# is anyone nursing a food allergic child?



## Sneezykids (Feb 24, 2003)

Hi, I don't think I've posted on this board before but I need a little encouragment.
My 22 month old ds is allergic to milk, eggs, nuts and dogs, mold, some other enviromental things...he used to be allergic to almost every food it seemed. He's recently outgrown wheat (a huge thrill for me!), soy, oats, banana, some fruits. I've been on a very restricted diet until recently when I got back wheat to eat. It's been a year since I've had an ice cream or pizza!
I was wondering if anyone else is nursing for health reasons like this? My little boy is on a daily asthma med too because he has had severe wheezing episodes in the past. It certainly makes the whole weaning decision harder.


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## L.J. (Nov 20, 2001)

My oldest son had severe allergies & I nursed him until 3. My youngest is now 17 months & has allergies as well & I'm still nursing.

It is a huge challenge. Last summer I was hardly eating anything & somedays it really, really sucks! Especially when there are yummy things like ice cream etc. I was off that & pizza for a really long time too.

I have done NAET with the kids and got rid of their allergies. If I hadn't done that there would have been very few things we could have eaten & it would have been even more difficult.

My youngest still has some allergies & I still have a limited diet, but it's one I have adjusted too and am okay about it.

Way to go for hanging in there. Nursing a child with allergies is tough and I applaud you for going so long. It is an extra challenge.

Feel free to email or pm me if you want to discuss it more.


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## biberin (Jun 25, 2003)

Be of good cheer! My 3yo son is now "only" allergic to cow's milk and gluten intolerant. We also avoid artificial colors and flavors. Back when he was tinier, we had to avoid corn, dairy, sesame, almonds, citrus, berries and a dozen other things. Once he hit 2.5yo, I could eat whatever I wanted, in moderation.

It wasn't and still isn't fun, but it is much better than it used to be. DH, on the other hand, wasn't nursed, was never checked for IgG allergies, and now can't have dairy, gluten, eggs, yeast, and a couple other random things. PITA.

Biberin


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## PumpkinSeeds (Dec 19, 2001)

I don't have time at the moment for a proper response, but I nursed a food and everything else allergic child too. Hang in there, you're not the only one to go thru this, and eventually when they wean you can eat your big fat quesadilla with ice cream and nuts etc.

Good luck!


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## Sneezykids (Feb 24, 2003)

i know a few moms here in the same boat (in real world I mean) but it still helps to write about it.
Pumpkin..I feel a cheese binge coming on after weaning. Cheese is really my weakness, and well, ice cream, hee..


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## biberin (Jun 25, 2003)

I do crave pizza now and again, and I probably could have it, but at 3yrs postpartum, I'm still 4lbs above my prepreg weight







It's funny, though, I'm looking forward to being pregnant soon, so I can eat whatever I want. Odds are good that the next kid will be gluten intolerant, too, and I expect I ll have to give up gluten and dairy as soon as the next one is born. I'll binge while I can







and thank heaven he doesn't react via milk anymore.

Biberin


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## DaryLLL (Aug 12, 2002)

Just a quick suggestion. If you avoid binging on dairy while pg, your child will have less chances of sensitivity when born. You can actually make him more sensitive to it while he is in utero. Something to think about. Sorry!!!


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## Sneezykids (Feb 24, 2003)

Biberin
By gluten intolerant do you mean celiac?
About the sensitization in utero. I've actually done some research into this in medical studies my cousin gave me (PhD) and the studies I read said there only *could* be some sensitization, the results were inconclusive. Still, I did avoid dairy and peanuts while pregnant but ds still ended up allergic to most foods. We found out he had a yeast problem in his gut. Once we got that treated he was able to eat much more. I think another important factor is genetics. What is good is they are studying this area more!


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## biberin (Jun 25, 2003)

What runs in my husband's family is a non-celiac gluten intolerance. They still have to be gluten-free, but the effects will never progress to full-blown celiac. My father in law was 76 when diagnosed, had wheat bread with every meal, and was barely borderline, even on a stool test. My husband is worse off, but was not nursed long and his allergies went untreated until we were married. My son is even closer to the borderline than fil, but we are still gf.

As to in-utero sensitization, I really have no intention of bingeing on dairy. I don't think dairy products are good for us anyway. I just want pizza once or twice







Fortunately, gluten in utero doesn't seem to be a problem. Being dairy free was easy. It was harder when it was dairy+corn. Dairy+corn+gluten sucked bigtime, and now that we are just dairy+gluten, it doesn't seem so bad.

I just don't bake for my husband anymore, because his list got too long









Biberin


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## callmemama (May 7, 2002)

I feel for those of you dealing with multiple food allergies. My son was diagnosed with a milk allergy when he was a month old, and I immediately went dairy-free (well, I immediately went off the obvious dairy; it took a while longer to learn about all the hidden dairy!). And I experimented with eliminating many other foods which we both can have now (ds is 3.5 yo and still nursing). In any case, my family took this as an opportunity to embrace a healthy diet, and we became vegan! Who would have thought


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## biberin (Jun 25, 2003)

In any case, my family took this as an opportunity to embrace a healthy diet, and we became vegan! Who would have thought

Im jealous, callmemama







My son reacts to legumes. We tried to go without, after having been nearly vegan, and I just couldnt handle all the meat. Wouldn't do it conventionally, awfully pricey organic, and it just didn't seem healthy. So now we're on a four-day rotation from 7pm-7pm so that I can get two suppers in. I am using some nearly-organic chicken and lamb, and a lot of fit-for-life type meals that don't use a lot of protein. We will be ttc very soon, though, and I don't think FFL will cut it, then.


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## Lisashepp (Feb 12, 2002)

I am nursing my 31 month old food allergic toddler!

She outgrew her dairy allergy just before her 2nd birthday, and is still allergic to soy, egg, and peanut. We are also avoiding tree nuts & shellfish on the advice of dd's allergist.

The next time I get pregnant I will be dairy, soy, egg, and peanut free-- I will remain free of all of those foods until my next child is a year old, then I will try one at a time to see if I avoided allergies in him/her.

Lisa


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## Missy (Oct 22, 2002)

I started posting at MDC in November when my ped. at the time wanted me to wean and give my then 5-mos-old son alimentum. She said there was no way for me to eliminate all the possible allergens from my own diet (I had already cut out many foods, but the ped had initially told me that I could eat those foods when processed. ha.) when my baby was so obviously sensitive (for some reason, that particular ped. practice was unusually adverse to a patient seeking a second opinion or treatment from a specialist). Thanks to support here, we defied dr.'s orders, sought out an allergist for some answers and eventually changed peds. Ds is allergic to dairy, soy, eggs, peanuts and, to a lesser degree, corn, bananas, avocados, and all acidic fruits and veggies. We've had great success eliminating the foods from our diets, his eczema only flares up occasionally (although his skin remains extremely dry). Our biggest concern now is weight gain. He started gaining consistently in February (after five months of no gain whatsoever), then slowed again around April or May(which wouldn't be so bad for a babe approaching his first b-day, but at his one year wb check he wasn't quite 14 lbs.) We just got home from a week in the hospital, enduring numerous tests and gut-wrenching fears. It seems, in the end, that for some still-unknown reason (possibly still the eczema), he requires almost double the calories of most babies his age (now 1 yr.). So, for the next month, he is receiving nightly tube-feedings of Neocate while he nurses every hour and a half to two hours during the day to stimulate my supply beyond what is normal. Good news: the biopsies showed no trace of allergens in his body even though his iga(?) blood count was over 500 (normal in a person w/out allergies is 90). So the diet is working. I will survive without ice cream for how ever long it takes--I now have the concrete evidence that's the right thing to do. My mil is worried I'll have to go with him to kindergarten (bfing beyond the first few weeks has always caused her great discomfort. I haven't mentioned I plan on homeschooling my boys...)

Hang in there! It's so hard (I have fits for ben & jerry's sometimes--it'll be a year in September!) but I know now that it's worth it. Maybe we could have a recipe exchange...

Missy


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## coleslaw (Nov 11, 2002)

I only have a second, but my dd (31 months) has a tolerence issue with dairy and corn and possibly yeast, as far as we can tell. It has been tremendously hard for me to eliminate the foods, but I have finally arrived (too embarrassed to say how long it took me, long story). We are trying NAET and hoping we are going to a good specialist and that it works!


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## Sneezykids (Feb 24, 2003)

Missy
WHy the tube feeding for Neocate and not a bottle? Of course I know from experience the Neocate is pretty awful tasting stuff. GAG.
It still floors me how many peds recommend Alimentum and Nutramigen for milk allergic babies...my son reacted to both..they are still made from a (although hydrolyzed) milk protein!!
I hope your baby continues to thrive on the neocate and mommy milk. Fortunately we never had an issue with wt. gain. Ds is almost 30 lb and 22 mos.
FWIW..bananas and avacados were a problem for us too, they cross react too...with each other and latex so be careful with your child and latex. Ds has outgrown both and the pitted fruits he was allergic to also. It does get better and bf'ing is the BEST thing you can do. I know if I had not hung in there my ds wouldn't have come as far as he has. A HUG to you missy.


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## lizziejean (Feb 8, 2003)

I am nursing my ds who is allergic to dairy... he was kind of tough as a tiny baby - you know, un-put-down-able, but happy if up and being carried and nursed 24/7... not 'colicky', he was never really inconsolable. Just kind of high-maintenance. Then at 6 months he started solid foods, including some yogurt and some cheese, and then at 9 months he started getting some milk-based formula during the day at daycare. Well, during months 8, 9, 10 we were dealing with chronic diarrhea, reflux, wheezing, fluid in his ears (never an infection thank god) and a rash on his face that just wouldn't quit. A blood test was done for multiple allergies, including dairy, which came up negative, but it just seemed too much of a coincidence to me, and he got over the diarrhea when switched to soy formula, and then he got over the rash, finally, when we both went hard core dairy free. Yay! I'm so glad to see his little face all nice and clear.. he used to have pimple-like things all over, especially in/under his eyes and around his nose, and purple bags under his eyes. His wheezing continues, under control with Pulmicort 2xday, flaring up again whenever he gets a cold. DH and I are both asthmatic so I guess going non-dairy can't fix everything :-( Also he still has reflux, big wet burps after everything and sometimes you can hear him swallowing down some regurgitated stuff, so he's on Zantac 2xday.

I have had so much trouble going dairy free myself. At the beginning I would literally have no other thought in my head than a desire for some cheese! I used to feel like such crap and think that only cheese could make me feel better ... Now I'm more calm, although I just dream about the day when I can have a big sandwich with fresh white bread and butter and cheese... and maybe some lasagna!! just like my mother makes!! mmm... Everyone thinks I probably am losing weight at a huge rate because I was such a cheese-a-holic, but unfortunately I have figured out ways to eat sugary fatty stuff that is dairy free... bittersweet chocolate anyone? soymilk and Nesquik? Tofutti cuties? mmmmm

pisses me off though that people expect me to wean rather than deal with this, 'after all' he is over a year old now... but hello, he's a wheezy, allergic little guy... you really think this is a good time to wean???? um, not.

having read this thread I realize how easy I have it though. Well done all you mamas dealing with multiple allergies!


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## Missy (Oct 22, 2002)

Kelli--

We tried the bottle, tried the cup, but, if he knows that breastmilk is available (in other words, if he's had it anytime within a 24-hour period), he won't drink the Neocate (not that I blame him. Although it does smell and taste a little better than alimentum--yes, I tasted it. I won't give my son anything that I haven't tasted. Fortunately, the feeding tube is a short term, quick fix. Just to put the weight on him while I increase my own milk.

I had just learned (from MDC) about the connection with bananas, avocados, etc... and latex. Then, within days, we were in the hospital fighting with employees to use latex-free materials. It took two days and a phone call to my allergist to get a sign put up in his room. Also, the dietician's office was terrible. We gave them list after list of ds' allergies and they never gave a complete list to the cafeteria. He got milk, juices, beef with gravy, pureed meat with a thickner, jello, pound cake, rolls...it went on for five days before I lost my temper and went off on the poor girl who delivered the tray. They never seemed to understand the severity of the issue and that these allergies were why we were even in the hospital. One of the dieticians gave him Elicare even after the physician had specified a formula without soy. After he threw up in the morning a few times, I finally got hold of the ingredients and they switched to Neocate. The dietician later mentioned that gee, she thought they both had soy so she just picked one.









And this was supposed to be one of the best children's hospitals in the country.

Missy


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## DaryLLL (Aug 12, 2002)

lizziejean--

I hate to say this, but have you considered your ds is allergic to soy? Since you seem to really like your soy treats, and he continues gassy and wheezy, perhaps if you cut out soy, he could go off drugs (the pulmicort and zantac)? Just a thought.


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## lizziejean (Feb 8, 2003)

oh Darylll I hope not! what would I give him? is there formula that is neither dairy nor soy? not to mention what would I eat... but I'm willing to give it a try - I HATE giving him the pulmicort particularly.


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## DaryLLL (Aug 12, 2002)

Oh, I didn't realize he was still getting formula? I guess I should have read your post more carefully.

Are you still bfing when together, but not pumping at work? He is one year? Does he *have to have* some kind of artificial baby milk while he is at daycare now? Could you pump for him some so he could get your dairy- (and maybe soy-) free breastmilk, instead? Even if you can't pump at work, could you add in an early morning pumping session or something, so he could have that at daycare, perhaps?

Other options for him to have at daycare instead of soy formula would be goat's milk, rice milk, or good old water.

It has been shown in studies that 25-50% of babies allergic to dairy are also allergic to soy. Other common allergens are wheat (in your Tofutti cuties, in hhis cereals and crackers, breads?), nuts, corn, eggs, shellfish.

You would have to make sure any of these potential allergens are not in any of the processed foods you eat, as well. some mothers can have a little bit of the allergen, some have to cut it out entirely.

Good news is, most kids start to gradually grow out of these allergens (when breastfed, that is), starting at age 2.

Very helpful link:

http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns...nsitivity.html


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## biberin (Jun 25, 2003)

Missy,

I'm so sorry to hear about your lousy hospital experience! If I ever have to be in the hospital again, we are planning to bring a supply of gluten free, casein free food, because gluten intolerance runs in my family and I plan to be nursing or pregnant for the next 15 years







It seems like medical professionals don't believe in allergies unless they are the immediate kind that result in hives and breathing trouble. What we have is the wonderful IgG kind which invariably ends up with me getting puked on in the middle of the night









Maybe there will eventually be enough of us to force a change.


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## Missy (Oct 22, 2002)

lizziejean--

Unfortunately I think DaryLLL has a point. The reflux particularly, at least in my own experience, indicates a problem with soy. Soy, to me, was the hardest to eliminate. Not because I had any great soy cravings, but because it's in *everything*. But we went cold turkey--dairy, soy, eggs, nuts, corn, even wheat for a few weeks before we got in to the allergist--and it can be done. I started with very basic foods (a lot of beans and rice) and built a diet from there. Neocate seems to be the only true soy-free, dairy-free formula and the cost is horrific: $76 per every ten-packet box; every packet makes 12 fl. oz. So, the family who is depending on it for the sole source of "milk" would pay $600 a month to feed their child. I am so relieved that 1. ds only gets a packet/day and 2. it's only for a few more weeks. Besides the cost, I have to wonder--if the formula is dairy-free and soy-free, what exactly is it made out of anyway?! I'm not a chemist; I can't easily identify the listed ingredients and their possible effects. But whatever's in it can't be great and I'm looking forward to getting it out of my house. If your son would drink rice milk at day care, that might be the perfect solution. For us, rice milk doesn't pack enough nutrients for my son's little body so I really have to (literally) pump up my milk supply.

biberin--I was appalled at the lack of knowledge in a hospital of this scale. The lactation consultants ended up being my best resource. They had the best suggestions and they always kept his allergies in mind. I'm still trying to connect with the head of the dietary office--she was on vacation . I'm not letting it drop; if my son, or another child with allergies, ends up in the ped. ward, they need to be prepared to care for him appropriately. We did bring a limited supply of food, but we ended up staying much longer than anticipated and I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a hospital to provide what is needed to keep my child healthy. Okay, I'm still new to this--what is IgG and is it connected to that blood test he had that was so high?

Missy


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## biberin (Jun 25, 2003)

Missy,

Classical allergies are mediated by immunoglobulin E. that's what scratch tests work pretty okay for. IgG mediated sensitivities occur 3hr to 3days after ingestion, which makes them harder to identify, but a good bloodtest can do it. IgA is where intestinal reactions like celiac occur. If you have a high *total* IgWhatever, it is just an indication that there is a lot of immune activity going on, which is consistent with multiple allergies/senstivities. With a high total IgA, your son is having lots of reactions in his intestines, definitely has a leaky gut, and is very likely not absorbing much of what he is eating.

Hang in there.


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## Missy (Oct 22, 2002)

biberin--

Ack! Too much to absorb!

In the hospital, they did biopsies, found no trace of celiac and no lingering allergens. That led them to conclude that he was having no problems absorbing food. Hence the feeding tube. However, his IgA (I think it was A and not G)was over 500. It was my undertanding that it was that high because he has so many severe allergies...

Your explaination of IgG corresponds perfectly with his reaction to the soy in the first formula.

Missy


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## biberin (Jun 25, 2003)

Missy,

I'm surprised that the celiac etc biopsy came back negative, since the IgA total indicates some real trouble in the intestinal mucosa.

I'ts all such a mess isn't it? And it just comes down to an unhappy, hurting baby. I pray that avoiding dairy and gluten when late preg and nursing came head off my next child having the same difficulties as my first.

Someone I know weaned her 2mo today. I wanted to ask God why she got the compliant, easy nurser, when she was just going to give up, anyway. But I know that kids like ours need mamas who will fight to breastfeed or they'd be in even bigger trouble.

more power to us


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## Missy (Oct 22, 2002)

I consider myself very blessed. All three of my babies were happy little ones. Even ds2. Even when his eczema was at its worst and he was itching so badly that he pulled out his hair in his sleep. He was never fussy, always wanted to play and always smiled. Beyond the direct effect of the allergies, he's never been ill. I can't imagine what he would have endured had we chosen not to breastfeed.

I am so thankful to drs. who actually listen to parents and to MDC for guiding me through some tough moments and to Trader Joe's.

Missy


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## mpeel (Nov 20, 2001)

My youngest just turned three. She may be outgrowing a dairy intolerance. But, I thought I had as a child (at around 8 or 10) but found removing later helped my health a lot. She appears to be gluten intolerant. A celiac blood test came back negative. But her constant diarrhea is clearing up off of gluten. I fell I am butting my head against a brick wall also, especially lately. I had to return to work and dealing with pre-schools and allergies is a PITA.

Sometimes I think of weaning her. But then, I realize sometimes she barely eats as there is so little it seems she can eat. And, she decides now to become picky. I am thankful I am nursing her.


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## biberin (Jun 25, 2003)

mpeel,

You can go to enterolab.com and order a stool test for celiac that is far more accurate than the bloodwork. Gluten intolerance runs in my family, but it is never picked up by bloodwork. All three positives have come on a stool test.


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## Sneezykids (Feb 24, 2003)

Hi again,
Glad I got this thread started, I had a feeling I wasn't alone (wink)..
Just wanted to mention a couple of things. First about the Neocate. It's made of amino acids, which are the building blocks of food, so it's an elemental formula, that is why it's so expensive. It's totally absorbed. It does have 3% soy oil but since the protein is removed it's supposedly allergen free.
About the multiple food elimination...it is possible but you have to plan and put your meals together carefully. When I was on the strict diet I would eat lamb, pork, asparagus, pears and rice, salt, pepper and sugar. Then I started to slowly bring things back in, but it was m o n t h s. I went very slowly.
I'm back at square one. Ds has been having problems again and has not gained weight in a while. I think ds has a beef allergy. It wouldn't surprise me, sometimes a milk allergy can cross react with beef (as with eggs and chicken allergy). We discovered last week he is probably allergic to peanuts (dd is) too, he reacted to popcorn I had given him at a fair cooked in partial peanut oil. Ds is asthmatic too and is on Pulmicort 1x a day and Zyrtec.
I wanted to suggest a very good online support group for parents of kids with food allergies, it has been invaluable to me. Lots of nursing moms on it too (some bf 4 and 5 year olds)..the ppl are wonderful. It's a big group though and sometimes there is a few days wait to get on.

[email protected]

Take care all!


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## Sneezykids (Feb 24, 2003)

whoops that was the email addy, here is the sub one

[email protected]

Hope this works (my brain is stuck in 2nd gear lately..)
ack


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## Missy (Oct 22, 2002)

Ah, but Neocate doesn't have soy oil anymore. At least the form we have. That's where we ran into problems with the dietician at the hospital. She assumed it still did, didn't check and just decided "Oh well, it doesn't matter which formula they get" and picked Elicare, which does contain 6% soy and which caused a reaction in ds. The dietician never discussed her decision to give my son soy even after the dr. specified a formula without. And she didn't care. "He's throwing up? Oh well. Sorry." Shrug.

I will definitely check out the group you posted. Thank you!

Missy


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## momto2 (Jul 23, 2003)

I have two children...the oldest with severe food allergies to nuts, treenuts, eggs, dairy, environmental allergies, etc. the list goes on. I nursed him until he was 2.5 yo. It's tough but hang in there. It's the best you can do for your child!

My question...has anyone out there thought of vaccinations as the cause for these allergies? Have you done any research into it and can give me some hints? So many kids have similar allergies today???

Thanks-

mom to 2


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## momto2 (Jul 23, 2003)

Forgot to mention- have 1 yo now...no vaccines and no allergies. Yet.!

Mom to 2


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## Missy (Oct 22, 2002)

Yup.

I don't think every child is vulnerable; my older two children were vaxed with no ill-effects. However, I don't think it's a coincidence that my baby started breaking out within ten days of his two-mos vaccines.

In fact, the home nurse who visited following ds' release from the hospital last week wasn't even shocked we thought there was a connection. She agreed we needed to stay away from further vaxes--and agreed with my husband that there is too much information/research withheld from the public right now.

Missy


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## DaryLLL (Aug 12, 2002)

Shoot, yes! My friend with 2 highly allergic children was days away from getting a limited vax for her 1st dd, when she read something that told how with the problems her dd was already having, allergies, reflux, etc, she was more likely than the average kid to have a bad reaction (ie: autism) from being vaxed.

Post your q on the vax board!

Edited to add, I didn't answer your q exactly, did I?. Vaxes can cause all kinds of problems. I was warning not that vaxes cause allergies (altho it seems they can cause asthma), but that vaxes given to allergic kids can cause autism. Nightmare!


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## Missy (Oct 22, 2002)

I remember when I was teaching, other special ed. teachers scoffing at parents who believed that their child's autism was related to vaccines and snickering over the special lunch they sent in. The child was beautiful--huge black eyes, black hair, almost transluscent skin. It's been several years since I was at that school, but when ds2 started reacting after his first round of vaxes, that child popped into my mind, something about the eyes. I considered that my warning. I do believe that ds2 is vulnerable in ways my other children aren't and I'm not taking any more chances.

If we have any more children, they will not be vaxed.

Missy


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## biberin (Jun 25, 2003)

My son had clear allergies before he was ever vaxed. That said, he has had only IPV and DT, and only because we are specifically concerend about those diseases. He got the first shots when he was 14mo. We are definitely avoiding MMR and Pertussis, because they are so reactive.


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

Sorry if this was already talked about, but how can you tell if your baby has allergies?
DD is 7 mo old. She had colicy symptoms for the first few months, and i took out wheat, dairy, and lots of various fruits and veggies. I went back to "normal" a couple months later, but am now going to take dairy out again due to irratic sleeping patters. (i never have eaten much wheat, and don't eat soy either for that matter)
I have allergies to mold, so she might, right?







:


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## momto2 (Jul 23, 2003)

When my son was that age, he had developed eczema all over his body. He slept really poorly and was colicky. I attempted to put him on a "hypoallergenic" formula and he immediately had an anaphylatic reaction. He also routinely had hives and rashy appearance around his mouth and cheeks.

I would say keep the dairy out of yours (if you are nursing) and his diet for a while (like 2 months) and see if it helps. Maybe longer even. It did the trick for us.

Around 8 mos I had both sons skin tested for dairy, wheat, etc. by an allergist.

Good luck!


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## Becky N. (Nov 20, 2001)

Don't have time to post my whole story, but just wanted to share a couple resources I've found invaluable for food allergic
kiddos. My son is gluten,casein,soy,brown rice, oat, citrus, all nut and seed, grape, artificial color/flavor/preservative, berry, and tropical fruit-free. I hope that as his immune system cools down we'll be able to expand his diet. There's no doubt in my mind that he would have an autism diagnosis by now if not for dietary intervention. He was actually having absence-type seizures before I removed all gluten & casein from his diet at 18 mos. He just turned 3 and his only "diagnosis" is apraxia, an expressive speech disorder. It's made such a difference for him.

First are the books "Special Diets for Special Kids I &II" by Lisa Lewis,PhD. They are designed for autistic spectrum children following the gluten free/casein free diet, but the recipes also list alternatives to other ingredients that are common allergens such as soy and corn. Lots of cool stuff to make with alternative flours, even how to make your own non-dairy yogurt, pudding, and ice cream. I'm very uncreative in the kitchen so it gives me ideas to work with, even if I have to modify the recipes. Most of them are kid-friendly. Also lists tons of great resources, websites, and mail order companies.

I also LOVE Dari-Free milk replacement!!!! We used rice milk for a year until Jacob became intolerant to it from brown rice overload. Dari-FRee is made with potatoes and is by far the best tasting milk replacement around. (IMO!) Add some coconut milk to a double strong batch of chocolate Dari-Free, and I swear it tastes like Nestle Quik!!! Freeze it for chocolate popsicles!! You can order it at www.vancesfoods.com. Some health food stores carry it, too. It come in powder form, you mix it with water. We also add egg protein and coconut milk for some good fats. No, I don't work for the company, but boy has it made my life easier.
There's no other milk replacement Jacob can handle now!

There's also a magazine called Living Without, which is geared toward people living with food allergies, mostly celiacs/gluten free
They have a few good recipes sometimes and lots of companies listed in the back. My favorite mail order company is Miss Roben's. (www.missroben.com, I think!) They carry a huge variety of products from many different companies, and their shipping charges are reasonable. Ask for a brochure, it's much easier to see all their products in printed form rather than online.

Just my .02......everyone else share your favorite resources, too!! Living on meat, veggies, potatoes, and white rice, I can use all the help I can get, LOL

Hugs to all of you super mamas!! Becky


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## Sneezykids (Feb 24, 2003)

I second the opinion about Dari Free!









About the vax/allergy relationship, we see an environmental D.O. who is also a certified allergist (he does homeopathy shots for allergy too) and he told us not to vax our ds anymore, that it *could* have compromised his immune system. We stopped vaxing after the first two rounds.
Also, an interesting factor for us was a yeast overgrowth in ds's gut. I suspected this and told our conventional allergist who waved it away with a 'don't buy too much into that'...
the first thing our holistic allergist did was check for a yeast overgrowth in the gut! It came back 'significant' overgrowth of yeast. The yeast puts out toxins and weakens the immune system causing leaky gut. I suspected yeast because the first 2 months of ds's life was plagued by thrush, on his bum and my nipples. The dr said if his allergies were yeast related then when it was treated he would be able to eat a lot more food w/o problems. We put him on probiotics and within months he was eating more and more.
In retrospect I think the vax's, the yeast and the predispostion to allergies and asthma in our family are the main factors in ds's allergies.


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## Mona (May 22, 2003)

Kelli-
where are you located? it sounds like you have an awesome health practioner!


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## monkey's mom (Jul 25, 2003)

Halleluh! I just registered so I could chime in here. Thank you all for being here and sharing your stuff! There is so much relief in not being "the only one."

I am breastfeeding my 19 mo. old son who is allergic to milk and dairy, nuts, berries, and god knows what else. I have had to cut the dairy out of my diet, too, and that has been hard.

I surely don't have it as restricted as some, so I am grateful for that!!

When people give me the "You're STILL nursing?" junk, I just laugh and say, "What am I gonna do, wean him to coffee??"

Thanks for all the great info, everyone!


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## mpeel (Nov 20, 2001)

Unfortunately, my DH is the most unsupportive, of the nursing and food issues. I think with food he must think I am imagining things. He keeps offering forbidden foods. And the nursing, don't even get me started. You'd think she was 10. Boy if he only knew our oldest, 6 1/2 only just weaned.


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## Sneezykids (Feb 24, 2003)

mona
I'm in Michigan








If you are looking for a similar doc, you can try searching under Environmental medicine or Environmental allergist.
Good luck!


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## biberin (Jun 25, 2003)

mpeel,

With unsupportive relatives and community acquaintances, my strategy has been to teach my son that gluten/dairy/whatever hurts his tummy, and he can check with me about any food. He is 37mo and it has all finally clicked. In fact, we just went to a birthday party, and when the older kids took the cake and ice cream out, I gave them Nolon's. He came roaring into the house, screaming for me, angry that the kids had tried to make him eat dairy and gluten. Once I explained that they were giving him food from me, he was fine. If your dh would actually lie about what he was serving, I would really suggest broad panel IgG and IgE testing so that he can see it on paper in front of him.

Some people just plain old don't believe in food sensitivities.


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## momto2 (Jul 23, 2003)

mpeel-
Maybe he'll come around. Believe it or not it seems to be fairly common that the dh don't believe it. I am i an allergy support group and lots of the moms have similar stories!

I had a battle with mine at first and then the battle is still going on 5 years later with the in-laws. I give up on them. Keep up the good work. Nursing is the best thing for them! They need it!


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## mpeel (Nov 20, 2001)

Sam has been tested and all came back negative. That is part of DH's problem. But, from my reading, the celiac test has a high false negative, especially if the person has been off gluten for any period of time in the prior 6 months. She was off for three weeks prior to testing. So, I am figuring it was a false negative. Unfortunately, testing does not pick up intolerances, only allergic (immune) reactions. Hers appear to be intolerances. There is a more accurate celiac test. But, it is not covered by insurance and I can't afford it right now. As long as she is responding to the diet, I am not worried about it. That is, unless it would shut DH up.


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## twinkletoes (Apr 15, 2002)

geez.. our poor kids!

we're struggling with feeding our 18 mo old foods that don't trigger his eczema. i'm a bit stumped, he's not a big eater & i'm pregnant so he's not getting much milk. we figured out that soy is definately something he can't eat (me neither since we nurse) but his skin is still pretty bad.

i'd really love to just get him healthy enough to eat these good foods! i mean, most of it is even organic & local. i'm very curious to hear about candida problems being a cause - we had thrush the first few months as well, though it was never very extreme. what sort of probiotics did you give your child? how often? i've heard that grapefruit seed extract is helpful for candida, any info on that?

i would so love for him to be plump with smooth skin and a healthy appetite, he's in good spirits, but food is such a fundamental issue & it's terrible to have such struggles with it.
(sorry if this is a bit naive, i'm new to the issue..)

has anyone tried naturopathic VEGA testing for intolerances?


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## lizziejean (Feb 8, 2003)

I've posted before on this thread, but we have a new phase we're going into... just like DaryLLL suggested earlier, the allergist we saw on Friday thought we should see if ds is allergic to soy as well as to dairy, since there is such a high correlation (she said 50%). Although he is over the eczema and the diarrhea, he still was refluxing and having breathing problems. So now, we are both off soy as well - omg what a disaster... all the things I had found to replace dairy with were all soy...







We are doing no soy for a week, just to see, since he came up negative on the RAST allergy blood tests for both dairy and soy, and I just know that was a false negative for the dairy (the allergist agreed) and so it could be for the soy as well. So a trial run is the only thing we can do.

I have a couple of questions, maybe you guys can help me out.

- is a week a long enough test for soy? I know milk protein can take at least a couple of weeks to flush through my body, is soy similar?

- I read on other sites that soy lecithin and soybean oil are not necessarily a problem for people who are soy allergic, is this your experience?

- The allergist also said he should avoid fish & nuts until 3 or 4, given that he has two allergic parents and has already demonstrated at least one allergy, and also avoid eggs until 18 mos - does this mean I shouldn't be eating any fish, nuts or eggs either? How hard-core on this should I go?

Any help greatly appreciated!

Liz

dd 12-24-00
ds 7-2-02


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## momto2 (Jul 23, 2003)

Don't have alot of experience with soy but if you are nursing you should avoid all that he has to avoid as well. Sounds like there is something out there that you don't know about yet like soy? Good luck!


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## Missy (Oct 22, 2002)

Hey lizziejean!

I hope you like beans and rice!









I would eliminate soy and whatever else you're thinking about for at least two weeks. It will be removed from your system much sooner, but it could take longer for your babe. My ds2 reacts to soy oil; I do eat soy lecithin with no apparent problems, but in very small amounts and I did eliminate it completely at first, just to be safe.

Replace your soy/veggie oils with canola and olive oil. Read every label--it's safer to just avoid processed foods. If you live near a Trader Joe's, check out their breads and crackers. Wonderful assortment--and affordable. They also have incredible veggie spreads. I've become partial to olives--they give texture and taste to what has the potential to be a very bland diet.

It's easiest just to go cold turkey. Try to forget what you're missing and concentrate on discovering new combinations and tastes. I'm going to write a book: 1000 Variations of Red Beans and Rice or 500 Ways to Stuff a Pita (Pitas are usually safe and make great fajitas in the absence of a safe tortilla).

HTH--
Missy


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## lizziejean (Feb 8, 2003)

Missy,

wouldn't you know it, I just really dislike rice and beans!!! well, beans anyway. And rice isn't that exciting on its own! Oh well... I've turned my life upside down for this little guy already, why not go a little bit further!

I live about 45 mins from a Trader Joes, I am planning to take a trip and stock up on some yummy stuff. It's really hard for me to prepare everything from scratch, I work full time, have a workaholic husband with a 90 min commute, and a one-yr-old and a two-yr-old! it's amazing I even get dressed in the morning, let alone cook nutritious non-dairy non-soy delicious-to-a-toddler microwave-reheatable meals for my little boy to take to daycare!







plus I'm a really bad cook! I guess now's the time to learn, huh!

thanks for the info though, I love this place.

Liz.


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## Sneezykids (Feb 24, 2003)

The probiotics we gave to ds is Candex. You can get it in a HFS. The hard thing is you have to open the capsule and mix it w/ water and give it to them on an empty stomach. This is assuming your child cannot swallow a capsule!
Also, it's best to check this out with a Dr. We had ds tested for yeast and the TYPE of yeast was a RARE type, not treatable with the normal meds - Diflucan or Nystantin - so if you suspect yeast have a stool culture done.
I also wanted to see if any other moms lost a significant amount of weight on their 'nursing diet'. I found it pretty difficult to have a healthy diet since ds was reacting to so much. I lost over ten pounds from PRE preg. wt..I was down to 103 lbs!! Since getting wheat and soy back I'm up to 108 but the dairy still keeps me down below my normal wt. For a while I was only eating rice, lamb, pork, asparagus, carrots and pears. I would fry the meat in canola oil to add fat.

I was also wondering has anyone noticed behavior issues in their allergic child?
Ds is displaying agression more and more. My dd, 6, is HYPER. Both kids have a lot of symptoms found by Dr. Doris Rapp in her book called "Is this your child?" I HIGHLY recommend this book for any parent who thinks their child has allergies, esp FOOD.
Allergist told me an allergy never quite goes away "it just manifests itself into something different" so I'm wondering if the asthma, hives, vomiting, sneezing symptoms are now changing over to a type of hyperactivity and agressiveness.
Any thoughts?


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## momto2 (Jul 23, 2003)

Not sure about this product but be careful with priobiotics in general. You need to call the company and find out if they are grown on dairy cultures or soy cultures. My DS is allergic to dairy so much so that a probiotic grown on dairy cultures caused a reaction.

I lost lots of weight until I got the diet under control too. Maybe a nutritionist would help? I found it helpful to see one.

Also, I have noticed similar things in the past. Look at dyes, etc. and found that Feingold diet information was helpful. I can't remember the book name but if you search on Feingold there is a web page. He talks about hyperness and relation to dyes, etc. My son reacted to the children's Motrin and narrowed it down to dye reaction.

My DS gets really hyper in the early stages of a reaction. His behavior is often the first sign that I identify a reaction. I think this may be true of intolerances or slight allergies to things like wheat, etc. that may only cause behavioral changes. That's my two cents!


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## momto2 (Jul 23, 2003)

lizziejean-

Sounds like we are two of a kind. Same situation here...it gets easier as you get used to it. It's overwhelming at first but it DOES GET EASIER.

Check into cookbooks that will help and I have found the foodallergy.org or FAN to be a good resource. There may be a local chapter of a allergy support group. I am a member here and have found it invaluable. Check with FAN to see if there's one in your area.


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## momto2 (Jul 23, 2003)

Sneezykids-

that thing about the allergy never going away sounds kinda fishy to me...don't know about that. I will ask my allergist about that. Was it an allergist who told you that??







:


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## monkey's mom (Jul 25, 2003)

Sneezy, we see a HUGE difference in allergic reaction behavior vs. regular behavior. Just what you said: hyperactive (and always at around 3 a.m.







: ) and major aggression. His attention span shortens and so does his fuse--he is quick to frustrate and tantrum.

I know I used to get very aggressive feelings as a teen when I had allergic reactions, and I've never seen my mother as mean as she was the day she ate prunes!!









It's heartbreaking to see ds exhibiting this behavior! He is normally so happy and funny.

We're just coming off a bad couple of days of this stuff and a LOT of night waking. I am off cheese 100%--just not worth it for all our sakes!

God bless those who can't do soy either! I'm not entirely sure that we're out of the woods there...but, so far so good.

So, can anyone tell me more about what you can feed your kids? Sam is on a steady diet of:

Boiled chicken
bananas
Gorilla waffles (banana)
Wheat pita (Whole Foods brand)
soy yogurt
Vanilla Arthur cookies
Turkey meatballs
baby food carrots
pears
some other things here and there, but these tend to be the staples.

He's not that into veggies, which worries me some. He doesn't like plain pasta or rice, and I'm not sure what to use to spiff those up a bit.

Someone mentioned allergy cookbooks and I definitely need to try that route.

I've got soy hot dogs waiting for him to try, and black beans...I'm hopeful for the beans...that would be nice inclusion!

So...anyone else? What do you feed your allergic child??


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## lizziejean (Feb 8, 2003)

good idea monkey's mom, let's share some things we have gotten our kids to eat.

Please if anyone notices that I am inadvertently feeding my kid something which has dairy or soy, let me know! I'm just getting used to food labelling!

things that I've made that I think were pretty good:

- mashed potatoes with Fleischmann's light margarine and rice milk
- Goya rice and black beans packet, with bits of pork and some coconut milk mixed in
- green chicken: chicken breast, spinach, fennel seed, salt, pepper, and garlic, all food processed together, then pan fried (no oil - maybe I should have added some) - makes kind of a green crumbly sausage that he can pick up with his hands

I'm liking the coconut milk idea - makes things creamy, sweet, and fatty... things that I used to get from dairy!

anyone else?


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## Missy (Oct 22, 2002)

lizziejean--

Haven't had my coffee yet, so sorry if I sound a little...disconnected still. But, some of the foods sent up warning signs, especially with your new diet restrictions:

margarine usually has some form of soy; haven't found a safe one yet. Try adding a little olive oil.

most processed beans and rice combos have soy also. I just have to make my own. often make a huge crock pot to have something quick to grab.

if you're concerned about eggs, many kids with allergies to eggs have a x-reaction to chicken. We're avoiding it per our allergist's rec. just to be safe.

I'll post again later, when I'm awake...
Missy


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## momto2 (Jul 23, 2003)

Monkey's Mom-

We live on:

Tofu Pups ! Great source of protein and very easy can be eaten heated up or cold right from the package.

Humus- Great on carrots, crackers or pita bread

Hain- ritz like crackers. Taste yummy and no dairy!

Edamame- soy beans in the pods or not I buy them frozen Cascadian Farms

Silk soy yogurt- all flavors are yummy and they have yogurt cultures which are grown on soy not dairy!

chick peas on salads

Willow Creek Soy margarine- tastes just like dairy - I use it in baking, etc.

That's all I can think of now.

Check out this awesome book--

What's to Eat? The Milk-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free Food Allergy Cookbook" Great recipes for birthday cakes, cookies, etc. Our family loves every recipe I have tried from that book...see link below.

http://foodallergy.org/s-cart/produc...?ProdID=CBWHAT

I love this board! Great posts!


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## mpeel (Nov 20, 2001)

Luckily, Sam will eat about anything you put in front of her if she is hungry. She won't eat if she is not hungry (good girl!). She loves avocados, carrots (raw) and broccoli (raw), any meat. I have found that cooking for the whole family but subbing for ingredients she can't have works. I will make anything and sub the dairy with water, applesauce, milk sub., or juice. Usually works fine. Wheat has been a bigger issue, well gluten really. Most gluten-free flours do not sub one for one. Oh, a favorite here if you tolerate beef or venison, take a 3 lb roast. Put it in a crock pot. Dump in a whole jar of pepperocini peppers, juice and all. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. You adjust the spiciness by getting hotter or milder pepperocinis. This is tender and juicy. I use mild pepperocinis as my oldest is sensitive. I am too but the meat does not pick up much heat. I could use a little spicier for the meat. I can't eat the pepperocinis. Too hot!

There are many good cookbooks out there. The best, IMO, for diary free is _The Milk-Free Kitchen_It is out of print but worth the find. Not much soy used in it. And mainstream recipes so your older kids and DH don't look at you strange.







: My family has a hard time adjusting to "odd" food. _Feeding Your Allergic Child_ is good. _The Food Allergy Field Guide_ is also good. Quite a few recipes but just more information on dealing with it all. For those avoiding gluten, anything by Bette Hagman. Carol Fenster is supposed to put out a good one. There is another one I can't think of right now.

Also, on the symptoms changing and allergies not disappearing, I have heard that often. I found it true in myself. I was diagnosed allergic to dairy at 5 years old. I was off it until 10. I supposedly did fine after that. I was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel at 14. When I got PG, I could not handle milk. Made me throw up. I went off of it and felt better than I had in years. Less moodiness, no upset stomach, less joint pain, more energy. I could not believe it. Also, with my 6 y/o, she did not tolerate dairy until after 3 years old. Now however, when we are out of milk, I notice her attitude improves. She is much less moody, more cooperative and less mean to her sister. So, DH may just have to deal with being milk free completely.


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## Missy (Oct 22, 2002)

Sterling's daily diet--in the morning I mix up a big bowl of food to last the day. He has 12-16 oz of oatmeal, 4-5 oz of pureed meat, 4 oz of veggies (organic carrots or green beans) and 3 tsp. of oils (flax seed oil and olive oil). so, he eats around 20- 24 oz of food total. Plus, he usually eats a slice or two of Trader Joe's Shepherd's bread.

me? Right now I'm eating a sandwich made on a Trader Joe's Get thee to a Bunnery roll, with T.J.'s humus, T.J.'s seseme tajini, T.J.'s marinated peppers, T.J.'s Muffleta, and avocado from guess where? That would be what I eat everyday, with some variation in bread, perhaps mixed in some beans and rice, usually with a meat. My dh has learned to make a really good humus, so we play around with that, adding peppers, olives, etc...

lizziejean--I was looking at the goya bean mixes tonight and didn't see "soy" listed on the rice and black beans. Wow! Sorry. I had looked at so many different mixes and everything had soy. And, from what I've heard, there is a "safe" fleischmann's. Just not at any stores around here so I've never seen it. Steer clear of anything with "vegetable oil" and with casein and whey.

Missy


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## mpeel (Nov 20, 2001)

Spectrum has a spread. It does have soy though. Here are the ingredients. It is tasty. No hydrogenated oils.

Spectrum Spread

INGREDIENTS: Expeller pressed canola oil, water, sea salt, xanthan and guar gums, soy protein isolate, annatto, citric acid, sorbic acid at 1/10 of 1% (anti-mold agent), natural butter flavor (non-dairy, soy based), tumeric.


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## lizziejean (Feb 8, 2003)

Missy -

yes, I read many Goya packets before I came to the black bean one! I really wanted to find a packet that I could throw together quickly. Of course I made it for him yesterday and he didn't eat it :-(

The Fleischmann's Light margarine is made from partially hydrogenated corn oil - this probably has trans-fatty acids, right? and also corn is a big allergen... but hopefully not for us... so that's what I use these days, not as much as I used to use butter though, it doesn't taste nearly as good!

Does anyone know what might be in the 'white starter' which is listed on my bakery-type bread from the local supermarket? The bakery lady said it wasn't milk based, that it was a yeast culture, but cultured in/on what is the question.

Also, has anyone got a good list of all the dairy ingredients? I have been avoiding anything with -lact- in the chemical-sounding words, but maybe I am doing this unnecessarily. For example, in the salami I used to get there is "lactic acid starter culture", this is dairy, right? My son had a bit of diarrhea after he ate some, and I was thinking that might be the cause.


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## mpeel (Nov 20, 2001)

Here is a link:

http://www.cornallergic.com/Dairy%20Allergy.htm

It has a good list. It looks complete. I have a complete list is a book at home.

Michelle


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## lizziejean (Feb 8, 2003)

Thanks Michelle! That is a good list. And it answered my question about my salami :-(

I've printed it out so now I can go shopping with it.


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## mom (Feb 1, 2002)

I'm chiming in here. I've found this thread very interesting, and its definitely helpful to see people in a similar situation.

My 14 month old daughter with ezcema was tested for allergies and tested positive for:
eggs, milk, wheat, peanut, rice, fish, and other environmental things. At this point, she nurses tons, and eats carrots and oat flake cereal. She is also supposed to stay away from peas, seeds and nuts, as they are related to the peanut, however distantly. I am not sure if this includes beans. . . .

My main food subsitutes are alot of oats, corn, spelt, soy, with meat as my main source of protein. I started this "diet" in April already several pounds underweight, and now I'm ridiculously underweight. I am always hungry. I think, in order for me to be able to gain an ounce, at the rate I'm currently nursing and all, my daily caloric intake would have to be over 4000, or so. . . .
I am really open to suggestions on how to get more fat/calories into my diet.

As far as yeast is concerned, I have found a link with my child as well. She had yeast diaper and underarm rashes when she was a few months old. I also noticed odd stools. Even after the usual treatments, the diaper rash never seemed to go away. Then the ezcema broke out. Only recently, after she has been on probiotics for a good few weeks now, has her rash gone away, and the eczema slightly improved. Several health care practioners waved off my questions about yeast.







So, if you suspect this problem, it wouldn't hurt to try some probiotics.

Sarah


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## momto2 (Jul 23, 2003)

Mom-

My DS has all similar allergies! When did you notice the onset? I swear it is related to the DPT shots he got when he was 2 and 4 mo old.

FYI- My DS reacted to spelt and oats when he was younger so we had to take them out of his diet as well. Spelt is an ancient wheat relation so some cannot tolerate it. Some people believe that oats have gluten also so you may benefit from taking this out of your diet as well. They could be causing eczema still??? Try white rice bread if you are looking for a substitute.

For additional fat, my DS eats salmon, olive oil (I try to sneak on as much as I can), and I buy the highest fat soy milk that I could find Edensoy Original plain when he got older. Tofu is relatively high fat too so he eats lots of tofu pups and tofu in other dishes. We also buy Willowcreek soy margarine. Tastes great and the whole family can eat it. Soynut butter is another favorite in our house. I eat it on toast every morning and its pretty high in fat.

This was a real problem for me as well when my DS was nursing and we were figuring all this out. My milk was very low in fat as a result but my DS maintained his growth curves nicely. Good luck!


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## Missy (Oct 22, 2002)

Hi Sarah!

Our little ones are only 10 days apart! And your 3-yr-old shares a birthday with my 8 yr-old dd (and I also have a 3 yr-old).

My babe is allergic to dairy, soy, eggs, peanuts, corn, acidic fruits and veggies, banana, and avocado and recently tested pos. to wheat. The wheat doesn't seem to bother him in breastmilk, so it might be a false pos. but we're going to limit consumption anyway. I'm not exactly underweight yet, but this diet has certainly helped me shed those baby pounds a little faster than I should have. Our ped and allergist had us add flax seed oil and olive oil to both of our diets--the flax seed oil has been wonderful for the eczema. There was a time that I never thought I would see my son with the clear, soft skin my other children had (in November his entire little body was covered with a scaly rash), but the elimination diet and the oils have really worked!

If you can eat avocados, they're also a great source of fat. Ds eats huge amounts of oatmeal mixed with the oils and with meat; I pour flax seed oil on my rice--which is obviously out for you--but you may be able to make some sort of a sauce for something else. Also, we're looking into adding a rice protein powder to his food--there's also soy protein powder that might work for you.

What about Luna Bars? I can't eat them because of the soy; but they might be safe for you. Might be a good source for cals. and nutrition. And if you live near a Trader Joe's they have an incredible selection of breads and cereals--I actually found a hemp and flax seed granola that I can eat, the only cereal I've found so far.

Best wishes and hang in there!
Missy


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## mom (Feb 1, 2002)

All of you moms are so inspiring!

momto2~ Well, looking back, I "noticed" problems all along, but I always thought she just had dry and extra sensitive skin. It didn't all come together until she broke out with eczema at 8 months. She has never had shots.

Gee, I thought kamut was the grain related to wheat, and spelt was not! Oh well. And I might be wrong but I don't think she has a gluten problem, though don't quote me on it. There is so little I/we can eat right now that I don't even want to think about eliminating what's been keeping me alive, you know?! Can't have rice though!

Thanks for the support and good luck to you









Missy~
I take flax seed oil, but have yet to try to give her any. I don't suppose there is a high allergenic potential with flax, is there? I may try it soon if I'm brave enough.

I will have to remember to get some avacados!

I didn't know you could have an allergy to (all)acidic fruits and veggies! How did you figure out that one?

I seem to recall checking out the Luna bars (and every other bar). Even the ones without dairy, wheat and peanut all seemed to have rice. But I'll check again to be sure.

I have never heard of Trader Joe's, but that doesn't mean there isn't one around here - I will have to check!

I sure have learned some helpful things from this thread. Btw, your friend, Hilary directed me to it. (FWIW, I'm quoted on pg 252 of the book







)
Thanks


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## Missy (Oct 22, 2002)

Funny--small world, isn't it? I will look for you in the book!

I forgot to look at where you live before I posted about Trader Joe's; there aren't any in Florida. But, when you leave the state to visit family or something, it is truly worth the effort the find out if there's one around. It has offered us an incredible array of safe foods.

Flax seed is in the legume family. Sterling is allergic to both peanuts and soy, but has no problem with other legumes so the oil is safe.

re: the fruits and veggies. The allergic tested for a few of them (apple, pineapple, tomato, orange) and they were positive; the others we've had to eliminate from experience.

You could be right about the Luna Bars; I don't remember the rice. Bummer. I really miss them.

It gets easier. I think...
Missy


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## momto2 (Jul 23, 2003)

Yes, luna bars definetly have rice in them. Sorry I missed the rice issue. I am off rice and corn right now for youngest DS so I can relate. There goes my theory about the shots!! I can relate to your fears about flax, my eldest DS is allergic to legumes so I was always afraid. You do what you feel comfortable with! I think Moms have good internal judgement most of the time and you should follow it. My DS was allergic to avocados early on because we gave it to him so much!

My DS was first allergic to spelt too that's how I know. But at two he had grown out of wheat altogether. He still doesn't eat hardly any wheat now - he still doesn't like it. Probably still a little sensitive to it.

Missy-

Did you have to eliminate eggplant too? Since tomatoes and eggplants are nightshades? I am just learning about this. My younger DS has problem with tomatoes. We are off to the allergist today actually to find out. He eats potatoes all the time so I hope that is not an issue too!

Thanks Guys!

Mindi
NH


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## Missy (Oct 22, 2002)

Mindi--

I don't know about the eggplant because I've never liked it anyway, so, at least right now, it's not an issue. I think tomatoes had two strikes--obviously, they're acidic, but there is also that same link to latex that bananas and avocados have. We're avoiding almost everything in that group. Sterling seems fine with cooked carrots and potatoes, but the problem, I think, is in the raw form of the food.

I don't think you're too far off about the vaxes. Sterling's eczema started within ten days of his 2-mos vax. We believe they triggered the dormant allergies (all my info says that there is an initial exposure to an allergen, then all contact with it later causes a reaction--the vaxes probably gave him that needed initial exposure to something and left him vulnerable--that make sense?!).

I'm trying to create an edible oatmeal cookie. Ha. Canola oil's not cutting it.

Missy


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## momto2 (Jul 23, 2003)

Missy-

Funny you should say that about the vaxes...it's all starting to make sense now. The allergist did not understand why my eldest DS had analphylaxis from banana since he had never had it and I never had it in pregancy or while nursing cause I was allergic to bananas. YOu might be on to something here. I swear his eczema is related to the DPT 2mo shot.

So tomatoes are related to banana and latex? Where did you find this list? I need to look at it. My eldest DS is allergic to latex too.

Just went to the allergist, youngest DS is allergic to trout (?), eggs, squash and corn. I have some reading to do. These are new to me. I'm used to all the others that my eldest DS had and we still do not have in the house since he is so scary allergic.

Missy- Can you do soy? I make the oatmeal cookie recipe off the box on the Quaker instant oats and put egg replacer and willowcreek soy margarine in for the butter. I also ground up quick oats in place of the wheat flour. Did that for DS when he was allergic to wheat and we all like it better that way anyway!

Thanks Missy!

Mindi


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## Missy (Oct 22, 2002)

Mindi,

It was here at MDC that I first heard of a link between bananas and latex and it set off an alarm in my head, particularly after Sterling had a reaction to avocado. I did a search on excite using the keywords "latex" and "bananas" and got a whole slew of links (including some very interesting ones you might expect to pick up with the word "latex"; I may have been able to get more applicable links by adding the word "allergy" now that I think about it). One site (allergy. about.com) had this list: bananas, avocados, chestnuts, kiwi fruit, apples, carrots, celery, papaya, kiwi, potatoes, tomatoes, melon, and possibly pears, peaches, cherries, pineapple, strawberries, figs, grapes, apricots, passion fruit, rye, hazel nuts, walnuts, soy beans, and peanuts. Not every child will react to every food on the list, although Sterling has reacted to a great number of them. So far, (knock on wood) cooked carrots are fine. Yesterday, he refused to eat pears, the one fruit we were still giving him without concern. He behaved the same he did toward bananas and avocados before I forced him to eat them ("of course you like them, honey, they're good for you!") and watched him get sick afterwards. I'm not a *complete* idiot. I knew to stop this time.

Soy's out for us. Someone had mentioned a soy-free, dairy-free fleischmann's, but I haven't found it here yet and, my guess is that, when I do locate some, it'll have corn in it anyway. Corn has turned into a big issue with us; sorry you're having to deal with it now. FYI, I just learned that asorbic acid is derived from corn, as is most modified food starch and some vinegars.

Take care!
Missy


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## PumpkinSeeds (Dec 19, 2001)

I just wanted to reemphasize this point. We had my ds on soy for six months due to his dairy allergy only to find out that he is allergic to soy as well. Poor little guy!

Quote:

_Originally posted by DaryLLL_
*
It has been shown in studies that 25-50% of babies allergic to dairy are also allergic to soy.*


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## Sneezykids (Feb 24, 2003)

My almost two year old is refusing food. He hardly eats any solid food at all. So of course, he is nursing more and more. It is starting to exhaust me. ugh.
Anyone else have a toddler who prefers mm over food?
Help!


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## Kundalini-Mama (Jul 15, 2002)

to join the vaccine group....

my son was the happiest baby, never cried (we could count on 2 hands how often he cried), smiled, loved to be held constantly, but a real happy guy. at 5 months we decided to get him vaccinated for HIB (ped talked us into it)---we now have a different guy on our hands. he became high need that day and has not been the same since. crying, irritability, not sleeping well.

about a month after the vaccine, i gave up dairy. helped somewhat, but not completely. he started waking up every 40 min to nurse at night. after 8 months of this, i tried to gently cut back on the nursings. he was screaming and freaking out, after 3 weeks of doing this. i figured that this was not a behavioral issue, but that there had to be some pain. i cut out eggs and after 2 weeks, he started sleeping in 2-4 hr bursts.

now, fast forward a couple of months. we get the RAST test done. tests negative for dairy and eggs. i KNOW he is allergic to these things. it says he is *slightly* sensitive to carrot (which i figured, always is punchy after eating it and has dry, red skin on his left cheek), corn (same symtoms as carrot), and peanut. but these are all very slight reactions. if anyone is familiar w/the RAST test (as i'm sure you are







) he was only a 0,1, which is strange as he becomes SO irritable.

i don't know where i'm going w/this, sorry. i would just love some suggestions. i feel that the RAST test was not accurate and don't know where to go now. i'm shocked that dairy and eggs didn't even register







and my instinct is telling me therre is something else, besides the carrot, corn, peanut, dairy and eggs, but the test tells me otherwise.

i'd love some thoughts.

thanks
amy


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## Missy (Oct 22, 2002)

Hi Amy--

NAK so scuze the typing...

From what I'm learning, the only true accurate dx comes from reactions. It's nice when the tests offer confirmation, but trust reactions first. Our son did test pos., but I've heard so many stories now of kids having ana reactions to things that had tested low or neg. Also, many GI allergies typically don't show up on tests. Trust your instincts. Most good allergists will tell you the same thing.

Sounds like you've eliminated a lot--have you thought about soy? That could be causing a problem, too. Or wheat. Truthfully, you may have do a complete elimination diet: cut out all the big allergens (dairy, soy, eggs, corn, apples, shellfish, wheat/gluten, nuts, anything else you suspect...bananas, maybe?) for about two weeks. Read labels, watch for hidden ingredients. Then, slowly, one food/week add things back in and watch for a reaction. MDC was a great support when we first learned about ds2's allergies; I had no idea what to do.

Missy


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## Sneezykids (Feb 24, 2003)

The rast only tests IgE mediated allergies, I'm almost certain. There are other antibodies involved in allergies like IgA, IGG, etc.


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## Unreal (Dec 15, 2002)

I wanted to share that I had incredible food intolerances since I was 2yo. I had to be taken off solids and put back on formula. I was on formula as a supplement until I was 5.
*Most* of my food issues did go away. I still have problems with things like dairy, corn, apples, and lamb--but nothing like when I was little. It also helps that I have learned to rotate foods that bug me.
So there is hope for our little ones!

and speaking of little ones....I nursed ds1 till he was just about 2 with no problems. Ds2 is completely different. I'm off dairy and soy and have to be careful to not overdo oats or wheat. Thankfully rice has been okay. I know I could cut it out if I had to, but.....

After reading this thread I'm thinking more about a lot of things....

#1--ds1 is completely vax'd. No problems. I didn't worry about them with him. ds2 hasn't been vax'd at all. Just reading about what you all said about the allergies and vax's had me in tears. I just *know*...with that magically mommy power...that they are going to hurt his system. The ped. had me sign a waiver last time I was in the office, after I said I wanted to wait until he was okay with foods and stuff. Thankfully she was awesome and didn't push the shots. Your comments here really helped me to realize that I made a completely logical request.

#2--ds2 is a big babe--he was 9lb8oz and 21 inches at birth, and 20lbs and 26 inches at his 4 month check up (







)
Since then, though, he hasn't gained any weight. A few days ago I measured him, he was over 27 inches, but still 20lbs (He's 5.5 months now). Does that seem weird? I know kids are supposed to slow down on the weight gain (ds1 never did though--he was a CHUB! ds2 is just long and solid), but should he just *stop* gaining?

#3--For the past week I've noticed him regurgitating a lot of fluid. He is not spitting up--there is no baby-cheese involved here--just watery fluids. Please tell me I'm overly concerned and that it isn't reflux! Reading here is making me think that something new is bugging my poor babe









BTW....for anyone reallllllly missing pizza--have you tried making a nutritional yeast sauce? It isn't the same as cheese, but it is good and makes for a yummy pizza


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