Sue Dengate - Fed Up (Fully Revised and Updated)

A huge number of people have contributed to this book in the original and revised versions. My thanks in particular go to the people listed here. My husband, Howard, for everything advice, shopping, cooking, testing recipes, insisting on walks when I needed a break, reading the manuscript, discussing scientific method and, most of all, for encouragement and love. Rebecca, Arran, Emma and Matthew for turning out so well and permitting their story to be told. Margie Turner and Jane Moore for their invaluable help with developing and reading the manuscript.

Doctors Anne Swain, Velencia Soutter and Robert Loblay at the Royal Prince Alfred Allergy Unit in Sydney, Australia, whose elimination diet based on their research changed our lives. Dietitians Liz Beavis, Jan Branch, Joan Breakey, Marion Leggo, and Melanie Reid; nutritionist Leonie Pullinger; doctors Ross Diplock, Ken Rowe and Alan Ruben.

The hard-working local contacts and group leaders of the Food Intolerance Network, above all Kathleen Daalmeyer and Jenny Ravlic in Melbourne, Brenda Hunting, Katrina Rooke and Anne Hurman in Brisbane, Bronwyn Pollnitz in Adelaide, Jennifer Berthold in Sydney, Bernard and Marie Trudgett in Wollongong, Jan Cafearo in the UK, and Robin Fisher and Linda Beck in New Zealand; Sally Bunday from the Hyperactive Childrens Support Group (UK) and Jane Hersey from the Feingold Association (USA).

The many thousands of readers who have been willing to share their triumphs, laughter and tears, especially the following people who contributed recipes or ideas to the original: Sue Armstrong, Meg Boyd, Duncan Cross (UK), Jane Figg, Robin Fisher (NZ), Linda Glasson, Chris Griffiths, Deborah Harding, Judy Horner, John Humphries, Kayleen Jenner, Lesley Joiner, Peta Jones, Kerry, Leanne McGill, Ros Mitchell, Tracy Percival, Fiona Shanahan, Gwen Sculley, Birgit Setiawan, Arlene Schar (USA), Gloria Vorenkamp; Julia Cain, John Cody, Caro Llewellyn, Katie Stackhouse, Louise Stirling, Margaret Sullivan at Random House Australia; cartoonist Joanne van Os; librarian Christine Turner; the Australian Consumers Association for permission to quote from Choice ; and to the revised version Helen Ampt, Helen Barrett, Maurean Brand, Lodzia Celeban, Stacey Cunningham, Kylie Dallow, Karen Franks, Megan Jesser, Jill Joy, Nicole Judge, Michelle Jurgens, Deanne Langford, Janelle Morrow, Michelle Page, Catherine Short, Wenzel Sinclair, Sheryl Sibley, Andra Somerville, Janelle Spicer and Susie and members of all the failsafe email groups. If your name isnt here, my apologies and please let me know.

Finally, my sincere thanks to Roberta Ivers at Random House Australia for never losing faith that this book would one day be back in your hands.

Sue Dengate
Woolgoolga, 2008

When two committed adults marry, they reasonably expect to have happy and successful children. My husband and I were therefore surprised when our children encountered difficulties right from the start. Both struggled to learn skills we had found easy, and by the time our daughter was seven we were especially perplexed by her behaviour, which was sometimes charming and creative, at other times restless and defiant. We were assured by their teachers that they would grow out of it, but they didnt.

The mystery deepened when we considered my husband Howards older children. By 15 his daughter was failing in half her school subjects, while his son, at 13, could not read well enough to keep up with his class. Yet their mother had a postgraduate degree, Howard was a research scientist with a doctorate, and I was a former English teacher with a degree in psychology. We had all done well at school, so I kept thinking Why are our children worse?