bipolar webmd
Sheila told me the other day that she is again the elimination of sugar from your child's diet. She is convinced that he has heard and their own experience that the eliminating sugar from your diet will reduce their hyperactivity.
Many people claim that sugar (as sucrose), aspartame (Nutrasweet), and artificial flavors and colors cause hyperactivity and other behavioral problems in children. Unfortunately, it is not so simple.
The notion that food can have an effect on behavior grew popular in 1973 when an allergist Benjamin Feingold, MD, published the Feingold diet. He advocated a diet free food dyes and artificial flavors for the treatment of hyperactivity. Many parents is clear that food additives, including sugar, should be avoided .*
However, double-blind studies – in which neither the children, their parents nor the researchers know that sugar and children who received a placebo – indicate that sugar in the diet did not affect the behavior of children. (ibid.)
On the other hand, refined (processed) sugars may have a temporary effect on child activity level. Because refined sugars and carbohydrates enter the bloodstream quickly, they produce rapid fluctuations in glucose levels in the blood. This process might trigger adrenaline and make a child more active. **
Thus, the observation that the elimination of sugar has an immediate effect on behavior is truly credible. But, like the process in the rest of us, the change in blood glucose level does not last. And for children not have to monitor their glucose levels in the blood (such as when suffering from diabetes), sugar removal does not solve the problem of hyperactivity.
Moreover, the expectation that the sugar will have an impact on the child's activity level affects the way we see the behavior of that child. A study published in August 1994 Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology showed that parents who believe that the child's behavior is affected by sugar are more likely to perceive their children hyperactive when they have been led to believe the child has just had a sugary drink (WebMD.com).
Rather, it is the whole context in which that child is given that the effects on their behavior. Control the amount of sweets in the diet is healthy in terms of dental caries and nutrition, using proper handling techniques behavior and setting limits with love and consistency will help the hyperactivity.
* Summary by Dr. Michael Regalado on WebMD.com.
** Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia
Dr. Mona Spiegel, a licensed psychologist, has worked for many years as a diagnostician and therapist in Rockland County, NY. In addition, she founded MyFamilyCoach to provide professional coaching on the telephone for women who want guidance but do not need therapy. She focuses on parenting issues, relationship and communication skills for single and married women, and successful transitions through life. Dr. Spiegel is a member of the International Coach Federation and the American Psychological Association. Visit her at http://www.myfamilycoach.com
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