Jul 1, 2026 | I'm a Parent, I'm a Teacher, ILT Blog
Is bread really the staff of life for all people? The answer is almost certainly that it might have been once but in our modern times, the preservatives that are used to keep it fresh for longer might be underlying the difficult behaviours associated with ADHD.
These days there is a lot written about how diet affects learning and behaviour. Some families try to avoid certain foods – sugar and highly coloured foods are examples. But if you have a child who is struggling with really challenging mood swings, fatigue, defiant attitudes, eczema, asthma, poor progress at school, perhaps you need to look more closely at bread.
One of the major preservatives in bread is Proprionate. If you take this post seriously and read the labels on the breads your family eats daily, you’ll see that it is added to virtually all commercially available bread and rolls. The official name is Calcium Proprionate and it is a mould inhibitor, also found in various cheeses. The food scientists claim that it is harmless and they base this opinion on the fact that it occurs naturally in the human body. That may be so, but there is limited evidence as to how much is tolerated by our body and how high doses may affect the body.
Many South African families rely on bread for meals and snacks throughout the day. Breakfast, school lunches and afternoon snacks are often based on bread. It is an easy, relatively cheap and quick hunger satisfier. But this high intake of bread is accompanied by a high intake of proprionate.
One person who realised the link between proprionate and a myriad of mental and health problems is Sue Dengate. She is an Australian researcher and writer who spent years trying to understand the underlying reasons for her own children’s extreme behaviour and learning challenges. Her efforts have resulted in her founding the FAILSAFE eating approach which is widely followed in Australia and elsewhere. Her website is a font of knowledge about how intolerances to food and food additives – including proprionate – affect both brain and body.
For example, she mentions how some breastfed babies stopped their constant screaming when their mothers switched to preservative-free bread; how children were able to first reduce and then stop their ADHD medication after giving up preserved bread, even how high-functioning adults suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome regained their energy after excluding certain breads.
Bread preservative may not be the only additive causing problems but this post focuses on it because it is probably the additive eaten most often by people who think they are eating a healthy diet. So many of us can cope with preservatives, colourants and flavourants but that isn’t an argument for closing our minds to the possibility that the challenging ADHD-type behaviours that we struggle with daily might be caused by or at least worsened by modern foods. The children that we’re focusing on are more vulnerable to many of the potential offenders found in our environment, including foods. The fact that other children are not affected by these things is not an excuse to ignore the possibility that one or many more potential offenders are affecting the brain, immune system and other bodily systems in an ‘ADHD’ child.
So what bread can be eaten? I don’t have a list of breads free of Calcium Proprionate but recently found a brand at Pick ‘n Pay that was free of it. Otherwise, ciabatta is a bread that is proprionate free. The reason is that the preservative would kill the micro-organisms that produce the gas that form the holes in the bread. Artisanal breads available at the increasingly popular farmer’s markets may also be free of preservatives but you would be wise to check on this before buying. Investing in a bread making machine would be another option.
For more information about Sue Dengate’s amazing work, and full instructions as to how to follow her FAILSAFE diet, visit her website at www.fedup.com.au.
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May 13, 2026 | I'm a Parent, I'm a Teacher, ILT Blog
Teachers have so many roles to play and balls to juggle that for many, life can seem overwhelming for much of the time. Added to that is the expectation that they have to be able to meet the needs of children with a wide variety of abilities and challenges. No wonder they feel unraveled by the end of term!
But is there something they can do to perhaps better understand the causes of the frustrating behaviours they are faced with in their classrooms every day? When some children continually daydream, fail to listen, seem to be unable to follow simple instructions and are incapable of completing any work, it is understandable that their thoughts turn to ‘ADHD’. Perhaps this is a mistake.
South Africa is reputed to have one of the highest rates in the world of prescribing medication for ADHD. Parents are lamenting that sometimes a third of their child’s class is on some or other psychostimulant or other brain-altering drug to control difficult behaviour.
It is easy to believe that ADHD is a widespread mental disorder but that is a fallacy. In our work, Integrated Learning Therapy practitioners and teachers who have studied with us see how other underlying causes can be ignored in favour of an ‘easy’ diagnosis, with a seemingly quick fix of a drug to quieten children down and calm the classroom. When we take the time and the trouble to investigate more closely, we have found there are many other causes for children’s inability to behave appropriately and learn efficiently.
Some of these causes are due to neurodevelopmental problems, meaning that brain development did not proceed optimally. These we can identify and correct. Other causes are linked to nutrition intolerances and poor diets. Others may be due to lifestyle, anxiety and so on.
My wish is that teachers could be better equipped with the knowledge and skills to understand what lies beneath the surface. We see the iceberg, but have no understanding of what is invisible to us below the level of the water.
Integrated Learning Therapy is an eco-systemic approach that has been helping children for nearly twenty years now to shed the label of ADHD and other incorrect diagnoses. Teachers who understand our approach stop insisting that children have a mental condition and pushing parents towards medications. Schools have made changes to tuck shops and lunch boxes too and even added brief periods of movement to help children’s behaviour improve. This is the natural, sensible and intelligent approach to the torrent of behavioural challenges we experience in the classrooms.
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Apr 29, 2026 | I'm a Parent, I'm a Teacher, ILT Blog
Has your child been labelled as ADHD? If so, you may have felt relieved to have someone make the diagnosis because it explains the challenging behaviours you’ve been dealing with over the years and you’ll be offered a course of therapy to hopefully lessen the symptoms. You know that you’re not alone because so many other families have a child (or even an adult member) with the same challenges.
Most children are labelled by family doctors, neurologists, pediatricians and psychiatrists. Some of them are initially ‘diagnosed’ by teachers, psychologists, school counsellors or nurses. If so, you should be careful because many of these helping professionals are not trained to diagnose mental disorders, and ADHD falls into this category. But even if a medical person makes the diagnosis, there may be a problem because ADHD is not a disease. Too often, the ‘diagnosis’ is made by a professional because they have no idea of what’s really wrong with the child.[1]
Before you stop reading because you feel irritated by the denial of the problems you’ve faced for so long, let me assure you that we understand the difficulties of dealing with ADHD children. That is, children who really have this disorder. ADHD must be the most frequently incorrect diagnosis on the planet. We agree that in these cases, you and the child need help and drugs that might be given seem a blessing because the situation lightens and comparative peace reigns in your home (and the classroom). But even then, is this the long-term solution? No.
We know that drugs do not ‘cure’ ADHD. In many cases, they don’t even help very much. This is largely because many, many children who carry the label are incorrectly diagnosed. There is no test for ADHD. There are no blood analyses or brain scans that will reliably ‘prove’ the existence of the condition. The ‘test’ usually consists of teacher, parent and perhaps another involved person completing a questionnaire and the doctor listening to a description of the child’s behaviours. These days, doctors are so used to children presenting with symptoms that are associated with ADHD that they seldom bother to probe very deeply for something that may underlie these symptoms.
One mother complained that her son was prescribed Ritalin for so-called ADHD but this boy was diagnosed with subclinical diabetes after having been on the brain-altering drug for some years. His symptoms were caused by the very real medical disorder. Here are some more case studies[2]:
Debbie, aged five, was tiny and delicate. Her mother, however, describes her as a ‘mean little girl’ who has temper tantrums and screaming fits. As a baby, she cried continuously, slept very little, refused to nap and banged her head on her crib. Now in nursery school, she’s run away from school twice. Her teacher despairs over her out-of-control behaviour and recommends medication. Debby’s first doctor agrees.
Fortunately, Debby’s mother demands a second opinion. This, more thorough examination, uncovers a defective blood vessel between Debby’s heart and lungs, preventing a normal flow of oxygenated blood to the brain. Surgery corrects this serious and potentially fatal condition. Almost immediately, Debby’s behaviour improves, her tantrums stop, and her teachers begin praising her academic achievement.
Less startling but no less telling is the case of Mandy. She is a very bright little girl who struggled to optimize her excellent academic potential because of several irregularly functioning sensory-motor systems. This led to disorganized information reaching the brain, leading to her being unable to follow instructions, organize her thoughts or express herself in writing. She was restless and irritable, prone to talking out in class and disrupting others. A Connor’s questionnaire ‘proved’ ADHD.
Mandy’s mother put the diagnosis on hold and sought the help of Integrated Learning Therapy (ILT). We uncovered the areas of neurodevelopmental delays and addressed them through a home-based movement programme. At the beginning of the following school year, I requested that her new teacher complete the Connor’s questionnaire again to see if the areas of improvement were reflected in her classroom behaviour. Her mother reported to me that the teacher refused to do so, saying that Mandy showed absolutely no behavioural or learning problems and was a star learner.
A teacher’s opinion is not based on medical or neurodevelopmental knowledge. A quickie medical evaluation and a prescription for a drug is an extremely limited and temporary solution. The children on drugs tend to be calmer, more focused and easier to live with, at least in the short term. But, these drugs are NOT benign and their benefits are questionable.
The real tragedy is that masking children’s symptoms merely allows their underlying disorders or neurodevelopmental irregularities to continue and, in many cases, become worse. ADHD children don’t simply outgrow their symptoms. Instead, many grow into troubled teens and adults.
If you have a child with all the signs and symptoms of ADHD, don’t give in too soon. Try to find a medical specialist who specializes in ADHD and understands possible underlying medical conditions. ILT practitioners may also be useful in that they can check for neurodevelopmental causes of your child’s puzzling and difficult behaviours.
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[1] Dr Sydney Walker, MD. The hyperactivity hoax. St Martin’s Paperbacks, New York.
[2] Dr Syndey Walker, MD. Op cit, p.11.
Mar 25, 2026 | I'm a Parent, I'm a Teacher, ILT Blog
Are you one of those parents who dread an oncoming birthday party, with tables overflowing with sugary goods? Does your child show hyperactive behaviour or even symptoms of ADHD after eating a lot of sugar?
While your child certainly may show an increase in energy or excitability after a party, it seems that sugar doesn’t cause long-term problems. Paulo Graziano, a researcher at the Centre for Children and Families at Florida International University (FIU), says that there is no evidence to show that sugar causes ADHD.
However, nutrition does play an important role in children’s feelings and behaviour. A balanced diet does support skills like paying attention and resisting impulses. Good nutrition is simply essential for children’s physical, emotional and cognitive health, says Madeline Curzon, who studies how nutrition relates to children’s thinking and behaviour at FIU. She points out that glucose, a form of sugar, is a brain fuel but fruits, vegetables and whole grains are better sources than sugared treats or drinks.
The answer: teach your children to occasionally enjoy a sugar treat but to understand why healthy foods are important. Bear with the excitable behaviour that may follow a ‘sugar overload’ but know that it won’t last forever.
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Aug 20, 2025 | I'm a Parent, I'm a Teacher, ILT Blog
So many parents hear that their children have concentration problems, can’t focus or show limited attention span. Along with these descriptors, they see that their child daydreams, fails to complete tasks, loses things, fidgets excessively and so on.
Seeking medical help usually results in a prescription for a stimulant drug, such as Ritalin, Concerta and Strattera. We do know that behaviour can be changed using certain drugs. On Ritalin, for example, children are better able to pay attention, stay on task and sit still but the results are temporary; only with repeated dosages and sustained-release tablets will the benefits last all day. Increasing the dosage over time brings risk of potential side effects even if these don’t show immediately and prolonged use should be discouraged because of uncertainty about long-term effects. In addition, the drugs don’t address the basic problem. They may make children easier to manage but don’t make them smarter or happier. Children don’t learn any better when on medication – in fact, their work may show a lack of thought and originality. They help the children get through the day in a mechanistic way but don’t make them better prepared for tomorrow. Unfortunately, the drugs are often used alone, with no on-going programme to help the child in other ways. In short, they may be the quickest and easiest ‘solution’ for children with attention problems but they aren’t the best.
The reason is that drugs don’t affect the underlying problems. Behavioural problems and inattentiveness are symptoms of other problems and the answer isn’t to be found in medication. Let’s have a look at some case studies:
Little Anna was the smallest child in class and came across as being quiet, withdrawn and easily distracted. She stares at other children and plays nervously with her crayons and books. When evaluated for neurodevelopmental delays, she showed that her stress levels were very high. She had some early developing irregularities that interfered with her brain’s ability to cope with the sights and sounds in the world. She was simply overwhelmed by what she perceived as ‘threats’ from her environment. Once these were addressed, her stress levels dropped and she became more responsive.
John never sits still. His constant activity often makes him a nuisance in class and at home. Under investigation, ILT found that due to hitches during his birth and early development, he had mixed dominance, and had failed to develop left-right preference because he hadn’t integrated the two sides of his body. He also hadn’t developed the foundational systems needed for efficient motor functioning and stable posture. As these were addressed, he became better able to keep his body still and use it in developmentally healthy movement activities that he could not master before. This led to his behaviour becoming less annoying, increased ability to make friends and improvements in classroom learning.
Kevin is a daydreamer. He often stares out a window or at the television screen. He is slow to complete his work. He is clumsy and often drops things. He has allergies and is often ill with sinusitis and colds. An ILT evaluation showed that his body didn’t work automatically. He was using his mind to run his body so the brain’s higher levels, supposed to be used in learning and daily coping, were not available for cognitive functioning. It would have been so easy for Kevin to slip through the cracks without achieving his potential. A programme to help underdeveloped brain areas brought about noticeable improvements in his schoolwork and physical coordination.
Little Sam was asked to leave his nursery school because his ‘violent’ behaviour and tantrums became too much to manage. A full neurodevelopmental evaluation by ILT showed no irregularities in development or sensory-motor system functioning. What was suspected was a sensitivity to food colourants and preservatives. On a trial basis following this suspicion, Sam’s family excluded any foods containing these additives and Sam almost immediately became calmer, eventually returning to his school as a happy, friendly little boy.
So drugs aren’t the answer to behavioural problems or inattentiveness. Instead, these children need a comprehensive evaluation followed by an individualized programme that corrects identified areas of irregular functioning.
Interestingly, an ILT associate ran a programme with a group of over 50 children, all diagnosed with ADHD[1]. They were given daily certain sensory-motor stimulation and other movement activities designed to recreate the movement patterns that function to develop the brain in the early years. About half these children were on Ritalin when they started the programme. All were taken off Ritalin from three to six months later with no need to be put back on Ritalin or other behaviour-modifying medication. For all children, the results showed the elimination of behaviour problems, better school results and dramatically improved coordination. Social skills improved significantly as well but most importantly, the children were clearly happier.
Correcting behavioural and learning problems isn’t easy. Effective intervention needs a holistic approach that reaches to the problems in the background and provides a supportive, encouraging environment. For this reason, ILT is practiced in the family – no weekly visits to a therapist but ‘quality time’ spent in movements in which one or both parents can be involved. The rewards are immeasurable. There is nothing better than watching a child who begins to feel good from the inside out!
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[1][1][1] Shirley Randolph, Tree of Learning Centre, Boise, Idaho
