Help with Food Allergies

Vegatables!!!! You can buy vegan cheese from a health food store or sometimes the regular supermarket. In fact, vegan products are woth looking into because they have no dairy in them at all. I give my daughter pastina and little pasta all the time, but I always mix it with either peas, carrots, cauliflower, or broccoli. I put milk and cheese into when the pasta is hot so it will melt on it's own, but you can do the same thing with a little water and vegan cheese.

Don't forget the veggies!!!!If he learns to love them, he'll probably have more a food selection than other babies his age! Try, try, try, not to get caught in the french fry/ chicken nugget slump.

Oh N., I really can not help with the suggestion on what else your son can eat, but my son has food allergies to peanuts and shellfish and he is 3. I know how it can break your heart when your out and they see other kids eating it and you have to say no, or even a birthday party I always have to bring my own dessert. I also hate eating out. If you ever want to talk I will be here.

Here are two sites that I find pretty good. I am not sure if you know about them already so here they are
http://www.foodallergy.org/allergens/index.html
http://www.allergicchild.com

i'm a preschool teacher i recently had a child with the same allergies. it was really hard for us .his mom had a cook book for food allergies i would check online for something like that. she would make meatball with nothing in them, she had a recipe for cupcakes. for snacks he had oyster crackers,most chips i know that was not too help ful but i'll see if i can find the cook book's name...patty p.

Definately get him into fruits and vegetables. Did you see your doctor about what to do about him not being able to drink milk or soy milk?

well my daughter to had allergies to soy, tomato and egg. They found all of this when she was about three years old. She is now 5 and has out grown these allergies. She has always been seen at the allergy clinic at childrens hospital. They are wonderful!! I know it is not easy to deal with and it can be very frusterating, But keep your head up things will get better. If you are lucky your child will out grow all of this. Good Luck!!!

N.,

Try asking your ped. for a referral to a nutritionist. They can help you not only add variety to his diet and provide you with reseources for foods that he will be able to tolerate, but they can also help you construct an eating plan that makes sure that he is getting everything he needs. Calcium is especially important, and if he can't drink milk or soy milk, you want to make sure his food choices are getting him enough calcium. Good luck to you. Feeding a toddler is hard enough, without all of this.

J.

Consider rice products: rice milk, rice bread, rice cakes, rice cookies (go to Whole Foods!) You can buy all types of foods that really taste great for meals as well as snacks (try bringing your rice snacks in your purse when you visit nieces and nephews) Also, this is a good time to try putting out vegetables at meals that he can pick up with his fingers at meals or work on his spoon practice - start peas or broccoli now and he'll have no problem with it as time goes on! Good luck - it takes a little extra work but there are alot of choices out there.

Hi N. -

There are cookbooks for people with allergies and food sensitivities on Amazon.com, that can give you ideas on meals that the whole family can enjoy together.
For snacks, you can always give him fresh fruit and veg like apple and pear slices, raw carrots, cucumber and fennel.
A lot of people who are intolerant of allergic to peanuts actually tolerate almonds, cashews and macadamia nuts pretty well, so you can go to the health foo store and get some other nut butters to add some protein and good fats to his snacks (celery with almond butter, yum!).
You can make some yummy pancakes using egg yolks and rice milk, or coconut milk for a real treat, as the batter is nice and thick.
Smoothies are another excellent snack, mix some rice or almond milk with banana, strawberries and for some extra protein try a no-dairy, no soy protein powder like rice protein or hemp seed protein powder. They are all available at Whole Foods and most Health Food Stores.

And last but not least, consider looking into NAET, a narural, non-invasive handling for allergies. It really works, my best friend's son had multiple allergies and was able to handle them.

Best of luck!

N.,
My sister has the same allergies. I grew up with none, but wasn't able to eat what she couldn't. Have you tried Lactaid milk? It comes in white and chocolate. My sister was also told to eat a lot of yogurt. It has something in it that was good for her, and she could eat frozen yogurt so instead of ice cream at birthday parties we always had frozen yogurt. Also, my oldest daughter is in kindergarten with kids that are allergic to tons of stuff and one of the moms went to a store like Feel Rite (I'm not too sure if thats the store) and they found cake mix that has no dairy in it. I know it's hard for a while trying to get the right foods, but my mom said it does get easier.

Hi N.,

A friend of mine whose son has allergies similiar to yours took advantage of a service offered by Whole Foods supermarket. You can walk through the store with an employee who will help to find a variety of foods that will not contradict your sons allergies. My friend said it was fantastic and she was given ideas that she never would have considered on her own. I don't think any of the larger chains offer the service but Trader Joe's might. Check around...Good Luck!

I would recommend fruits and vegetables. Also go to a health food store or check online for products the other kids eat that are made with allowable foods. I also would encourage making your own chicken nuggets - much healthier to bread and bake your own

You can use non dairy creamer to make milk for him....you mix it 2 cups hot water to one cup non dairy creamer..refridgerate til cold and serve...the flavor isnt the same as milk....check all non dairy products to see whats in it ......you might be able to come up with new ideas on what to give him.....there is non dairy cream cheese ...non dairy sour cream....if you want to make him pancakes here is a poor mans recipe for it......2 cups flour , 1 tablespoon of baking powder , cold water enough to make the thickness of batter you want..use sunflower oil to cook it in.....you dont need alot of oil only enough so the pancake dont stick...you can also make biscuits and make an home made gravy ....if you want to get in contact with me i am ____@____.com.....or you can call me...###-###-####....i am a chef by heart...and can help you...maybe come up with more food for him....I so love kids and will help in any way i can

Hi N.,

My Daughter is 16 months and has food sensitivities to cow's milk, sesame seeds, all tree and peanut products, egg white and yolk. We are fortunate enough that she has tolerated soy beans and soy products and wheat.

My first suggestion is to make sure you have seen an expert - an allergist - not just a pediatrician. I love my pediatritian, but allergies are still not dealt with correctly within the traditional medical community. You need an expert and you need a good one.

The most important thing about a child under 3 with bad allergies is to limit exposure to any and all potential allergens. You should also note that a child of 18 months isn't necessary allergic yet, but simply isn't tolerating foods. Your child has an 80% chance of getting rid of all the food allergies by limiting exposure. 18 months is a good time to get tested, if you are not completely positive of the potential allergens.

The classic allergy diet is Lamb, Rice, and Pears. These foods have the least potential for causing allergies. If your child has potential Egg and Milk allergies, you should also avoid beef and chicken. Ham, Turkey and Lamb is your best bet for protein.

IF your child is tolerating wheat - it's a great source of protein and vitamins. We give bagels and whole what bread - but be EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS about where the bread is processed, and ensure they are not made in plants that manufacture nuts or seeds.

TO NOTE about WHOLE FOODS- the majority of their products are made in plants with nuts and other allergens. Be VERY CAREFUL.

One of our issues is getting enough FAT into our daughters diet - you should try to add vegetable oil to her milk substitutes. Rice milk still doesn't have as much protein as soy milk - you might consider going back to an alimentum formula or experimenting with Sheep's or Goat's milk (but I would not do this without consulting an allergist).

Other foods that do well with us: Sweet Potatoes, Plantains, Bananas, Squash, Apples, Pears, Peaches, Brocolli, Cauliflower, my daughter won't eat avacado (hates it) but it's fantastically healthy. For snacks I give her Sweet Potato Chips, Wheat Thins (check for soy on this). AND BELIVE IT OR NOT - FRENCH FRIES (no ketchup)- TONS OF FAT!!!!

You can try potato and Zucchini pancakes - held together with olive or

Pasta has been a big savior for us - try mixing it with some veggies and small pieces of ham to make a rounded meal..
Wholegrain Pancakes made with Banana and Rice Milk - Delicious and healthy (they don't know about syrup).

Don't experiment with Tomatoes, fish, berries, exotic fruits - or anything you're not positive about.

We eat a lot of tofu, beans and rice in our house - but beans are a close relative to peanuts - and tofu of course is SOY, so stay away. I would really try the lamb (my baby doesn't like it though) - My allergist recommended lamb chops - where they could hold it themselves, and have a lot of fun eating it.

Also - RICE, RICE, RICE!!! Brown Rice especially has tons of great stuff in it, and you can mix it with anything. We also eat oatmeal, rice Krispies, Ferina, and Hot rice cereal - add Veggie oil to everything you can!!!!

Good luck - stay calm - Keep Children's benadryl handy (ask doc for the dosage) and GET AN EPIPEN if you don't have one already.

S.

PS - I see a lot of notes on this board to try Vegan cheese (which would have soy, and possibly milk protein believe it or not) and non-dairy creamers (which also can use milk protein). Please remember that any of us writing advice, are not experts and that food allergies can be dangerous. ESPECIALLY - Please don't try nut butters without talking to an allergist - most children who exhibit any sign of peanut allergies are most likely allergic to tree nuts and even if they don't by not exposing them at this age, you can prevent an allergy from beginning. It's very important to talk to real experts about this - don't listen to my advice either without confirming it with a doctor.

Make some fun things with fruit. Make almond butter and jelly sandwiches. Maybe soups would be good with fresh vegatables and pasta. If he is not allergic to cheese you can make him grilled cheese or nachos with tortilla chips and ground beef or chicken and cheese. bake your own stuff with just the yolks. maybe make him eggs with just the yolks. I hope this helps.