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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to wonder if DS's bad behavior is due to sugar and/or food coloring?

160 replies

KhalliWali · 27/12/2017 10:47

DS is 11. He has been described as a 'typical boy' a few times over the years. I know Mumsnetters don't like these stereotypes, I am just adding it for context. At school he's quite lively, boisterous, can be a bit naughty in class but nothing terrible. At home he can be a complete nightmare. Trying to get him to do anything can be a challenge and we have had some screaming rages over the years. People (acquaintances, not teachers or professionals) have asked me if he has ADHD.

We eat a very healthy plant-based diet. None of our kids are ever sick. They also get a lot of fresh air and exercise, which is good for DS especially as he is quite active.

However, in addition to the DC's healthy diet, they do get sugar. I give them hot chocolate sometimes (with almond or coconut milk) and I like to give them sweets on occasion. I am typical old-school working class in that way, so if there is candy floss or anything like that, I tend to give it to them.

DH (who isn't that bothered by healthy eating) noticed a couple of years ago that DS's behavior tends to be worse after having sugar. I didn't pay much attention at first, but there have been a few occasions where he has been fine, then had some crap sugar thing that I've given him and then it's all kicked off.

The latest was yesterday... I bought the kids stockings with boiled-type sweets in, lollies, that kind of thing. DS ate loads in one sitting. I then asked him to tidy a few bits in his room and he went absolutely mental. Screaming, shouting, throwing things, threatening to leave home... but the worrying thing is that his eyes looked wild. He didn't look like DS at all, but like some crazy person.

After about an hour of this, he burst into tears, I gave him a hug and things settled down. He has been fine since.

AIBU to wonder if maybe DH is right, that the sugar or food coloring is to blame? Sure, I can just cut it out (I am doing so) but I just wondered if anybody had ever experienced the same with their DC. I can remember someone telling me a while ago that their DS becomes very aggressive after sugar and I think this has stuck in my head as well. I am just interested to hear if any other Mumsnetters have had similar experiences.

Thanks.

OP posts:
nevereverever83 · 27/12/2017 10:50

sugar and food colouring don't actually affect behaviour like hyperactivity etc.

Original poster
KhalliWali · 27/12/2017 10:51

How can you be sure, nevereverever83?

OP posts:
MongerTruffle · 27/12/2017 10:52

Anything that contains:
E102 (tartrazine)
E104 (quinoline yellow)
E110 (sunset yellow FCF)
E122 (carmoisine)
E124 (ponceau 4R)
E129 (allura red)
must be labelled with a message saying that the colour 'may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children', or words to that effect. The NHS says that you may want to keep a food diary to spot behaviour patterns that are linked to food. It's important to remember that there are many other causes of problems with behaviour in children that are not linked to food. It was proven a relatively long time ago that sucrose (table sugar) does not cause hyperactivity, and 'sugar rushes' are a myth.

SurferRona · 27/12/2017 10:53

because science @KhalliWali

Kingsclerelass · 27/12/2017 10:54

It could be a reaction to the sugar or to another ingredient. One of the colourings? Try rowntrees pastilles or smarties, they use beetroot, nettle etc for colours
My ds does that after 3 hours on his tablet. I have a 1 hr cooking timer now, when it goes, tablet goes in the cupboard. Could it be that?

SleepingInYourFlowerbed · 27/12/2017 10:54

What MongerTruffle said. Some food colourings absolutely do affect behaviour in some children

Greenshoots1 · 27/12/2017 10:55

non of these things affect behaviour - its a myth

Nevista · 27/12/2017 10:56

Nice one surfer. That was super helpful and pleasant. Perhaps you could link to some of the studies since I assume by science you mean clinical trials?

SleepingInYourFlowerbed · 27/12/2017 10:56

Science has proven some food colourings do affect behaviour SurferRona and nevereverever83

unicornpoopoop · 27/12/2017 10:57

Check for msg and aspartame in foods. There's a good chance there was aspartame in the boiled sweets

Badgoushk · 27/12/2017 10:58

My daughter's behaviour is a lot worse after sugar.

WhooooAmI24601 · 27/12/2017 11:00

I agree that those colourings Monger has listed can and do have adverse effects on some children. DS1 is 12 and has ASD and whilst he eats a wide diet, he is also affected by 'E' numbers but in a quite strange way; it's almost as though he's drunk because he's louder, more lairy, more impulsive and has a sort of grumpy hangover the following day.

We still have sweets and chocolates, I just exercise caution and donate lots to food banks. The other thing I've found are sweeteners, so if he has fizzy pop he'll have full fat. Sweeteners and artificial sugars he just can't process.

brizzledrizzle · 27/12/2017 11:00

sugar and food colouring don't actually affect behaviour like hyperactivity etc.

They do in certain children, especially when combined with some medications. We had colour and sugar free calpol on prescription for my Dd as the impact on behaviour when combined with her essential medication was dire.

ShovingLeopard · 27/12/2017 11:01

It may be that certain foods/additives are affecting this particular child, even if this has not been proved at a population level. The only way to test it is to cut out all possibly offending substances, 5'then reintroduce them one by one, a few days apart.

Just out of interest, why does he have almond/coconut milk, rather than cow's milk? Does he have an allergy or intolerance?

Original poster
KhalliWali · 27/12/2017 11:03

Just out of interest, why does he have almond/coconut milk, rather than cow's milk? Does he have an allergy or intolerance?

No, no allergies. We follow a plant-based diet, so no animal products.

OP posts:
WhooooAmI24601 · 27/12/2017 11:06

sugar and food colouring don't actually affect behaviour like hyperactivity etc.

This is utter bullshit. Dispelled by our very own NHS.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/food-colours-and-hyperactivity/

Apileofballyhoo · 27/12/2017 11:08

I know a perfectly sane successful man in his late 20s, who is the youngest of 3, and who was an absolute demon as a child. Was breastfed and ate a reasonable diet with the rest of the family.

His mother was at the absolute end of her tether and was going down the route of assessments etc when she came across an article about food colouring, sugar and other additives. She cut them out of his diet and his behaviour changed dramatically. We were all amazed by it. She still proceeded with medical assessments and it turned out he had a wide range of allergies - but the biggest symptom seemed to be horrific behaviour.

Obviously anecdotal but make of it what you will.

Original poster
KhalliWali · 27/12/2017 11:11

Thanks for that Apileofballyhoo, that's really interesting.

OP posts:
ShovingLeopard · 27/12/2017 11:17

Sorry khalli, I missed that. I hope this doesn't sound patronising, but presumably his diet is well-balanced, and there is no chance of any nutritional deficiencies?

ILoveMillhousesDad · 27/12/2017 11:19

I am typical old-school working class in that way, so if there is candy floss or anything like that, I tend to give it to them.

What the hell has feeding your kid shite, got to do with being working class?

Rossigigi · 27/12/2017 11:22

Many many years ago when blue smarties was introduced my best friend used to go manic on them.
Even now we joke about the effects of blue smarties on her.

Original poster
KhalliWali · 27/12/2017 11:23

ShovingLeopard, that's a reasonable question, but no his basic diet is super-healthy.

ILoveMillhousesDad, I guess I was painting a picture but it didn't come across right. Forgive me if I offended anyone. That certainly wasn't my intention.

OP posts:
Upsy1981 · 27/12/2017 11:23

From my personal point of view, I can say that E numbers affect behaviour as they affected me as a child. If I remember correctly it was E102 that was the main one, although I might be wrong. It was whatever E number makes things orange anyway! I also had some issues with caffeine and other additive type things too.

I was terribly behaved as a child, just couldn't control myself at all, full on tantrums. I HATED behaving that way, I knew it was 'naughty' but couldn't seem to stop myself. It also affected my sleep. I used to be desperate to go to sleep but just couldn't. My poor mother was at the end of her tether until she heard from someone about E numbers etc and looked into it more. She completely banned them from my diet, to the point that she would send me to parties with a bottle of drink that I could safely have in case there was only orange flavoured things or coke. The change in me was so clear. I was suddenly so much more in control of my behaviour and my mum could instantly tell if something had slipped through the net. One day a neighbour gave me some sweets when I was playing in the back garden and there were orange ones in there. I ate them, not thinking about it as I was a child. Shortly afterwards we were going out shopping and I was awful. My mum couldn't understand it. It only became clear later when I happened to mention about these sweets.

I know I'm only a sample of 1 but in my case cutting it out was miraculous.

Rossigigi · 27/12/2017 11:24

Nutritional deficiencies- B12?

Original poster
KhalliWali · 27/12/2017 11:24

Really Rossigigi? That is fascinating! Do Smarties still have the blue ones?

OP posts: