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| Date: From: Subject: | 3/11/2010 9:44:14 AM Home School Legal Defense Association HSLDA's Homeschooling Your Struggling Learner Newsletter |
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---------------------------------------------------------------- HSLDA's Homeschooling Your Struggling Learner Newsletter March 2010 -- Hidden Allergies and Learning ---------------------------------------------------------------------- By Dianne Craft MA, Certified Natural Health Professional "Our daughter is so different now." At a recent consultation for their 12-year-old daughter, a dad stated, "If you do nothing else for us in this consultation, you will already have changed our lives." He and his wife had followed the advice found on a CD purchased from a homeschool convention. The CD explained the effects of hidden allergies on a child's learning and behavior. They reported many changes in their daughter after they removed dairy and soy products from her diet. They said she now focuses much better, finishes her work in a reasonable time, does not have daily "meltdowns," has made tremendous growth in reading, comprehension, and writing. What phenomenon is occurring here? Observing Struggling Learners After homeschooling my own son, I worked for years in the public school system, teaching special education children with moderate needs. These were bright children with learning blocks that caused them to work too hard to learn or to remain focused. Patterns began to emerge as I studied these children's files. About 85% had multiple antibiotics use when young; 99% had allergies. In my experience, although not all children with allergies have learning or focusing issues, most children with learning or focusing glitches have allergies. Unfortunately, these allergies are often unknown.* For example, when a baby is allergic to milk, common manifestations are projectile vomiting, colic, recurrent ear or upper respiratory infections or a rash. When the parent replaces dairy for the baby, the symptoms disappear. Parents often say their child was allergic to dairy as an infant but can handle it now. Actually, the manifestation has changed. Now the allergy is manifesting as reading reversals, meltdowns, attention and focusing problems, hyperactivity or sensory processing problems. This is a tricky connection to make, because it does not look like a typical allergy manifestation. ("Cerebral Allergies," Dr. Philpott, MD, "Help for Your Hyperactive Child," William Crook, MD, "Superimmunity for Kids," Leo Galland, MD) What Symptoms Should I Look For? Children suffering with stomachaches, dark circles under the eyes, constant sniffling, reflux, eczema, asthma, chronic bronchitis, recurrent ear infections or bed wetting may have a hidden allergy. The most common of these seems to be a dairy allergy or sensitivity. Symptoms these allergies manifest in the areas of: Academics: 1) Inconsistent performance (knows the material one day, but not the next); 2) Appears lazy and unmotivated; 3) Poor memory; 4) Writing reversals (surprisingly); 5) Focusing and attention struggles. Behavioral manifestations can be: 1) Sensory processing problems (noises, tags, foods, transitions bother this child); 2) Irritability; 3) Hyperactivity; 4) Meltdowns. If an allergy is just affecting the nervous system, it may look to the parent like a behavior, focusing, or learning problem. If parents suspect a food allergy, they can ask their child's pediatrician for a blood test that will help to pinpoint the allergy. Tests that are not blood tests, (such as the scratch test) generally are not as helpful. On occasion, an allergy test may not uncover the allergy. The physicians mentioned above recommend a six-week allergy elimination trial if a child exhibits any of the above symptoms. Dr. Block warns that during this six-week trial it is important to not even have one teaspoon of the offending food (most common allergens are dairy, eggs, peanuts and wheat). The child with a hidden allergy is suffering with a malfunctioning immune/alert system. It shouts, "Red Alert!" and sends out histamine when only one teaspoon is ingested--as though an entire gallon was ingested. This experiment can be undertaken as a science project. For six weeks, remove the offending food and keep track on the calendar of any changes. Then put it back in, and watch what happens. Some Solutions In her book, "No More Ritalin," Dr. Block gives samples of handwriting before and after a child is given a suspected food allergen. Before, the child's name is written perfectly; after the allergen is ingested, his name is written in mirror image (http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=7815). A pioneering physician, Dr. Batmanghelidj (http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=7816) talks about different manifestations of allergies in "Your Body's Many Cries For Water." He recommends that anyone with allergies or asthma consider increasing their intake of water daily (half their body weight in ounces of water, gradually achieved). He says that asthma and allergies are manifestations of a dehydrated state in the body. Water and sea salt, a natural antihistamine, with its combination of natural minerals and natural sodium, comes to the rescue. In his book, Dr. "Batman," as he is referred to, has many letters from physicians telling of their good experience with this rehydration program with their own child as well as their patients. Many parents find relief for their child's hidden food allergy or sensitivity (after the six-week elimination diet) using natural enzymes designed to help the child digest the offending food substance. Two books written by Karen DeFelice give tremendous information about how to use enzymes to help your child with allergies that are manifesting in behavioral and physical ways: "Enzymes for Autism and other Neurological Conditions" (these powerful, natural enzymes work for many other conditions other than autism, also), and "Enzymes: Go With Your Gut" (http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=7817). My husband found that he can now eat all the offending foods he couldn't for years, using these enzymes (http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=7818). Maybe this could be your child (or husband), too. In these books, parents write of a phenomenon they call the "Happy Child Effect." Children who were previously grumpy and hard to get along with because of a hidden allergy or sensitivity are now happy all the time, according to the parents' reports. Speech improves, sleep improves, and food intolerances are gradually decreased. Children who have sensory processing disorders benefit the most, it seems. They can soon tolerate noise, transitions and food textures. This is certainly something for parents to read, consider, and pray about for their child. God has given us wonderful solutions for many of life's everyday, perplexing problems. As we seek Him, He will faithfully show us the way for our child. The information in this article should not be construed as a diagnosis or medical advice. Please consult your physician for any medical condition and before adding supplements or changing a child's diet. * See Dr. Leo Galland's book, "Superimmunity for Kids," and Dr. William Crook's book, "Help for the Hyperactive Child." ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> "I saved my entire membership fee with one discount" "When I called Liberty to find out what kind of discount we could get, they told us we would 10% off our car insurance and 5% off our homeowner's insurance. What we will save is more than double what it costs to join HSLDA. 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