Child dyslexia ‘can be prevented by healthy diet’

DISORDERS SUCH as dyslexia and dyspraxia are symptoms, not distinct conditions, and can be prevented by giving children a healthy diet.

That is the controversial claim of Robin Pauc, who has developed a diet and exercise programme which, it is claimed, can also help with conditions ranging from hyperactivity and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) to Tourette's syndrome.

Pauc believes that these behavioural problems and learning difficulties do not exist as conditions on their own but are part of a developmental delay syndrome triggered by the failure of babies' brains to go through a crucial maturing process.

Pauc, who originally trained as a chiropractor and now describes himself as a specialist in child neurology, argues that giving youngsters a healthy diet free from junk food and additives can help avoid the problems developing as well as play a crucial role in treatment.

However, his claims have provoked criticism from campaigners, who say that while such interventions may help in some cases, there is no evidence to support his theories.

Speaking ahead of the publication of a new book on his treatment programme, which is credited to "Dr Robin Pauc", although he does not appear in the British Medical Directory of conventionally qualified and recognised medical practitioners, Pauc acknowledged that his views were contentious. "What I am saying is that dyslexia, dyspraxia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD, OCD and Tourette's in childhood do not exist - that is fairly controversial," he said. "They do not exist as conditions, because they are merely symptoms.

"There is always a mix of symptoms, and once you appreciate that and can relate those things to areas of the brain, the whole thing becomes treatable."

According to Pauc, "developmental delay syndrome" is caused by the failure of brain cells to develop properly when the child is four months old. This can relate to factors such as a family history of learning difficulties or be triggered by birth trauma such as a prolonged labour or forceps delivery, but he argued that modern lifestyles also have a major impact on the development of the brain.

"Obviously if a child is having a really poor diet, that will affect how the brain works," he said. "We are also not having the same amount of exercise - kids used to be running about doing things, now they tend to be ferried about in motor cars and spend a lot of time using things like PlayStations."

Pauc, who has a private clinic in Hampshire, emphasised that his programme, which involves vitamins, omega 3 and 6 oils and exercises which target the brain, should not be seen as a cure. "I don't use the word cure, but I think it is an effective treatment," he said.

However, Andrea Bilbow, a spokeswoman for the charity Addiss, which provides support for ADHD sufferers, said there was "no proper evidence base" to support Pauc's claims.

"We would all love to be able to say you can treat this ADHD so easily without medication and we wish it was true," she said. "It's only a minority of kids who respond to diet or fish oils, but the response to medication is dramatic."

Bilbow also pointed out that many parents could not afford private clinics. She added: "Our message to parents is that you have to try whatever you can, we don't push any one therapy, we just say you need to have what is right for your child. Some children will respond well, but that is not to say all will."

A spokeswoman for the British Dyslexia Association said that some alternative therapies, including specific exercise and diets, can produce "excellent" results in some people, but added that they recommended a multi-sensory learning approach as the best way of tackling the condition.