer needlessly, when there is so relatively little to be lost in trying
such an approach.)
For example, most of the studies to date addressed only artificial colorings
and preservatives (http://www.feingold.org/pg-research.html). Yet the lay
person ends up with the impression that the whole Feingold program has been
studied. Let me explain why such results are very misleading, even about
the additives that *were* tested, due to what I call the masking effect.
The experience of families on the Feingold program is that *any* category of
infraction can cause a behavioral reaction. So, it requires the elimination
of *all* categories of banned foods to achieve good results in many cases.
It is like a car chained to a fence by four strong chains. If you cut one
chain, and then test (however scientifically) to see if the car can move
when one chain is cut, you might wrongly conclude that cutting chains is an
ineffective remedy for a stubborn car. The three other chains masked what
would have otherwise tested as an effective measure for releasing the car.
My research has shown that most who try Feingold discover that they are
sensitive to at least some of the fruits and vegetables which are high in
salycilates. (Such fruits and vegetables are eliminated during the first
stage of the Feingold program.) Such sensitivities in test participants
would have masked the effectiveness of the elimination of other banned
foods.
There was a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effects of
artificial food colorings and benzoate preservatives on hyperactivity. Not
surprisingly, the conclusion was that these additives had an adverse effect
on the children. What is surprising is that the test used only 20 mg per
day of coloring, considering that only one tablespoon of green ketchup (the
study was in the UK) contains 150 mg of coloring. Imagine how much *more*
impressive the test results might have been had it been designed to more
closely match the real world.
Here is the Feingold link to studies and articles published in peer reviewed
journals: http://www.feingold.org/pg-research.html.
Evidence can come from many sources, and the attempt-to-be-scientific
community does not have a corner on it, especially when they do a poor job
of duplicating the real world. It seems to me that real-world evidence is
parents who witness their childrens behavior and response to dietary
intervention in the real world, and then share it so that others in the real
world may benefit.
Following a biomedical approach:
> But food sensitivities it does help, so if it lowers the childs symptomsthen it is worth it for most. The Feingold diet is extremely hard to follow
& maintain and most people cannot do it long.
The Feingold program is a lot of work in the beginning in terms of being
time-consuming. Those of us who continue to follow Feingold report that it
soon becomes relatively easy, once the new routines are established. Was
there a study on what percentage of those starting Feingold were able to
continue it? These claims about how hard the program is are part of what
dissuaded me for too long from starting on what turned out to be a
miraculous journey.
The question is Is it worth it? To me, absolutely. Once I realized that
Whitney really has digestive tract issues, what other aspects of her health
could be affected in insidious ways over time if she does not receive proper
dietary treatment (as though living with ADHD alone was not enough of a
challenge)? If this real-world evidence is valid, all of us involved with
ADHD might ask ourselves the same question about ourselves and our loved
ones.
Besides Feingold, Whitney is gluten-free, casein-free, and
oxalates-restricted, so my workload is much greater than that required for
Feingold alone. Yet the extra time required to control her diet is more
than made up for by the reduced workload of parenting a far less challenging
child, by having a household that is many times more calm than it was.
Also, the food control workload is not emotionally draining the way
parenting a challenging child was.
Childrens compliance with dietary control:
Another important point for those considering a biomedical approach is that
the longer you wait (i.e. the older your child becomes), the harder it is to
gain your childs compliance, which could, in turn, impact the rest of your
childs life. Also, it may seem daunting, because you know how hard it will
be to gain compliance from your oppositional child. It may be harder at
first, but remember that as childrens health (and brain function) improve,
so does their level of compliance (and harmony in the home).
Help for adult ADHD also:
These approaches seem to also have a high rate of success among adults with
AD/HD (including my moms husband, who started Feingold earlier this year).
Hoping this Helped:
I so hope this helps. The only reason that I have spent so much of my
precious and limited time on this is for the sake of other sweet children
(like my dear Whitney) and their parents. It would be easy for me to forget
about support groups now that things are so much easier in my life. But
that would feel like, Ive got mine; pull up the ladder. When ADHD
affects so many, so profoundly, I cannot, in good conscience, do that.
Karen in Temecula wine country
Karen
Cosmetic re-post: Sorry--I see that the paragraph separations had started
running together, making it hard to read. Here, I have tried to fix that.
Original testimonial post:
RE: Feingold program and biomedical approach
(Long post, so I have broken it into sections with headings.)
What I have witnessed statistically is that the vast majority of those with
ADHD symptoms actually do have those food sensitivities (discovered only
after the possibility is explored systematically), which is exactly why the
properly-executed and individually-tailored diets are helping so many.
My journey as a skeptic:
I was a big skeptic of the ability of diet (beyond a balanced diet) and
supplements to help ADHD. I thought I was too educated to fall for that
naturopathic stuff. I had read statements from the American Academy of
Pediatrics and CHADD and couldnt figure out why parents were still
bothering to pursue nutritionally-based alternative treatments. My DD
Whitney is adopted and ADHD-wise, she is a carbon copy of her birthfather.
So it seemed to me that it was clearly genetics in her case. I thought,
Since its so obvious that its genetic, it is very unlikely that food
sensitivities would play a role in her case anyway. Besides, it seemed to
me that if it was food-related (digestive tract-related), I would see more
ups and downs in her behavior, rather than the consistent non-stop
hyperactive-impulsive 24/7 Texas Tornado, as we called her.
But I was relentless in my pursuit of more information about ADHDall
aspects in all forms. One day it occurred to me that food sensitivities
themselves can have a genetic component. But I still wasnt convinced
enough that it would help her for us to go through the hassle of trying a
difficult elimination diet; our household was chaotic enough already.
However, she had had chronic headaches for a long time, and her doctors at
that time did not seem interested in pursuing a cause. I felt that I had to
do *something* about her headaches. It seemed that an elimination diet such
as Feingold would have a greater likelihood of at least helping her
headaches. But before I could bring myself to pay for a Feingold
Association membership, I still wanted more independent evidence that I was
not about to be scammed. The membership is relatively cheap, but it was the
principle of not giving even one dollar to scammers. As a result of a bit
of further research, I found this article in BBC News and others like it:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/2404169.stm
I also found interesting results on a website which allows users to rate
various treatments for each of various medical conditions. For the
hyperactive Impulsive type, the users currently rate Diet: Feingold 8.7
out of 10. They rate Adderall 7.1, Dexedrine 9.0, Methylphenidate 6.9,
Ritalin LA 8.0, and Strattera 4.6. (If the ratings were to factor in the
importance of treating underlying causes, I believe that the Feingold
program would rate much higher in comparison to the medications. I have now
witnessed the difference in Whitneys personality on Metadate CD, which
worked well for her as far medication goes, versus dietary intervention.
With the latter, her little personality shines through much more tangibly.)
The site with the treatment ratings:
http://www.revolutionhealth.com/drugs-treatments?stype=c&display_treatments=
t&q=Attention+Deficit+Hyperactivity+Disorder%2FAttention+Deficit+Disorder+pr
edominant+hyperative-impulsive
Taking the plunge:
As a result of this and other data (including posts on
Feingold-Program4us@YahooGroups), I finally took the plunge. Within 1 ½
weeks of starting the diet, her headaches were gone and have not returned.
That was many months ago. Over the following few weeks, I began to realize
that we were seeing improvements in many of her ADHD symptoms, including
eye-contact, listening, self-control, attitude, and cooperation. In her
case, her hyperactivity seemed to remain until we started the additional
protocol of supplements and further dietary restriction under the
supervision of a DAN! Doctor. Also, she appears healthier overall. I just
now remembered how pale she used to look at times. Her appetite has
improved, even when compared to when she was not on medication. She has
become less of a picky eater. Her signs of anxiety (picking at lip, biting
nails) have disappeared. Her TV addiction is gone. She no longer makes
negative comments about herself. (Yes, she had severe symptoms of ADHD.) I
was so used to the old meltdowns over small issues (after the meds wore off
in the afternoon) that I sometimes still brace for a meltdown when I have to
deny her something, when, to my pleasant surprise, she moves right on
without a trace of disappointment.
More evidence:
I would have continued to think that only 3 percent or so, as indicated by
the mainstream medical community, are helped by dietary intervention, and
that Whitney was one of them. I *would* have thought that if it hadnt been
for the overwhelming evidence that I encountered to the contrary during my
journey. I recently heard it said that truth hangs together. That really
struck a chord with me, as I have gleaned pieces of information and
families stories from so many different sources over time. These pieces
began to slowly fit together as do pieces of a puzzle. Even on support
groups that are treatment neutral, when the topic of dietary intervention
arises, almost all I ever witness are posts about how helpful it has been.
In fact, I have yet to discover a family either through personal
conversation or through online support groups who systematically tried the
Feingold program and did not ultimately witness noticeable improvements.
(This is certainly not to say that the effectiveness rate overall is as high
as what I have witnessed. These are just the facts of my personal
experience.) I am aware that there are occasional posts (quite the
exception) on the Feingold list by families who have not seen very much in
results so far. Usually, the moderator or others on the list encourage such
families to review their skin-care products, toothpastes, home cleaning
agents, brands of vitamins, etc. I have not noticed whether those families
(or that family; it may have been only one) eventually saw more results.
The Feingold Association recognizes that some ADHD-sufferers do not respond
to the Feingold program alone. The Association suggests that additional
dietary intervention, such as avoiding corn syrup, MSG, gluten, casein, may
be required in some cases. It also recognizes that many are helped further
(as was Whitney) through DAN! Protocols.
I shared our experience with two families in my community, who then
(skeptically in one case) tried Feingold. No skepticism remains in either
family. When I share Whitneys success with friends and acquaintances, they
sometimes tell me about someone they know who had a similar experience with
dietary intervention. Again, I never hear the oppositethat they know of
someone for whom it did not work.
Those who are on the cutting edge of the biomedical approaches are
increasingly recognizing the link/overlap between ADHD and autism. The
reason many parents are also of this opinion is that they have seen their
children improve from Autism to having ADHD only, and, not uncommonly, they
continue to improve from there. So it was interesting to discover that,
after Whitney underwent lab tests as ordered by her DAN! Doctor, her urinary
oxalates were found to be over 73 (mmol/mol creatinine). The median level
for neurotypical children is around 12; for autistic around 71. (There were
some other lab results that also came back out of normal range, but not as
much so as for autistic children.)
I mention this about oxalates in order to introduce another puzzle piece in
my experience with ADHD and biomedical causes. I set up a lunch with
someone who had facilitated a few local CHADD support-group meetings. Her
adult son has ADHD, and she works professionally with ADHD-sufferers, so I
wanted to share with her what I had learned. She did not know much about
dietary intervention, but she was aware that her son reacted to artificial
food coloring. When I told her about the link between oxalates and kidney
stones, she told me that her son had already passed three stones, and he is
only in his twenties!
These are just a few examples of the confirmations that I encounter at every
turn that the vast majority of ADHD-sufferers would probably see significant
improvement through individualized biomedical treatment approaches
(including dietary intervention and supplements).
The biomedical professional community seems to now be of the opinion that
this is not an either/or proposition. In other words, yes, ADHD involves
problems with chemical transmitters in the brain, *and* the evidence is in
that, for a majority, biomedical issues (including digestive disorders and
food-sensitivities) are causing the neurotransmitters not to fire
neurotypically.
The studies:
those foods away it helps greatly. All in all, a diet cannot fix ADHD, it
has been proven over and over again.
Might you be able to share your sources for this proof? Im not trying to
put you on the spot, but I would like to be able to review and perhaps
eventually respond. (My whole goal here is to prevent families from being
dissuaded from trying the biomedical approach based on faulty evidence
regarding success rates. I dont want to see other children and parents
suffer needlessly, when there is so relatively little to be lost in trying
such an approach.)
For example, most of the studies to date addressed only artificial colorings
and preservatives (http://www.feingold.org/pg-research.html). Yet the lay
person ends up with the impression that the whole Feingold program has been
studied. Let me explain why such results are very misleading, even about
the additives that *were* tested, due to what I call the masking effect.
The experience of families on the Feingold program is that *any* category of
infraction can cause a behavioral reaction. So, it requires the elimination
of *all* categories of banned foods to achieve good results in many cases.
It is like a car chained to a fence by four strong chains. If you cut one
chain, and then test (however scientifically) to see if the car can move
when one chain is cut, you might wrongly conclude that cutting chains is an
ineffective remedy for a stubborn car. The three other chains masked what
would have otherwise tested as an effective measure for releasing the car.
My research has shown that most who try Feingold discover that they are
sensitive to at least some of the fruits and vegetables which are high in
salycilates. (Such fruits and vegetables are eliminated during the first
stage of the Feingold program.) Such sensitivities in test participants
would have masked the effectiveness of the elimination of other banned
foods.
There was a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effects of
artificial food colorings and benzoate preservatives on hyperactivity. Not
surprisingly, the conclusion was that these additives had an adverse effect
on the children. What is surprising is that the test used only 20 mg per
day of coloring, considering that only one tablespoon of green ketchup (the
study was in the UK) contains 150 mg of coloring. Imagine how much *more*
impressive the test results might have been had it been designed to more
closely match the real world.
Here is the Feingold link to studies and articles published in peer reviewed
journals: http://www.feingold.org/pg-research.html.
Evidence can come from many sources, and the attempt-to-be-scientific
community does not have a corner on it, especially when they do a poor job
of duplicating the real world. It seems to me that real-world evidence is
parents who witness their childrens behavior and response to dietary
intervention in the real world, and then share it so that others in the real
world may benefit.
Following a biomedical approach:
& maintain and most people cannot do it long.
The Feingold program is a lot of work in the beginning in terms of being
time-consuming. Those of us who continue to follow Feingold report that it
soon becomes relatively easy, once the new routines are established. Was
there a study on what percentage of those starting Feingold were able to
continue it? These claims about how hard the program is are part of what
dissuaded me for too long from starting on what turned out to be a
miraculous journey.
The question is Is it worth it? To me, absolutely. Once I realized that
Whitney really has digestive tract issues, what other aspects of her health
could be affected in insidious ways over time if she does not receive proper
dietary treatment (as though living with ADHD alone was not enough of a
challenge)? If this real-world evidence is valid, all of us involved with
ADHD might ask ourselves the same question about ourselves and our loved
ones.
Besides Feingold, Whitney is gluten-free, casein-free, and
oxalates-restricted, so my workload is much greater than that required for
Feingold alone. Yet the extra time required to control her diet is more
than made up for by the reduced workload of parenting a far less challenging
child, by having a household that is many times more calm than it was.
Also, the food control workload is not emotionally draining the way
parenting a challenging child was.
Childrens compliance with dietary control:
Another important point for those considering a biomedical approach is that
the longer you wait (i.e. the older your child becomes), the harder it is to
gain your childs compliance, which could, in turn, impact the rest of your
childs life. Also, it may seem daunting, because you know how hard it will
be to gain compliance from your oppositional child. It may be harder at
first, but remember that as childrens health (and brain function) improve,
so does their level of compliance (and harmony in the home).
Help for adult ADHD also:
These approaches seem to also have a high rate of success among adults with
AD/HD (including my moms husband, who started Feingold earlier this year).
Hoping this Helped:
I so hope this helps. The only reason that I have spent so much of my
precious and limited time on this is for the sake of other sweet children
(like my dear Whitney) and their parents. It would be easy for me to forget
about support groups now that things are so much easier in my life. But
that would feel like, Ive got mine; pull up the ladder. When ADHD
affects so many, so profoundly, I cannot, in good conscience, do that.
Karen in Temecula wine country
running together, making it hard to read. Here, I have tried to fix that.
Original testimonial post:
RE: Feingold program and biomedical approach
(Long post, so I have broken it into sections with headings.)
> Most of the "diets" that are out there that say they help ADHD only helpthose that ALSO have food sensitivities that cause the ADHD symptoms.
What I have witnessed statistically is that the vast majority of those with
ADHD symptoms actually do have those food sensitivities (discovered only
after the possibility is explored systematically), which is exactly why the
properly-executed and individually-tailored diets are helping so many.
My journey as a skeptic:
I was a big skeptic of the ability of diet (beyond a balanced diet) and
supplements to help ADHD. I thought I was too educated to fall for that
naturopathic stuff. I had read statements from the American Academy of
Pediatrics and CHADD and couldnt figure out why parents were still
bothering to pursue nutritionally-based alternative treatments. My DD
Whitney is adopted and ADHD-wise, she is a carbon copy of her birthfather.
So it seemed to me that it was clearly genetics in her case. I thought,
Since its so obvious that its genetic, it is very unlikely that food
sensitivities would play a role in her case anyway. Besides, it seemed to
me that if it was food-related (digestive tract-related), I would see more
ups and downs in her behavior, rather than the consistent non-stop
hyperactive-impulsive 24/7 Texas Tornado, as we called her.
But I was relentless in my pursuit of more information about ADHDall
aspects in all forms. One day it occurred to me that food sensitivities
themselves can have a genetic component. But I still wasnt convinced
enough that it would help her for us to go through the hassle of trying a
difficult elimination diet; our household was chaotic enough already.
However, she had had chronic headaches for a long time, and her doctors at
that time did not seem interested in pursuing a cause. I felt that I had to
do *something* about her headaches. It seemed that an elimination diet such
as Feingold would have a greater likelihood of at least helping her
headaches. But before I could bring myself to pay for a Feingold
Association membership, I still wanted more independent evidence that I was
not about to be scammed. The membership is relatively cheap, but it was the
principle of not giving even one dollar to scammers. As a result of a bit
of further research, I found this article in BBC News and others like it:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/2404169.stm
I also found interesting results on a website which allows users to rate
various treatments for each of various medical conditions. For the
hyperactive Impulsive type, the users currently rate Diet: Feingold 8.7
out of 10. They rate Adderall 7.1, Dexedrine 9.0, Methylphenidate 6.9,
Ritalin LA 8.0, and Strattera 4.6. (If the ratings were to factor in the
importance of treating underlying causes, I believe that the Feingold
program would rate much higher in comparison to the medications. I have now
witnessed the difference in Whitneys personality on Metadate CD, which
worked well for her as far medication goes, versus dietary intervention.
With the latter, her little personality shines through much more tangibly.)
The site with the treatment ratings:
http://www.revolutionhealth.com/drugs-treatments?stype=c&display_treatments=
t&q=Attention+Deficit+Hyperactivity+Disorder%2FAttention+Deficit+Disorder+pr
edominant+hyperative-impulsive
Taking the plunge:
As a result of this and other data (including posts on
Feingold-Program4us@YahooGroups), I finally took the plunge. Within 1 ½
weeks of starting the diet, her headaches were gone and have not returned.
That was many months ago. Over the following few weeks, I began to realize
that we were seeing improvements in many of her ADHD symptoms, including
eye-contact, listening, self-control, attitude, and cooperation. In her
case, her hyperactivity seemed to remain until we started the additional
protocol of supplements and further dietary restriction under the
supervision of a DAN! Doctor. Also, she appears healthier overall. I just
now remembered how pale she used to look at times. Her appetite has
improved, even when compared to when she was not on medication. She has
become less of a picky eater. Her signs of anxiety (picking at lip, biting
nails) have disappeared. Her TV addiction is gone. She no longer makes
negative comments about herself. (Yes, she had severe symptoms of ADHD.) I
was so used to the old meltdowns over small issues (after the meds wore off
in the afternoon) that I sometimes still brace for a meltdown when I have to
deny her something, when, to my pleasant surprise, she moves right on
without a trace of disappointment.
More evidence:
I would have continued to think that only 3 percent or so, as indicated by
the mainstream medical community, are helped by dietary intervention, and
that Whitney was one of them. I *would* have thought that if it hadnt been
for the overwhelming evidence that I encountered to the contrary during my
journey. I recently heard it said that truth hangs together. That really
struck a chord with me, as I have gleaned pieces of information and
families stories from so many different sources over time. These pieces
began to slowly fit together as do pieces of a puzzle. Even on support
groups that are treatment neutral, when the topic of dietary intervention
arises, almost all I ever witness are posts about how helpful it has been.
In fact, I have yet to discover a family either through personal
conversation or through online support groups who systematically tried the
Feingold program and did not ultimately witness noticeable improvements.
(This is certainly not to say that the effectiveness rate overall is as high
as what I have witnessed. These are just the facts of my personal
experience.) I am aware that there are occasional posts (quite the
exception) on the Feingold list by families who have not seen very much in
results so far. Usually, the moderator or others on the list encourage such
families to review their skin-care products, toothpastes, home cleaning
agents, brands of vitamins, etc. I have not noticed whether those families
(or that family; it may have been only one) eventually saw more results.
The Feingold Association recognizes that some ADHD-sufferers do not respond
to the Feingold program alone. The Association suggests that additional
dietary intervention, such as avoiding corn syrup, MSG, gluten, casein, may
be required in some cases. It also recognizes that many are helped further
(as was Whitney) through DAN! Protocols.
I shared our experience with two families in my community, who then
(skeptically in one case) tried Feingold. No skepticism remains in either
family. When I share Whitneys success with friends and acquaintances, they
sometimes tell me about someone they know who had a similar experience with
dietary intervention. Again, I never hear the oppositethat they know of
someone for whom it did not work.
Those who are on the cutting edge of the biomedical approaches are
increasingly recognizing the link/overlap between ADHD and autism. The
reason many parents are also of this opinion is that they have seen their
children improve from Autism to having ADHD only, and, not uncommonly, they
continue to improve from there. So it was interesting to discover that,
after Whitney underwent lab tests as ordered by her DAN! Doctor, her urinary
oxalates were found to be over 73 (mmol/mol creatinine). The median level
for neurotypical children is around 12; for autistic around 71. (There were
some other lab results that also came back out of normal range, but not as
much so as for autistic children.)
I mention this about oxalates in order to introduce another puzzle piece in
my experience with ADHD and biomedical causes. I set up a lunch with
someone who had facilitated a few local CHADD support-group meetings. Her
adult son has ADHD, and she works professionally with ADHD-sufferers, so I
wanted to share with her what I had learned. She did not know much about
dietary intervention, but she was aware that her son reacted to artificial
food coloring. When I told her about the link between oxalates and kidney
stones, she told me that her son had already passed three stones, and he is
only in his twenties!
These are just a few examples of the confirmations that I encounter at every
turn that the vast majority of ADHD-sufferers would probably see significant
improvement through individualized biomedical treatment approaches
(including dietary intervention and supplements).
> They do not help the true ADHD since that is a brain chemical /transmitterdisconnection and not some dye or food product causing it.
The biomedical professional community seems to now be of the opinion that
this is not an either/or proposition. In other words, yes, ADHD involves
problems with chemical transmitters in the brain, *and* the evidence is in
that, for a majority, biomedical issues (including digestive disorders and
food-sensitivities) are causing the neurotransmitters not to fire
neurotypically.
The studies:
> BUT, I do know from a family members experiences that dyes (usually reds)and some food products do cause hyperactivity and outbursts. So if you take
those foods away it helps greatly. All in all, a diet cannot fix ADHD, it
has been proven over and over again.
Might you be able to share your sources for this proof? Im not trying to
put you on the spot, but I would like to be able to review and perhaps
eventually respond. (My whole goal here is to prevent families from being
dissuaded from trying the biomedical approach based on faulty evidence
regarding success rates. I dont want to see other children and parents
suffer needlessly, when there is so relatively little to be lost in trying
such an approach.)
For example, most of the studies to date addressed only artificial colorings
and preservatives (http://www.feingold.org/pg-research.html). Yet the lay
person ends up with the impression that the whole Feingold program has been
studied. Let me explain why such results are very misleading, even about
the additives that *were* tested, due to what I call the masking effect.
The experience of families on the Feingold program is that *any* category of
infraction can cause a behavioral reaction. So, it requires the elimination
of *all* categories of banned foods to achieve good results in many cases.
It is like a car chained to a fence by four strong chains. If you cut one
chain, and then test (however scientifically) to see if the car can move
when one chain is cut, you might wrongly conclude that cutting chains is an
ineffective remedy for a stubborn car. The three other chains masked what
would have otherwise tested as an effective measure for releasing the car.
My research has shown that most who try Feingold discover that they are
sensitive to at least some of the fruits and vegetables which are high in
salycilates. (Such fruits and vegetables are eliminated during the first
stage of the Feingold program.) Such sensitivities in test participants
would have masked the effectiveness of the elimination of other banned
foods.
There was a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effects of
artificial food colorings and benzoate preservatives on hyperactivity. Not
surprisingly, the conclusion was that these additives had an adverse effect
on the children. What is surprising is that the test used only 20 mg per
day of coloring, considering that only one tablespoon of green ketchup (the
study was in the UK) contains 150 mg of coloring. Imagine how much *more*
impressive the test results might have been had it been designed to more
closely match the real world.
Here is the Feingold link to studies and articles published in peer reviewed
journals: http://www.feingold.org/pg-research.html.
Evidence can come from many sources, and the attempt-to-be-scientific
community does not have a corner on it, especially when they do a poor job
of duplicating the real world. It seems to me that real-world evidence is
parents who witness their childrens behavior and response to dietary
intervention in the real world, and then share it so that others in the real
world may benefit.
Following a biomedical approach:
> But food sensitivities it does help, so if it lowers the childs symptomsthen it is worth it for most. The Feingold diet is extremely hard to follow
& maintain and most people cannot do it long.
The Feingold program is a lot of work in the beginning in terms of being
time-consuming. Those of us who continue to follow Feingold report that it
soon becomes relatively easy, once the new routines are established. Was
there a study on what percentage of those starting Feingold were able to
continue it? These claims about how hard the program is are part of what
dissuaded me for too long from starting on what turned out to be a
miraculous journey.
The question is Is it worth it? To me, absolutely. Once I realized that
Whitney really has digestive tract issues, what other aspects of her health
could be affected in insidious ways over time if she does not receive proper
dietary treatment (as though living with ADHD alone was not enough of a
challenge)? If this real-world evidence is valid, all of us involved with
ADHD might ask ourselves the same question about ourselves and our loved
ones.
Besides Feingold, Whitney is gluten-free, casein-free, and
oxalates-restricted, so my workload is much greater than that required for
Feingold alone. Yet the extra time required to control her diet is more
than made up for by the reduced workload of parenting a far less challenging
child, by having a household that is many times more calm than it was.
Also, the food control workload is not emotionally draining the way
parenting a challenging child was.
Childrens compliance with dietary control:
Another important point for those considering a biomedical approach is that
the longer you wait (i.e. the older your child becomes), the harder it is to
gain your childs compliance, which could, in turn, impact the rest of your
childs life. Also, it may seem daunting, because you know how hard it will
be to gain compliance from your oppositional child. It may be harder at
first, but remember that as childrens health (and brain function) improve,
so does their level of compliance (and harmony in the home).
Help for adult ADHD also:
These approaches seem to also have a high rate of success among adults with
AD/HD (including my moms husband, who started Feingold earlier this year).
Hoping this Helped:
I so hope this helps. The only reason that I have spent so much of my
precious and limited time on this is for the sake of other sweet children
(like my dear Whitney) and their parents. It would be easy for me to forget
about support groups now that things are so much easier in my life. But
that would feel like, Ive got mine; pull up the ladder. When ADHD
affects so many, so profoundly, I cannot, in good conscience, do that.
Karen in Temecula wine country