My 14 month old was tested and is allergic to peanut, milk, wheat, and egg white. We did complete the egg challenge and she is ok to eat eggs. I am trying to read labels and need suggestions for snacks, can anyone help, I am feeling a bit overwhelmed.
Thank you everyone for all your wonderful information. We met with the allergist and are on our way to learning how to read labels. She passed the food challenge for the eggs and was very low on the milk and wheat that we just have to watch her. Peanut and tree nuts will be our biggest challenge. Thank you all so very much.
Depending on how completely you have to cut things out, she may be able to eat Cheerios - the only offending ingredient is wheat starch and is listed second to last. My mom was able to eat them when she was allergic to wheat. Looks like Kix would also be ok. Fresh fruit, apple sauce, etc make good snacks as well. Good luck!
You are not alone. There are a lot of us out there. Please read my blog and see how allergies in my children turned us into a family that leads a natural and healthy life now. I am sharing our journey so others don't feel so alone. (www.amyandsimonblog.com) Remember to not walk down the center isles in the grocery stores. You walk the perimeter and the health food isles only because all the other isles contain processed foods that contain at least one of the items you have to avoid and at least four others that are very unhealthy.
Good luck and feel free to email with questions.
Hi L.,
I have a 4.5 year old that was diagnosed with food allergies which she was 12 months old and it really shook my up. It was just at the time when you supposedly transition them to whole milk and little sandwiches etc. She is (was) allergic to eggs, soy, peanuts, wheat, corn and fish. Egg was the one that we saw a reaction within seconds if she ate it. For two years I road it out and started researching recipes the old fashioned way....the library :) Initially I felt so alone as all my friend had kids that could eat any and everything and then there was mine who at all fresh foods or homemade baked concoctions. When she turned 3, I found a website that talked about allergy elimination and took her to see a Naturopath doctor in Roswell, GA. The results were fascinating, however I didn't get the exact results I was looking for. A friend of mine told me about a doctor her son was seeking for his severe allergy to peanuts. He is now able to eat peanuts without it being life threatening. So I took my daughter to him and she is actually able to eat eggs now without having any reaction. Its absolutely amazing. He is located in Alpharetta, GA. You can contact me if you want more information. Food allergies can be a hidden blessing...we should be reading our labels anyway but when you are forced to it may take a little more time but its worth it and you tend to end up with a healthy eater :) A few websites:
www.kidswithfoodallergies.org
www.allergykids.com
www.keepkidshealthy.com
www.foodallergy.org
www.naet.com
www.besthealthandwellness.com/a-sert.html (Not sure where you live, but I know of one in GA that does this).
Hang in there mom....it can be a lot of work but once you get into a groove the only time its a little incovenient is if you are eating out. But many restaurants will accommodate your needs. Chili's even has a PDF listing the food allergies. The internet is a great resource for recipes.
One more note: Their is a product called Sunbutter that we ahve been using for 3 years. Looks like peanut butter but its made from sunflower seeds. She can find it in Kroger, Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Natural Food Warehouse and Target (its cheapest at Target).
Last note: Determine if your child is just allergic to wheat or gluten (celiac disease). Because that can make a huge difference also. There are many non-wheat flours out there but they still have gluten in them. For example...my daughter use to have a wheat allergy but could tolerate spelt (an ancient cousin of wheat).
http://www.wheat-free.org/wheat-free-flour.html
Hi L.,
I know you're overwhelmed. My first daughter got sick at 14 months and I still remember the panic that insued. But breathe!
ALL allergies to natural things are cause by a weakened immune system. (Of course, there are un-natural things in all of what you mentioned due to processing and preservatives and weakened immune systems don't always manifest themselves in "sicknesses.") I can't suggest what to do specifically to dodge those types of things but I can recommend something to do if you would like to take a different approach and build your little one's immune system.
I was ridden with allergies all of my life and have overcome them all. I would be glad to share the information with you if you are interested. Feel free to check out my website and see exactly who I am. It's www.squidoo.com/ifyourbabycouldtalk
I'd love to help if I can. God bless!
M.
I had a whole long response typed up and lost it. Here's the gist: Whole Foods' website will give you a list of the foods for your daughter's particular food allergies they carry at the local store. I printed the list out and carry it with me every time I shop. I note which things my daughter likes and which she doesn't (she is allergic to gluten AND is extremely picky) I have found all kinds of snack foods and mixes there. Also http://www.celiac.com/ will give you a list of good and bad foods. I carry this list with me EVERYWHERE! Often, people with Celiac Disease are allergic to dairy and egg and sometimes nuts. I have found recipe blogs that I have found useful. Email me if you'd like more info!
Good luck! It's not easy charting thing territory!
If it helps, when my daughter was tested at 2, she also tested positive for all those things and when we went back at 4, she's not allergic to peanut, eggs or milk. So, this may not be your life!
There are lots of great yahoo groups for kids with food allergies. Many kids who are GFCF (gluten free casein free) also have multiple other food allergies. GFCFkids is good, that will get you started. There is great mixes for baking on www.allergygrocer.com. Not sure where you are, but whole foods has some good boxed food options, many Krogers do too.
The snacks my kids eat and love are Glutino pretzels, wheat free Newmans own fig newtons, GFCF brownies, cakes, and cookies by Ms Robens, cereals are easy (lots with corn and rice), tortilla chips with hummus, carrots with SunButter (found in publix, kroger, and whole foods). the gluten free gormet Cook book is awesome. There are pancake mixes, breads, etc which can easily accomodate the milk and peanut allergy as well.
Find yourself a great DAN! physicians to work on healing the allergies (YES, it is possible!). Accupressure, homeopathy, www.cranialacademy.org have some very beneficial areas of help as well. If you are interested, email me and I will be glad to share more.
I have been through this with my son, watched in a more severe fashion with my friends kids and know that improvement is very possible. It is not quick, but full recovery of the immune system should be your goal - let no one disuade you from that regardless of how many times they tell you it is not possible. Seek professionals who can provide solutions.
The first couple months are the hardest, after that you will adjust and find good alternatives to make it easier.
J
Target sells "Sunbutter". It is a peanut butter type product that is made from sunflower seeds. It is processed in a peanut-free facility. I don't know if it contains milk or wheat. I think it tastes pretty good, a little bit of a sunflower after taste, but the initial taste is just like peanut butter. Good luck! Having a child with a food allergy can be very hard.
My son has allergies to milk, eggs, and peanuts. He will be 3 in January and sometimes I still feel overwhelmed!!! My son is allergic to the milk protein so he can't even have lactaid but he drinks rice milk and loves it. When ever I cook something that needs milk I just use rice milk for eveything now and no one knows the difference. That's where he gets most of his calcium and vitamin d. We stay away from most dairy. Since he can't have icecream or sherbert, he eats sorbet which he loves. We have to check EVERY label at the store which takes a lot of time to make sure there are no peanuts! We don't even have peanut butter in the house or allow him around any peanuts what so ever. He had a severe reaction one time from chick-fil-a because they cook their stuff in peanut oil. I would make sure you check things out at restaurants too just to be safe. Whole foods is a great place to shop. They have many foods for people with allergies. I give my son lots of fruits and veges and read every label for snacks. The wheat allergy must be extremely hard because that is in just about everything!! When I go to the store I check labels and get whatever snacks do not have what he is allergic too. Check on-line allergy websites as well... these have helped me out a great deal. The food allergy network has a cookbook for people with allergies and it's only like $20.
Hiope this helps. Good Luck!
Search out a health food store near you. Whole Foods is great if nearby. They have a huge selection of wheat free and dairy and nut free items. They will have great cheeses that are soy based. To replace wheat, look for rice or potato based crackers and cookies. They have a great rice based pasta, by Tinkyada (sp?) You may want to seek out a nutritionist, just to help you with reading the labels, because there are so many derivatives of wheat that can be called something else. Hope this helps:)
L.- My oldest son is also allergic to peanut, egg.... have you looked into NAET treatments? I know of a few Naturopathic Dr.s in the N. Atlanta area I could refer youto- they can effectively eliminate!!! these allergies so your child can live a somewhat normal life! It is pricey - but to me it's so worth it!!! otherwise find a whole foods or natural foods store near you and seek information from them on egg free-, dairy/casien free and gluten free foods.
I am just starting NAET with my son- if you want to chat about it- feel free to contact me.
Good Luck to you
Nikki Kenney
Go to www.kidswithfoodallergies.org. You will find lots of resources and answers to questions. They also have a yahoo group where you can post questions to other parents like we do here on mamasource.
Good luck!
