Is it a food sensitivity or ADHD? (MSN)

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Are dietary factors to blame?

Q: I have been led to believe that sensitivities to wheat, dairy and sugar can present as ADHD symptoms, and that doctors typically do not rule out food sensitivities before diagnosing ADHD. Should food sensitivities be ruled out before making an ADHD diagnosis?

A: Current research does not support the definitive statement that sensitivities to food or additives are linked to any of the three subtypes of attention deficit disorder—predominately inattentive, predominately hyperactive and impulsive, and a combination of the two. However, every child is different and many factors are intertwined when it comes to behavioral issues. In fact, a few studies have shown that elimination diets such as the Feingold approach have helped a small percentage of children improve their behavioral patterns. In this regard, any evaluation would need to rule out dietary factors as a potential cause for your child’s behavioral issues before a diagnosis of ADHD is considered.

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I seem to remember milk being associated with juvenile delinquency, I don't know if that is true, and I never knew what the source of this information was. Back in the early 70's when I was being treated for ADHD, I was also tested for all sorts of allergens, including milk and wheat, which I did have a mild reaction too on the skin tests, but they found I was more allergic to mold, dust and certain fruits containing bromine, like pineapple. I have never noticed any psychological changes after eating or drinking these products, but did get the sugar rushes on chocolate, and became very hyper.

I don't tolerate wheat and milk well, and I know these foods would make me irritable and want to sleep. I am pretty sure allergies would impact on learning and ability to concentrate.

My half brother who probably was diagnosed with AD/HD at some point (my mum can't be certain, although he was exclude from pretty much every school he went to, had to go a special school for the badly behaved, did see a psychairtrist, stole cars, generally acted up, got in alot of trouble, and now has been in prison several times- which it would seem all of this also suggests a conduct disorder and then later perhaps an Antisocial Personalitty).
My brother happens to be very funny though, but it's a sick sort of humour, for some reason he can say the least politically incorrect joke, but I would find it funny- whereas if some else did the same i'd get pissed off.
Well he was found to be allergic to practically everything (i'm exagerating) and put on somse sort of exclusion diet, which was fine until he started shop lifting biscuits.
Ultimately I don't allergens explain everything, and I am skeptical about such claims, in particular about 'E numbers' and sugar and hyperactivity.
I believe that giving any kid sweets will probably induce to a certain degree an excitable state, which those that are prone to hyperactivity display more excitement.