Speaking of McD's Nuggets....

[smb757]

I'm wondering if "crap foods" is referring to dyes and such. My brother had ADHD behaviors that were GREATLY improved by taking out red & yellow dyes.

[Meyou]

Silver, would you agree that children with eating related disorders (of any kind) are the exception, not the norm? I'm totally with you that some children have legitimate food related problems but I really think they are very rare.

It's a similar comparison for me to the children with real ADHD, ADD and OCD problems against the ones who's parents claim they have these problems to explain their child's out of control behavior. There are children really, really struggling with ADHD etc and it severely affects their lifestyle (and their family). And there there are the thousands who just need a timeout, healthy food and a nap.

The part I'm struggling with is how common food disorders can really be in children? The data is so convoluted with processed foods and chemicals in everything that how can we even determine what is environment and what isn't? I think it's safe to say that most of the children in 1st world countries eat a processed "poor" diet containing chemicals, genetically altered foods and preservatives. So where is the baseline?

When I first met my stepdaughter she was a much loved, much spoiled, running the show child. She has some severe health concerns (SB and tourettes) so I understand where their hearts and heads were when she was younger. My dh ran hoops to keep her happy both with entertainment and food. She ate pizza, KD, nuggets and very, very little fruit and veg. She was playing him like a sweet melody. Silly man. There was a night I was frustrated about him cooking something separate for her...again and I spoke to him about it. After much soul searching and guilt he finally agreed that making things "fair" around here wasn't going to kill her. My argument was that if he wanted her to have a normal life he had to treat her like a normal kid and let her sink or swim like the rest of them. If a 4 year old can unload my dishwasher, then a 10 year old should have no problem. If the dc kids eat whatever I put in front of them, then it won't kill her to try new things. He had very little defense living in a house with multiple very young children doing everyday tasks easily. Now several years later and many, many tears from her she's a pretty average kid when it comes to food, chores and life. He realizes that they (his ex and he) created their own problems to solve out of guilt.

I think THIS is more common that real food related disorders. Maybe that's too closeminded of me but I'm ready to be enlightened.

[Countrygal]

Some really good information in this link that I'd be interested in following through with. Silver and Ariana, could you provide some links?

Being a person who can't eat gluten, dairy or msg, I can tell you first-hand that diet can effect EVERYTHING! What effects you as an individual is just as individual as you are!

I can also attest that things like bacteria within the system cause many problems as well. Many, many things are not known fully in the medical world, especially about diet and nutrition, medications, pesticides and herbicides, preservatives, etc. They are not easily followed to prove anything. For example, does a cow sprinkled with a pesticide carry that pesticide in their system? Does it get transmitted in very minute, unmeasurable quantities into their products - be it beef, milk, whatever.... If so, how much of it comes out in the end product? And then, if we eat those products with that indeterminate miniscule amount of pesticide, taken in a body, over the course of 50 years, does it cause any damage?? Does it have anything to do with the increased rate of things like cancer, intestinal illnesses, behavioral issues and disorders, eating disorders, things like autism, ADHD, tourettes, the list goes on....

Noone knows the answers. All you can do is what you think is best for your family. A friend of mine liked to use this quote "all we can do is go with the light we are given". I've considered this a good rule to follow.

[familyschoolcare]

Silver, would you agree that children with eating related disorders (of any kind) are the exception, not the norm? I'm totally with you that some children have legitimate food related problems but I really think they are very rare.

It's a similar comparison for me to the children with real ADHD, ADD and OCD problems against the ones who's parents claim they have these problems to explain their child's out of control behavior. There are children really, really struggling with ADHD etc and it severely affects their lifestyle (and their family). And there there are the thousands who just need a timeout, healthy food and a nap.

The part I'm struggling with is how common food disorders can really be in children? The data is so convoluted with processed foods and chemicals in everything that how can we even determine what is environment and what isn't? I think it's safe to say that most of the children in 1st world countries eat a processed "poor" diet containing chemicals, genetically altered foods and preservatives. So where is the baseline?

When I first met my stepdaughter she was a much loved, much spoiled, running the show child. She has some severe health concerns (SB and tourettes) so I understand where their hearts and heads were when she was younger. My dh ran hoops to keep her happy both with entertainment and food. She ate pizza, KD, nuggets and very, very little fruit and veg. She was playing him like a sweet melody. Silly man. There was a night I was frustrated about him cooking something separate for her...again and I spoke to him about it. After much soul searching and guilt he finally agreed that making things "fair" around here wasn't going to kill her. My argument was that if he wanted her to have a normal life he had to treat her like a normal kid and let her sink or swim like the rest of them. If a 4 year old can unload my dishwasher, then a 10 year old should have no problem. If the dc kids eat whatever I put in front of them, then it won't kill her to try new things. He had very little defense living in a house with multiple very young children doing everyday tasks easily. Now several years later and many, many tears from her she's a pretty average kid when it comes to food, chores and life. He realizes that they (his ex and he) created their own problems to solve out of guilt.

I think THIS is more common that real food related disorders. Maybe that's too closeminded of me but I'm ready to be enlightened.

This was/is my toughts on the matter.

People in western society are very quick to lable and explain things with a disorder rather than "fix" the problem. When realy the label should be used to help "fix" the "problem".

[AmyLeigh]

Silver, would you agree that children with eating related disorders (of any kind) are the exception, not the norm? I'm totally with you that some children have legitimate food related problems but I really think they are very rare.

It's a similar comparison for me to the children with real ADHD, ADD and OCD problems against the ones who's parents claim they have these problems to explain their child's out of control behavior. There are children really, really struggling with ADHD etc and it severely affects their lifestyle (and their family). And there there are the thousands who just need a timeout, healthy food and a nap.

The part I'm struggling with is how common food disorders can really be in children? The data is so convoluted with processed foods and chemicals in everything that how can we even determine what is environment and what isn't? I think it's safe to say that most of the children in 1st world countries eat a processed "poor" diet containing chemicals, genetically altered foods and preservatives. So where is the baseline?

.....I think THIS is more common that real food related disorders. Maybe that's too closeminded of me but I'm ready to be enlightened.

That is how I feel at times, too. Labeling is far to easy to do rather than discipline in some, and I stress some, cases. There are those who legitimately have a disorder and need to learn to adjust to the world (since the world won't adjust to them) and there are others who are just playing the power game.