Dr. Robert Needlman
Specialist in pediatric behavior and development.
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 Ask Dr. Needlman
Food Allergies and Behavioral Problems | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Needlman,
Could food allergies/sensitivities be the cause of my daughter's behavioral problems? She is irritable, moody, aggressive, negative, has a low frustration level and attention span, and is often unpleasant to be around. I discussed her with a school guidance counselor I know. The first thing she asked me was whether the child had reflux, recurrent ear infections, eczema, and allergies as a young child. Yes, to all that. The last straw was when a neighborhood mom told her she could never come back to their house because of her nasty behavior. Does the child need counseling or should I try the food allergy route first?— Daack in Missouri | | | ANSWER |
January 17, 2002 | | | Dear Daack,
If your daughter is having allergy symptoms right now, such as a skin rash or abdominal discomfort, then it's possible that allergies are contributing to a general feeling of illness, and perhaps making her cranky. On the other hand, I do not think that food allergies cause behavioral problems alone (that is, without any other of the more common symptoms of allergy)--or if this happens, it is very rare.
Of course, you might want to make some changes in your daughter's diet, to try to avoid foods that you feel might be making her feel bad. For example, if she was allergic to cow's milk as an infant, it would be reasonable to take that food out of her diet, although it might not be easy, since so much processed food has milk in it, and you will need to make sure she gets calcium from other sources.
At the same time, you might want to pursue an assessment and treatment from a behavioral specialist. Even if allergies had something to do with the onset of your daughter's negative behaviors, by now they may have become her habitual way of responding. So, she may need some extra help turning things around. Also, there are plenty of reasons for the behaviors you describe that have nothing whatever to do with allergies (depression is one important diagnosis that comes to mind), and it's important to take care of these, and not wait around too long focusing only on possible allergies.— by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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