Y’all remember when I shared that we were worried about Asher having appendicitis?
Well, it wasn’t appendicitis. And, after stumbling around with a few possible diagnosis, we still really had no idea what it was. To make a verrry long story short, we’ve been undergoing a lot of testing and numerous doctor appointments over the last few weeks to figure out what’s been bothering Asher’s stomach.
Today we got back the results from a bunch of allergy testing. And it turns out our big guy is allergic to a ridiculous amount of stuff.
Stuff he’s not so crazy about. Cats. Shrimp. Dust.
And some other things, that he loves. Dearly.
Eggs.
Wheat.
Dairy.
Recommendations for how to get through this would be most welcomed. I have no idea what I’m going to feed him that he’ll actually want to eat… without breaking the bank the process.
Kim says
Hi,
I seldom comment but went through a similar testing process a few years ago and was diagnosed with celiac disease. The good news is that Asher will probably start to feel better immediately after taking the offending foods out of his diet, and you can solve his allergies with food changes, rather than being bound to a drug for the rest of his life. The bad news is that it is hard to learn how to cook and it is expensive! I don't have allergies to dairy and eggs, so a lot of what I cook still would apply to you. But it must be pretty common for those 3 foods to go hand in hand, b/c many baked goods I buy are egg and dairy free. This is going to be long, but I'm going to post some of my favorites. You will have to check though if they are egg/dairy free, like I said I don't have to worry about that one.
Crackers – Nut thins are great – light, thin, & crisp. Pasta – Tinkyada is a brown rice pasta that my whole family eats (and doesn't have too). Just check the pasta after about 1/2 the cooking time b/c I think it needs a fraction of the suggested time. Bread/Baked Goods (already made) – if you can find Udi's bread and bagels, Asher will love you for it. I didn't eat bread for 2 years b/c I had never had any worth making or buying. Visited my brother in Denver and had a loaf from Udi's and was hooked. We are lucky to have a health food store that carries it. Baking Mix – anything from Pamela's Products work great for me, and they taste like 'regular'. They have a lot of recipes that are really good. For buying, you will probably want to try products first and see how they taste. If you find something you like, you should look on Amazon to see if they sell it. Most pasta and Pamela's Products are sold in large quantities for a fraction of the cost. Health food stores are also a good source of products and info. Good luck! Kim
Stefanie says
THANK YOU, Kim!
I am so grateful to you for sharing what works for you π
I have a feeling I'll be referring to this a lot in the future!
Nancy says
Stephanie, I'm sorry Asher is having to deal with this. I've actually been thinking about him, hoping he has been doing ok. I don't have alot to offer, but I do notice that Trader Joe's carries many items that are gluten free, you might be able to find some items there. They have a listing on their website. KIng Arthur now carries gluten free items too. I know that doesn't cover all the allergies, but might be an ok resource.
Best wishes to you and Asher! Knowing the great community we have on blogs, you will probably be getting some excellent advice and ideas.
Sarah says
Cherrybrook Kitchen has good stuff when it comes to stuff for baked goods. Their owner has a lot of food allergies so I think that's a plus. Some of it is pricy but they have a rewards program that will offset the pice somewhat. Fair warning though, their frosting leaves something to be desired, if you're not good in the kitchen, which I'm not.
Sister Kim says
i dont know how helpful this is but ive seen it advertised on facebook…http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=app_2915120374#!/kidswithfoodallergies
Banjo says
I have celiacs disease, and eat gluten free. It has gotten so much easier over the years! Kims suggestions above are favorites of mine as well. Glutino makes some really good GF pretzels and english muffins. Just tried King Arthurs GF all purpose flour mix and it was fantastic! Hope he feels better soon!
Jennifer says
Bless his heart! We'll be praying for Mr. Asher (and for mom too)! Once you get started with the GF cooking and foods, you'll rock it out! Our kiddos are allergic to milk but for some reason hard cheeses don't bother them. π
China Dreams says
My sister is a natural nutritionist. She owns a bakery that makes gluten-free and egg-free products, does nutritional counseling, and catering. She also gives cooking classes (she has a loyal group of little boys that especially love to come!) and she does grocery shopping tours where she walks through the store with the client and shows them what works, what can be substituted, etc. She will be working as the nutritionist for a new Celiac Disease and Gluten Center at DHMC when it opens. She will probably be working there 1-3 days a week with patients on top of running her own business. If you go to my website at http://gentleyears.weebly.com, you will find a link to her website in the bottom right corner. I think that you are somewhere near us based on your posts, so maybe this will work out for you. She can definitely give you some advice by email too-books to read, stores to shop for where you are, etc. Our younger sister has a daughter with these allergies, too-the cat, the eggs, gluten, dairy, dust, so she and my 10 year old niece have had a difficult few months figuring out how to go to birthday parties and things like that without my niece becoming miserable by all the "can't haves".
Good luck,
Ruby
Kim says
I posted above, but forgot to mention something really important. You really have to learn to read labels, and find out what things could potentially have wheat in them. What amazed me the most when I was first diagnosed was the number of things that had wheat in them. THankfully, as more people are being diagnosed, many products are having their recipes changed. But you'll have to look at: taco seasoning, soy sauce, ice cream, frosting, sprinkles, salad dressings, cheese spreads, etc. Don't mean to add more to your plate, but you'd find out soon enough. : ) For the first few months, I had an index card in my purse that I had written down all the offending foods. Then I started writing down what brands did not have wheat so I would know what I could buy next time (although you do always have to check).
Ruby, I wish I had someone like your sister when I was first diagnosed! It probably would have made the transition so much easier!
Kim
Crown'd Vic says
I'm a new follower.. and I have food allergies too! It can be a pain, but once you get it under control it's really easy.
Try a lot of rice based foods, in lieu of wheat.
Also if there is a Trader Joe's grocery near you, they have LOADS of options at reasonable prices. Good luck! It will make your lil' man feel tons better!
Stefanie says
Thanks, y'all… as usual, a wealth of wonderful information and support π
3 Peanuts says
Oh Sweetie…welcome to my world.. Harry is allergic to Wheat, dairy and soy and life is completely different around here. And it is expensive too. I am happy to guide you along. It might be easier o t eh phone sometime. But my 1st recommendation is to get a copy of the magazine called Living Without. Whole Foods and Barnes and Noble sell it. It has TONS of info recipes and guides in the back for staring a gluten free dairy free diet. Earth Balance makes great "butter" that is dairy free. And Udi's is the best sandwich bread. Whole foods has it. I have LOTS of other suggestions…we have tried everything.
Hugs. It is hard but it is so important to do.
3 Peanuts says
Oh I forgot to add that we use RIce milk and so delicious yogurt (a coconut milk yogurt is REALLY good (but $$$$$) and so deicious ice creams are dairy and wheat free too and so good. I love the organ or shaarf pastas better than the tinkyada and my kiddos do too. There are GF Van's waffles that are good too.
Sarah says
Oh, Stefanie, I am so sorry! Food allergies can be so tough and honestly it's either time-consuming (if you make things from scratch) or pretty expensive. But, like others have said, it absolutely will get easier as you go along, and having a healthy child who feels much better will make it so worth the effort! We've dealt with egg and dairy allergies (our son has outgrown these–woohoo!!) and a severe peanut allergy. Be diligent, diligent, diligent…and defintely go shopping on your own for awhile and plan for plenty of time to read labels.
Blessings to you,
Sarah
China Dreams says
You know that saying, what goes around….well, my sister pricked my finger as a birthday present to me a few weeks ago and I am, of course, allergic to my favorite food-milk. Just found out after posting here earlier. She said that rice milk is a great cooking substitute for real milk because it has very little flavor. And then she had to remind me that milk chocolate has milk in it. There goes life as I know it π
Ruby
Carey-Life in the Carpool Lane says
Once you do a little research you will probably be amazed at how many allergen-free choices there are in the marketplace. I have lots of friends who are gluten-free. One friend has a son who has many allergens similar to your son…her blog is http://www.eatloveandplay.blogspot.com/.
Willowish says
you can still make brownies! I had company with allergies recently we made these and even my super-picky dad enjoyed these.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Black-Bean-Brownies/Detail.aspx
Kristi says
No suggestions, but know that I'm sending hugs and well wishes for you guys as you figure it out. I've seen your family cope though, I'm sure it won't be long before you are in a new groove…
a Tonggu Momma says
Oh, I am so sorry. It's tough to navigate the world with food allergies. Mine are different, so I don't have many suggestions, but I do have a couple.
My sister has a large family. It's expensive to cook everything the way the child with allergies needs it, so she often makes two of a particular dish (one for the family, a comparable one for her son who has allergies). She tries to make things as similar as possible, so as to not single him out any more than is necessary, but this idea does help cut down on costs. She also stores all of his food in red containers and cooks it in red corningware so as to differentiate it from the other stuff. If that makes sense?
Another suggestion I have is to WRITE STUFF DOWN. Keep an index card with brands you can use. You'll be surprised at the things that hide allergens. READ LABELS. And also organize your recipes in one place so that you can find them more easily. It's a steep learning curve, but it DOES get easier. Five years from now, you'll be amazed at how normal it all feels.
Otherwise… Whole Foods and Wegman's are my friend. Trader Joes? Not so much. They actually don't have that many foods that I can eat.
elizthm says
http://www.glutenfreemall.com/catalog/glutenfree-caseinfree-grocery-shopping-guide-2010-edition-p-1705.html
Above is an excellent reference for identifying brands that are gluten and casein free. I have the gluten free guide myself. Hope it helps.
Elizabeth
Sally says
Hi…I'm allergic to eggs also, but not dairy or wheat. A couple of other websites to try – http://www.enjoylifefoods.com, and http://www.divvies.com. I think they both have cookbooks as well as cookies and snacks. Not sure whether or not they use wheat or dairy. There's also an egg replacer (that doesn't have any egg in it), called Ener-G or something like that. I haven't tried it yet, but it sounds like you can use it in recipes just like eggs. It isn't fun, but it can be done! And, it's much better than it used to be, when I was the only child with allergies and my mom had to send a Hostess Cupcake with me to any birthday party I went to! Of course, now, even Hostess Cupcakes have eggs!
Desiree' says
We have wheat allergies and milk allergies here. I can reccommend a really good flour that tatstes so similar to regular!! And I am a baking girl, can't give up cookies and such….
Plus, there are egg substitutes to. It isn't cheap but overall he will feel better. WIll send you an email when the little's are down for a nap.
Football and Fried Rice says
π
I am glad your little man doesn't have to undergo any surgeries!!
Beach Mama says
Stephanie,
Check out http://www.adventuresofaglutenfreemom.com/
I'm sure you can find info/ideas there.
Carey and Norman says
Steph,
I just wanted to say that I'm lactose intolerant (milk allergy). I use Dairy Relief by Good Neighbor Pharmacy (although I'm sure others make a pill similar). Asher will have to stay away from certain dairies even with the pills (real butter and milk). But, with pills he can eat small quantities (like when eating out and you don't know all the ingredients used) or for times when you just really want some ice cream (I've found Mayfield…maybe a southern brand….to be the best for me (take pills without side effects).
Make sure that he isn't allergic to the MSD they put on lettuce and other vegetables too. I've found others who are allergic to milk like me have similar allergies. I can't eat salads at restaurants. I buy my produce fresh and not processed and in bags.
Sorry to hear about sweet Asher as I know how difficult having food allergies can be. Good news is that many cheeses (sharp cheddar, etc.) do not have lactose and can be eaten (I typically take pills when eating pizza as mozzarella's can be hard on me).
Thinking of Asher,
Carey (Jiake's Mom)
Rebecca says
Do you have a Trader Joes nearby? My son could not eat wheat for a while and we stocked up there on Trader Joe brand wheat free pasta, frozen waffles and a few other things. They are less expensive that some of the other gluten free options. These specific items also tasted like the real thing and our whole family ate them. Bread was always the hardest. We never found the perfect substitute, but if he has a sweet tooth, Betty Crocker started making gluten free mixes. There are a lot of great blogs with recipes for homemade gluten free baking too. Good luck!
Second Best says
Poor Asher!
I never comment, but dietary restrictions are somewhat of a specialty of mine. (I'm vegan and have friends with gluten intolerance and various other allergies/restrictions/preferences–menu planning for parties is rather complicated.)
I'll give you my main suggestion, and you can email me if you want the long version–since I suspect you'll get a ton of great advice!
I would minimize your use of expensive, store-bought "replacement" foods like bread, pizza, baked goods, dairy-free ice creams, etc. (though of course "treating" Asher to them from time-to-time) and focus on delicious, easy-to-make things that already fit the bill. There are so many other food traditions that don't rely on wheat and dairy nearly as much as our own! Buy your brown rice in bulk and try out some new recipes from Asia, India, Africa, Mexico, Africa and the Middle East. Ethnic groceries are a great resource. Bring Asher along and help him get excited to try new things, in addition to looking at what old favorites might be easy to tweak.
lizzy81 says
Depending on how he was tested, you may want to ask your doctor to further investigate some of the foods he tests as allergic to (especially the ones he likes or you find in many products). It is possible to scratch test as allergic to some foods that you have no physical reaction to. With that high number of allergies, it can be hard to know exactly what might have been making him ill unless you do a controlled test eating a particular thing and watching for the reaction. This can be done safely under a doctor's care and your doctor can tell you more about whether this might be a good idea in your son's particular case. And if he doesn't actually react to some things, they could be entered back into his diet, which always makes for a happier kid!
Cara says
My daughter has a diary allergy and has outgrown egg, peanuts, soy and beans. I understand! It is difficult at the beginning, but we have adjusted and it is just part of life.
It will be hard since he is older and has already been able to eat those things and now cannot. I will be happy to email you some ideas and things that are safe. My email is cgroth2(at)gmail(dot)com if you would to contact me.
China Dreams says
I'm sorry to contradict anyone, but dairy allergy and lactose intolerance are not the same thing and should not be treated as the same thing. It would be dangerous for him to follow a plan that recommended that.
Ruby
Lynnea says
Stefanie~
Was he tested for celiac? If he was then and it was negative then go ahead and do a the wheat free thing. You can eat a bit more on a wheat free diet then a gluten free. But my first thought would be to totally rule out celiac before proceeding. As a fellow celiac I can't live without my flour…get it at http://www.betterbatterflour.com. You use it cup for cup like regular flour!
Hugs…it is a rough adjustment…esp. for a kid.
Take care,
Lynnea π
Magenta says
You need to read this blog/talk to Lyndsay at Life in Motion:
http://thestradtnerfamily.com/findingournewnormal/
Her son is going through some medical issues and diet modification has been big for them. I'm sure she has some ideas that would help you!
Annie says
Oh my goodness Stefanie! That is a hard one. I have a few friends that are dealing with similar issues. I would be happy to get you in touch with them. So sorry sweet Asher is having to deal with this!!
Dean says
Hi, Stefanie!
I've been reading for awhile but never posted. My youngest son is allergic to eggs, peanuts, and lactose. He does well with lactose- free milk and also likes soy milk. Rice flour works in lots of things to replace wheat flour.
One thing that is a cheap egg replacement is to use one tablespoon of cornstarch and two tablespoons of cold water (mix well before adding to your recipe) for EACH egg. It doesn't work for everything (one of my brownie recipes looks more like chocolate lava) but does work well for others. We've also used Ener-G egg replacement. Expensive, but works pretty good.
I'll keep praying for you and yours; food allergies can be difficult (I've never before read so many labels all the way through!), but very doable once you get the hang of it! The wonderful part is figuring out all the things that Asher CAN eat as opposed to the "can not's"!
-Paula
Preppy Pink Crocodile says
I went wheat free this fall so it is still new to me. But there are TONS of great blogs who have fantastic gf/df/cf recipes. I won't lie- it's expensive to be gf, etc. But I try to also limit my dairy and really the only non cow milk I like is almond milk. Very yummy. My bestie uses mayo in place of sour cream in soups and stuff when she wants the creamy flavor. As far as baked goods, there are not many that I like in the gf pre-made world. So I bake and experiement a lot with all the different gf flours. Shopping online is (unfortunately) the best way. Amazon sells lots of gf stuff and ships for free. Better Batter makes my favorite flour blend and THE BEST brownie mix ever. I add walnuts to the brownies but even plain they are awesome. It costs more and takes longer but he will feel sooo much better in just a few weeks! Good luck!
Preppy Pink Crocodile says
Oh one last thing…start reading lables. There is hidden gluten is all sorts of stuff from soy sauce to pasta sauce to …well nearly everything. Gf is not item specific- it is more brand specific.
M3 says
Tough stuff! Sending big hugs. I was going to say check out the 3 Peanuts blog, but she already left a comment.
Karin says
I am so sorry. π We had a little guy living with us for 1.5 years who was allergic to a ton of stuff. There are a lot of gluten free products available now. The ones I tried tasted pretty good (especially the chocolate brownies). It's overwhelming at first but after you get it figured out, it gets a little easier. {{big hugs}}
Julie says
Have the drs suggested allergy shots???
As a child I had a severe allergy to milk and wheat. But I went through 5 years of allergy shots, and I now can have both without problems.
Molly says
polenta chips! They're awesome. and almond milk!