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I Spy Something Red
Could Your Child Be Sensitive to Red Food Dye? By Deborah Boehle
"Before you use medicine, use this simple method first and see if it does play a role," says Bratby.
"We are not anti-medicine, but why would you treat something with medicine when you don't know what you're dealing with?" says Bratby. "You have to know what you've got before you pronounce a diagnosis."
Ironically, Hersey says Ritalin -- which is the most common drug given to children with ADHD -- contains yellow dye, which could exacerbate the problem for children who are sensitive to it.
Larowe did a lot of research on childhood depression, obsessive compulsive disorder and other mental diseases when trying to figure out what was wrong with her daughter. She also talked to her daughter's pediatrician, who offered no answers.
"I am so thankful to my friend who told me about (the possible problems with red dye)," Larowe says. "The time I spend with my daughter is now so much more enjoyable. I actually did not like being with her a lot of the time before discovering her allergy. She was so unhappy, and it made the rest of the family unhappy, too."
Although Bratby and Hersey agree that not all cases of ADHD or other behavioral problems are caused by artificial dyes, they believe it is such a simple theory to test on an individual child, it is worth the effort.
"We certainly don't think that food additives are the answer or the only culprit, but we think it's a mistake not to take them into account as a huge factor, a big piece of the puzzle," says Hersey.
"I feel that all parents should be more aware of red dye and what it can do to some children," says Larowe. "I would like to spread the word to as many people as I can, and hopefully help other families who are in the same situation I was in."