Food additives linked with hyperactivity

Common food additives and colorings can increase hyperactivity according to a study published in the British medical journal The Lancet. The study focused on a variety of food colorings and sodium benzoate, a common preservative. This link was suspected for years and a leading advocate of removing preservatives and colorings from children' diets, Benjammin Feingold, wrote a ground-breaking book, The Feingold Diet, but evidence of positive results remained largely anecdotal. This is the first time that researchers have confirmed a positive association.

I cannot empahsize enough the importance of looking at diet before placing a child on medication for ADHD. The good news is that there is a wide variety of preservative-free, organic products to choose from that will appeal to children. There are also other alternatives to medication, including supplementation with omega-3 fish oils and neurofeedback training.