Food additives, allergy and hyperkinesis

British parents' beliefs about the causes of three forms of childhood psychological disturbance

Parents were asked to rate which of 40 items were likely causes of one of three types of psychological disturbance common among 9-year-old children, the symptoms of which were outlined in vignettes. Parents' accounts were consistent and coherent. Symptoms of hyperactivity were linked to poor diet, antisocial conduct to a lack of discipline and unhappiness at school, and emotional problems to breakdowns in interpersonal relations and unhappiness at school. However, a number of factors (socioeconomic difficulties, attachment risks, and organic dysfunction) that research suggests are risks to development were rated by parents as unlikely causes of problems. The implications of this mismatch between "lay" and "expert" views is examined.

Attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity: a critique

The DSM III category of Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity is considered within a framework of Rutter's (1977) outline of criteria for adequacy of psychiatry classification. Discussion of problems with the operationalization and definition of 'attention deficit' and the difficulty of using this rubric in distinguishing between ADDH and other related childhood disorders, along with the consequent failure to meet other important criteria, leads to the conclusion that the concept needs re-appraisal.

Pilot study to assess behavioural and cognitive effects of artificial food colours in a group of retarded children

A total of 10 institutionalised children were maintained on an additive-free diet for two weeks, followed by two weeks in which two high, consecutive doses of artificial food colours were administered orally in a placebo-masked, double-blind experimental design. Measures of short-term verbal learning, visuomotor skills and actometer measures of limb activity, together with behavioural rating scales completed by teachers and care staff, all indicated the absence of any adverse behavioural or cognitive effect.

Is migraine food allergy? A double-blind controlled trial of oligoantigenic diet treatment

93% of 88 children with severe frequent migraine recovered on oligoantigenic diets; the causative foods were identified by sequential reintroduction, and the role of the foods provoking migraine was established by a double-blind controlled trial in 40 of the children. Most patients responded to several foods. Many foods were involved, suggesting an allergic rather than an idiosyncratic (metabolic) pathogenesis. Associated symptoms which improved in addition to headache included abdominal pain, behaviour disorder, fits, asthma, and eczema. In most of the patients in whom migraine was provoked by non-specific factors, such as blows to the head, exercise, and flashing lights, this provocation no longer occurred while they were on the diet.