Behavioral disorders, allergies and elimination diet

The popular press frequently report about behavioral disorders in children due to food hypersensitivity as well as about their successfull dietary tre atment. This paper provides an overview on scientific reports examining the relationship between allergies and behavioral disorders and outlining hypo theses for a common pathophysiology of the two diseases. Scientific literat ure on dietary treatments in cases of behavioral disorders will also be rev iewed. By means of a questionnaire, members of a parents' society of childr en with behavioral disorders (attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity , learning disorders, etc.) were asked about the effectiveness of dietary t reatment. Elimination diets were given to 94% of the children with behavior al disorders of which 75% carried their diet through for over two years. Ac cording to the parents, elimination diets were practicable over long period s and led to significant improvements. This contrasts with the lack of evid ence supporting the case of food-induced behavioral disorders.