Food Allergy Living Blog Tagged Results

I often get asked whether our Neocate^® formulas have all the vitamins and minerals a child would need to thrive for all stages throughout their lives. The answer is yes; but I thought I should explain further what the term “nutritionally complete” really means.

If a formula is considered nutritionally complete it can be used as a sole source of nutrition because it will provide all of the important carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals a child needs to grow and thrive. For a nutritional product to be nutritionally complete and say so on its product label, it should be age-appropriate and provide all the nutrients a child would need for that specific age. For example, infant formulas are designed specifically to meet the needs of infants. As the infant grows into a toddler and older child, their nutritional needs differ and age-specific nutritionally complete products are needed to ensure they are meeting all their nutrient needs.

Having complete nutrition is important for children who are on very restrictive diets because of conditions such as food allergies, eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and short bowel syndrome (SBS). When children cannot eat a wide variety of foods, it is common for them to have nutrient deficiencies as a consequence. One study¹ found that in children with food allergies, many were not receiving enough vitamin D, calcium, iron, vitamin E and zinc. This is a serious problem because inadequate nutrition in children could have long-lasting implications such as poor growth, delayed development, and failure to thrive.

One way to avoid nutrient deficiencies is by having a registered dietitian involved in your child’s care – they can assess your child’s nutritional status and give recommendations on what options may work for you and your family. Your chosen nutritionist can also help you to properly read food labels and really understand what is being put into your child’s food. Just as important, finding a nutritional formula that has adequate (and even higher) amounts of important nutrients (such as calcium, iron, vitamin D, phosphorus and zinc) can help you ensure your little one is receiving proper age-specific nutrition to grow and thrive.

As I mentioned, all of the nutrition formulas in the Neocate family are nutritionally complete. If you are also using Neocate Nutra (a semi-solid amino-acid based medical food) don’t forget that it is meant to supplement formula and not replace it. Nutra contains lots of important nutrients like protein, fat, calcium, and vitamin D but just not enough to be the only source of nutrition.

Are there any vitamins and/or minerals you are worried your little one may not be getting enough of due to a restricted diet? Let us hear about it!

Christine

1. Salman et al, Dietary intakes of children with food allergies: comparison of the food guide pyramid and the recommended dietary allowances, J Allergy Clin Immunol 2002.

January is coming to a close (I can’t believe January is almost over!), so we will end our Vitamin Series with a run through of the vitamins we haven’t discussed yet. We have already covered Vitamin D, Calcium, and all of the B vitamins. (Calcium snuck its way into the Vitamin Series even though it is a mineral because it is very closely linked with Vitamin D).

As you may recall, the B vitamins are all water soluble. Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid) is also water soluble and acts as an antioxidant. In addition, vitamin C is important for wound healing. A deficiency in vitamin C, results in a disease called scurvy.

• Good sources of vitamin C are colorful fruits and veggies such as red peppers, broccoli and strawberries.

You may notice lots of fruit juices out in the market have added vitamin C, as a result deficiencies in this vitamin are rare in today’s world.

Vitamins can be either water soluble or they can be fat soluble. Vitamins D, E, K, and A are all fat soluble vitamins. These vitamins are absorbed into the GI tract with the help of fat. They are also easier to accumulate in the body vs. the water soluble vitamins. Vitamin E and vitamin A are both useful antioxidants. Vitamin A also plays an important role in eye sight.

• Good sources of vitamin A are broccoli, carrots and most fruits or vegetables that are orange or yellow in color.
• Good vitamin E sources are asparagus, avocado and eggs.

Lastly, we will discuss Vitamin K (also known as phylloquinone). This vitamin is interesting because it helps for wound clotting and coagulation. Any scab you may get is a result of vitamin K at work! It is rare to be deficient in this nutrient, unless there is significant damage to your intestine.

• Good sources of vitamin K are leafy green vegetables.

When a child is on a restricted diet due to allergies, ensuring they are getting adequate amounts of each nutrient can be tricky. This vitamin series was developed to help families understand these nutrients and find ways to ensure your little one is getting the amounts they need to thrive. If your little one is on a very restricted diet, it may help to look for nutritionally complete amino acid-based formulas, like Neocate Infant or Neocate Junior, that will ensure these vitamins (along with minerals and macronutrients) are being taken in adequate amounts.

Do you often find it hard to ensure your little one is getting all the vitamins he/she needs? What have you done to help this?

Christine

Let’s face it, kids are picky. This fact alone makes packing five lunches a week a tough task! And if your little one has food allergies, you’ve got it a little harder. But don’t fret. With a little planning, you can whip up a great bagged lunch in no time.

Relying on the school to provide an allergy-free lunch for your child can often be stressful. Many food allergy parents feel better packing their child’s lunch. It’s an easy way to remain worry-free about what your child is eating at school as well as to ensure that he is getting the proper nutrients.

Here are a few tips on how to pack an allergy-free, nutritionally complete lunch for your school-age kids:
- Plan ahead! It is much easier to make a lunch menu and take a trip to the grocery store when you aren’t on a time crunch.

- Add variety to your little ones lunch so they aren’t tempted to eat off someone else’s plate.

And for more great lunch ideas, check out this blog entry from Allergy Moms. What are you packing for your little one this week?

- Christine