ADHD, ADD & Food Coloring

 

The recent talk about the link between Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD), a problem with inattentiveness, over-activity, impulsivity, or a combination and food coloring has not led to any conclusions.

The government says there’s no evidence that food coloring leads to ADD or ADHD, however I would warn parents who want to believe this. Protect yourself and your child and as much as possible, stop giving your children foods and drinks containing coloring. It’s better to be safe than sorry because in a couple of years, all they’ll say is, “New evidence has shown……….” , while your child already has a disease.

I’m not a fan of food colorings myself. I was in Chicago last year visiting my cousin and his wife when I saw their two month old baby’s tongue looking orange. I asked the mother what she gave the baby to make her tongue so orange. She said it was Pedialyte Rehydration Solution and that she chose that flavor out of all the ones available because it appeared to have the least amount of coloring. I was surprised to say the least. Why would a rehydration solution for a child need coloring in it?

Anyway, we know this is America and if it isn’t overly colored or excessively sweet, then it won’t do. However, I didn’t like the way the coloring made the tongue of a 2 month old baby look. If the solution does that to a baby’s tongue, I can only imagine what it does to her internal organs. From the website, Pedialyte is available in Fruit, Grape, Strawberry, and Bubble Gum flavors*, and Unflavored for infants. The baby’s mother should have bought the unflavored one, but she couldn’t find it as it was not available in the store.

Realistically speaking, how many stores would want to stock the unflavored one, since I’m sure it’s not a best seller? To nip all this in the bud, you can make your own sugar and salt solution yourself to rehydrate your baby. All you need is salt, sugar and water. You really don’t have to buy Pedialyte if you don’t want to. Below are instructions on how to make the solution yourself from http://www.rehydrate.org/

The Making of Rehydrating Solution For a Child:
A very suitable and effective simple solution for rehydrating a child can also be made by using salt and sugar, if these ingredients are available. If possible, add 1/2 cup orange juice or some mashed banana to improve the taste and provide some potassium.

Molasses and other forms of raw sugar can be used instead of white sugar, and these contain more potassium than white sugar. If none of these drinks is available, other alternatives are:

• Fresh fruit juice

• Weak tea

• Green coconut water

If nothing else is available, get water from the cleanest possible source (if possible brought to the boil and then cooled).

The "Simple Solution" - Home made Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) Recipe

Preparing 1 (one) Litre solution using Salt, Sugar and Water at Home

Mix an oral rehydration solution using one of the following recipes; depending on ingredients and container availability:

Ingredients:

• Half (1/2) teaspoon of Salt

• Six (6) teaspoons of Sugar

• One Litre of clean drinking or boiled water and then cooled - 5 cupfuls (each cup about 200 ml.)

Preparation Method:

• Stir the mixture till the salt and sugar dissolve.

Source: http://rehydrate.org/solutions/homemade.htm#recipes

For more information about Pedialyte: visit, http://pedialyte.com/