Struggling with your child’s behaviour?
“I’ve had enough!”, “I’ve tried everything and nothing seems to work”, “Why don’t they listen to me?”
If any of these sound familiar to you, you are not alone. I have been known to make these statements several times along my parenting journey!
While parenting techniques play an important role in raising happy, well-regulated children, there are also simple diet and lifestyle strategies that can have a huge impact on a child’s behaviour, mood and focus.
The following suggestions can be used with children of all ages – from toddlers to teens:
1. Eliminate food additives (artificial colours, flavours and preservatives)
Research has shown a link between food additives and behavioural problems in children. The number of additives in children’s diets has risen dramatically in recent decades, mainly due to the increased consumption of processed foods.
Additives are associated with a range of symptoms in children, including hyperactivity, poor concentration, headaches, fatigue, anxiety, anger, defiance, mood swings, skin rashes, asthma, digestive upset, bedwetting and sleep problems.
This is one of the first areas I focus on when I am working with children with behaviour problems. It is usually fairly easy to find additive-free versions of foods that children like and making the swap to an additive-free diet generally results in noticeable improvements within a short period of time.
I like to give clients a list of the main additives to avoid and suggestions for additive-free swaps for popular children’s foods.
2. Establish healthy sleep habits
Many children are not getting the quality sleep they need for optimal functioning and this leads to problems with memory, concentration and behaviour.
Sleep cycles can be disrupted for many reasons, including medical problems (e.g. reflux, allergies and food reactions), mental health issues (e.g. anxiety), excessive use of screens, and hormonal changes in puberty.
The Sleep Health Foundation makes the following recommendations: children aged 3 -5 years - 10 to 13 hours sleep; children aged 6-13 years - 9 to 11 hours; teenagers aged 14 – 17 years - 8 to 10 hours.
Simple strategies to improve sleep patterns include:
Having a consistent wind-down routine, e.g. bed, bath, story/meditation
Avoid screens within 1 hour of bedtime and keep phones out of bedrooms
Establish regular sleep patterns (same sleep and wake times each day)
Encourage children to be active and spend time in nature each day
3. Correct nutrient imbalances and deficiencies
Nutrient deficiencies are becoming more common in today’s children due to the lack of minerals in the Australian soil and nutrient-poor diets that are high in processed foods and low in fruit and vegetables.
Many children are low in zinc, magnesium, iron and protein and this has a direct impact on brain function, growth and development, behaviour and mood. On the flip side, children’s diets are often high in refined carbohydrates (bread, crackers, pasta, cakes and biscuits) which results in imbalances in blood sugar and consequent fluctuations in mood and energy levels.
We can help stabilise our children’s blood sugar levels, energy, mood, focus and attention by implementing a diet that includes the following:
Including quality protein with every meal, e.g. eggs, cheese, poultry, meat, fish, beans, nuts and seeds
Increasing fibre, mineral and vitamin intake through fruit, vegetables, beans, wholegrain cereals, nuts and seeds
Cutting down on refined sugar, e.g. soft drinks, confectionery and processed foods (such as commercially produced cakes and biscuits)
4. Address allergies and food intolerances
While allergic reactions are usually obvious, it can be hard to identify food intolerances in children. Allergies and food intolerances make children feel bad and can cause symptoms such as headaches, digestive problems, skin reactions, disturbed sleep, brain fog and hyperactivity.
Children may not tell us when they are experiencing symptoms and there is often a delay between consumption of a particular food and any reactions appearing. A great way to identify specific food intolerances is to keep a food and symptom diary for 2 – 3 weeks. Another strategy is to do an elimination diet which involves eliminating the foods that you believe your child is reacting to and then gradually re-introducing them while monitoring for symptoms.
When my daughter was three she began to show symptoms of food intolerance, including eczema on her face and body, stomach pains that were so bad she needed a heat pack on her tummy at bedtime every night, significant weight loss and generally feeling miserable. At the time, I had three children under 4 years old and life was busy so I wasn’t impressed when I was advised to do an elimination diet and keep a food diary. It wasn’t easy but we quickly identified that she had a problem with foods high in salicylates, e.g. tomatoes, citrus fruits, strawberries and watermelon. We eliminated these foods from her diet and within three months she was completely symptom-free! The even better news is that my daughter didn’t have to avoid those foods forever. Once we worked on healing her gut, we were able to gradually reintroduce salicylates and she is now able to tolerate them in her diet.
5. Support gut health
Gut health is a popular topic with nutritionists, naturopaths and other health professionals – as well as social media “influencers”. You may not know that the term “gut” actually refers to the entire gastrointestinal tract, not just your stomach!
The main role of the gut is to digest and absorb the nutrients we need for optimal health. Damage to the gut lining - known as “leaky gut”- can cause problems with nutrient breakdown and absorption, resulting in nutrient deficiencies. Leaky gut also allows undigested proteins to enter the bloodstream and travel to the brain, resulting in inflammation and impacting brain function.
In addition to its role in digestion, the gut acts as our body’s “second brain” as it has its own nervous system (called the enteric nervous system) which communicates with the central nervous system. Research has shown that when the gut is irritated (for example, if a person has Irritable Bowel Syndrome) the enteric nervous system may send signals to the brain that trigger mood changes, such as anxiety and depression. The gut is also responsible for producing the neurotransmitters serotonin and GABA which are needed for regulating behaviour, mood and sleep.
This all may sound a bit complicated but there are simple things you can do to improve your child’s gut health. The following tips focus on healing the lining of the gut and increasing levels of good bacteria:
Making sure children have enough fibre in their diet (e.g. fruit, vegetables, wholegrains) – fibre is a prebiotic that feeds the good bacteria in the gut. It also helps to ensure regular bowel movements.
Cutting down on sugar - sugar feeds the bad bacteria in the gut, creating imbalance and inflammation.
Trying to buy organic or spray-free fruit and vegetables as much as possible - pesticides and other agricultural chemicals can be very damaging to the gut lining and good bacteria in the gut
Eating probiotic-rich foods, e.g. natural yoghurt, kombucha, fermented vegetables, bone broth.
Introducing a broad-spectrum multi-strain probiotic supplement – this is particularly important if your child does not eat probiotic foods or if they are taking antibiotics.
Reducing stress and ensuring your child has enough quality sleep each night
6. Drink more water!
Dehydration affects children’s energy levels, mood and ability to focus and concentrate. Even mild dehydration is associated with irritability, headaches and poor physical performance so it is easy to see how lack of water may contribute to challenging behaviour.
Large amounts of soft drink, fruit juice, sports drinks and cordial are being consumed by children these days and many children do not drink enough water.
According to Health Direct, the recommended daily intake of water for children is: 5 to 8 years old: 5 glasses (1 litre); 9 to 12 years old: 7 glasses (1.5 litres); 13 years and over: 8 to 10 glasses (2 litres).
Ways to encourage children to drink more water:
Always pack a water bottle to avoid buying drinks
Add flavour to water by adding fruits e.g. berries, lemons and limes
Use novelty cups at home
For younger children, buy small water bottles that are easy for them to hold and drink throughout the day
Use frozen fruit instead of ice cubes
Be a role model by regularly drinking water in front of your children
If you would like help with improving your child’s mood, behaviour and general health, visit www.nourishtothrive.com.au or phone 0422 723 855 to book a consultation.
References
1. Tuula E. Tuormaa TE, 1994, The Adverse Effects of Food Additives on Health: A Review of the Literature with Special Emphasis on Childhood Hyperactivity, The Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, vol 9, no 4.
2. Dengate S, 2008, Fed Up, Random House, North Sydney, Australia.
3. Sleep Health Foundation, 2022, How much sleep do you really need? Sleep Health Foundation, Strathfield, viewed 20 May, https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/how-much-sleep-do-you-really-need.html
4. Health Direct, 2020, Hydration tips for children, Health Direct, Australia, viewed 20 May, https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/hydration-tips-for-children
5. Walsh, WJ (2014), Nutrient Power: heal your biochemistry and heal your brain, Skyhorse Publishing, New York.
6. John Hopkins Medicine, 2022, The brain gut connection, John Hopkins University, Maryland, viewed 24 May, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-brain-gut-connection
7. Carpenter S, 2012, That gut feeling, American Psychological Association, Washington, viewed 24 May 2022, https://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/09/gut-feeling