Behaviors Hidden Problem:
Food sensitivities

Toni Hager, NDS 1999

Food sensitivities could be the hidden cause
to your child’s behavior problems.

Unlike allergies, with food sensitivity there are no hives or skin rashes.  Food sensitivities are generally not as obvious or as dramatic as those of allergies.  As a result, we describe them as the “hidden problem.” This is particularly true with children. 

Check the following list.
If three or more apply to your child, the food they eat is worth checking out.

Physical signs:

Emotional signs:  

Behavioral signs:

Food sensitivities can be quite variable.   For example, eating a suspected food during the daytime when the child is active may not cause problems.  However, the same food eaten before bedtime may lead to severe congestion throughout the night. 

What are the most common foods your child could be sensitive?  Products with additives or preservatives; foods containing natural salicylates; including some fruits and nuts; diary; wheat or grains; chocolate; caffeine and sugar.  Sometimes, its not A particular food; but, foods eaten in combination of others such as eating fruit and sugar together.

CAN LEARN generally recommends that parents who suspect sensitivity consider an elimination type diet.  By this we mean gradually eliminate a certain offender such as milk products, chocolate, citrus fruit, wheat, etc.  When you eliminate the worst offenders, you may see a definite change in the child for the better.

You can also have a food sensitivity test done by a Naturopathic Doctor in Spokane, Washington. (contact me for her name and number.)  This test is completely different than an allergy test.  This doctor gets a prick of blood from the ear lobe and looks at it under the microscope.  She will then give you her recommendations; or person trained in NAET  (www.naet.com) .

Fortunately, food sensitivities are often temporary.

If nose or throat congestion IS one of your child’s symptoms, you should be alert to potential ear problems. As adults, the sinus spaces in our skulls tend to act as buffers for infections of the nose and throat.  Children have small undeveloped sinus spaces so that nose and throat infections are generally pushed back quickly, into the middle ear via the Eustachian Tube in the throat.

If the fluid remains in the middle ear, it can cause multitudes of complications, including Learning Disabilities, Speech delays, Developmental Delays and ADD/ADHD.

If you suspect such a problem in your child, you can take him to an Ear, Nose, Throat Specialist and ask for a simple, easy, safe test called a Tympanogram.  The test only takes about ten minutes and doesn’t even require the child’s cooperation.  The doctor simply blows some air against the eardrum and measures the amount of motion.  If there is fluid behind the drum, the doctor might recommend that a small plastic tube be inserted.

 To discover more about allergies or sensitivities you might read “Is This Your Child? Allergies and Your Family” by Dr. Doris Rapp; and, “Is This Your Child’s World” by the same author. 

CAN LEARN empowers parents with the knowledge, techniques, and expertise that enable them to assume primary responsibility for their child’s maximum growth and development.  CAN LEARN provides families with individualized home programs that serve as homeschool programs for children with labels like ADD/ADHD, Learning Disabilities, Dyslexic, Dysgraphic, Short-attention span, Processing Disorder, normal learner, accelerated, and gifted.