talk to me about red dye sensativities

[badmisterkitty]

Whoa, I need to look into this more. We have an almost 5yo DD who has been having a lot of anger and uncontrollable tantrums with hitting, kicking and spitting. A lot of people are saying it's normal, but I'd love to do some experimenting and see if eliminating dyes makes a difference.

ETA:
Oh and you really have to pay attention. It's in all sorts of things.

What am I looking for on a food label? Like Red 4 and Blue 1?

[corinne76]

thank you for your experiences. DD isn't violent, but it's like she's so hyper that she can't calm down. Like at the cemetary. I kept asking her to stop running around, she just wouldn't (couldn't?) Normally she's pretty good about complying but she was just wild running and shrieking. Not in a mad way, just overly exuberant and joyful but uncontrollable nonetheless.

[HeatherlovesCDs]

Originally Posted by badmisterkitty Whoa, I need to look into this more. We have an almost 5yo DD who has been having a lot of anger and uncontrollable tantrums with hitting, kicking and spitting. A lot of people are saying it's normal, but I'd love to do some experimenting and see if eliminating dyes makes a difference. ETA: Oh and you really have to pay attention. It's in all sorts of things. What am I looking for on a food label? Like Red 4 and Blue 1?

Yes, it will actually say the color and a number. Red 40 is a huge culprit for our son. Red 40 is in things that are other colors too because blue and red make purple and so on. I found something the other day with it in there...I can't remember what it was, but I remember I was very surprised.

Originally Posted by corinne76 thank you for your experiences. DD isn't violent, but it's like she's so hyper that she can't calm down. Like at the cemetary. I kept asking her to stop running around, she just wouldn't (couldn't?) Normally she's pretty good about complying but she was just wild running and shrieking. Not in a mad way, just overly exuberant and joyful but uncontrollable nonetheless.

This is what happens to my son. It's actually hard to watch because it's so out of control. The first time I realized a connection was after he ate some jellybeans. He was suddenly utterly hyper and out of control. I don't know how my brain put it together, but it suddenly clicked. My husband and everyone else was skeptical at first, but I've since be proven very right. Now, the whole family knows and avoids food dyes. I hate to say I told them so, but.....A mom knows.

[maddys_mama]

Our 5 year old is sensitive to dyes. We don't think our 2 year old is but it's still early on. Our 5 year old is a bit manic when she's had dyes. Her energy level goes through the roof, she has difficulty listening, is defiant (more so than usual for her), her fits are 1000x worse and she has a particular scream/screech she does when she's had dyes. My parents were both quite skeptical of the food dyes (despite me sending them information about it) but then they heard that scream and they realized she was NOT herself. She's now been on a dye free diet at home for years and her preschool teachers also try to limit what she's getting at school, as we were having some behavioral issues with her immediately after school (about an hour after snack time.) She says food dyes make her crazy and will question any unfamiliar foods. She does have some dyes occasionally now (mainly birthday cake at parties) but she knows she needs to take it easy and tells us "I'll be mindful of my behavior!"

[corinne76]

Originally Posted by HeatherlovesCDs This is what happens to my son. It's actually hard to watch because it's so out of control. The first time I realized a connection was after he ate some jellybeans. He was suddenly utterly hyper and out of control. I don't know how my brain put it together, but it suddenly clicked. My husband and everyone else was skeptical at first, but I've since be proven very right. Now, the whole family knows and avoids food dyes. I hate to say I told them so, but.....A mom knows.

I talked to DH about it but I'm not sure if he believes me. I probably shouldn't have opened the conversation up with "there are studies about the link between ADHD and red food dye." He kind of focused on the ADHD part. I told him I do NOT think DD has ADHD (not that I think there's anything wrong with kids that do). He said we can look more into the dye thing to see if I'm right though.

The reason I started thinking it might be red food dye was how crazy she was after eating the snow cone. Then again at home after the punch. I asked if she had cupcakes at school yesterday for her friend's bday. Yup. what color was the frosting (cause that's all she really eats on the cupcake)? Orange.
She seems to get utterly hyper and cant stop bouncing. She doesn't rage or throw fits, she just can't stop moving to the point where it's annoying for me But the weird thing is, normally if I ask her to stop, she does. It may take a few times asking, but she listens. When she's super hyper like that, I can talk myself blue in the face and she still doesn't calm down.

[hac1224]

My DS used to get so violent (at 3yrs) that I was scared of him during a few of his fits because I was pregnant and he would hit and kick me when upset if I tried to keep him from hurting himself and others. Once we figured out the food dye thing, we only have reactions when he slips up on what he eats. Plus, now the reactions are aimed more at slamming stuff and screaming. Our biggest problem is my ILs just don't get it even after all this time and still want to give him tons of junk. My mom will at least try to read labels and ask if anything is questionable.

BTW, he also has sensory issues not related to food dyes, but those are exaggerated after consumption. OT helped that dramatically, and we still keep a close eye on things even though he's not in it anymore.

[L&A'smommy]

Be careful with certain products because I didn't realize things like pilsbury dough and pilsbury pie crusts have red dyes. A lot of baked goods do as well. It's hidden just about everywhere.

[hac1224]

Originally Posted by L&A'smommy Be careful with certain products because I didn't realize things like pilsbury dough and pilsbury pie crusts have red dyes. A lot of baked goods do as well. It's hidden just about everywhere.

Yeah, I have yet to find cinnamon roll dough or prepackaged cinnamon rolls that don't have it. And maybe not red dyes, but even things like Life cereal and Quaker Oatmeal Squares have artificial colors, and their both brown.

[maddys_mama]

Cake mixes and frosting! Why does white cake mix and white frosting having three different kinds of dyes? I literally can't find a dye free one unless I go to Whole Foods. Luckily, homemade tastes better but it'd be nice to even have the option of being lazy once in awhile!

[Bella Catalina]

It didn't click for me until I read another parent's blog probably four years ago. DS1, who is 6.5, doesn't get violent, but he basically loses all sense of reasoning and cannot control himself, basically an inability to self regulate. As others have said, he cannot seem to physically stop the hyper behavior. It takes 2-4 days to leave his system, depending on the amount.

We buy jellybeans from TJ's, and organic lollipops from TJ's or WF for Halloween or to "trade" if he receives candy elsewhere, but birthday parties are usually a hard thing. Our new school has a no candy/junk food policy, for which I'm very thankful, but we still battle with the issue at Awana and church, etc. Dyes really are hidden in so many things. You need to become proficient at reading labels.