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Food Allergies
Could food be affecting your child's learning and behavior?
By Dr. Gary Erkfritz, Executive Director Brain Balance Achievement Center of Westlake Village

Food Allergies… The two types and what makes them different…

IgG Food Allergies (delayed food allergies/ intolerances) are often a major factor contributing to children's learning and behavior difficulties. Children with neurobehavioral delays often have intolerance to certain foods, i.e. GLUTEN (grain related proteins) and CASEIN (a protein found in milk). Sometimes testing does not find any food allergies, but when you eliminate casein, gluten, and/or other food substances the child exhibits improved attention, decreased impulsivity, better behaviors.

My Child was tested for Allergies…

IgE versus IgG Reactions: Allergies are specific reactions within the immune system involving antibodies called Immunoglobulins. Immediate responses (hives, swelling, congestion, or difficulty breathing caused by swelling which closes off the windpipe) result from Immunoglobulin E (IgE) activity. Traditional scratch tests can identify IgE trigger responses such a grass, dander or peanuts for example. These are immediate and can vary in severity from annoying to deadly.

Delayed food allergy responses are very different. The responses to specific foods may occur anywhere from 2-72 hours after eating the trigger food. The reaction can vary from irritability (with occasional 'meltdowns'), to decreased ability to concentrate or focus, increased impulsivity and/or aggression, fatigue, bedwetting, and sleep disturbances. These delayed allergy responses result from Immunoglobulin G (IgG) activity. Unlike IgE testing, IgG must be assessed by blood test only. Keep in mind that the term "allergy" describes the symptomatic response after exposure, whether it is immediate or delayed.
Your Child may have an Immature Digestive Tract…

Another very important factor is poor digestive function. Poor digestive function can have various causes such as immature gut development in an infant/ child, heavy antibiotic use, yeast overgrowth, or perhaps decreased digestive enzymes. Recent studies have linked the lack of DPP4 enzyme (a specific digestive enzyme) with the symptoms of PDD/ Autism. Without, or with decreased, digestive enzymes partially digested proteins such as casein and gluten (the two most common allergens) may leak into the bloodstream, this is commonly referred to as a 'leaky gut'.

These partially digested proteins can mimic other complex molecules such as endorphins. Endorphins are nervous system proteins that act as pain killers. These partially digested proteins, can then bind to opiate (pain killing) receptor sites and therefore be responsible for irritability, poor eye contact, and the 'disconnection' you often see in people on pain killer medications. The children can become almost addicted to the specific food they are actually allergic to. This is why it is not uncommon to see a child who appears almost addicted to the actual foods he/she is allergic to and will actually go through some minor withdrawal symptoms upon removal of the allergen from their diet. Many of these children are called the macaroni & cheese, cereal, pizza or bagel and cream cheese kids, all of which contain casein and/or glutens, because that is just about all they will eat.

Elimination Diets…

Elimination of the allergen foods is necessary in order to help reduce/eliminate the many negative behaviors associated with your child's neurobehavioral disorder. Rather than eliminating the foods permanently, one key to being able to re-introduce the triggering foods is to address and correct any underlying 'leaky gut' difficulties. This ability to re-introduce foods without getting the allergic response is also dependent on the balancing of electrical activity between the two brain hemispheres which has a direct affect on equilibrating the immune system response, and reducing the hyper-immune response (allergy). This balancing of electrical activity comes as a direct result of our sensory-motor activities pillar of the Brain Balance Program™, highlighting the importance of the integrative approach for helping these children.

For more information, please
call 805-371-8085 or email Westlake@BrainBalanceCenters.com.
Brain Balance Achievement Center of Westlake Village is located at 650 Hampshire Road, Suite 102, WLV, CA 91361.

Playing House
By Staff Writer

Many children spend hours playing with dollhouse toys, carefully arranging and dramatizing scenarios. Not only are kids enthusiastic about it, but there are numerous educational benefits to playing with a miniature dollhouse:

1. Imaginative Play: Dolls promote imaginative play, which is developmentally important for children. Adults often discount pretend play since it appears to have no purpose. However, it is a key component of learning for children of all ages. Research has found connections between imaginative play and cognition, social abilities, and language skills. This type of play allows children to practice their social skills, work through any troubling or upsetting events, develop their conversational vocabularies, learn empathy, and stretch their creativity.

Some parents are troubled by pretending when children seem to reject the real world. However, a child who insists he is a superhero or she is a princess is not denying reality. For a child, its an intricate experiment to discover the limits of imagination and reality, along with exploring how someone else might see, think, and feel. Logical rules still apply, and kids often think of elaborate solutions to problems.

When children play together with miniature dollhouse toys, skills like having self-control, taking turns, sharing, listening, and improvisation are further developed. Don't assume games are limited by gender. Girls and boys both enjoy playing with realistic figures and houses, since these reflect their own life experiences of the world.

2. History Lesson: Miniature dollhouses often have an historic context, so each building plus accompanying dollhouse toys portrays a particular time. Dolls can wear appropriate clothing and use period furniture. It is an excellent way for children to learn about the past and how people lived. They can reenact a favorite historical event or scene from a story. Alternatively, open-ended play is always possible.

3. Coordination: Play-ing with a miniature dollhouse requires fine motor skills - the same ones that are important for writing, playing musical instruments, and other life activities. Dressing small dolls and organizing dollhouse toys also develops hand-eye coordination and encourages concentration.

4. Creativity: Doll-house toys come in every possible shape, from tiny stained glass windows and paintings to cars. A miniature dollhouse could have an elegant garden, with a rocking horse in the nursery along with a dining table laden with real dishes and intricate foods. Some children go on to make their own clothing or furnishings, further increasing their use of imagination, creativity, fine motor skills, and concentration. They may decide to collect pieces and develop a rewarding hobby.

When playing with miniature dollhouse toys, younger children will use just a few figures and simple pieces of furniture and let their imagination take care of the rest. Older children become enthusiastic about more detailed accessories and more realistic settings. As kids get older, they gain greater appreciation for the open-ended possibilities offered by a miniature dollhouse with detailed, realistic dollhouse toys and figurines.

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