A blog about kids, behavior and food... need suggestions. page

[jenn26point2]

What would you look for in a blog about childhood behavior and food sensitivities? I am converting my son to a gluten-free diet to improve his behavior. I mentioned this to some people and they suggested I blog about it... but I don't know what to say, what to include, how much is too much information, what sites to cite, etc... I want to make this a blog that people will read and share with family members who have unruly kids, where people turn to see that gluten (and later other "food items") truly does affect kids' behavior, etc.

Any suggestions?

[Lewis]

what sites to cite, etc...

An obvious one as regards gluten-senstivity would be the Wheat Belly blog:

Wheat Belly Blog | Lose the Wheat Lose the Weight


Just googled Dr. Fasano -- here's an interview with him:

Dr. Fasano on Leaky Gut Syndrome and Gluten Sensitivity



Video with Thomas O'Brien:

Dr. Tom O'Bryan - Identifying & Conquering Gluten Sensitivity - YouTube



Then there's this on this site:

The Definitive Guide to Grains | Mark's Daily Apple



And probably something on the official Paleo Diet website:

The Paleo Diet

[jenn26point2]

Thank you Lewis. I appreciate the input.

[BestBetter]

This is a blog that I found helpful when I was trying to better understand histamine intolerance. It's written by a mother who is using diet to treat herself (from ME) and her son (from autism). She has a combination of personal accounts and articles that appeared in newspapers/magazines that she comments on. I especially like the list on the right side of the site, where you can click on each 'issue' and read about that particular thing. In general, I found most helpful reading about her personal accounts of what worked/didn't work, and what she learned along the way.

Roo's Clues

[jenn26point2]

Roo's Clues

What a great blog! Thank you!

[Crabbcakes]

I get the most from the details of a child's behavior. It says nothing to me if I read that x-son or x-daughter has "behaviors" but then am not told what those behaviors are. If x-kid is throwing plates at the walls, that qualifies (big time) as a behavior. If x-kid is just rolling his eyes at Mom and Dad, not so much, for example.

My one hit siblings and pets continually, smacked her head against our chests when in our lap, her eyes literally rolled around in her eye sockets (which makes the command "Look at me!" pretty much worthless) and she would grab everything within reach at the table and toss it onto the floor, including the tablecloth. We got the wheat out, and that stuff stopped. We then had to do a l-o-t more to control GI issues, but that wheat is a killer for her.

It helps a lot to hear that others have kids who turn into hellions when given foodstuffs that don't agree with them, and to hear exactly what the trouble was. I wouldn't have found half of the help for mine if other mothers hadn't given up some of the gory details for me to say "Wait!! That is MINE, too!! What did you do, again??!!"

Although, I personally won't blog about mine because I am worried, even though I have nothing at all to hide, that some of the mistakes I made trying just to get through the day would catch the attention of some overly zealous social worker. I definitely learned better methods and also what the root problem was, but still. Maybe I am a hypocrite, as I get awesome information from the brave ones who do blog.

If you do (and when it is done), leave the link here, and I will definitely go and read.

[jenn26point2]

There is a link to the blog in my signature.

Thanks for your feedback, Crabbcakes. I appreciate it. My son, I suspect, has opposition defiant disorder as he displays all the signs and symptoms put out by the Mayo Clinic. My hope is that keeping a blog with his behavior chart, food log and a general summary for the day will help me in better parenting him. Our attempts to this point haven't worked.

I was worried about one thing I said in the blog that could be over-exaggerated and reported to DPS, but so be it. I don't abuse my child. He has rarely seen a spanking in all of his five years because that's not how I want to parent, but sometimes a quick swat on the butt makes a great attention getter when nothing else has worked.

It's a work in progress, but you're more than welcome to check it out now if you'd like.

[Crabbcakes]

I just raced through your blog, thanks!

You know, if DS is dairy-intolerant, it will still be okay. Two of my four are milk-free, both almost all their lives. I decided to put mine on the SCD (you will know what that is if you know the GAPS) because I needed something food-plan-wise that took everything out that I was concerned about. Fast forward almost seven years now, and mine still needs to be SCD-compliant, but that is okay because I seem to have found her food answers.

Have you ever taken DS to a pediatric occupational therapist for an eval for sensory issues? Seriously - a LOT of behaviors are based in the sensory systems and once a good peds OT does his/her magic you will be astounded at how normal your kid becomes. Mine (the same one that does the SCD diet) has a wicked sensory disorder (among many other things - she is labelled "multiply disabled" and goes to a special school for such children) and life only got really good after our OT taught us and treated my DD. This, like the SCD diet, appears permanent, but we know now how to handle her needs, and if you do that consistently, just like brushing teeth, it becomes easier and easier and automatic, and the kid stays on a much more even keel for much longer, with just occasional outbursts. If your DS is otherwise not cognitively challenged (mine is, though), the OT will even teach him to recognize when he feels stuff coming on AND what to do to interrupt the process/help himself.

Hang in there, and write me often if you wish - consider this an invitation. I have a journal on the MDA. And definitely get hubby to not bully his way through - you and I both know that won't work, for many reasons (not the least that when DS gets to be 16-17-18 years old and can finally take his dad, things will get ugly). If that is the way hubby was raised, it will take a lot of patience on your part, though. If DS is having those kinds of issues at age 5 and before, you are waaaay correct in that there is something going on, and just because you love him to pieces, you will sleuth it out.

Congratulations on the Primal/Paleo weight loss and drug loss!!!!! Having been on Celexa for depression myself (a crapload of it, I might add), I know some of your hard slog.

[Sabine]

I would want to see posts on:

School and after school snacks.

Appropriate party food- to bring to class to share, and to bring to parties for the child to have instead of what is offered. Also, techniques to help the child see the benefits of this.

Strategies for the child to talk about this way of eating- first, as something he needs to do, and second, how not to proselitize(sorry, can NOT figure out how to spell that) once he sees how good it is making him feel, but still be able to share the information 9on a child's level, of course).

Tips on talking to teachers, etc, about the food requirements.

Food/activity plans that could be given to caregivers(babysitters/grandparents/friends) whose ideas of spending fun time with your child might be zip without cupcakes or cookies.

Alternate calming therapies, such as massage, art therapy, vigorous activities.

That's all I can think of so far.

[jenn26point2]

Thanks Sabine.

I have a friend who's son is Autistic and she's got him on a similar diet with specialized supplements to help him develop. She's noticed significant gains having switched him to a whole food diet. Namely, instead of pushing her away and screaming like a fool, he now giggles when she hugs him. Instead of just sitting on the floor and screaming when he's not happy, he had developed a technique of shouting at her, and then shouting at whatever makes him unhappy. If it can help an autistic child, surely it can help my child who just has ODD-like issues.

She is going to provide me with a list of snacks she provides for him and what she makes for his lunches. Poor Brady has been eating lunch meat, string cheese, and yogurt for weeks now.