Candida & Learning Difficulties

Candida is a yeast mould which is a natural inhabitant of the gut. If circumstances allow it to proliferate, it changes from a yeast to a fungal form, which grows into the gut wall and breaks down the boundary between the intestinal tract and the rest of the circulation, allowing both candida organisms and potential antigens to enter the bloodstream. Candida can then travel to other parts of the body and in the majority of children assessed for educational therapy it is found in the brain or the ear, where candida toxins are able to disrupt sensory integration and auditory processing. Candida is often a major factor in hyperactivity and behavioural problems and it is a common cause of food and chemical intolerance. It is likely to be passed on to the baby if its mother has thrush during pregnancy, resulting in problems appearing after just a few months. Other common causes are the stimulation of a candida overgrowth by the excessive consumption of sugar or the use of antibiotics without giving a probiotic to reinstate a healthy balance of gut flora. It might be suspected that a child has candida if it s/he has suffered from diarrhoea or constipation, rashes or ENT infections, as well as if there have been outbreaks of thrush. Candida toxins can persist in the brain or the ears independently of colonic candida, and there is evidence that the anti-candida diet is not always effective against toxicity in the brain.

Normal neurological development is dependent  on the efficient functioning of the corpus callosum - the bundle of nerve fibres which connects the two halves of the brain - and on proper development of the vestibular system, which is the semi-circular canals in the inner ear responsible for balance. Toxicity in the corpus callosum impedes the development of sensory integration, which is vital for learning, and it is now well recognised that a poorly developed balance system is one of the most reliable early indicators of dyslexia. Experience of testing for and treating  candida over a number of years indicates that  a common reason for faulty development in these areas is the presence of candida toxins, often associated with glue ear  which has developed as a result of dairy sensitivity. By the time children reach school age there are far-reaching developmental consequences which require a comprehensive developmental programme to correct, but if the problems are treated in very young children, normal development takes over.