They Are What You Feed Them: How Food Can Improve Your Child’s Behaviour, Mood and Learning

suffers from allergies, repeated infections or other immune-system dysfunction

has other physical health problems (including digestive difficulties, headaches or other aches and pains)

has sleep problems

is prone to anxiety, depression or mood swings

is very susceptible to stress, with low frustration tolerance, possibly aggression

has perceptual as well as behaviour or learning difficulties, including visual and auditory symptoms.

The immune system has an extremely powerful influence on both our guts and our brains, from early development right through life. It plays a huge part in the connections between mind and body—but to work properly, your child’s immune system needs both the right nutrients and a proper balance of healthy gut flora. If your child shows many of the features above, read on.

Breastfeeding

In most cases, breastfeeding provides babies not only with the best possible nutrition, but also with various immune-enhancing substances—including what should be good bacteria from mother to get the baby’s own population of gut flora started.

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Allergies, Infections and the Immune System

Children with dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD or autism seem unusually prone to ‘atopic’ (allergic) conditions like asthma, eczema and hay fever, indicating immune-system imbalances. Many have ear infections in early childhood, typically treated with antibiotics—which destroy the good gut bacteria along with the bad, weakening the immune system and perpetuating the problems. Other physical health complaints, including headaches, stomach aches and other digestive disorders, all fit the picture of ‘gut dysbiosis’ (an unhealthy imbalance of gut flora) and a lack of key nutrients including omega-3 fatty acids.

Sleep and Arousal

Disordered patterns of sleep and arousal from early infancy are common in children with behaviour and learning difficulties, and may reflect nutritional imbalances or adverse food reactions. Many parents of children given omega-3 fatty acids in our trials have reported that their child’s sleep improves as a result. This is anecdotal evidence at the moment (we were not formally assessing sleep), but it fits with existing evidence and needs investigating further.

Emotional Sensitivity and Mood Swings

If your child is underachieving because of his behaviour or learning difficulties, it’s understandable that he may suffer anxiety, loss of self-esteem or even depression. Mood swings or temper outbursts may reflect the sheer frustration he feels. However, some factors—including diet—could contribute to both the behavioural/learning difficulties and the emotional ones. The evidence that nutrition affects mental health has recently been reviewed by two UK charities as part of a campaign to raise public and professional awareness of these links.

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‘I’ve spent the last few years to-ing and fro-ing between the GP, the specialist and the educational psychologist. They’ve done their best but at no time has anyone suggested link between his social and physical problems and his diet. Why not? It makes so much sense. My son is changing physically and emotionally for the better since we changed his diet.’mdash; Jo

Susceptibility to Stress

Does your child become easily ‘stressed’ and show a low tolerance for frustration? (Do you?!) Some children show this as hostility and aggression. Others ‘internalize’ their stress instead, and may complain of stomach aches and nausea, or generally seem solemn or withdrawn. Stress is a likely consequence of the difficulties any child may experience if he feels ‘different’. Repeated feelings of failure and humiliation will only serve to exacerbate symptoms. Do what you can to support your child, but again, that has to include feeding him a nutritious diet (and making sure he gets enough exercise). We’ll be looking in more detail at the nutrient deficiencies and imbalances that can add to mental stress in Chapter 4, and you’ll find other tips and strategies that may be helpful in dealing with stress in Chapter 10.

Perceptual Anomalies

Perceptual problems can sometimes interfere with the development of communication and language skills (both spoken and written).

(#litres_trial_promo) Standard auditory or visual tests may show your child’s hearing and sight are normal, or even super-sensitive, but do get this checked out. If you’re still concerned, specialist assessments may be helpful, as the perceptual skills we take for granted are highly complex: literally, your child may not see things the way you do! My interest in omega-3 came from my early work on visual symptoms in dyslexia, because these fatty acids (along with vitamin A and other essential nutrients) play key roles in vision.

What You Can Do

So, your child may or may not have a label. The great news is you can do something for him. In the following chapters I’ll explain why a varied diet based around fresh vegetables and fruit, good-quality protein, the right kinds of fats and the right kinds of carbohydrates (starches) could make a big difference to your child—and to you. We’ll also look at digestion and how it can go wrong, and I’ll point out three main things you can do to improve your child’s diet. Some helpful tips and a plan of action are provided in later chapters—but looking ahead, you should be able to ensure better health and well-being for your child (and you!) if you just stick to these essentials.

If you apply the information in this book, you may well find that your child’s mood, behaviour, attention and learning will improve—and with them, his self-esteem. Remember, though, that diet is only one component in the effective management of behavioural and learning difficulties. Make sure you let any professionals dealing with your child know that you’ll be adjusting his diet, and discuss this with them if possible. In particular, if your child is taking any medications, the levels may need to be monitored more closely.

Any good doctor should support you in implementing a healthy eating and exercise strategy—but some may be dismissive about ‘food intolerances’ or the effects of additives. If so, please feel free to show them this book or direct them to the FAB research website where they can read some of the evidence for themselves. Or find another doctor. Always remember that you probably know your child better than anyone, so don’t mistrust your own instincts and observations. Become better informed and always keep looking for support and advice from other people who are qualified to provide this—both professional experts and other parents in your position.

‘My son (12) has dyspraxia. I’ve finally worked out his symptoms are worse when he eats a high-carbohydrate diet with little protein or essential fatty acids. It’s hard work sometimes to get him to eat and exercise properly, but even he is beginning to see cause and effect, and the strategies are beginning to work.’— Abi

FAQs

The Educational Psychologist says my son is showing some symptoms of ADHD and dyspraxia, but he’s not fully in either camp. Can your programme still help him?

Yes, it can. The approach shown in this book should be suitable for almost any child, but always remember that diet is only one component. You’re also likely to need other assistance in managing his symptoms, so discuss this with the Educational Psychologist and other professionals if necessary.

My child fits a lot of the criteria you’ve outlined for dyslexia and dyspraxia. As I can see he probably has both, do I need to see a health professional?

Yes. Ideally you want the help of both health and education professionals (working together) to assess your child and explore with you the best management methods. If your child does get formally ‘diagnosed’ with either or both of these conditions, his school may also be able to get additional funding so that he can receive any extra help or equipment he may need.

You say there’s been a rise in the number of children suffering from these behaviour and learning disorders. Why is that?

Many people have a ‘genetic tendency’ towards ADHD, autism and other conditions, but these syndromes simply aren’t triggered because of their good lifestyle and diet. Children today are often exposed to more potential toxins (synthetic chemicals and pollutants), less exercise, and a poor diet that’s lacking in many vital nutrients. These things can damage children’s brains as well as their physical health.

Summary

1. Labels like dyslexia, dyspraxia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism can be both helpful and unhelpful. These diagnoses are descriptions, not explanations—but they can provide reassurance and should open the way to effective help.

2. These conditions affect around 20 per cent of school-age children in the UK to some degree, although more boys than girls are affected.

3. Most of the ‘core features’ used to define these kinds of behavioural and learning difficulties simply reflect extremes of normal individual differences.

4. There are substantial overlaps between all of these conditions. Children who only show symptoms of one of them are the exception, not the rule.

5. Genetic factors play some part in a child’s risk developing ADHD, dyslexia and autism, but environmental factors—including diet—are equally if not more important, and much easier to change.

6. Any child’s behaviour and performance are only the ‘tip of the iceberg’. These are affected by what that child is thinking and feeling, his emotions and, fundamentally, his physiology. Diet works at this fundamental level.

7. Our brains often reflect what’s going on in our guts—and the two are closely linked by the immune system and other chemical messenger systems.

8. Children with behavioural and learning difficulties often show other features and physical health symptoms (including allergies) that indicate digestive and nutritional imbalances.

9. A healthy balance of gut flora and the right dietary fats (such as omega-3) are needed for good digestion and a well-functioning immune system. A healthy, well-balanced diet (and exercise) can help to ensure this.

10. Dietary approaches should never be regarded as the only way to manage behaviour and learning difficulties, but good nutrition is fundamentally important and may enhance the effectiveness of other therapies.

Part Two The Good, The Bad And The Unhealthy (#ulink_f05d79ac-fcfe-5a2b-b71f-a17140fda403)

Chapter 4 Essential Nutrients And Your Child’s Diet (#ulink_c6566b56-c548-5088-92b0-a076e68d51bd)

Whatever his specific difficulties may be, a balanced, varied, wholesome diet that provides all essential nutrients really can make a big difference to your child. Poor nutrition contributes to infections, inflammatory problems (like asthma) and obesity (with all of its knock-on effects); it can also affect your child’s sleep, mood, behaviour and learning. As you saw in Chapter 2, the facts about the food children are eating aren’t good, but until you—the parents—really take charge, there’s little sign that the Government or the big food-producing companies are going to look after you or your loved ones.

In this chapter I’ll outline the basic dietary components your child needs, and point out some of the ones most likely to be lacking. In later chapters we’ll look at some of these in more detail. Briefly, your child must have enough: