Food Additives and Food Colorings: ADHD in Children

It has been debated for decades whether or not the chemicals, now found in our foods, have any negative side effects on our health. Recent studies have proven that the toxic chemicals and dyes used in food, more commonly referred to as food additives, have detrimental effects on children. The purposes for these substances are the preservation of processed foods; unfortunately, the convenience of a box or can has shown to cause Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHA).

Lining the shelves at the grocery stores, children are drawn into a maze of cartooned boxes, vibrant colored candies, and convenient-sized juices. They may look and taste delicious, and be extra handy for busy parents; but are they detrimental to the children and their health?

ADHD can cause a series of symptoms in a child, including difficulty staying on task, talking excessively, and forgetfulness. Victims of ADHD often have a harder time fitting in with their peers and, sometimes, even ridiculed. Wouldn't it be wonderful if there was a way to help some of these children without medication?

Science Daily reports that "Data published in 2007 showed that normal (not hyperactive) children were significantly more hyperactive after they ate a mixture of food colourings and a preservative (sodium benzoate), with obvious implications for children with ADHD." This is just one example of a study that has been done to prove the negative effects of using these chemicals.

People wonder why children have the problems they do in this day and age and there is certainly a noticeable difference between fifty years ago and now. Numerous pediatricians are now asking parents to change the diets of the children that show signs of hyperactivity and ADHD before medicating them. There seems to be a "pill" for everything now; but, who wants to medicate a child when there are other methods that could work and are promising?

Not only can food additives and colorings increase hyperactivity in children, and possibly be a culprit for ADHD, but they can cause multiple adverse reactions, such as nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, asthma, itching of the skin, and anaphylactic shock.

Just by significantly reducing foods that contain any additives or food colorings could drastically alter the behavior of a child in a positive way and reduce the risk of any allergic reactions to the chemicals being put in our foods everyday.

Sources:

ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 7, 2010, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2008/05/080522210010.htm

Kids Health, Retrieved August 9, 2010, from http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/learning/adhd.html