One problem some families may find when on the Dr. Feingold diet is that it is very time intensive. For adults who go on the diet there are significant amounts of time required to learn all the rules of the diet, and to learn to identify the various forbidden additives in all of the forms in which they may appear on labels. For parents putting a child on the diet, the time required is even greater. Not only must the parent learn to identify which foods are allowable for the child, but the time must be taken to educate the child on this complicated issue as well. This is especially true for older children who may make more of their own eating decisions outside of the watchful eyes of their parents. Children have to learn which foods can be eaten and how to read labels. They also need to learn coping skills to be able to explain to other children and any adults who might be offering them food (such as their friend’s parents) which foods are not allowed. It may be a! dvisable also to go over some skills to help children explain to friends and classmates why they are on a special diet in a way which is not upsetting or embarrassing to them. Many people also choose to make chidlren’s teachers, babysitters, and others aware of the new diet which can take time as well.

Although there are no specific studies investigating the social effects of the Dr. Feingold diet on children, there are many pieces of anecdotal evidence illustrating some of it possible negative effects. One concern for some parents may be that being an such a strict diet, that has to be followed all of the time including at school and at friends’ houses, children may feel different than their peers. It can be very hard for children who feel or seem different than those around them, and other children might not understand why they cannot have the same candy, or have to eat special meals brought from home. Another issue brought up by some people who were on the diet as children is that it puts children who do give into temptation (and there are many temptations for children on this diet) into a very difficult position. Because the Feingold Association maintains the diet must be followed exactly at all times to be effective, children who have eaten something forbi! dden must decide whether to admit it or lie to their parents. It can also put children and parents into an antagonistic relationship because often if the diet does not cure the disease or disorder, it is assumed that it is because forbidden foods have been consumed. This can lead to a negative spiral of accusations, guilt, and anger. These problems certainly will not occur with every child in every family, but it may be something that parents considering this diet for their child or children would want to consider.

Dr. Feingold continued to work with children, specifically in the developing area of allergy studies. During World War II he was a commander in the US Navy, and then returned from the war to be chief of pediatrics at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Los Angeles, California. He worked at various other hospitals and established all of the Departments of Allergy for Northern California for Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Permanente Medical Group in 1951. He died on March 23, 1982.

During his career Dr. Feingold mainly studied allergies in children. He noticed, however, that during his career the increase of children exhibiting symptoms of hyperactivity seemed to correspond with the increased consumption by children of various food additives. He hypothesized that these food additives were what was causing the symptoms he observed. During the 1970s he set out to study this relationship, and believed he had found a link. In 1975 be published the book “Why Your Child is Hyperactive,’ laying out his beliefs. The Dr. Feingold diet is derived from this book. Since then, the children he called “hyperactive’ have been identified as having Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Although Dr. Feingold died in 1982, his followers and adherents continue to update his diet and ideas. Although he intended his diet only for the treatment of hyperactivity, the Feingold Association of the United States has identified many other problems that my be alleviated by the diet. They have also continued to update the foods and additives believed to cause behavior and other problems in children.