| This is the first in our series of "If It's not ADHD, What | | | | artificial flavor. |
| is It?" | | | | So before you accept an ADHD diagnosis and a |
| If you've read a lot about hyperactive, impulsive, can't | | | | prescription for stimulant drugs, eliminate foods with |
| focus kids--those kids we call ADHD--you've probably | | | | artificial color and flavor. See what happens. Jim |
| run across information suggesting that artificial coloring | | | | Stevenson, a researcher at the University of |
| and artificial flavors can cause this annoying behavior. | | | | Southampton, even suggests that banning artificial |
| Or at least make the behavior worse. Behavior that | | | | colors will also help reduce anti-social behavior in teens. |
| gets in the way of learning. Gets in the way of positive | | | | The British now have some 900 "foods" that contain |
| social skills. | | | | artificial coloring, like green Tic Tacs. How many |
| For some kids, simply making sure they don't eat | | | | "foods" in the U.S.? Probably more than 900. So read |
| anything with artificial color (not that such is an easy | | | | the labels. Check out what's in that "food" your kids |
| task), takes care of hyperactivity. | | | | are gobbling. |
| Now British Scientists are suggesting that at least one | | | | Get your kids doing their own scientific study. Could |
| third of all kids diagnosed with ADHD have an "allergy" | | | | even be a project for a science fair. Start by guessing. |
| to artificial colors, many of which come from coal tar | | | | Brightly-colored packaged food, candy, or snacks |
| and petroleum. For some kids, it's not ADHD. It's eating | | | | probably contain artificial color. Now teach them how |
| too many fluorescent green Tic Tacs. | | | | to read labels. |
| The scientists have put pressure on the British Food | | | | Then chart what kind of reaction they have to artificial |
| Standards Agency to force manufacturers to stop | | | | color and flavor. Do they have more energy when |
| using these chemicals. Enough pressure that the | | | | they eat "natural" food? Are they less moody? |
| European Union is considering banning artificial color | | | | Calmer? More focused? Less aggressive? Less |
| and flavoring. In the U.S., the Federal Food and Drug | | | | hyper? Less spacey? |
| Administration (FDA) is holding out until there's more | | | | If your kids don't react to artificial color and flavor, you'll |
| research. | | | | need to emphasize that many people do react. And |
| In the British studies, two groups of children showed | | | | that it's always better for their health to avoid artificial |
| changes in behavior when given the artificial coloring | | | | junk. That there could be (and probably are) long-term |
| during controlled trials. The kids couldn't sit still and | | | | consequences to eating lots of artificially colored and |
| concentrate. Had problems reading and became loud | | | | flavored food. |
| and impulsive. | | | | I just looked at the label on a lollipop I got at the bank. (I |
| It's unclear if enough kids took part in the trials to make | | | | refuse to bank at an institution that doesn't have |
| the results statistically significant. And unclear how the | | | | lollipops on the counter.) Sure enough, found the |
| researchers reached the conclusion that one third of all | | | | dreaded words "artificially flavored" right there on the |
| kids diagnosed with ADHD, suffer nothing more than a | | | | cellophane wrapper. Doesn't say "artificial color" but I'm |
| reaction to artificial color in food. So maybe the study | | | | sure it's not natural! Do I really want to be licking on |
| isn't statistically significant. Nevertheless, we do know | | | | coal tar and petroleum? Guess I'll have to change |
| that lots of kids react to artificial color and its partner | | | | banks. |