Seen first hand today the effects of food colouring

[Blossomhill]

As you all know for just over a week we have all been eating really healthily and dd has been so, so calm.
I went to do some shopping and dd and ds stayed at home with dh. Anyway when I got back dd seemed extremely lively, livelier than I have seen her in a long, long time. I know that this happens after a while with the yeast free diet but was rather shocked to be honest.
Learing up dd's room this evening guess what I came across??? An empty Haribo packet. She had found them in the cupboard (god knows where as we don't buy them, probably left over from a party bag). I really think it was them that had made her go as hyper as she was. She was honestly sit drop bouncing on my sofa for over an hour and acting very, very odd. Just goes to show the effect these things have on our kids doesn't it!!!

I agree, Bob had two pink marshmallows on Thursday and was a different child. It was like he was on speed. His nursery said he was "very chatty" which is code for "Wouldn't shut up!"

Are we going to have this everytime she goes to a party???

Probably until you can persuade dd otherwise. Ds1 reacts to E133 (Brilliant blue colouring), and he knows it. He found some smarties in a party bag which he opened in the car on the way home, and deliberately left all the blue ones for Daddy! He's an active boy but I found it interesting that at almost 4 he had realised that there are some foods/sweets that have unwanted side-effects. I guess those with a nut allergy must also grasp this from early on.

Given time Bloss dd will not want the sweets...honestly. J knows if he eats the bad things it makes him feel dizzy. He told hubby that inside was banging hard when he ate some sweets a few weeks ago.
It just takes time but if you replace dd's sweets with the healthier alternatives she wont miss out.....check out carob raisins....they are scrummy.
I tested J about 4 weeks into our diet change and gave him a packet of sweets......it took a whole day and night for the effects to wear off!!!!
Stick at it, you are doing a grand job.

Hi BH, have been reading your threads about BIBIC and dietary change with interest. Glad things are going so well! Re parties, there was a thread on the Allergies forum recently about how to avoid party food etc - I send a pre-packed 'party box' for my DS (6) and make sure both he and the mother/adult in charge know where it is when it's time for food. He trades sweets in the party bag or won as prizes for little presents after the party. Play dates and school cooking can also be difficult - it helps if your teacher is supportive. At DS's last school the teacher sent home the recipe they were cooking a few days before so I could provide an alternative for him to eat if it wasn't acceptable - so I let him cook with everyone else, but when they ate the results, he ate what he had brought from home (obviously not possible if the child is strongly allergic to any of the ingredients).
Some other mothers think I'm mad, but I don't care any more. And in fact, after experiences like yours with the Haribo, I now view food colourings and typical party food as dangerous pathogens (not sure if this is or that this has to be what we think children need to have fun......]