This is a "Best of" from Spring 2018. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is trying to help Americans understand that the epidemic of chronic illness and overall poor health in our children is in large part, a phunction of the phoods they eat. Phoods promoted by the FDA, by nutritionists, by marketing campaigns and as you can see below, the American Academy of Pediatrics.

A childhood attached to obesity, developmental delays (even if CDC moves the goal line) asthma inhalers, anti anxiety meds, epipens, glucose monitors & special education is NOT what childhood should be.  We KNOW this. The problem affects every American, Communist to Ultra Conservative.  The solutions are bi-tri-quad-quint-partisan. 

By Kim Rossi

Knock knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who? Banana banana.Knock knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who? Banana banana.Knock knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who? Banana banana.Knock knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who? Banana banana.Knock knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who? Banana banana.Knock knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who? Banana banana.Knock knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who? Banana banana.Knock knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who? Banana banana.Knock knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who? Banana banana.Knock knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who? Banana banana.Knock knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who? Banana banana.Knock knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who? Banana banana.Knock knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who? Banana banana.Knock knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who? Banana banana.Knock knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who? Banana banana.Knock knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who? Banana banana.Knock knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who? Banana banana.Knock knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who? Banana banana.Knock knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who? Banana banana.Knock knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who? Banana banana. Knock knock. Who's there? Orange you glad you didn't get this gift basket from Melissa Arnold?  What that's not funny???

Melissa Wervey Arnold is the Chief Executive Officer for the Ohio Chapter of the AAP, American Academy of Pediatrics. She recently posted on the open, public part of her Facebook  page  a photo of a gift basket she made for end of school year, not an AAP gift per se - "orange you glad..." was the theme. Clever, as we all remember the old knock knock joke from childhood. However, every bit of food and drink in the basket was completely contrary to the goal of children's or anyone's health.  An Oompa Loompa would have run away screaming.  There wasn't an orange or a Halo to be found. No carrots. Nothing remotely healthy, at least in the photo. 

The AAP is the organization that represents the physicians responsible for pediatric health and health care. Had Arnold added, "I know it's not the healthiest basket ever, but it's all for fun and we at AAP recommend kids eat these foods sparingly and partake of fruits and veggies," the irony would have been less drastic. From the AAP Ohio site: The number of obese children in the United States as more than tripled since the 1970’s. The Ohio Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics’ Parenting at Mealtime and Playtime program combines more than 10 years of proven, successful nutrition and obesity-prevention education into a program aimed at making Ohio children healthier. The Ohio AAP’s obesity-prevention work began in 2007, with Ounce of Prevention, and continued in 2012 with the Pound of Cure Learning Collaborative.

This orange food basket is akin to the head of the American Cancer Society sending out cartons of cigarettes as a gift.  Here's a slew of science that links food dyes and pediatric behavioral problems.

Chronic Illness and Developmental Vulnerability at School Entry

CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of the number or type of conditions, chronic illness in young children is a risk factor for reduced school readiness. These effects were seen for health conditions not traditionally considered detrimental to school readiness, such as chronic otitis media. Thus, the implications of a broader range of chronic health conditions in early childhood on school readiness need to be considered.

AAP Statement on the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans  The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) welcomes the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans released today. For the first time, the guidelines recommend limiting the consumption of added sugars to less than 10 percent of calories per day, and continue to recommend more vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean proteins, and less sodium and saturated fat, all of which support a healthy eating pattern for families.

Many in the autism community noticed and commented all over Facebook. Our own Anne Dachel has catalogued thousands of stories of the radical decline of teachability of children and the impact on schools.  Garbage in, garbage out. Food choices matter. However,  Melissa and her friends pooh poohed the cacophony of "Who would feed this to anyone?" and even mocked the NUTRITIONAL topic as the realm of "crazy antivaxxers."  So wrong. So very wrong.  In fact, it's bananas.  Kim