A Quick Summary

I haven't had the time to give a full background of what I have read on the connection between leaky gut syndrome, ADHD and ezcema.  I previously linked to the book Is Your Child's Brain Starving?  which gives a good lay-people explanation of all of it.  I wanted to just share an excerpt from the conclusion of Part I of the book:
"Sub-optimal brain function is often associated with disturbances in the structure, function and microscopic ecology of the gastrointestinal tract.  Leaky gut syndrome is a common condition resulting from chronic irritation of or poor nutritional support for, the normally leakproof lining of the small intestine.  When the small intestine becomes leaky, large partially digested food particles and byproducts of microorganisms passively leak through the intestine, putting a great deal of stress upon the immune system and liver.  The result can be a variety of symptoms including food intolerances  malaise, poor concentration, irritability  fatigue, and muscle pain."  (p. 105)

So, our goal with the food changes we are making is to remove all the foods that are a possible allergen/irritant.  When those foods are removed and wholesome foods are consumed, the gut will heal-slowly.  It will take about a month, but at that point we should be seeing an improvement not only in his skin symptoms, but also in his focus and impulse control.  His body should then be absorbing the nutrients needed to fuel the part of the brain that controls attention and impulse.  At that point, we can begin adding foods back in one at a time to see which actually cause a reaction.  If the gut is no longer leaking, there should be far fewer foods that get through to his immune system (don't imagine whole chunks of food-try to think of it as partially digested proteins, instead.)  Those are the foods he may be reacting to now even though he is not "allergic" to them.  We should see a decrease in his "food allergies" along with their related symptoms (ezcema), and we should know which few foods he truly shouldn't eat.

I am not a doctor, medical professional or anything of the kind.  This blog is intended to share our experiences about allergies, food, ADHD and ezcema.  If what we have to say helps you, then great.  But, we are doing all this under a physician's care, and so should you.  You should also read all labels and research your own food choices carefully.  Food allergies and anaphylaxis are not something to toy around with.  They are definitely not something to experiment with yourself.  Be safe: read labels, know your food, and consult a physician.