As an unexpected benefit, the Feingold diet cured John's asthma, almost overnight. When we adopted him his peak flow meter barely broke 100, and he was placed on albuterol twice daily, along with two other drugs as needed. (By the way, hyperactivity is one of the many side effects of albuterol.) Once we removed the synthetic dyes and additives from his diet his peak flow meter consistently reached 250, an excellent score for a 6-year-old. Today he runs up and down the block with his friends, showing no signs of asthma at all. This is not unusual; many parents report a significant reduction in asthmatic symptoms when their children are placed on a healthier diet.
NFF: Mary also had severe asthma, although her attacks were infrequent and unpredictable. On three occasions we had to rush her to the emergency room. We soon saw a pattern: she reacted to artificial fragrances. Indeed almost all attacks occurred after exposure to a strong perfume. So we kept her away from artificial scents, but then exercise in cold weather brought it on, so we kept her indoors on cold days. Then smaller attacks came for no reason at all. When we finally figured out her diet, the asthma attacks, large and small, ceased. As it turns out, withholding additives wasn't enough to quell Mary's asthma, as it did John's. We had to do more detective work.
Given the compelling environmental correlations, it took us a long time to realize that food was the primary culprit. synthetic fragrances represented a secondary sensitivity, triggering an attack only if Mary ate the wrong foods. Keeping her away from secondary triggers was impractical, as the list kept getting longer. The only permanent solution was dietary intervention, which reduced her sensitivity to environmental chemicals and allergens. Other parents tell similar stories. Sometimes an additive-free diet is sufficient - sometimes other nutritious foods (such as wheat) must also be withheld. In either case, food could be the underlying problem. You may need to shield your child from various environmental triggers in the short run, but if you are looking for a cure, concentrate on the diet.