Food Allergies and Poor Impulse Control related?

Sherayna - posted on 11/08/2010

Yes, allergies CAN DEFINITELY cause hyperactivity and poor impulse control. Allergies, ADHD, Autism, and Asthma are all linked in this same manner.

I have an 8 year old son who for a long time subsequent to ingesting wheat or corn products was an absolute nightmare! He couldn't control his temper, couldn't stop doing anything, would spend hours screaming and crying, and become a limp noodle. Controlling his diet (I removed wheat, milk, corn, soy, and eggs) was an absolute godsend for me... he became a new child overnight! However, the other thing I did was give him a lot of nutritional supplements... omega 3's, probiotics, vitamins and minerals replacements. The reason I did this is because he has ADHD, and often children with ADHD or allergies have a leaky stomach that allows for larger macro food molecules to enter the bloodstream and then be carried to the brain, where they interact with neuroreceptors and literally "short-circuit" the brain (hence the poor behavior and impulsivity.)

For my son, he was severely malnourished because his leaky stomach had created allergies to wheat, and since most of what he ate was wheat, he was not able to digest it or make use of it. This led to poor weight gain and growth, as well as the behavior problems. Six months after putting him on a very strict diet and adding dietary supplements, I have been able to return him to a mostly normal diet that includes wheat with minimal reactions.

Amber - posted on 01/08/2010

my daughter is allergic to milk, wheat and eggs and I find if she does happen to get into something she cant have she in a nightmare. She is aggresive and hard to deal with since taking her off the foods she cant have she has been much easier to deal with. Hope that helps. :)

Michelle - posted on 09/19/2009

My son is allergic to food dye. It makes him hyper, moody, and at times uncontrollable. If he has too much, he will break out in hives. I've heard from Dr.'s allergies can cause behavior problems and that it can't. It just depends on the Dr. you talk to. We've noticed a major improvement in his behavior if he doesn't have dye and he's learned to accept that he can't have certain food and candy.

Heidi - posted on 09/16/2009

My roommate's daughter, when exposed to wheat or anything from a cow, immediately develops dark circles under her eyes, an unproductive cough, and extremely agitated, even manic behavior; very hyper and emotional. BUT maybe it's not the allergy that causes it, I have thought, but just the really uncomfortable physical reaction to the allergens which makes her agitated. Either way, though, there is no question that wheat and cow effect her impulse control and her ability to manage her emotions. Benedryll has been a lifesaver for us in case of frequent accidental exposure