FOOD INTOLERANCE NETWORK
FACTSHEET
Head banging
Head banging is one of the childhood problems such as
restless legs and hyperactivity that have increased dramatically since
the introduction of processed foods in the 1960s in the
Children often start head banging around the end of
their first year. It is more common in boys than girls, and in children with
autism. Toddlers usually bang their heads against their cot, but it can be
walls, floors and other objects. Children who frequently engage in this
behaviour can develop a bald spot or long lasting bruising as a result.
Paediatricians
and psychologists generally suggest that head banging is an attention seeking
or pleasurable repetitive behaviour and that parents should ignore it.
In my experience, head banging in both autistic and
non-autistic children is related to food chemicals. Children aged three and
under are unable to explain why they do it, although when they avoid certain
food chemicals, their head banging stops. One mother who was already avoiding
artificial colours reported that her two-year-old's
head banging dropped from 10 episodes per day to only one within two days of
avoiding annatto natural yellow colour (160b).
A twelve year old former head banger doing the
failsafe diet for behaviour and learning problems reverted to banging his head
repeatedly against a brick wall during his annatto challenge. After the
episode, he was able to describe a headache so severe and overwhelming that
banging his head seemed to be the only way to obtain relief.
Annatto 160b (from the seed coat of a tropical tree)
is the most commonly used food colour in our food supply. It is found in a wide
range of both healthy and junk foods, from breakfast cereals, yoghurt, custard,
margarine and crumbed or battered foods such as fish fingers to icecream,
biscuits and snack foods. Parents often choose foods labeled 'all natural - no
artificial colours, flavours or preservatives' unaware that they can contain
natural colour annatto 160b which has been shown to affect more people than
artificial colours. The reaction is likely to be more delayed than with
artificial colours, which makes it even more difficult to identify.
Preservatives, artificial flavours and other food
chemicals can also cause head banging. The mother of a child with autistic
spectrum disorder described how her young son reacted to a children's
colour-free paracetamol:
"He
became incredibly agitated, head banging, aggressive, thrashing ...
inconsolable... we rushed to the doctor (because we were to hop on an
international flight the next day!) and he sent us off for urgent blood and
urine tests. While waiting for the tests (about 3 hours later I think) my son
suddenly regained his composure and became calm."
Children generally grow out of head banging by the age
of three or four. This is because the smallest children are most vulnerable to
the effects of food chemicals - the effects of food chemicals are related to
dose, and dose for weight, children eat, drink and breathe more than adults. As
they grow, their tolerance increases. In autistic children, extremely food
sensitive children, or those with a high intake of processed foods, episodes of
head banging may persist.
Betacarotene
natural colour 160, as found in carrots, is a safe alternative to annatto
natural yellow colour and artificial yellow. Although Australian food
manufacturers say it is too difficult and expensive to use, betacarotene
is used extensively as a colouring in
Reader’s story
[562] Yellow addiction (May
2007)
My son was restless from the day he was born. His paediatrician
told me to not feed him dairy or wheat and suggested I feed him meat and
vegetables and fruit for the first year of his life. When he was one, I decided
to broaden his diet a bit and started feeding him vanilla ice cream. I didn’t
understand at the time, but he started throwing the most awful tantrums and
head banging. He became obsessed with the colour yellow. He only wanted to wear
yellow clothes, draw with yellow pencils and chose
toys that were yellow. My friends constantly commented on his yellow addiction.
I used to feed him corn and cheese omelettes for
dinner with vanilla ice cream and banana for dessert. I’d mix the banana in
thoroughly so the ice cream looked more yellow. It wasn’t until 18 months later
that I started learning about nasty food chemicals, and learned that annatto
160b natural yellow colouring was causing a lot of problems. When we got
together with other mothers, he’d go straight for yellow food and always want
yellow drinks. It was a bit of a joke really. He’d choose yellow lollies over other colours and when I asked him what colour
he wanted his room painted, he of course said Yellow. I stopped allowing him
food with 160b in it, but still let him have it when he went out. My friends
thought I was over the top with food.
One day after meeting with my friends, and my son eating their yellow
food, he went off the rails. I managed to get him into the car, (which is hard
when they stiffen their bodies like a board) and drove him to my friend’s house.
He was screaming in his car seat, Let me out, let me out and was struggling
like crazy in his seat. We drove up her driveway and my friend said Oh my god,
what’s happened to Liam? I explained
this is what happens when he eats bad food chemicals. It was only after this
that she actually believed me. I then became strict and totally eliminated it
from his diet. His headbanging stopped and his
outrageous tantrums stopped also. I then realised
that his obsession with yellow was caused from an addiction to yellow food.
When I eliminated it from his diet, he began to choose other colours to wear.
He’d choose other coloured lunchboxes, drink bottles and hats. I’ve never heard
any other parent mention the colour phenomenon, but I still believe it was
connected to his addiction to 160b. – Helen, NSW (similar stories to suedengate@ozemail.com.au please)
What you can do
1. For autistic children, go straight to step 5.
2. Read all ingredient labels
3. Avoid artificial colours and annatto 160b. The
following items are examples of colour free products:
- Peters Original Vanilla Icecream
- Vaalia plain
yoghurt (you can add your own flavourings)
4. Avoid preservatives and artificial flavours,
especially in children's medications
5. If head banging persists, you might want to do a trial
of the failsafe diet, to find out exactly which food chemicals are causing your
child's problem. See Factsheet 'How to start the failsafe diet'.
The information given is not intended as medical
advice. Always consult with your doctor for underlying illness. Before
beginning dietary investigation, consult a dietician with an interest in food
intolerance. You can find a supportive dietitian through the Dietitians
Association of
© Sue
Dengate update February 2005
