A reader question

Here's a reader question I received. As always I like to answer on the blog because for every question someone actually emails there are usually 10 readers thinking the saame thing...

"I have been trying this diet for about three weeks and have made many mistakes giving my son wrong products by accident, that I thought were approved and were not. We have yet to see any changes and I want to quit because my sons kindergarten teacher keeps reminding me how she see's no changes and now my husband is doubting it, he wont say it but I can tell. Which in turn makes me doubt. My son's hyperness and impulsiveness is what the special ed teacher says will keep him in there. She says a regular class will not be able to handle him. We have a meeting on May 20th to decide his placement for next year and I know if there are not no changes she and the case manager will suggest medicating again!"

Let me start with saying that some kids are more sensitive than others to petroleum and some kids take longer to detox from it than others. Sometimes there are issues other than petro blockage also. If there was any permanent damage to the brain to cause problems you will not see 100% improvement in that area (such as physical brain trauma}. However, most people seem to see a huge improvement by the time the initial stage one 6 weeks are up. Especially with things like hyperactivity and impulsiveness.
If you are a feingold member and you are serious about this, stick with the list absolutely. Mistakes are mistakes and can't be helped in the past but if your son is toxic he needs some real time without ANY petroleum.
Besides the things he gets at home from you he may be reacting worse at school because of cleaning chemicals, air fresheners, play-doh, markers on the skin, or helpful friends who offer him a couple of skittles or m & m's each day.
My youngest, and most toxic, can get one m & m and we'll see it for 3 days. Remember the nerds on the bathroom floor episode from a few months ago?

So, that does it for the reaction issues...let's talk parenting now. I like to put a positive spin on the eating thing rather than saying things like, "dye makes you act crazy." Can you try to help your son understand that when he eats healthy foods that you give him his brain will work better? He will be able to control his actions better and in turn will have more free time and less time in punishments? Let him know that you're his partner in this new adventure and you need his help. My youngest still sneaks but not nearly so often. The times that he sneaks we've had small infractions previously and then his impulsiveness comes back. If you can truly get ALL petrol out of his diet and as much as possible out of his environment you should be much better off with his cooperation.

Third option...control your teaching environment. We choose to homeschool but you should also know that you are in control of your son in school as much as possible. Don't let them push you around. I think most states have laws now where parents can take their kids out of special ed. Make sure you have the most cooperative teacher, let her read the blue book and really understand how you are trying to help your son. Give her this website and ask her to please look into it so he/she can understand your son's issues. Do everything you can for him in school. There's always the chance that he will still sneak from friends in school and I don't know how to solve that one.

Husbands? I've written a lot about them in the past. Sometimes they are just hard to convince. They'd rather think their kids are "active or precocious" than think they have some disease or allergy. They are afraid to give up their foods not understanding that they can have brands of most foods. They are usually addicted themselves. Women are usually used to controlling the food situation so I don't think it phases us as much. The best advice I can offer is to make yummy things and keep the blue book or other information on the back of the toilet seat so it might get picked up.