Food Allergy Living Blog Tagged Results

Our post today is a special guest blog entry from Dianne Lazer.Dianne is a speech language pathologist and certified orofacial myologist in Cherry Hill, New Jersey where she specializes in pediatric speech, language, swallowing and feeding disorders. She is also one of the authors of a series of four nutrition books for children: Ryan Fights the Green Monsters, Roneet and the Fairy Princess Who Helped Conquer Her Fears of the Green Monsters, Michael and the Birthday Party and What’s the Scoop on Poop. The books are designed to help children between four and eight years old change their eating habits. Today she is sharing her story of why she wrote the books. We would like to thank her for guest blogging for us!

Many of my patients were eating mostly processed foods high in sugar and limiting the food they did eat to mostly carbohydrates that allowed them to gain weight but were lacking in essential nutrients that would keep them healthy. Their parents were misinformed about what was included in a healthy meal. I found that many of my patients either had food allergies or where sensitive to many types of foods that caused them to have chronic illnesses like ear infections, congestion, eczema, constipation, etc. that interfered with their communication and feeding and swallowing skills. When I looked at what they were eating, it became clear that there was a big problem and helping them advance textures and varieties of solid foods and keeping them healthy could be changed very easily through educating them about healthy foods. If parents only knew that what they were feeding their children were empty calories and actually causing most of the common ailments their children were suffering, maybe they would look at things differently and offer them a better selection of foods at their meals.

I searched high and low for picture books for the 3-8+ age group and didn't find anything that would work. So, I decided to make up a story of my own with the help of a pediatric gastroenterologist and nutrition counselor that would teach both children and their parents about healthy eating. The books have been a lifesaver in therapy and have helped my patients and their parents learn what is involved in eating a healthy meal and why it is important not to eat too much "Sad Sugar and the Nasty Family Foods" because they can make people sick! The books start off the therapy process on the right foot and allow me to work on healthy foods right from the start. Children and parents have to learn why this is important and once they learn the facts, they try harder to like Molly Mellon's fruits, Mr. Green Bean's vegetables, Pat Protein's, Goody Grain's and Frieda Fat's foods.

Right now, we are also working on completing The Green Monster Game that will go with the Roneet and Ryan books and The Green Monster Healthy Recipe Book to help busy parents prepare meals for special diets with easy, fast and healthy recipes so they are not so overwhelmed when the doctor says their child has to go on a dairy and/or gluten free diet.

- Dianne Lazer, MA, CCC-SLP/COM, Lic.

Our post today is a guest blog entry from Lorelei Alvarez, one of the founders of the Reflux Rebels, a support group for parents of children with reflux, MSPI and other GI issues. You can also find the Reflux Rebels on BabyCenter, where they have an active group of over 1,800 parents. We’d like to thank her for guest blogging for us.

Roland Edward Alvarez

Born December 6, 2008 Roland is an 18 month old toddler who is now perfectly happy and healthy (although fairly small for his age). To be around him now, you would never know the rough start he had in life or the struggles that he still has with certain foods. Due to a traumatic delivery, Roland spent some time at birth in the hospital. He wasn’t able to nurse, and was tube-fed pumped breastmilk. Within just a few days, he began showing signs of dairy protein intolerance, including excess fussiness and gassiness just after eating, arching, vomiting, mucus in his stools and diarrhea. His mom eliminated dairy from her diet and that seemed to improve his condition some and he started gaining a little weight. After a couple weeks, Roland was weaned from the tube and sent home. Unfortunately, once at home, his symptoms continued to get worse. He had difficulty gaining weight, vomited after most bottles of expressed breastmilk, had constant mucus in his stools, frequent diarrhea and it was often extremely acidic. He had frequent weight checks with his pediatrician, and was diagnosed with reflux at around 4 or 5 weeks and started on Zantac, which did nothing to improve his symptoms. In the mean time, his mother started researching about milk protein intolerances and discovered that many babies with issues with milk are also soy intolerant so she eliminated all soy from her diet as well.

Roland at 3 months, Pre-Neocate

Unfortunately, the elimination of soy did little for Roland and his overall health continued to decline. He began projectile vomiting after every bottle of pumped breastmilk and the acidic diarrhea became constant and multiple times each day. In desperation, his mother attempted a total elimination diet, eating only a handful of different foods and eliminating all possible allergenic foods. Nothing seemed to work for poor Roland.

Not All Hypoallergenic Formulas are the Same

His mother’s supply of breastmilk began to dwindle, and it became necessary to supplement with formula. His parents first tried a hypoallergenic formula. Roland was just a little over 3 months at that point and weighed less than 8 pounds. After less than a week supplementing with Nutramigen, Roland took a turn for the worse. He began completely refusing to eat other than in his sleep, vomiting everything, losing weight, having horrible, acidic diarrhea up to 10 times per day and had blood in his stools. His mother again researched and discovered that the hypoallergenic formulas do contain dairy proteins even though they are very broken down and learned about elemental formula through Nutricia’s website and through moms with a group called the Reflux Rebels. Roland’s parents took him once again to the pediatrician and during that visit, it was decided to move him completely to an elemental diet. Roland began a Neocate only diet at a little over 3 months along with a PPI to heal the damage from the reflux and vomiting. Within 2 weeks of the Neocate, most of Roland’s lower GI issues resolved. His stools became fairly normal, gassiness and painful stomach cramping began to clear, and chronic diaper rash began to clear. And, he finally began gaining weight. He remained small, but at least began following the growth curve.

Roland at 5 months, Post-Neocate

Food Protein-Induced Entercolitis Syndrome (FPIES)

The elemental formula likely saved his life, as it became clear later that Roland probably suffers from a condition known as FPIES (Food Protein-Induced Entercolitis Syndrome). Usually this syndrome doesn’t really become clear until solids introduction, but unfortunately Roland’s condition was severe enough that he reacted to the proteins in his mother’s milk. Solids introductions for Roland were difficult and he reacted to several other foods including rice and corn. Eventually he was able to handle very broken down dairy proteins and could tolerate first the hypoallergenic formula and eventually a toddler formula that is not quite as broken down. His issues with soy are less severe as well. Fortunately for Roland, FPIES reactions are typically outgrown around age 3, but until he is able to tolerate the whole proteins in dairy, soy, rice, and corn, his parents need to monitor his diet closely to prevent horrible flu-like reactions. After about 6 weeks on the elemental formula and PPI, Roland went from an exceptionally uncomfortable, clingy, miserable infant who never smiled or slept to a completely independent, fun-loving, easy to care for baby. It was literally a night/day transition. His parents were also able to take him off of the reflux medication fairly early as his issues with reflux and vomiting were due to the protein intolerance. Unfortunately for Roland, living the first 4 months of his little life in chronic pain created an oral aversion that has continued well into his second year of his life. Eating is generally a struggle for him and could be for years.

- Lorelei Alvarez

Roland today at 18 months

Our post today is a guest blog entry from Brittney, one of the founders of the Reflux Rebels, a support group for parents of children with reflux, MSPI and other GI issues. You can also find the Reflux Rebels on BabyCenter, where they have an active group of over 1,800 parents. We’d like to thank her for guest blogging for us.

I'm Brittney, a stay-at-home-mom to three beautiful kids; 2 bouncing, beautiful girls and a sweet baby boy.

My journey with infant reflux and severe food allergies started when our second daughter, Elliott (Ellie), was born. Ellie immediately started with symptoms of what I now know as reflux and Milk/Soy Protein Intolerance (MSPI) (for Ellie, her reflux was a by-product of her untreated MSPI and various food allergies).

In the hospital she appeared to be a normal newborn. She was a little “spitty” but nothing that struck us as odd. She only had one bowel movement in the hospital and thus began our journey to what seemed like hell and back. When Ellie was four days old we went to the new pediatrician because her belly was distended, she hadn't had a bowel movement since we left the hospital, and she was visibly in pain. We were told to put her on soy formula (which our first daughter was successful with) and to try a few home remedies to relieve her constipation.

In the midst of the formula change and adjusting to life with a newborn again, symptoms of severe reflux appeared. Ellie went from screaming for a few hours a day off and on to screaming bloody murder for hours on end. In desperation, we went back and forth to the pediatrician begging for help and answers. We were told countless things. She just has colic... She'll outgrow it... Try some cereal... etc., etc.

We were put on medications such as Axid, Zantac, Erythromycin, Prevacid capsules, and Prevacid Solutabs. Finally one night after Ellie screamed for 22 hours straight and the pediatric nurse assuring me she just had “colic”, we made the decision to go back to our previous pediatrician across the state line. The next morning we were seen by our current, open-minded (and amazing!) pediatrician and have never looked back. Ellie was started on 30mg of Nexium a day and switched to Neocate, an elemental formula for kids with severe food allergies.

Throughout the following months, Ellie underwent countless procedures, x-rays, blood draws, ultrasounds, and doctors’ visits to get her condition under control. We trialed and failed food after food after food with her. We were told all of those common myths by the GI and the only thing we were left with was frustration and a daughter completely and utterly miserable. After a few months of being on the Nexium and Neocate combination, things started to look up. By a year she was a new baby and now, at 2, I don't even recognize the once miserable baby she was. She brings such joy to our home!

When our third child, Cohen, was born, I noticed his bowel movements were filled with mucous (a tell-tale sign of a milk intolerance). I immediately cut all dairy from my diet. A week or two later I cut all forms of soy. Like Ellie, while we were trying to get his milk situation under control, I noticed reflux starting to creep its way in (both a mechanical issue and an MSPI by-product for Cohen). We wasted no time and went back to our pediatrician to get him a proper PPI (30mg of Nexium also) at MARCI-kids dosing standards. After 7 weeks of continuously mucousy and bloody stools, the decision was made to also put Cohen on Neocate. Within two weeks of being on the Neocate and Nexium combo, he was good as gold and within 6 weeks, his stools were perfect! He's a happy, healthy, BIG, 7 month old now. He's the perfect (and final!) addition for us!

Why all the details?, you ask. I share the details with you to let you know that I can relate. I have been there and done it all.

• I've dealt with the horrible doctors and the nurses who act like you're insane.
• I've been there with the screaming, inconsolable infant.
• I've been there fighting with the insurance to cover this particular test and that particular medication.
• I have been there fighting with my spouse because of all the tension having a GERDling and allergy baby brings.

I have been there. And now I want to be there for you. Our group, and The Reflux Rebels website, was created out of our desire to see no parent, family member, and infant have to suffer like ours have. We hope that you will find this information useful and informative.

And as always, know, It's not “just colic”

I, along with Lauren, created The Reflux Rebels in January of 2009. Since then it has grown to over 1,800 members. In late 2009, Lorelei and Kim joined us as co-owners of The Reflux Rebels. We are currently in the process of becoming a legal non-profit organization and strive to give back to our community and those in need.

- Brittney

Anyone who has eaten something and then experiences an unpleasant reaction has probably wondered if they have a food allergy. In fact, one out of three individuals thinks they may have a food allergy or may modify their diet due to a suspicion. Occuring to AAAAI statistics, yet only around 6% of children under the age of three are affected by food allergies, but most out grow these allergies as adults.

What all of this adds up to is that food allergies and food intolerances can be easily confused with each other. Yet these conditions are different in terms of their origin, symptoms and treatment. So what are the differences between the two?

What Are Food Allergies?

Let’s start with the more severe of the two: food allergies. Food allergies occur when the body’s immune system identifies a food as a harmful substance. When the body recognizes anything harmful it will produce antibodies, which are like small soldiers that protect our body’s health. When the body produces antibodies directed against a certain type of food, it causes an immune response. This then releases histamine and other chemicals that trigger allergic symptoms. These allergic symptoms are ‘red alerts’, which tell us that something is wrong.

Generally, it is the protein in foods that cause an allergic reaction. Food allergy symptoms may occur right after consuming the allergen or even hours later. These symptoms may affect the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system or the skin. In cases of severe allergic reactions there may be a drop in blood pressure or loss of consciousness. Some people have food allergies so severe that they are at risk for life threatening reactions known as anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a rapid series of serious allergic reactions that affect a number of different areas of the body at once. Fortunately, this can be treated with the prescription drug epinephrine, which is available on-the-go in a pen size injector – also known as an Epi-Pen.

Common food allergy symptoms include:

• Skin rash or hives;
• Swelling of the tongue and throat;
• Breathing problems including asthma;
• Vomiting and/or diarrhea; and
• Abdominal pain and cramping.

Currently, there are no medications that cure food allergies, so it is necessary for children and adults with food allergies to avoid allergenic foods. It is critical to review food labels and ask questions about ingredients in recipes before consuming any foods. The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004

What Is A Food Intolerances?

Food intolerance is the inability to properly digest or fully process certain foods. This does not involve an immune response, but is still an adverse food-induced reaction that can cause uncomfortable symptoms similar to a food allergy. For example, lactose intolerance is caused when a person lacks an enzyme called lactase that breaks down the milk sugar called lactose. This can cause gas, bloating and abdominal pain when consuming milk products. Fortunately, lactase tablets are available without a prescription to help treat this food intolerance.

Because the symptoms of food allergies and intolerances are often similar, it is helpful to get tested by an allergist and keep a food diary. A food diary keeps track of which foods are eaten and at what time, which can help determine if they are causing the symptoms of an intolerance or allergy. This will help the allergist to distinguish the correct diagnosis and treatment. Allergists can also conduct a skin test or blood test to determine if an individual is allergic to a specific food. How did you determine if you or your child had a food allergy or food intolerance? Did you find allergy testing to be reliable, or was keeping a food diary more helpful?

- Reneé