sence of a food sensitivity—the range of foods can be restored to his diet, then one food at a time can be removed for a short period, with the results being monitored. This process can continue until the correct substance has been identified or all likely possibilities have been exhausted. This procedure may be difficult to carry out, and it is advised that if you are interested you should do this along with a physician or certified dietician. It is extremely important to pick countable targets (such as “2 or fewer tantrums per day”) rather than general impressions (“will demonstrate better behavior”).
Meanwhile, it is important to understand that for most children with ADHD who do not have food sensitivities (and for some who do), elimination diets are not effective treatments for ADHD itself. If your child is on a special diet, you will need to make sure it is not replacing a more effective treatment for ADHD symptoms. In most cases, stimulant medication,behavior therapy, and the other measures described in previous chapters will have a much clearer positive effect on your child’s ADHD-related behaviors, while a well-balanced diet with few processed foods may improve his general health and attitude.
Humans are naturally attracted to sugar because it tastes good and because our bodies rely on glucose—the form of sugar found in natural foods—for metabolic processes. Like many other children, children with ADHD often have strong sugar cravings, and this has contributed to the belief that sugar and candy consumption can cause hyperactive behavior. A great deal of objective evidence, however, has shown that this assumption is untrue for most children with or without ADHD. While one early study did reveal a link between high sugar consumption and hyperactive behavior, there was no evidence that one caused the other or that the behavior problems were not due to different parenting styles or other factors. A number of subsequent scientifically rigorous studies could not demonstrate any adverse effects of sugar on the behavior of children. As for children with ADHD, sugar consumption has not been shown to cause or enhance ADHD-related behavior.
Of course, allowing sugar only in moderation makes sense for any child. Again, assuming leadership within the family, making healthy choices about what is offered to the child, and using behavior management to educate children to reduce sugar and processed food may have general benefits. If your child shows an uncontrollable craving for sugar and carbohydrates, discuss this with his pediatrician. Aside from issues relating to general health, a sugar-free diet is not considered a useful tool in treating ADHD. Researchers have found again and again that the simple elimination of sugar or candy, with few exceptions, does not help children with ADHD.
Aspartame, an artificial sweetener that became available in the early 1980s, consists of amino acids that cross from the bloodstream into the brain to affect brain function. (Interestingly, it was used as the placebo in some of the studies of sugar’s effects on behavior.) It was believed that among individuals susceptible to this substance, aspartame might lead to seizures or ADHD-type behaviors. No such effects have been demonstrated, however, and elimination of aspartame for children with ADHD is not considered an effective treatment except for children with phenylketonuria, a chemical disorder that prevents some people from being able to break down or metabolize aspartame.
Yeast- or Fungus-Free Diets
In the mid-1980s, Dr William Crook, a practicing pediatrician and allergist, popularized the theory that hyperactivity, irritability, and learning disorders in children could be caused by chronic candida (yeast) infection. The theory behind this is that when the immune system is weakened, or when antibiotics are being taken, “friendly” bacteria in the gastrointestinal system are eliminated and yeast can take over. Those who feel that this process has a deleterious role in children with ADHD believe that toxins produced by a yeast overgrowth weak