Why I haven't been here in a while

[lindaM]

Well we I haven't been posting in a while because we have been having a very difficult time with DS in school and home and everywhere!!! The teacher wanted me to have him screened for ADD. So we did that and he was diagnosed with ADHD. The social worker told me to read a bunch of books and none of them really described ds. But I read one book on food allergies that sounded alot like him. I decided to do an experiment on him and I took him off all foods that have food coloring. Oh my gosh what a difference!!!!! He is a completely different child. The teachers can't believe it. He is so much nicer and not angry and frustrated anymore. He says his head isn't confused anymore and his body listens to what his brain is telling him. We went back to the social worker on Monday and he didn't have ds file in front of him. He asked me if I has already seen the psychatrist and put him on meds!!!! It is such a relief to know what it is. We just have to change our eating habits. It just makes me wonder if other kids who have been diagnosed as ADD have food allergies also. So now that ds isn't taking up all my time maybe I'll have the engery at night to go on the computer.

[AnnW]

Linda, that is incredible!!!!!! I am so glad he is better!!

[Mickey]

Good for you for figuring it out! I have heard that many kids are misdiagnosed. A social worker I know says that she spends a lot of her time UNdiagnosing ADD and ADHD. I wondered about red dye #40 when ds was little. I still avoid it when possible just in case. But there are definitely times when he seems out of control compared to others. Which dyes do you avoid with your ds?

[darlene]

Wow, glad you didn't get him started on the meds! Give yourself a huge pat on the back....way to go.
Glad to ds is feeling better.
:)

[lindaM]

I knew ds was allergic to red 40 because he has asthma and alot of the asthma med that are liquid have red 40 and sent him to the ceiling!!! So we always avoided red 40. But I took him off all food coloring. I have an appointment with the pediatrician to test for other foods. So we can see if he has other food alergies also and which dyes he is allergic to. I did give him cheese curls with yellow dye to test it. And he was nutty within half and hour.

[KarlaB]

Must feel great to have figured things out, especially before starting meds. Way to go! :)

[TXmom]

Wow - good for you and your ds! I wouldn't even begin to know how to eliminate dyes from our foods. What types of things is he eating now that he couldn't before? I guess you'd have to change to a lot of whole foods, wouldn't you? The less processing involved, the better?

[Melody]

Way to go for figuring it out. I would be lost on where to start eliminating foods. I'm so glad that you found this out before starting any med's. It's great he is doing better.

[lindaM]

It's not too hard to eliminate the food. Candy is the hard one. When I go to the bank I have to tell them no lollipops and they look at you like your being the meanest mom in the world. I learned alot of foods have colors that you wouldn't think need it. Like BBQ sauce, cake mix and frosting, frozen waffles, cinnimon bagles, or anything pillsbury makes!! DS is a big fruit fan so that makes it easier also. Alot of the snacks have red dye and kids foods yogurt, roll up, stuff that companies have put so much stuff inside that they aren't that healthy anymore anyway. So we have a new rule that no one can eat anything with dye in so ds doesn't get upset. Of course when dd is alone with us at the store I'll get her M&M's or something that ds can't have but she can't tell and tease him.

[MK]

Yikes, Linda! I just can't imagine cutting out ALL foods with dye. I mean, just about anything that doesn't grow in the ground has dye, lol. Even the stuff that is supposedly good for you.

That's got to be as hard as my dilemma with dh- he has an irritable colon, and there is a whole list of foods that will send him into excruciating spasms (he can't even have black pepper, and there isn't a brand of ketchup carried that doesn't contain onion powder, except McDonald's ketchup). I have to cook everything from scratch, and go through a detailed explanation when we order food from a restaurant. There are only a few places we can go, too, and even those places have only one or two menu items that dh can actually eat.

Well, that's great that you figured it out, so glad for you. Good luck with avoiding everything. :)