How long does it take for additives to have an effect?

[kmg1]

DSS (4 and 6) very rarely have any sweets or chocolates, and we tend to eat fairly healthily. Over Advent it seems all and sundry have claimed the right to give them endless goodies, and (coincidentally?) their behaviour has deteriorated. After a horrid weekend I finally flipped; binned all the sweets/chocs I could find; and banned them completely for three days.

Now the kids have been pretty angelic for the past three days (relatively - it is Christmas tomorrow after all). Is this because they were shocked at mummy's monster impression, or do these additives really have such a dramatic and quick effect?

IME they can go bonkers within half an hour or so of some products!

They do on ds1 but he has leaky gut. Your kids may just have a sugar problem though. They can be pretty crazed by sugar alone ime.

Well, I know it's Christmas, but ds1 has been completely loopy today - bonkers, jumping around the place. OK it is Christmas, and it is wet so we haven't been out (except to church), but he's also had sweets and chocs for the first time since Sunday ...?

Dh is very sceptical, which makes it tricky. I guess I will just let them eat all the junk asap and then return to our normal healthy(ish) diet.

Sugar definately afects my DD (but the OJ her GNana drinks - effects her x10)

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My dd reacted within an hour to fizzy drinks, while ds2 would react within minutes to colourings. So yes, I think they can have a dramatic effect. Hth.

I've often wondered if additives are affecting dd2's behaviour because sometimes she can be pretty awful. After a particularly horrid outburst last week my df looked me straight in the eye and said "she is not normal". I have to admit I have thought the same thing several times but she does tend to have quite alot of additive ladden foods (usually bribes)so I could be making her worse. Several times I have thought about trying to cut out additives but i'm not sure i have the will power

I don't have any difficulty cutting out things from their diet, and am horrid mummy strict regarding sweets and chocs normally. But what do you do, Robinw and others, with an older child when other people give them stuff? Do you just remove it and ban it completely irrespective of the source? I'm normally happy for them to have a bit, but this year it's gone completely off the scale.

This Advent both kids came home with bags of sweets from Beavers, from school, from swimming, from the lollipop lady, from Sunday school ...! Plus they had several birthday parties with sugar-laden party bags. In addition they have each been given four (small) selection boxes, which each contain more goodies than they would usually have in a couple of months. They do 'share' them with me and dh, but right now I just feel like chucking it ALL in the bin.

Despite how it sounds, we have had a lovely day today

I have several times tried to ban sweets or at least limit then but both my mom and dad will give them to them regardless of what I say. I'm probably just being incrdibly weak though ??

My son got sweets off 2 relations - he's 10 months old. This has demonstrated to me that they can be bought by people who don't really understand what age kids can do things. He also got a mug and it will be a while before he's having a cup of coffee in the mornings. I'm prepared for next year when I will have a couple of emergency small items (McDonalds toddler toys from happy meals probably) on hand to replace innappropriate food gifts. I'm sure he will get Easter Eggs despite being allergic to cows milk. Oh well, it's the thought that counts.

I was amazed how much make up my two dd's got. They are 4 & 6 but they own more make up than me.

Kmg, I found that my lot didn't really even want the vast quatities of sweets they were given. They would pig out for a while but then the novelty wore off and either the sweets would still be lying around in Feb or March or I'd have thrown them away. The same happens with Easter eggs, I always throw some away at the beginning of summer.

Dealing with other people, I would try saying to them that sweets upset your children (give details, if you can, such as tummy ache or vomiting) and that perhaps the monetary value, (a pound coin or two) for your child to spend to is just as acceptable and fun. You'll probably have to make the same point a few times before it gets through, though! Hth.

I just take them all away and ration them over the next few weeks. I do find my girls go a bit bonkers after sweets, but if they have them after a meal it dosn't seem to be so bad. It just means sweets for pudding for a few weeks, unless their daddy gets hold of them!!

kmg ds1 is always being given stuff he can't eat (he can eat bugger all so its not surprising). I thank the person then eat it myself or give it to dh Of course I can get away with this as ds1 is clueless. He's also fairly packaging specific so that helps. Can also be a pain-his SALT has left chocolate sprinkles for him to lick off a plate with his tongue. Can I get him to eat them? Nope.

My cousin's son is on a special diet (he is AS) He is 10 now and knows what he is allowed to eat, and is very good about avoiding the other stuff- he knows it makes him ill.

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