If your child has learning difficulties could a food intolerance be to blame? Melissa Field finds out
With the amount of information around about food allergies and intolerances, it's easy to become confused between the symptoms and effects of these two separate conditions.
A food allergy is an immunological reaction, and occurs when the body's immune system reacts in an abnormal way to a food or food ingredient. The reaction usually occurs immediately and is fairly aggressive (for example rashes, swelling, wheezing, asthma).
A food intolerance is a pharmacological reaction to the chemicals - both natural and artificial - present in all foods. It can be likened to the side-effect of a drug that doesn't agree with your body's make-up, and usually the effects appear more slowly (they include bloating, fatigue and joint pain) and are much more difficult to pin down medically than those of food allergies.
Links to learning difficulties
Food intolerances have also been linked to learning and concentration difficulties in children. While the scientific evidence has yet to be proven conclusively, there is much anecdotal evidence to suggest that common food intolerances such as lactose, wheat, eggs and peanuts do, in some cases, have links to conditions including dyslexia, autism, dyspraxia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
The link between food intolerance and learning difficulties was strong enough for the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to develop an ongoing research programme in April 2000 looking at the problem, particularly in the areas of additives in food and labelling. According to Ruth Dadswell from the FSA, 'The agency is taking the problem seriously and aims to fund continuing research that will help increase our knowledge of food intolerances and allergies and their effects.'
Linking theories
So just how are food intolerances and learning difficulties linked? Some experts believe that learning difficulties are directly linked to a lack of essential fatty acids in the diet (these are most commonly found in oily fish such as mackerel, salmon and tuna). These cannot be produced by the body but must instead be obtained solely through diet. Low levels of this substance can be directly linked to lesser brain function, memory problems, difficulty in concentration and learning.
Food and autism
Another theory linking food intolerance to learning difficulties, particularly in relation to autism, is that the autistic child can't properly digest gluten (found in wheats, grains and food starches) and casein (found in diary products). This causes these substances to alter behaviour and display traits common to autism. Patrick Holford, a leading nutrition expert believes that any child showing behavioural difficulties should be tested for food intolerances, 'E-numbers in foods are causing significant problems for children with regard to learning difficulties but they aren't the full story. Children don't just react to the nutrient-robbing artificial chemicals contained in many processed foods, sometimes their problem is linked to certain foods themselves.' With the most common intolerances being linked to dairy, wheat and peanuts, if a food intolerance is suspected, it is usually these foods which are slowly eliminated first (as well as additive rich junk foods).
Increasing fatty acids
Psychologist David Taylor, a director of Optimum Nutrition North East agrees and believes that nutrition is an increasingly important external factor when it comes to recognising and coping with learning difficulties. 'Everything we eat and drink is made up of chemicals and as chemicals have a direct impact on both body and mind it would seem reasonable that nutrition would impact upon our behaviour and perception,' he says. He believes that increasing levels of essential fatty acids into a child's diet can have dramatic results in terms of improving the effects of such conditions as autism, dyslexia etc. as well as establishing which foods your child may be intolerant to by gradually reducing suspect foods from the diet on a one by one basis.
The remarkable change in Joe
One mother who has noticed a direct link between food intolerance and learning difficulty is Sinead Keane from London. Her son Joe, 8, had been disruptive at school and found it difficult to concentrate. His difficulty in learning to read was put down to dyslexia. However, after researching the links between diet and learning difficulties herself, Sinead began making changes to Joe's diet to see if it could help. 'Firstly and with advice from a nutritionist friend, I cut out foods high in additives and excess sugars (coloured drinks, crisps, biscuits etc) and upped his intake of foods rich in essential fats and seeds which I'd read were important for brain function.
Then I began reducing one by one his intake of wheat and dairy products. Joe's GP was sceptical but it soon became apparent that he was intolerant to dairy especially, so we switched to soya products instead. That in combination with the removal of junk foods from his diet has shown a remarkable change in Joe. He's like a different child. His concentration has improved beyond comparison and he's much calmer and quieter. With my help his reading is slowly improving. His teacher and classmates can't believe the change in him and neither can his Dad and I.' Sinead wouldn't go as far as to say that a change in diet has 'cured' her son's learning difficulties but 'the improvement goes beyond 100%.'
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