SKITTLES + AUTISM = STUPID
By Kim Stagliano
ABC News recently ran THIS report on artificial colors and behaviors in children.
So many therapists use Skittles candy (and other artificially colored candies) as behavioral incentives for kids on the spectrum. Check out this article From LOVAAS.com.
Boy is that ever stupid. Studies show (See NYT article here) that artificial colors can affect behavior. By affect, we don't mean "turns the child into a charming, compliant pussycat." Please get rid of the artificial colors in your practices, classrooms and centers, or really, you're like an AA counselor sharing a drink with an alcoholic during each session. Are you listening Mr. Strully?
The amount of food dye certified for use in 1955 was 12 mg per person per day, but that has risen sharply, according to FDA. In 2007, the figure had reached 59 mg per capita per day, or nearly five times as much, was certified for use. (Read more here.) Look at kids' goods on the shelves. Yogurt is neon pink. Goldfish are now in "rainbow" colors. Cereals are laden with artificial colors. Even ketchup and french fries come in colors. Why can't Mom just feed kids F-O-O-D instead of a technicolor nightmare? Even at my daughters' school, they serve ice cream that is pink and blue. The Stagliano girls bring a packed lunch each day, in the drab colors mother nature made.
And how about pediatricians? Do you see signs in their offices warning you about artifical colors and promoting alternatives next to the posters for the latest allergy drug? Come on, docs, get the red dye out of that amoxicillin and every other kid-friendly drug you prescribe. You might even see your Ritalin prescriptions drop. Oh. Nevermind.
Readers might want to know that M&M Mars and other candy manufacturers have removed the artificial dyes from their candies, Skittles included, sold in Europe. But not in America (click here.)
Check out these simple Google searches to see what we mean about how commonly used are these candies for children with developmental delays and behavior issues:
autism and Skittles
Kim Stagliano is Managing Editor of Age of Autism. And while her language is often colorful (think six of George Carlin's seven words) her food is not.
Here are more articles on artifi cial colors and natural coloring substitutes. Google has plenty of resources.
http://www.wisegeek.com/how-can-i-color-easter-eggs-naturally.htm
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-food-coloring-made-of.htm
http://www.naturalnews.com/022870_food_foods_artificial_colors.html
http://artificialcolor.wetpaint.com/
Posted by: Olive Kaiser | February 03, 2010 at 11:39 AM
Where is there a list of the ingredients and processes with and by which these problematic colors are made. I've heard petrochemicals and heavy metals like cadmium are involved? A list would help friends and family understand why we avoid them.
Here are some coloring substitutes that work nicely and some of them taste good too. Of course, choose foods to which your child is not sensitive.
Blend these ORGANIC foods with just enough water or the juice of the fruit to facilitate blending. Honey can be added if appropriate. If a juicer is available it can be used instead of blending.
Organic is needed due to pesticides on the peels. Wash well first and dry.
Red - beets, blend and strain - I used raw beets
Red - Cranberries - blend w/water and honey, strain
Yellow - lemon zest,lemon juice, honey, blend & strain
Yellow or orange - Virgin red palm oil, honey - www.wildernessfamilynaturals.com
Orange - orange zest,orange juice,honey, blend & strain
Tumeric - mix into food if the food flavor covers the tumeric. Add honey if it helps.
Green - mint leaves, blend w/water & strain
Green - parsley and honey, blend and strain or run through a juicer. Flavor may interfere.
Green - lime zest, lime juice, honey. Blend and strain.
Brown - raw organic cocoa
These colors can then be used as liquids or blended with soft (not melted), coconut oil. If the oil is the right temperature/consistency and the colors are mixed with honey they usually mix in well and can be hardened in the frig to a butter consistency for mixing into honey/coconut oil frostings and drizzles.
Refrigerate or freeze leftovers in baby food size jars. The acidic fruits like lemon, lime, orange and cranberry keep longer. Some of the others tend to mold quicker even in the frig.
What doesn't work? Pomegranate turns icky brownish, blueberries produce nearly the same color as cranberries.
Use your imagination. There are lots of other foods that work.
I haven't figured out a good blue. Is it needed? Likely not. Maybe someone else has a suggestion.
Posted by: Olive Kaiser | February 03, 2010 at 10:55 AM
Dyes are used in some vaccines. It is no wonder are kids are allergic to these ingredients - along with eggs and a variety of other fun things.
At least Skittles & M&M's are fun!!
Posted by: Lisa @ TACA | May 13, 2009 at 11:33 AM
my autistic child dont eat skittles and shes just absolutly crazy all the time
Posted by: Logan | May 13, 2009 at 09:02 AM
I am sitting here with mu otherwise bright and articulate 5 year old daughter. Her kindergarten teacher gave her skittles and now she is spitting at me and sobbing and then switching gears to tell me what a stupid girl she is. I am a science teacher and I can assure you dyes are affecting our children.
Posted by: Dina | December 02, 2008 at 07:25 PM
Thanks for this article. At Autism One, J McCarthy during the keynote made fun of the therapists who were trying to use a cookie as a reinforcer during her son's therapy. She said, Hey guys, what about THIS for reinforcement??? And jumped outta her chair and clapped and whooped like an idiot. :-) Very funny.
We just started ABA and were pleased that the center we chose does not use food/tv as reinforcers with any of the kids. They holler like crazy, clap, tickle, etc.... Reading this article makes me appreciate the fact that I will not have to fight them over not using candy as reinforcers. Good grief.
Posted by: Jessica Fithen | July 04, 2008 at 11:54 PM
I just posted this information on my blog to let others know. I plan to tell the parents that I work with as well as local ABA professionals.
You are always so informative.
Thank you!
Posted by: ~Miss Nelson | June 25, 2008 at 11:00 PM
M and M's send my typically developing 2.5 year old daughter into a behavioral tailspin. So much so that she actually starts to stim by spinning and rapidly shaking her head.
And it only takes a few, certainly less than a handful.
A big thumbs down to all the therapists who utilize these little bits of poison as "reinforcers". As a fellow therapist, I am appalled, and implore you to start thinking outside of the box.
Artificial colors, especially coupled with high-fructose corn syrup, are a potent combination of chemicals that irritate our children's nervous systems.
Posted by: Sakura | June 25, 2008 at 05:37 PM
Kim:
Thanks so much for pointing this out. Walk into most of the private ABA centers and you will find kids being fed boat loads of this crap. Skittles, M & M's, Starbursts, Sour Patch Kids...you name it. They shove this stuff in the kids' mouths all day long and I can tell you watching this practice just shows what bad ABA is going on in these places. What is even more shocking to me are the parents allowing this to go on and who have the attitude that the people in these centers are "brilliant" and such "experts."
And yes, NECC is one of the worst. They are so proud of their cabinets full of candy. Everything there seems to be centered around shoving a candy reinforcer into a child's mouth every few seconds. I talked to a parent once who said they used three cupcakes just to get the child on the bus in the morning and then wondered why this child was so overweight, unhealthy and continued to have severe behaviors and GI issues. The ignorance is stunning.
Posted by: Jane | June 25, 2008 at 02:28 PM
I remember a school speech therapist who did not know how to work with our son (then rather severely autistic and almost completely nonverbal at the age of 3) who said, "Well, he does not respond to positive reinforcers -- he does not like M&M's." M&M's were all she could think of.
We said, "Well, he does like a lot of other things such as interesting sounds, spinning objects, spiders, flashing lights, music. Why not use some of his obsessions as reinforcers?" But, she was not able to do this. Fortunately, our medical insurance approved speech therapy with a therapist of our choice -- and at the in-network rate because they did not have any in-network speech therapists in our area!
And, if it's not the artificial colors, many therapists use little crackers/cookies containing gluten! Not good for most of our kids!
Posted by: Twyla | June 25, 2008 at 11:19 AM
Here's a little something I wrote just yesterday about this very thing, and the stance of our grand old regulating body the FDA...
The FDA and their "controlled science" clowns have done it again. Earlier this month (June 3rd, 2008), the FDA stated it found no reason to slap a warning label onto food dyes like red 40 and yellow 5.
Concerning food dyes causing hyperactivity in children, there's just no evidence, they say. It's "overwhelming."
And anyone who says otherwise doesn't get Science.
It's not like this tactic is new, or anything. Cnn states:
Controlled studies conducted over three decades have shown that children's behavior can be worsened by some artificial dyes, says the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The group noted the British government is successfully pressuring food manufacturers to switch to safer colorings.
Over the years, the FDA has consistently disputed the center's assertion. The agency's Web site contains a 2004 brochure that asks the question: "Do additives cause childhood hyperactivity?"
"No. Although this hypothesis was popularized in the 1970's, well-controlled studies conducted since then have produced no evidence that food additives cause hyperactivity or learning disabilities in children," the agency said. (CNN.com)
Thanks, FDA, for that simple no.
When can you come over to babysit my son? After all, you're on top of my list of stellar, trustworthy sitters.
Right up there with the AAP, the CDC, and this guy from the Grocery Manufacturers Association, who claims: "Based on these findings, there is no need for consumers to alter their purchasing and eating habits. They and their children can safely enjoy food products containing these food colors." (Robert Brackett, CNN)
Does anyone still take this bull&%!* seriously?
It's patently clear what's going on here.
CNN writes, "The colorings the center seeks to ban are: Yellow 5, Red 40, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Orange B, Red 3, and Yellow 6."
A ban or even a warning on any food product containing these dyes would be devastating for the companies that make up the Grocery Manufacturers Association.
Hey, and if you're a teacher, the kids aren't getting hyperactive from eating two packs of M&Ms and chasing 'em with Coke. They're just responding to the behaviors of other kids, or they have some kind of genetic problem.
Trust us, it's not the sugar or the food dyes! Our science proves it and your anecdotal observations are meaningless.
It's time to stop listening to these government bodies as decades of incompetence and corruption have repeatedly shown us they are incapable of regulating safe foods and drugs.
Put up your own household ban on the Grocery Manufacturers Association's processed swill and cut into their profits.
Posted by: Josh | June 25, 2008 at 10:26 AM
We eliminated the food dye and preservatives as our initial biomed intervention years ago. I was constantly reading http://www.lactose.co.uk/ before heading to the grocery store--I wanted to know what was in my kids' food , how it was created (natural? chemical? other?), and what typical reactions someone might have. It's scary to see the ingredient lists on products geared toward children!
Cathy
Posted by: Cathy Jameson | June 25, 2008 at 10:13 AM
Kim, this is great. Too many people aren't aware of this issue. My son, in additional to being severely allergic to dairy is also allergic to just about every artificial food coloring there is. His ears get bright red and he becomes very hyperactive when he accidentally gets either one of these. (And, this he was tested for these by our pediatric allergist.)
What we do, with therapists and others that use these kinds of rewards, is to take our own -- until they see the light.
OAD
Posted by: ObjectiveAutismDad | June 25, 2008 at 09:48 AM