Don't Make Me Smack You

When I picked my son up from his summer program today, he was all excited to tell me about how he was telling the other kids how McDonald’s was not “real food” and that the nuggets were made from pink slime and that a REAL burger tasted so much better, and that his counselor was backing him up.

On the way home, we went to check out if the local ice cream place could supply us with an ice cream cake for Aiden’s birthday that did not have artificial coloring.  He is allergic, his lips and tongue swell if he eats it.  While we were out, he informed me that he used to think things like colorful cakes looked so good, but now he just really finds them disgusting, “who wants to eat blue food?”

We eat a very good diet 95% of the time (we do sometimes eat outside our home, but we try to still make good choices).  We get all our produce from an organic delivery company.  I only buy meat and dairy that is hormone and antibiotic free.  We eat cage-free eggs. We obviously eat no artificial colors.  We eat very little processed foods. We try to avoid gluten as it causes Aiden gastrointestinal problems. We don’t eat things whose ingredients we wouldn’t stock in our own kitchen.

Which is why it makes me extremely irritated that the cause of ADHD is diet and the cure is to change it.  It is the single most thing that makes me want to smack people upside the head. 

"Link" and "cause" are not the same word.  And there is word "mimic" that most people choose to ignore.  I completely believe that artificial colors may cause hyperactivity, I believe none of us need them in our food, and I believe it should be banned in our country like it is in many others.  I also know that ADHD is much, much, much (I can’t say “much” too many times) more than hyperactivity, in fact if you have ADHD-Inattentive type, like my son does, you don’t have the hyperactivity component at all.  If a child's problems are all caused by artificial coloring, thank the Lord you have an easy solution by cutting them out, they are just sensitive to it. Sensitivity to artificial colors can mimic ADHD.  Mimic.  Again something I cannot say too many times. If your child shows symptoms, cut them out to see if it helps.  If it does, that is wonderful. However, be aware that taking them away is NOT the cure for ADHD, and if your child has it, it may not make a difference.  It is a neurological disorder.  No child is perfect, and some have harder things to overcome.  My pre-teen son can understand that, he’ll discuss it with anyone and offer comfort and advice to other kids that have it.  Why is it so difficult for adults to get?

And that’s why they have wine.  And as a bonus, it's artificial color free.