Some children are just not ready to settle down at 5 but often diet is a trigger for symptoms of hyperactivity. Science had shown that food dyes and other additives are behind it. Do look into the Feingold diet. There's an awesome support group - www.feingold.org Watch the video there, read what the Program is and the symptoms that are helped. It's what we di and the results were quite amazing.

Here's the link to the Feingold Program: www.feingold.org It's an awesome group and if you decided to give the diet a try, do join. Too many mistakes are innocently made without it.

Are you following the Feingold Program with the membership materials? If not, that's the way to do it. If you are, have you used the HelpLine: Help@Feingold.org The Feingold diet is the answer for some and the beginning for others. The HelpLine can really help find the missing pieces.

There are natural dyes - India Tree. You can find them at places like Whole Foods.

I hate seeing families ignoring the salicylate part of the Feingold diet. It can make such the difference between success and failure and it is only until you've had success for a month or so. Then you add them back one at a time. Most people can have all them or rotate them.

It's not nearly as hard as dealing the behaviors! Also, eliminating the salicylates is really important. Most people can add them back, but do to the diet as instructed by the Feingold Assoc using the membership materials.

Start with the Feingold website: www.feingold.org and watch the video. It will give you a good overview. Then join the org. so that you have the right materials. The support you will get is really great and so important.

I would also look into the Feingold diet and if it isn't working to your satisfaction, to look further. That is what is so good about the Feingold support group. Their Helpline will talk to you, give you suggestions to fill in the missing pieces. The website is awesome: www.feingold.org

Children need to be able to know how to refuse something nicely. I try to get mine to just say, "No thank you." Or to take the treat and then bring it home for a trade. Do you belong to the Feingold Association? If not, do join. It's a support group for families like ours. It was organized by parents and run by parents. The website is www.feingold.org There's also a great Yahoo group and a Facebook page.

People may not have the expected success on the Feingold Program due to simple errors, not using the Feingold Program as directed, etc. If you feel that could be you, try it again, use the Helpline: Help@Feingold.org, the message boards for members, etc. There is always someone to help you put the missing pieces together. I don't know who you mean by "they." If you mean the Feingold Association, it is recommended one begin the program eliminating the salicylates listed in the materials.When you are ready to begin Stage Two, you start with that list. THEN when if you need to tweak the program further but first looking at other things, you might want to start with the the salicylates from the Swain study. That list is also in the Feingold materials. If "they" refers to the other lists, all are based on the Swain study of 1985http://www.sswahs.nsw.gov.au/rpa/allergy/research/students/1988/AnneSwainPhDThesis.pdf

Yes, it works but be sure you do it right. People often think they just have to read labels. My son started it when he was 4 after a trial of meds. The diet worked so much better because it got to the reason for the problems he was having, lasted 24 hours (did not wear off), etc. There are different lists for the salicylates. Those lists came out after the Swain study in 1985. Dr. Feingold passed away in 1982 and the Feingold Association, after much study with its advisory board, decided to keep the list as it because it worked. The Feingold materials do address this newer information, how to use it, etc. Here are resources: www.feingold.org The only place to get accurate info about the diet. http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Feingold-Program4us/ Discussion group Feingold Association Facebook page.

I would encourage you to join the Feingold Association. You might find that some of those things in your pantry ARE okay. This wonderful organization, run by parents just like all of us, researches the packaged foods to see if they are free of those additives (reading labels isn't enough). There's also a great Yahoo group plus a Facebook page.

Staying away from the food additives eliminated on the Feingold diet shouldn't cost you a lot of money. It's eating a lot of processed foods that is costly. If you mean the money it costs to join the support group, the Feingold Association, then it may seem like a lot of money but it is so worth it. I joined many years ago and it was the best money I could have spent. Read up on it, try it, see how your family does. It's definitely not a "maybe." There is a good Yahoo group to get you started: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Feingold-Program4us/ There is also a Facebook page. Two suggestions further: Take a look at the 14 minute YouTube video on the Feingold Assoc. home page (www.feingold.org) Read the first 50 pages of Why Can't My Child Behave? which is also available on the website.

A really good books is Jane Hersey's Why Can't My Child Behave? Part one is online http://www.feingold.org/why1.html

You can't rule out a mom's gut feelings, right? We are a Feingold family. I've known kids that don't react until the 3rd day but I'd say most react within a few hours or the next day. A study in 2007 shown (Lancet) that all kids react. Her random reactions could be a build up of things you hadn't thought of or circumstances around her. Another good place to look into, ask questions, etc. if you are on the fence about joining the Feingold Assoc (best money you can spend, btw) is the Yahoo group: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Feingold-Program4us/

Trader Joe's can be a fun place to shop, but not all their foods are free of flavors, colors, or preservatives.

Studies have shown that petroleum derived food additives (dyes such as Red #40, Yellow #5) trigger symptoms of ADHD. In Europe, warning labels must be on products with them. So start with the Feingold diet then if that is not enough, eliminate casein/gluten, etc. It's what we did. We started with meds, but we could see that the jeckyl/hyde thing must be triggered by something. So meds were stopped and we never went back.

Red dye #3 & #40 are made from crude oil BUT so are Blue #1 & #2, Green #3, Yellow 5 & 6. Your son just gets more of the red. Avoid all of them and see what happens! :-)

Yes, the Feingold Association is awesome. It was organized 35 yrs ago by parents and is still run by parents. You can't be sensitive to just one of the dyes made from petroleum so if you see a problem with red, you will also see a problem with the other 6. It's just that red is used the most so the kids get more of it. I also like the Yahoo group: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Feingold-Program4us/ and the Facebook page.

Just reread my post. I didn't mean there was anything wrong with your discipline. :tongue_smilie: What I meant was that as a Feingolder gains better behavior and is learning better ways to handle things, we parents may have to try new things too. Sometimes we can jump to discipline, jump to punish when maybe something calmer may work now.:)

I'm a Feingold volunteer who has worked with families for a very long time. We tell people to use the program 100% and then after 4-6 weeks of success, before introducing Stage Two. During that time you usually learn what is a reaction and what is just a bad day. All kids have those days! And much of it is just normal behavior. What is different is the patterning of the behavior. There's never an excuse for poor behavior--just maybe a reason for it. As a family moves forward, the child sometimes has to relearn appropriate behaviors. He's learned to react a certain way and now must learn the right way to deal with situations. Parents, too, might also have to learn new ways to discipline. KWIM? Are you a member of the Feingold Association? Or the Yahoo Group?

The dyes could certainly be triggering the rash. The go to place for info is the Feingold Association, a support group run by people with such sensitivities. The website is www.feingold.org Click on symptoms. Another culprit could be SLES that is in many soaps, etc.

The place to get accurate info about the Feingold diet is the website of the support group: www.feingold.org There is also a good Yahoo group: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Feingold-Program4us/

Look for Why Can't My Child Behave by Jane Hersey.

No child should be eating the dyes, etc. so start with that so it is something the whole family will be doing. Science has shown that the dyes, etc. can affect the brain. Tell them that they will feel better, etc. Most of the time you will be finding an appropriate brand of the things they enjoy. You can make much of it as well. Regarding the salicylates, for most people, it is just temporary. After your success on Stage One has lasted 6 wks, you add them back one at a time. When we began, I found that choosing menus where they won't want catsup, etc. helped. That way you don't have to say "no!" Be sure to get involved on the Feingold Association message boards. Your questions are those many ask and you will get lots of suggestions.