Managing diet investigation in ADHD kids has to include understanding of just how fussy they are! Many ADHD kids are supersensitive to food. Parents report them as supersensitive to tastes so they just know if you have bought a different brand of some food; or they are supersensitive to smells saying they won't eat some food as it "smells yuk"; or texture saying it is "too scratchy"; or temperature, even colour, saying it is "not the same"! What can parents do? They can note just which aspect of … [Read more...]
Q&A about supersensitive fussy child
I often hear about fussy children such as the following story from Lilly. I have an extremely fussy 4 year old who had reflux for over 3 years. She has an extremely limited range of foods that she will eat and is sensitive to alterations in taste eg when we went to OS for a holiday she wouldn't eat a honey sandwich (one of the few things she eats) because the honey and butter tasted different. I also have a 14 year son with Aspergers with similar problems. I saw you mention super tasters in one … [Read more...]
“Fast Minds: How to Thrive If You Have ADHD (Or Think You Might)” by Surman and Bilkey
Fast Minds by Surman and Bilkey is a very useful book for those who have ADHD, or think they might. This is a book you will read and give away! Not because it is not worth reading but because it is! We all know someone with a fast mind, someone who would benefit from a book written by people who understand what having a fast mind is like, and, more importantly, how to manage life with one. You will love this book if you have a fast mind, and if you do not have a fast mind you will know … [Read more...]
Yo-yos
Makes 36 single 18 pairs 1 cup S R Flour 1/2 cup cornflour 1/3 cup icing sugar 125 gm butter Turn oven on. Set to 180 degrees C. Cream butter and icing sugar, work in flours to make a stiff dough. Roll into balls (about the size of a walnut), place on oven tray. Using a fork flatten each ball a little. Bake until light fawn colour 15 - 20 minutes. Allow to cool. Join together to make yo-yos with melted butter icing. Icing. Sieve 2/3 cup icing sugar. Melt 1 tablespoon (60 gm) … [Read more...]
How do you know if diet will help your child? Are there tests?
Unfortunately there are no tests which show if children react, or are unlikely to react to additives and natural chemicals in the diet. We know the diet works in some children as diet investigation research has shown big changes. We have worked with families to understand which foods need to be considered. The unusual part is that we do not know yet what is not working well in metabolic pathways that cause reactions to happen. Because the mechanism is not known a test cannot be developed. But … [Read more...]
Can you decide to put up with a bit of discomfort if you want to relax the diet a bit and eat some of a favourite food?
It is fair enough to be annoyed with those who criticise food sensitive people by saying that they are “over-noticing” symptoms. I have met siblings where one has a very high threshold to pain and another a very low one. It is good or bad luck which one you are. The pain is being felt and worth adhering to the diet to minimise. However sometimes it is worth a bit of resulting discomfort to enjoy some food. Each supersensitive person needs to work out just where they are at in terms of discomfort … [Read more...]
Children can learn to choose foods they tolerate. ”Should I smell it on the outside and on the inside?”
Children can be taught to notice if a food is wrong for them. Most food sensitive children are supertasters and supersmellers. That is why you can’t trick them by changing the brand of some favourite food. They will know! They are aware that food is too smelly because of some reason for them. Maybe it is too stale, too acidic, too strong or just a flavour they don’t like at all. They may tell us loud and clear that a food “smells too old!” or “smells mouldy” or “tastes too yucky!” The … [Read more...]