Abstract
A wide range of longlasting patterns of symptoms may result from individual sensitivity to substances in the environment such as foods, chemicals, dusts and pollens.
Behaviourally disturbed and learning disordered children are common. Their numbers may be increasing and certainly they make great demands on parental understanding and courage as well as on professional judgement and time.
A number of case studies are presented which suggest that the difficulties encountered by a significant number of these children have much to do with idiosyncratic responses to foods and additives.
This hypothesis requires careful research study at an early date for if validated it will have far reaching implications for the assessment and management of disturbed, delinquent and learning disordered children. Perhaps not enough attention has been paid to the role of biological and environmental factors in the development of children's problems. Certainly recent research has begun to provide support for the concept of environmental (ecologic) illness.
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