Jane Hersey
Presentation + Questions & Answers
For ADD-Holistic Discussion Group
http://www.HolisticMed.Com/add/
Date: Sun, 21 Jun 1998 23:07:40 -0400 (EDT)
From: Mark Gold
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: ADD Introduction of Visiting Expert
Hi! Well, the timing didn't work out quite as planned. :-)
Our first expert (and maybe you saw her introductory post already) is Jane
Hersey, National Director of the Feingold Association. I did everything I
could to try to get a representative of the Feingold Association to visit
because the Association has a long history of successfully helping many,
many perons with ADD and other behavioral disorders. It is wonderful that
Jane Hersey was kind enough to take the time to share the Feingold Program
with us and offer to answer questions.
Jane Hersey has worked with families of chemically-sensitive children for
22 years. Using the findings of pediatrician/allergist, Ben F. Feingold,
MD, she first helped her family and went on to volunteer in the parent
support group called the Feingold Association.
She worked closely with Dr. Feingold until his death in 1982, and served
the Association in many capacities: first vice president, president,
executive director, and editor of the Association's newsletter Pure
Facts. She is currently the national director and author of the book
"Why Can't My Child Behave?"
Ms. Hersey has twice testified before the National Institutes of Health
and has represented the Association on radio and television.
Best Wishes,
- Mark
mgold@holisticmed.com
To: add-holistic@mlists.net
Subject: ADD The Feingold Program
From: janefaus@juno.com (Jane H Hersey)
Date: Sun, 21 Jun 1998 20:50:04 EDT
Hell-o. In 1975 our family was having many problems. My 5 year old
daughter, who had always been a handful, was getting much worse. Her
behavior was fine some of the time, and at other times she was very
difficult to deal with. Much of the time she seemed to be in another
world, so distracted that it was very hard to even communicate with her.
There were no obvious physical problems and she was very bright in many
ways, but clearly, something was wrong.
Meanwhile, my husband's migraine headaches were growing more and
more severe, and seemed to be coming more frequently than ever. Add to
this scene, a baby to take care of ... my life wasn't great, and neither
were the prospects for my family. Fortunately, we stumbled upon Dr.
Feingold's book, "Why Your Child is Hyperactive" and began to learn about
the many effects of certain foods and food additives. As a result, we
were able to dramatically help my daughter and my husband. This led to
our involvement in the nonprofit "Feingold Associations" which were
forming during the mid 1970s.
I speak with many parents who are facing various difficult issues
with their child or -- in some cases they themsleves have problems. The
people who call us typically are dealing with learning or behavior
problems; in some cases the major issue might be a physical problem such
as asthma, hives or ear infections. It is not possible to predict which
person will benefit from the Feingold Program, but once a caller
understands what the program really involves, most conclude that it
seems silly not to at least consider it.
Why would it be silly not to seriously consider using the Feingold
Program? Because the synthetic food additives that we remove are pretty
gross chemicals. Many of them are manufactured from petroleum (synthetic
food dyes and the 3 preservatives we remove). The artificial flavorings
we remove can be made from anything -- literally, including
petrochemicals, pesticides, toxic waste products, etc.
If the food labels were required to list their ingredients with total
accuracy, few of us would buy those foods anyway.
Another category we remove at the outset of the Program are what we
call "natural salicylates." These chemicals occur naturally in some
very wholesome foods, but (for reasons not really understood) they are
not tolerated by some people. We show people how to conduct their own
test, removing natural salicylates for a few weeks, to see if there is a
change in symptoms. It's a nuisance to do without wholesome foods like
apples, grapes, berries, etc., but there are other fruits that are well
tolerated, and those are used instead (pears, pineapple, melons).
If there is an improvement in symptoms as a result of this trial,
then the next step is to continue to stay away from the synthetic stuff
and to begin reintroducing the natural salicylates one at a time, to see
if there is any reaction to them. The role of the Association is to help
families do this with as little hassel as is necessary, and to show them
which of the foods they like are free of the unwanted additives.
Feingold families can eat many familiar foods, and can pig out on the
likes of Haagen Dazs or Ben & Jerry's (as well as the natural versions of
Breyer's ice cream).
The Association researches brand name foods with the manufacturer to
identify those which are acceptable to use, and publishes books listing
all of the products which are free of the above additives. We identify
the naturally occurring salicylates so that if you know you are sensitive
to cherries, for example, the book will tell you if they are present in a
product. There are 7 Regional foodlists for the United States and a very
small book for Canada. It is very important that a family have accurate
information about foods, since ingredient labels are often incomplete and
sometimes downright fraudulent.
We find that most of the families who have up-to-date information
and use the Feingold Program correctly report a significant -- often
dramatic -- improvement in the child or adult in question. We have 22
years of good results, and some very good double-blind studies which
support our work, but I don't think we can really explain exactly why it
works as well and as often as it does.
Most of the people who do this work are parents like myself, who
have seen such a huge benefit. We don't have any reason to volunteer,
other than the fact that it is so satisfying to be able to help so many
other people, just as we've been helped. While we don't keep precise
statistics of the percentage of children who respond, the studies have
shown that the majority of children do respond to dietary management --
despite what the food/chemical/pharmaceutical lobbies claim. If the
Program was not so effective, I doubt my colleagues and I would have
continued to do this work for so many years.
The Association is glad to provide complimentary information and
help. You can obtain it via our number (800) 321-3287. There is also a
lot of information on our web site: http://www.feingold.org. Next month we
will be hosting a national conference on ADD and autism at the George
Mason University in Fairfax, VA (near Washington DC). I would be glad to
send you a brochure describing the conference and can be reached via this
site or at my office in Virginia (703) 768-3287. At this conference, and
in our materials, we offer suggestions as to the next step a family may
want to take in helping their child. Some children only need to use the
Feingold Program, but for others it is just a part of the answer. For
many families I often compare it to 1st and 2nd grade; they aren't all
you will need, but you'll have a hard time getting along if you skip
them. We network with other nonprofits who are also doing great work
helping families. There's a lot of help out there, but it is being
carried out by good people with very little in the way of money and
resources, thus is often not easy to find.
I will be glad to try to answer your questions; there's a lot I
don't know, but I do know how to help my family and might be able to show
you how to help yours.
From: Olivia822@aol.com
Date: Mon, 22 Jun 1998 22:48:47 EDT
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD The Feingold Program
Thanks so much for The Feingold Program info. I'm looking forward to reading
more about it.
Pat
Date: Tue, 23 Jun 1998 10:13:29 -0400 (EDT)
From: Mark Gold
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD The Feingold Program
Jane,
Thank you for the excellent information you provided. I like the idea of
starting with fairly simple changes. Even though additional changes or
different changes *may* be necessary or prudent (as far as ADD or
long-term health goes), it is usually a good idea to start with relatively
small, but important changes.
I was hoping that you can answer a few questions.
- Are there any strategies that have been used successfully to
work with older children who may not be too cooperative in
making the dietetic change?
- What about school lunches and restaurants? How is that handled
as far as ingredients go? If this issue discussed in the
Regional Food List booklets?
- What kind of results have been seen in adults that follow the
Feingold Program?
- What is the time frame that one should expect to see improvements
on the Feingold Program.
- For persons that follow the Program exactly as outlined and
notice some improvement or only minor improvement, what kind
of suggestions are made? I suppose that it is always important
to make sure that major mistakes aren't being made in following
the Program.
Best Wishes,
- Mark
mgold@holisticmed.com
Holistic Healing Web Page
http://www.HolisticMed.com/
From: Flifer@aol.com
Date: Tue, 23 Jun 1998 10:27:48 EDT
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD The Feingold Program
My family, too, has seen great benefit in using the Feingold diet. My son,now
an adult, continues to follow and benefit from it. He did have a trial of
meds, but this worked the best.
Check out the website of the Feingold Association. There is a lot of good info
there. Feingold Association
Dietary Connection to B...
Date: Tue, 23 Jun 1998 10:53:26 -0400
To:
From: George von Hilsheimer
Subject: ADD FEINGOLD should be named LOCKEY/MAYO
The recent info re salycilates and the Feingold Foundation will be well
pursued by perhaps as many as 25% of the families with children who have ADD
and ADHD and everyone who has urticaria.
Unfortunately Dr. Feingold was not an attractive human being, and did not
pay his dues to Dr. Lockey who first widely published the salycilate
hypothesis in the US. This was back in the days when no ethical doctor
would allow his name to be used in public ways, so Lockey called the diet
the Mayo diet, where he was working when he first publicized it.
However, this ancient history notwithstanding, anyone with ANY peculiar
problem will do well to exclude salycilates from their diet. this is
particularly true for dyes, perfumes, artificial flavors etc.
For similar reasons I have posted diets which exclude purines, oxalic acid,
salycilates, fructose, and one which is just an empirical listing of foods
which frequently cause problems.
Please note, these are not 'allergies' but biochemical hypersensitivities.
Food allergies are another enormous subject.
The best tool for any parent of an ADD child is a good daily journal rating
symptoms and listing every food, and every environmental exposure.
Dr. Von
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Peter Breggin & Talking Back to Ritalin
From: janefaus@juno.com (Jane H Hersey)
Date: Tue, 23 Jun 1998 21:17:32 EDT
Some of our members use Ritalin or other medicines in addition to the
Feingold Program. Interestingly, some report that the Ritalin is not as
effective when the child consumes synthetic additives. We don't think
any (reasonable) technique should be counted out, including stimulants.
We do wish all of the versions of Ritalin, as well as Dex., etc were made
free of the dyes that can trigger problems. (The 20 mg SR Ritalin is
free of the prohibited dyes, and is included in our list of acceptable
medicines.)
Our complaint is that parents are often not given complete, accurate
information on all of the alternatives, and some are led to believe that
medicine alone is the only way to go. We feel, however, that it makes
more sense to try an approach that has no risk of side effects as the
first option, and then move on to more dramatic approaches only if
necessary.
Having said that, we recognize not everyone will opt for diet, and that
should be their choice. We believe that parents who want a treatment
such as the Feingold Program should not be discouraged from considering
it.
One of the nice benefits of the Feingold Program is that at least one
parent generally notices a reduction of their symptoms when they join
their child on the Program.
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD The Feingold Program
From: janefaus@juno.com (Jane H Hersey)
Date: Tue, 23 Jun 1998 21:17:32 EDT
On Tue, 23 Jun 1998 10:13:29 -0400 (EDT) Mark Gold
writes:
>1. Are there any strategies that have been used successfully to
> work with older children who may not be too cooperative in
> making the dietetic change?
Yes, we have a number of suggestions that are based on some good results
parents have had in the past. One of the things I recommend is that the
parent "ignore" their teen, and simply stock the house with the good
food. If the teenager is a boy, he will probably inhale the food in
large quantity, and may begin to see that it tastes pretty good.
Many teens get pretty "grossed out" when they learn what the additives
are made of, which makes it fairly easy to catch their interest. I have
a whole chapter on suggestions for gaining cooperation in my book...too
many points to go into here.
Also, I'll be giving a workshop at our conference on how to teach people
about what's really in our foods...it has worked well to get the interest
of pre-teens.
>2. What about school lunches and restaurants? How is that handled
> as far as ingredients go? If this issue discussed in the
> Regional Food List booklets?
These are covered in the Feingold Handbook and in my book. We help the
parents to find out which of the foods at school are OK and to let the
child eat those. For the child who has been on the program for awhile,
they get good at identifying what's ok, and often lose some of the
sensitivity they had early on. If the child really wants to eat the
school lunch, they decide for themself if it's worth the effects they
will experience. They might decide to go off the diet on Fridays when
they won't have school the next day. It generally is not a very big
problem for the kids, and if the parents follow our suggestions, the kids
usually prefer to stick to the diet.
As for restaurant food, the member gets a guide to what's OK at the major
fast food chains, and there's a lot of information in my book on how to
make educated choices. One simple rule in restaurants: "skip dessert."
>3. What kind of results have been seen in adults that follow the
> Feingold Program?
It appears to be as effective for adults, though the change is generally
in their ability to focus and in physical symptoms. Behavioral changes
are usually not the major ones...though there are some adults who stop
throwing temper tanturms!!!
>4. What is the time frame that one should expect to see improvements
> on the Feingold Program.
It varies a lot with the individual. If a family has current literature
(including our Foodlist and updates) it is fairly typical to see a clear
change in a young child in 3 days to a week. We like people to give it a
good 6 weeks trial. One woman in the area (who works at the post office
and recently began the program) told me after about 2 weeks she hadn't
noticed anything. Then the last time I saw her (perhaps 2 weeks later)
her comment was "wow"! It had really kicked in.
>5. For persons that follow the Program exactly as outlined and
> notice some improvement or only minor improvement, what kind
> of suggestions are made? I suppose that it is always important
> to make sure that major mistakes aren't being made in following
> the Program.
Yes, first we like to talk with them to be sure they haven't been using
the wrong kind of toothpaste, vitamins, etc. If all looks good in that
area, then we ask more questions. I look for "peaks" and "valleys" -- if
the child has some very good days and some very bad days, that's
encouraging as there is probably something setting him off. It really
isn't too hard to come up with some probable culprits. If I run out of
ideas, I might consult with a colleage or two or ask one of our medical
advisors for advice. We also provide a lengthy listing of other
nonprofits that might be able to help take the child on to the next level
of improvement. We do not like to see a child fail to be helped, and do
what we can to try and prevent any failures.
Of course, we do not ever attempt to offer what might be construed as
medical advice.
From: Hetwoman@aol.com
Date: Tue, 23 Jun 1998 21:57:15 EDT
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD The Feingold Program
In a message dated 98-06-23 21:22:06 EDT, you write:
> 4. What is the time frame that one should expect to see improvements
> on the Feingold Program.
My son is on the Feingold Program and we are also seeing an allergist for
testing. Since he started and switched from Pepsi to Sprite - ALL of his
rashes disappeared! We believe he has an allergy to caffeine. He is also in
a much better mood. Not as quick tempered or moody - since beginning the diet.
He asked me "What do I get out of this diet". I told him a better mood,
better concentration and hopefully no more rashes. Guess that was enough for
him.
Tomorrow we see the PhD to discuss the findings of the QEEG and begin a course
of action with Neurofeedback. Top it off my son 16yo is excited about doing
all of this. Just thought I'd share.
From: Flifer@aol.com
Date: Tue, 23 Jun 1998 23:20:05 EDT
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Peter Breggin & Talking Back to Ritalin
The most important thing is that the person receive the APPROPRIATE treatment.
It may be the Feingold Program ..... or......it may be meds (the appropriate
one (s)) or may be something else or a combination. It depends on what the
individual needs based on his health and the cause of his symptoms. All
treatments must be considered and the parent (if the patient is a child)
should be apprised of those treatments
In a message dated 6/23/98 10:56:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
SMILE@compuserve.com writes:
> That's the way I feel. Breggin is all the way on the extreme, just as there
> are so many docs who say that
> anyone with ADD should immediately be put on Ritalin. I have heard that
> recommended over and over again.
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Peter Breggin & Talking Back to Ritalin
From: janefaus@juno.com (Jane H Hersey)
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 1998 07:57:30 EDT
Agreed! There is such a polarity being created by the two opposing
sides: "Who's to blame? Is it the parent's fault? Is it the 'fault'
of the child (meaning a brain defect of some sort)?"
I take real offense when people claim it's all bad parenting. I really
tried -- very hard -- to do the right things. Teachers are also getting
a bum rap, I believe. I was there too, and remember how tough it could
be.
It's amazing that so few people have looked at the epidemiology of the
whole issue.
When journalists write about the drastic increase in the rate of
childhood asthma, at least they ask about things other than bad schools
and bad parents. And the concept of the child having some mysterious
physical defect is not resonable since the increase is so sudden. They
know that polluted air can affect our lungs; a few even suggest that food
allergies could trigger a problem. (Of course you seldom hear about the
connection between food additives and asthma -- a topic which has been
reported in allergy journals for decades.)
If polluted air can affect our lungs, is it so hard to see how eating
petroleum derivatives can affect our brains??
One of our MD advisors presented a terrific workshop to explain how foods
and additives affect the brain. It's available as a reprint from the
Feingold Assoc office.
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD The Feingold Program
From: janefaus@juno.com (Jane H Hersey)
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 1998 07:57:29 EDT
On Tue, 23 Jun 1998 21:57:15 EDT Hetwoman@aol.com writes:
>In a message dated 98-06-23 21:22:06 EDT, you write:
>
>My son is on the Feingold Program and we are also seeing an allergist for
>testing. Since he started and switched from Pepsi to Sprite - ALL of his
>rashes disappeared! We believe he has an allergy to caffeine. He is also in
>a much better mood. Not as quick tempered or moody - since beginning the diet.
>He asked me "What do I get out of this diet". I told him a better mood,
>better concentration and hopefully no more rashes. Guess that was enough for him.
>Tomorrow we see the PhD to discuss the findings of the QEEG and begin a course
>of action with Neurofeedback. Top it off my son 16yo is excited about doing
>all of this. Just thought I'd share.
Thank you for sharing; it's good to hear that your child is being
helped. I would suggest that, if possible, you switch from Sprite to
regular 7 UP. The Sprite contains sodium benzoate and the 7 UP does not.
Sodium benzoate does not seem to be a major offender, but definitely
does bother some of our members.
I don't mean to be picky, but I consider "being on the Feingold diet" to
mean that you have an up-to-date Foodlist plus all of the other
information published by the Feingold Association, and are getting Pure
Facts. Food processing is not a simple matter, and you cannot really
avoid the additives by simply reading labels. There are many additives
in foods which are not listed on the label. The fact that your child
feels restless makes me wonder if you have our information...perhaps
you've cut out more of his favorites than you need to (???)
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD FEINGOLD should be named LOCKEY/MAYO
From: janefaus@juno.com (Jane H Hersey)
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 1998 07:57:30 EDT
On Tue, 23 Jun 1998 10:53:26 -0400 George von Hilsheimer
writes:
>The recent info re salycilates and the Feingold Foundation will be well
>pursued by perhaps as many as 25% of the families with children who have ADD
>and ADHD and everyone who has urticaria.
>Unfortunately Dr. Feingold was not an attractive human being, and did not
>pay his dues to Dr. Lockey who first widely published the salycilate
>hypothesis in the US. This was back in the days when no ethical doctor
>would allow his name to be used in public ways, so Lockey called the diet
>the Mayo diet, where he was working when he first publicized it.
Thanks for your note. I'd like to add my "spin."
Dr. Feingold was a very complex man, and I'm sorry I never thought to ask
him about Dr. Lockey's contribution. When I write about the history of
salicylates, I try to give credit to those who first brought it to our
attention.
Many people believe that Dr. Feingold promoted himself because it is
called the Feingold diet, but the name he chose was the K-P Diet -- both
because he worked at Kaiser Permanente and because it used to involve a
lot of 'kitchen duty.' It was the media who called it the "Feingold
diet," and it was the parent group who chose the name "Feingold
Association."
He had many strengths but diplomacy was not one of them. My take on it
was that he expected other doctors to adhere to the same high standards
he set for himself, and had the reputation for being very outspoken when
he felt others were falling short of this.
But when it came to his patients, he never lost his compassion for them,
and passion to help people, especially the children.
It would have been out of character for him to promote himself and to
schmooze with other doctors in order to advance any personal agenda. He
was the recipient of a lot of flack for his work. It would have been
easy and comfortable for him to have just enjoyed a pleasant retirement,
and basked in the outstanding reputation he had earned as one of the
pioneers in allergy and immunology. But he knew he had vital
information, and most certainly shortened his life in his determination
to reach as many parents as possible.
>However, this ancient history notwithstanding, anyone with ANY peculiar
>problem will do well to exclude salycilates from their diet. this is
>particularly true for dyes, perfumes, artificial flavors etc.
>For similar reasons I have posted diets which exclude purines, oxalic acid,
>salycilates, fructose, and one which is just an empirical listing of foods
>which frequently cause problems.
>Please note, these are not 'allergies' but biochemical hypersensitivities.
>Food allergies are another enormous subject.
>The best tool for any parent of an ADD child is a good daily journal rating
>symptoms and listing every food, and every environmental exposure.
Agreed!
We try to make it easier for parents to implement this. We research
brand name foods to indentify which are free of the unwanted additives.
We've found this is essential since many additives can be present in
foods, but not be labeled.
Also, we like to focus on all the things a parent can buy and enjoy, not
on the things they must avoid. We even research Mc Donald's! With most
moms working outside the home, we try to show them how they can use
processed foods, without having a reaction as a result.
From: Hetwoman@aol.com
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 1998 08:13:24 EDT
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD The Feingold Program
In a message dated 98-06-24 08:00:31 EDT, you write:
> The fact that your child
> feels restless makes me wonder if you have our information...perhaps
> you've cut out more of his favorites than you need to (???)
Thanks Jane. I have gotten all of the Feingold information. Got a nice
notebook of information. Sprite is listed in your food guide though, so I'm a
little confused. He is more calm following the advice of Feingold. For
example, he went and had a frozen pizza after following the program and boy -
what a difference in mood. He definitely is sensitive to the additives and
preservatives. Thanks. It's been very helpful to us.
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 1998 10:04:43 -0400 (EDT)
From: Mark Gold
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD The Feingold Program
>To: add-holistic@mLists.net
>Subject: Re: ADD The Feingold Program
>From: janefaus@juno.com (Jane H Hersey)
>Date: Wed, 24 Jun 1998 07:57:29 EDT
>Facts. Food processing is not a simple matter, and you cannot really
>avoid the additives by simply reading labels. There are many additives
>in foods which are not listed on the label. The fact that your child
>feels restless makes me wonder if you have our information...perhaps
>you've cut out more of his favorites than you need to (???)
Jane,
Thanks for the info! I work with an organization which helps people
who have severe reactions to MSG (monosodium glutamate). The
labeling laws allow manufacturers, in many situations, to hide MSG
in foods without listing it correctly on the label. In some cases,
the manufactuers have been known label a product as "No MSG" when it
actually contains MSG hidden under another name. Some people to go
International Food Technologists conventions and other conventions to
try to get some accurate information on particular products.
It is great to see that the Feingold Association goes beyond what is
listed on the labels! Even though the labels seem to be accurate in
many cases, I think it can be very important to have the additional
information. One thing that I found helpful when shopping for myself
or for children is to purchase foods at large natural foods
supermarkets / health food stores when possible. Such stores now
have more foods/drinks that kids will like. Also, I think it makes
the selection a little easier when 99% of the foods have little or no
additives or preservatives.
Best Wishes,
- Mark
mgold@holisticmed.com
Holistic Healing Web Page
http://www.HolisticMed.com/
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 1998 13:42:43 -0400
From: WRITETOME
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD The Feingold Program
Where do I get information on the "Feingold" Program?
Date: Sat, 27 Jun 1998 00:08:13 -0400 (EDT)
From: Mark Gold
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Peter Breggin & Talking Back to Ritalin
>One of the nice benefits of the Feingold Program is that at least one
>parent generally notices a reduction of their symptoms when they join
>their child on the Program.
Jane,
If you have a chance, can you talk a bit about your book and about some of
the other resources available from the Feingold Association? Also, does
the Feingold Association sponsor research? Does the Feingold Association
have Regional and local groups and meetings? Thank you for being here to
help out and provide information and resources!
Best Wishes,
- Mark
mgold@holisticmed.com
Holistic Healing Web Page
http://www.HolisticMed.com/
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Gluten Intoleraence & Opiod Peptides
From: janefaus@juno.com (Jane H Hersey)
Date: Sun, 28 Jun 1998 13:02:37 EDT
Hi Mark
Several of our members are working on helping with the gluten and casein
intolerance issues. I am not the best person to address this issue,
other than to say that we are in the process of developing materials that
will offer direction to those who must avoid these food components. This
will include specific food advice, mail order resources for special diets
and, eventually, a listing of acceptable brand name products for these
folks.
Jane
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Peter Breggin & Talking Back to Ritalin
From: janefaus@juno.com (Jane H Hersey)
Date: Sun, 28 Jun 1998 14:36:44 EDT
My book "Why Can't My Child Behave?" reflects the basic philosophy I
share with my colleagues.
I think that the approach we take is based, in large part, on the
experiences we had as we searched for some person or some way to help our
children. Most of us spent a lot of time, effort and money trying to
help our children, and we were very disappointed with what we received in
return.
After attempting to follow some fairly complicated behavior mod
strategies, I was amazed and delighted that the answer for my daughter
was so simple and straightforward. I changed the food I gave her and
quickly saw a dramatic improvement in her behavior and ability to
attend to what was going on around her.
For many families a relatively small change in diet can yield very big
results. For other families, it might take a bit longer, or the results
might be good rather than great. There is a lot of variation.
But the bottom line for us is this: Let's try some simple changes and
see if they yield results. This can be a hard concept to accept -- the
idea that an easy change could result in a significant improvement in a
child who has what appears to be a serious problem. We tend to think
that "heavy duty" problems need "heavy duty" solutions, but that isn't
always the case. We feel very comfortable suggesting the Feingold
Program because there's no down side to it -- no harmful side effects.
Mary Callahan is a nurse who found that when her son drank milk he acted
autistic and when he stayed away from milk he behaved normally. She
wrote about it in her book "Fighting for Tony." The frustrating thing
was that despite the fact that she was able to produce a very normal
child, her doctor would not believe what was clearly obvious. It didn't
fit his world as he saw it.
It isn't my desire to try and change someone's mindset, but rather to
offer information to those who are interested in knowing about the
subject. One of the things that most intrigues me about the Feingold
Program is that we enjoy and very best of both worlds, and enjoy such
benefits as a result.
I want to be able to tell another mom (sorry guys, I don't mean to be
sexist) how she can:
- find the food she wants easily
- give her child the treats he likes
- get the best taste, quality, and value for her money
- and end up with a child who is happy, healthy, excells in school, and
is a pleasure to be with.
I love the fact that I can buy excellent foods at good prices, and know
that they are wholesome and free of harmful additives. I want my
chocolate ice cream, but without the vanillin. I want steak or soda, or
a restaurant meal to remember, but with no negative effects.
The question now is generally: "Why should I give up synthetic
additives?"
My question is: "Why on Earth should I eat them?"
My book and the work we do are all focused on solving problems. It's
nice to understand about neurotransmitter reuptake, but that's an area
for others to address. What I want to know is what my kid can have when
she stops by the 7-Eleven for a snack. I want to be able to provide
something she will enjoy, and not have to pay for it with a day or more
of bouncy behaviors.
I enjoy being a part of a group that shows parents how they can obtain a
cookie that is a dead ringer for Oreos, but tastes much better, or how
they can find the natural coloring so they can bring orange frosted
cupcakes in for the class Halloween party, and not have the children eat
toxic dyes.
This is the type of research we conduct. Since our funds are so limited
(we charge only $49 for the big member packet/newsletter subscription) we
have to allocate them carefully. There is plenty of academic research
needed, and it should be conducted by the government agencies and
universities that have these resources.
You asked about local meetings. Most of our work is centralized, so we
don't hold regular meetings in very many areas, though we do have parent
volunteers who go out and speak to clubs, groups, PTAs, etc . The major
reason we have discontinued most meetings is that once we had our
printed materials refined to the point where they are now, many people
found that they didn't need to go to a meeting; they are able to get all
the information they need through the newsletter, Handbook, my book, etc.
Support groups generally are for people who are still having problems;
once the information became available the number of people still having
problems dropped sharply.
Today, when people have questions/problems, they generally contact us via
phone or via our web site (www.feingold.org) where we can provide extra
help.
We will be holding our national conference in a few weeks (July 17 & 18
in Fairfax, VA). This a great opportunity for people to learn more about
the program and to share information. Interested people can call me at
the VA office (703) 768-3287.
Many thanks for your interest and for inviting me to share this with you
all.
Jane Hersey