Aggression and Anger and Food - ADD / ADHD Message Board

mandy · 03-01-2002, 10:52 AM

I just felt compelled to write ... I see a lot of posts about one of the "symptoms" of adhd being children filled with so much aggression. We experienced that first hand with my son. I can't even begin to account the times we dragged him kicking and screaming from stores, events, even church because he always got "over excited." After a blow up, he would seem better for a while, but it would just begin all over again. The sad part was he was always sorry--I knew he was genuinely feeling sorry but he could never control the outburst before it happened. I knew it wasn't good for his self-esteem to feel that he was always doing something for which he felt badly for afterwards. (I know it was good that he recognized what he was doing was wrong, but I'm talking about that feeling your child has when he feels he can never do anything right.) We tried everything, counseling, educating, explaining, time out--ha ha, but nothing worked to break this cycle. He would hit, throw things, say the meanist things, etc. In school it was worse--they couldn't recognize the problems before they got out of control and he would blow almost daily is some way, shape or form. By fourth grade, his classroom was evacuate three times and he was suspended once. He was one unhappy child.
Well, for those who may be interested, one thing change this child completely and that was his diet. We stumbled across a couple of books and one that helped us to become aware of this diet thing was "Is This Your Child" by Doris Rapp. To make a very long story short, we removed additives, preservatives and colors and within a week we had a new child. It gives me goosebumps to write this. I know it may not work for everyone, but for my son, the aggression and anger disappeared. It may work for you.

It was like an allergy of some sort that comes out in a behavioral reaction. Yes, he still has issues, attention and organization, to name a couple but he is such a happy child. The children that used to avoid him have seen over time that he is different. He has friends that are calling or coming over to see him where before they avoided him. It has been four years now.

mlgable · 03-02-2002, 10:59 AM

Food allergies are quite common especially in children with lots of behavior problems. Food and regular allergy testing is wise for any child with problems of any sort. Glad the diet change helped you but let this serve as a reminder to any one reading this that if you are having problems get your child tested for food allergies so that you see if perhaps this is the cause of your some of your childs problems. I just feel bad that Mandy didn't have her son tested for allergies long before she started reading all the books that helped her. It might have saved her a lot of headaches.

HumanSpirit · 03-03-2002, 05:58 AM

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid for personality. It must be digested daily. The FDA in 1988 banned Tryptophan as a suppliment and further limited the natural accuring amino acid so that it could not be a majority nutrient in any food product. This cause the food producting industry to wash the amino from the food products for fear of law suits. Tuna is an example. Spring water and vegetable oil replaced the natural oils limiting a good source. The reason for the FDA decision was clouded in that several persons died and many became sick from a manufactured batch of Tryptophan (as a Suppliment) that was shipped to the USA. Much controversy was placed on the FDA decision but the link between the pharmecutical industries and the FDA was strong enough to limit Tryptophan. Tryptophan being essential to the nutrition of Humanbeings for mental stability has the same affects as the SSRI drugs like Prozac and Retalin without the addition and problems of perminent mind alteration. It should be noted that Tryptophan was limited in the same time frame as heavy marketing of Prozac and Retalin.

DawnP · 03-04-2002, 12:34 PM

Hi Mandy,

Thanks so much for the information! I, too have an irritable, angry ADHD child. I am going to try what you're suggesting. Does the book tell you exactly what to eliminate etc? Did you have him tested by an allergist or just discover the problem with a process of elimination? I have that book but haven't really read it. Thanks!
Dawn

mandy · 03-04-2002, 01:53 PM

The way we went about it initially was to remove the artificial stuff from his diet as well as sugars, sodas, etc. Then we brought him to a Environmental Doctor who did an interesting test called an ALCAT test which was done from a blood sample that showed us which foods are sensitive to his system. It has been very helpful. I also could go to explain that a nutritionist also recommended that we keep his proteins higher in his meals (grams I guess) that his carbs, this keeps his blood sugar stable too. The nutritionist also recommended certain vitamins to help children with ADHD. I think I have earned an honorary degree in nutrition over the last few years.