Going on a trip? Whether you or your children have celiac disease, gluten or other food intolerance or food allergies, travel is something that requires extra meal planning and safety preparation.

As an example, this is what I bring when we travel by airplane:

• Food
  • sandwiches placed in a small, soft cooler pack with an ice pack
  • dry snacks (so it isn’t messy) like chips, crackers, dried fruit, beef jerky, cereal, bars — these will also last if needed during the vacation or to save for the plane trip home
  • rice milk in no-spill cups for my daughters (airlines allow passengers to bring milk for children — just let the security guards know)
  • a few lollipops (either Yummy Earth or Dum-dums for any child-bribing that needs to be done!)

  • I also bake a loaf of bread before the trip and bring the rest of the loaf (after making the sandwiches) to my destination. It can be used for more sandwiches or toast at breakfast.
• Medicine
  • Bottle of Benadryl

  • Epi-Pen and a doctor’s note
• Wipes, wipes, and more wipes for hands, the seat tray, the armrests and the windows (depending on the severity of the allergy)

We never eat any airport or airplane food. The big treat for my daughters is that they get to have apple juice on the plane (and sometimes a goodie that I have brought as a surprise).

This is our routine and my daughters know what to expect with regards to food. They have become quite the little airplane travelers… see my daughter’s first time by herself on the “people mover” (as my husband explains it)!

My travel list above is a quick one, but many others have written extensively on traveling with food allergies and traveling gluten-free. Here are some articles with great tips to get you going on your next trip!

Traveling With Severe Food Allergies from Delicious Baby

Traveling With Food Allergies from Kids with Food Allergies

How to Manage a Child’s Food Allergies When Traveling from Parenthood.com

Traveling with Food Allergies and Restricted Diets from About.com

Gluten-Free and Allergen-Free Meal Availability by Global Airlines from Gluten Free/Allergy Free Passport

Airline Travel Tips from FAAN

Food Allergies and Travel for Teens from Kids Health

Food Allergy Travel Tips from Allergic Girl

Staying Gluten-Free in Hotels from About.com

If you would like to go on a gluten-free getaway, check out Bob and Ruth’s Gluten Free Dining and Travel Club

Filed under: Babies & Kids, Travel | 1 Comment »

People say to me “Wow, that must hard” when I tell them about my daughter ’s food allergies. “Eh,” I say with a shrug, “you just do what you have to do.” And I almost never cry about it. (You can read about the last time I cried).

But last night, I read an article about a 30 year old guy who collapsed in anaphylactic shock and died after taking a bite out of a cookie that contained peanuts. He had 2 previous reactions in his life, according to the article: when he was 3 months old, he had a rash and blistering after peanut oil got on his skin, and when he was a little older, he had blistering in his mouth after eating a chocolate. Then, 29 years later, a fatal reaction.

After reading the article I suddenly felt sick to my stomach and my whole body tensed up. I went to talk to my father, a retired pediatrician, about the article (I was visiting my parents) and as I spoke, I began to cry. I’m not sure why this particular story affected me so much, but I think it was because of what Gina at Allergy Moms said about this story: “This is a tragic reminder that past reactions cannot predict the severity of future reactions…”

When my daughter was tested for cashews, her scratch test indicated she was allergic, but according to the allergist, the test is not a reliable indicator of the severity of the allergy. Then, her lips swelled one time after kissing someone who ate cashews. I asked the allergist about the need for an epi-pen, and he thought that I was being overly cautious. He didn’t think it was necessary because since she hadn’t had a systemic reaction, meaning that her blood pressure didn’t drop the first time, then she most likely is not at risk for anaphylactic shock. Most likely. Well, unless that doctor could tell me that there was a 100% certainty that my daughter is not at risk, I was getting that epi-pen prescription. My father and my daughter’s pediatrician agreed with me. Why not carry one? Plus, I don’t know what would happen if she actually ate a cashew. So I am erring (in the allergist’s mind I guess) on the side of caution.

One of the things that I uttered to my father through my my tears was “I feel like I’ve done everything that I can do for her, but then it’s out of my control.” There is a feeling of powerlessness that parents of food-allergic children have. We can control our immediate environment, but beyond that we have to hope that our children really understand the seriousness of their allergies, we have to rely on other people to remember the dangers, we have to trust that schools are prepared for an emergency, we have to have faith in grandparents and friends that they will not take it lightly, and then, after all that, we just have to pray that everything is going to be all right. (Breathe.)

I think we are allowed a little cry now and then, don’t you?

Filed under: Babies & Kids, Peanuts/Nuts Allergy, Symptoms, Emotions | 5 Comments »

I was sick of using plastic bags. I felt guilty creating such waste every time I made a lunch for my daughter to take to preschool, plus I didn’t think the lunch looked very appetizing — piles of plastic that had to be opened to get the food out. I thought, “there must be a better way” and lo and behold, I spotted it: a lunch box that opened up and had compartments for the different foods. I only saw it from afar at a playground, but it caught my eye and I never forgot it. “I must get one of those lunch systems” I thought to myself, and then, there it was again — my sister had a Laptop Lunch System for each of her boys (ages 5 and 7). She gave my girls each a set as a gift.

It was a gift to me, really, as it made my life easier and made my daughters excited about their lunch! And no more plastic bags.

Here’s why I like Laptop Lunches so much as a mom:

• It comes as a whole system, with carrying case (that looks like a laptop computer case, hence the name Laptop Lunch), water bottle and fork and spoon. I didn’t have to add a thing to start packing lunches.
• You can choose from various color options. Kids love color!
• It forces you, the lunch-maker, to be creative because there are 4 little compartments to fill, 5 with the little dipper one (it’s actually kind of fun!)
• It is so easy to wash!

Here’s why I like Laptop Lunches so much as a mom of kids with food allergies:

• Allergic children have to bring their own lunches ALL the time, so anything that makes it easier to pack a lunch is great.
• Most prepackaged foods are filled with allergens — think packs of cheese and crackers, little packs of goldfish, peanut butter and ritz crackers — so these aren’t an option to throw in a lunch. These little compartments make it possible to put in healthier foods and serve them like you would a meal at home, like beans or olives or fresh corn or gluten-free pasta salad.

• Food looks so appetizing when served this way, the allergic kid will not feel he’s missing out on a thing!

Here’s a lunch I made recently. It’s nothing fancy, but somehow looks a lot yummier than if it were in plastic bags.

Don’t have kids? Want to eat healthier? The Laptop Lunch is great for adults too. There are some mellow color options if you don’t think hot pink will work in your office!

You can win a Laptop Lunch System!

This is very exciting… one lucky reader will receive a complete Laptop Lunch System, courtesy of Obentec, Inc., the company that makes them. Just leave a comment below with an idea you have for what to put in the Laptop Lunch before July 4 and I will randomly select one of you as the winner.

For more information and to purchase Laptop Lunches, visit laptoplunches.com

CONTEST UPDATE: A winner has been announced… go here to see who the lucky gal is!

Filed under: Babies & Kids, Food Ideas, Products, Food Allergies | 69 Comments »

Now that my daughter is in preschool, we are on the birthday party circuit. Telling her she can’t have a piece of cake or cupcake because of her food allergies would be upsetting (for both me and her), which is why I make sure that I always have cupcakes on hand. Here’s how you can do the same and be a superstar mom or dad!

Do this now:

1. Make a batch of chocolate cupcakes, and freeze what you don’t need to use that time, or even double the recipe to make sure you have extras. The easiest thing to do is make a mix, like Pamela’s chocolate cake mix or CherryBrook Kitchen (both good for egg-free). I also like Gluten-Free Pantry and Namaste. Any cake mix can become cupcakes, just cook for less time!
2. Make a batch of vanilla cupcakes too. Vanilla cake is harder to make egg-free, but Pamela has a vanilla cake mix that I have made with egg replacer and they turned out okay (see picture at right) even though the directions say it will not work! Or, if you’d like, make a cupcake from scratch using a gluten-free recipe. And, by the way, muffins magically turn into cupcakes when topped with frosting and sprinkles, so that’s another option!
3. Make chocolate frosting and vanilla frosting and keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Tip: Start by making vanilla frosting, take out half and then add the cocoa to make chocolate — that way, you really are only making one batch of frosting. You can use frosting mixes, like Pamela’s (I substitute softened palm shortening for the butter to make it dairy and soy-free), or you can use good old C&H powdered sugar and follow their easy recipes, some of which are below.

Do this later:

1. Before the day of the party, talk to the host of the birthday party to find out what food they are serving (in case you also need to bring your own snacks or lunch) and what kind of cake or cupcakes they are having. It is usually always some combination of white or chocolate cake and white or chocolate frosting. Try to match what they are having.
2. The night before or the morning of the party, take some cupcakes out to thaw. I bring 2 for my daughter just in case, but she usually only has one. Also, I like to have one on hand in case someone else needs an allergen-free cupcake (hasn’t happened yet, but when it does, I will make someone’s day!) If it is really last-minute, you can thaw the cupcake in the microwave.
3. Take out your frosting to thaw also. Or, you can microwave it just as you would to soften butter (don’t melt it).
4. Frost and decorate the cupcakes. If you want to get fancy, you can use decorating tools. It is actually really easy and you get to feel like a pastry chef for a minute! For sprinkles, I like India Tree brand or Let’s Do Organic Sprinkelz, which are gluten-free (most sprinkles contain wheat). As long as you’ve got yummy frosting and sprinkles, the cupcake part doesn’t even really matter that much!

Now SMILE and pat yourself on the back because your child has not been deprived of that age-old birthday treat - the CUPCAKE!

A few allergy-free frosting recipes adapted from C&H website:

Basic Decorating Icing (good for piping)
Ingredients:

• 4 cups powdered sugar (a one-pound box of C&H)
• 1/2 cup butter or shortening (palm if you want to make it soy-free)
• 1/4 cup water or milk (rice milk works well)
• 1 tsp. vanilla or other flavoring
• food color (optional)
• add 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder if you want to make chocolate

Instructions: Beat all ingredients until smooth. Keep icing covered to prevent drying. Store in refrigerator. Thicken with powdered sugar or thin with a few drops of water or milk, if needed. Makes 2 1/2 cups.

Vanilla Glaze — a traditional glaze for coffee cakes and sweet rolls, but good on cupcakes too!
Ingredients:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp. milk (you can use non-dairy milk — rice milk works great)
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Instructions: Beat all ingredients until smooth. Makes 1/2 cup.

Chocolate Glaze — A smooth, rich glaze for cookies, cakes, cupcakes and more!
Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup chocolate pieces, semisweet
• 1 tbsp. butter or margarine (or shortening)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp. milk (or rice milk)

Instructions: In small saucepan, melt chocolate with butter (or shortening). Remove from heat and beat in powdered sugar adding milk gradually until mixture is a pourable consistency. Makes enough glaze for a layer cake.

Filed under: Babies & Kids, Food Ideas, Products, Food Allergies, Dairy Allergy, Recipes and Cooking Tips, Gluten Intolerance, Egg Allergy, Soy Allergy, Holidays/Special Events | 6 Comments »

Knowing that I helped someone keeps me motivated to keep raising awareness about the effects of food on people’s health and happiness. Yesterday I received an email from a friend of mine thanking me. Here is what she said:

Now you’re probably wondering what I’m thanking you for. Well, in the last 2 weeks, my son has been an absolute angel. He is like a different child. Last night, he slept 8 hours and he’s not even 8 weeks old yet. After cutting dairy out of my diet, he was still a little bit fussy, so I experimented a little more and cut out soy & nuts (I was eating a lot of both) too and it’s been a miracle AND I would have never done any of that if it weren’t for you. He’s not congested anymore either. It makes me so happy that my little guy isn’t uncomfortable anymore. So that is why I’m thanking you.”

That makes me so happy! And confirms why I don’t believe in colic or that some babies are just really “fussy” (I never liked that word!)

Colic is a term that describes a set of symptoms in an infant with no apparent cause.

Characteristics of colic:

• episodes of uncontrollable, extended, shrieking crying often after a feeding
• episodes occur at a predictable time of day, usually late afternoon or evening (”the witching hour”)
• physical changes during the episodes such as a distended belly, clenched fists, curled up legs or arched back
• passing of gas after an episode
• difficulty falling and/or staying asleep

Hmmm… what could it be? Nothing, nothing, nothing comes to mind… oh, wait, could it be something the baby is eating?? No, that’s silly. It’s probably just NOTHING. You just need to jiggle the baby for a few more hours and he’ll be fine.

Why doesn’t every new mother get some forewarning: if your baby has excessive or uncomfortable gas, or reflux, or excessive spitting up, has congestion, or is cranky or crying all the time or not sleeping well, you may think about the possibility that something in your diet is affecting your baby.

I don’t expect the pediatrician to have the time or the ability to work with the mother on identifying the problem foods and changing her diet, but rather than automatically switching from breastmilk to formula (which often doesn’t solve the problem), or telling the mother that it’ll all get better eventually, how about at least giving a heads-up, and then handing out a list of resources, either for local dietitians, breastfeeding experts, or even websites that offer help in this area.

Being a mother for the first time is hard enough as it is, and then you are left to think that you and your baby being completely miserable is normal, expected and incurable! Don’t believe it!

Thanks, Beth, for the inspiration for this post!

Related reading:
Gluten Free Babies & Kids
Four Hidden Medical Causes of Colic by Dr. Sears

Filed under: Babies & Kids, Food Allergies, Symptoms, Emotions | 2 Comments »

Maybe I’m jumping the gun a little bit on summer, but we just had a record-breaking heat wave here in northern California (it was 97 degrees in San Francisco one day!), which prompted me to start stocking and making summer treats. When you are a kid with food allergies, running out to the ice cream truck and picking out anything you want from the pictures on the side isn’t an option. So, what’s a mom to do?

Luckily, there are a still a lot of refreshing treats that are okay for kids with food allergies. Here is some helpful information and summer treat ideas for when summer officially begins!

1. Popsicles & frozen fruit bars

Most commercial frozen pops are free of the top 8 allergens. They are mainly sugar and/or corn syrup and food coloring, which I usually try to avoid, but sometimes it’s nice that my kids can have what the other kids are having for once! Here is the list of Popsicle brand treats that are probably okay (check the ingredients for your individual needs). You can find a healthier kind of frozen pop made of fruit juices at the grocery store. I like Breyer’s Pure Fruit bars. I also like to make my own pops using fruit juice - check out all these fun pop molds!

The company that makes Good Humor, Klondike, Breyers and Popsicle has the following allergen statement on their website:

Unilever Ice Cream is a member of the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis’s Network and the Food Allergy Resource and Research Program. Upon the advice of these consumer and industry groups we do not provide a list of flavors that do not contain gluten. There is always a concern with any product list that it would be replicated and the end recipients would not receive updates that would be required with a formulation change. The safe approach recommended by these organizations is to read the label each time a purchase is made.

Recognizing that reading food labels can be time-consuming and tedious, we wish to encourage you in your daily effort to read all food labels, as it is the best way for us to ensure that you receive the information you need to make an informed and confident choice.

We do want to reassure you that we work closely with all of our ingredient suppliers, including packaging, to verify all ingredient components. This includes those ingredients in natural flavors, colors and spices that would be a concern to persons with sensitivity to gluten. We ensure that this information is then included on our product’s ingredient label as “flour” or “wheat flour etc.” If a source of gluten were used in a product, it would be clearly listed. Some of our flavorings may contain ethyl alcohol, however, because the alcohol is distilled, they would not pose a threat to anyone who is gluten intolerant.

2. Snowcones & slushes

Most snowcones that you find at fairs and amusement parks are free of the top allergens. Usually they are made with crushed ice and a flavoring syrup (corn syrup). Even some packaged snow-cones are okay. Want to make your own at home? Here are some snow cone supplies. Otherwise, you can just make a slush in your blender by blending ice with juice. Serve it in a fun cup with a straw or spoon, or in the real snow cone cups with straws.

3. Ice cream treats

Most ice cream treats, including Fudgesicles, are off-limits for kids with dairy allergies, but there are some dairy-free options. Soy Dream and Rice Dream both have ice cream bars (but none are both gluten-free and dairy-free). Rice Divine makes ice cream bars and sundae cups that are both gluten-free and dairy-free (contain soy). Turtle Mountain makes soy-based dairy-free ice cream bars and ice-cream sandwiches (not gluten-free), and a dairy-free and soy-free fudge bar.

If you can’t find any of those, make your own ice cream sandwiches: take 2 homemade baked (gluten-free) cookies or packaged cookies and put ice cream (or dairy-free ice cream) between. Make a bunch ahead of time, wrap with with plastic wrap and put in the freezer.

Make ice cream cones at home with gluten-free cones! You could even bring your own cone to your local ice cream shop and have them scoop into it. Boy would your kid be excited! Here are the 3 different kinds of gluten-free cones (all are dairy-free also):

• Barkat ice cream cones - can be found at Glutenfree.com or Gluten Free Mall
• Barkat waffle cones (contain soy flour, may contain traces of peanuts and tree nuts) - can be found at Glutenfree.com or Gluten Free Mall
• Cerrone waffle cones - can be found at Glutenfree.com
• All three varieties can also be found at Allergy Grocer

4. Smoothies

Smoothies are always a yummy, healthy option that is refreshing for summer. Here are some allergen-free smoothie ingredient ideas — using a blender, combine them as you like! If you use some amount of frozen fruit, you don’t need to add ice.

• fresh and/or frozen fruit: bananas, strawberries, mango, peaches, blueberries, raspberries (some kids don’t like the little seeds in their drink)
• juice or milk (cow, soy, rice, almond, hazelnut, coconut)
• rice protein powder or vitamin powder

There you go! Now all you have to do is stock up on sunscreen and you are ready for summer!

Any other ideas? Feel free to add a comment below!

Filed under: Babies & Kids, Food Ideas, Products, Recipes and Cooking Tips | 3 Comments »

Nobody wants to have a food allergy or gluten intolerance and have to eliminate something from their diet. But what I find interesting is the reaction that people have if it is suggested that their or their children’s health problems (like rashes, eczema, asthma, stomachaches, gas, colic, reflux, headaches — the list goes on) or behavioral/developmental problems in kids (clinginess, tantrums, excessive, crying, delayed speech, attention deficit disorder, and more) or emotional/psychological problems in adults (depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsiveness, addiction) could be due to a food sensitivity.

I have observed people having the following three types of reactions:

Reaction #1: “No way, not me”

For most people, believing that food could cause the above symptoms is difficult. Why is it so hard to believe that what we put into our bodies could actually affect our whole bodies, including our brains (last time I checked, this was part of the body)? Food is our nourishment — we need it to survive — so surely it can’t be harmful. I have heard people argue, “but food is natural.” OK, I say, but some mushrooms are poisonous — go ahead, I dare ya!

Sometimes a person tells me about a problem and how it is affecting his/her life or the life of the child. When I gently suggest gluten intolerance or food allergy, suddenly the problem is “not that bad.” Let’s see, so the problem is bad enough to go to a doctor, it’s bad enough to take medicine for it, it’s bad enough to see a specialist, it’s bad enough to make someone miserable, but it can’t be bad enough to have to change one’s diet… that would be AWFUL!

When I have suggested to someone that they might be gluten intolerant, I have heard the no-way-not-me variation of “Well, I don’t really eat that much wheat anyway.” I challenge anyone to see if they are not eating wheat at least 3 times a day, including snacks. People eat so much wheat! And dairy! And now soy because it’s in everything. Most people are simply not aware of what they are eating. Before I was diagnosed with celiac disease and had to begin to carefully read labels, I thought I ate a very healthy diet. I now realize that I didn’t really know what I was buying or eating.

Some no-way-not-me people do come around after a while and begin to have Reaction #2 below. Many do not (and continue to be miserable).

Reaction #2: “Hmm… I’ll think about that.”

These people know that something is not right and once food allergy is suggested, they are open to considering it as a cause. They may sit with it a while, observe, talk about it some more, read about it, and/or plan it out, and then they may get testing done or do their own elimination diet. However they approach it, sometimes a change is made and ultimately, hopefully, an answer is found. Most people with the I’ll-think-about-it type of reaction feel that changing the diet is a sacrifice that they are willing to make for their own, or their children’s, health.

I’ll-think-about-it people often end up having Reaction #3 below, although some waffle between Reactions #1 and #3.

Reaction #3: “I’ll do it!”

I am always surprised by the people who are willing right away to try eliminating something from their diet. They just do it. They don’t make a big deal about it, they don’t stress over it, they just do it. I don’t know why I am surprised, since I was one of those people. Once I knew that celiac disease and gluten existed (from reading about it on the web), I began eating gluten-free that very minute. When my doctor told me not to go gluten-free until I took a blood test (because it could affect the test results), I cried. I didn’t want to eat gluten ever again!

Still, I am impressed by the mother who stops eating dairy while breastfeeding to see if her infant becomes less colicky, the guy who stops eating gluten to see if his eczema goes away, the mother who stops feeding her baby gluten and dairy in hopes that it will help with seizures, and the many others who removed something from their diet in an attempt to feel better. They decided it was worth a try — if it worked, then hooray! If it didn’t, they were no worse off than before.

Why these reactions?

I have wondered, does the severity of the problem determine a person’s reaction? In my experience, not necessarily. Yes, some people with very serious health problems may be more willing to try a change in diet because they haven’t found answers elsewhere. But I know parents with sick children — and I mean very sick — and people who are suffering with undiagnosed health problems who will not try a gluten-free diet, will not try eliminating dairy, will not make any dietary change to see if it makes a difference.

What drives these reactions, I think, is whether one believes or not. This is also true of doctors — if they themselves don’t believe that food can cause ill health, then they don’t suggest it to patients, and in many cases make patients feel silly (stupid) for asking about it.

So what’s your reaction?

Filed under: Babies & Kids, Food Allergies, Gluten Intolerance, Symptoms, Emotions | 6 Comments »

Q. When my husband was 17 he was diagnosed with Celiac Disease and then just 2 weeks ago his father was diagnosed as well. I know there is a good chance our 14 weeks old baby girl could possibly have it as well, however, I don’t know when we need to get her tested. At three weeks old she lost a whole pound while breast feeding and our doctor suggested putting her on formula. She has been putting on weight, but not much. She weighed 5 lbs 6 oz after losing weight at three months and as of last week she weighs 9 lbs 6 oz even though she eats 4 oz of formula every hour and a half. Not being able to gain weight is only one of many symptoms our little girl has. Even our doctor says she has a lot of flatulence for one so young, her bowel movements have never been regular, one day she has acidy diarrhea and then she will be completely constipated the next. She is also very fatigued taking 4 or 5 two or three hour naps during the day and then sleep a full nine hours every night since she was 3 weeks old. I just want to make sure that we get her tested early enough to see if she has celiac or not before she has to suffer like my husband and father in law did for so long. So when can I have her tested?

A. There is a strong possibility that your baby has celiac genes, but, with a lack of exposure to gluten, it is unlikely that this is a cause unless you have been ingesting gluten during breast feeding. Switching to formula is a good idea: be sure that it is gluten-free. Testing the baby for celiac should include HLA DQ2 DQ8 genes, and be done very soon.

Health and happiness,
Dr. Aron

Have a question?

Filed under: Ask the Doc, Babies & Kids, Celiac Disease | 2 Comments »

It is 1992 and I am on a train heading from the south of Spain to Madrid, where I am living and studying for the semester. I have just spent 5 days in Morocco, eating cous-cous, drinking mint tea and staying in beautiful mosaic hotel rooms. I am 21 years old and I am having trouble breathing and it is the first time it ever crosses my mind that I could actually die from an asthma attack.

Inhaler in hand, I take a puff every hour, then every half hour, eventually every few minutes and I am watching the clock to see how long I have until we arrive in Madrid, where I will have to take the subway and then walk to the boarding house where I live. It is taking so long. And I can only breathe short breaths, I can’t get air deep into my lungs. I am starting to feel panicky which only makes asthma worse. I talk to myself — you’re ok, you’re ok, we’re going to get there.

We arrive at the train station. I take the subway, and then a friend carries my duffel bag in addition to his because I can barely even carry myself up the steps of the house. I make it. I take the prednisone that I had left behind, never suspecting that I would need it. I lay sick in bed for 2 days, exhausted from trying so hard to breathe.

I have asthma, or as I now say, I had asthma. Since I was a kid I carried around my inhaler, taking a puff or two at the halftime of my soccer game or if I got a cold. Mine was not serious enough that I ever had to go to the hospital, but in my 20s, it got worse to the point that my doctor recommended I take a steroid inhaler every morning and every night to prevent attacks from happening.

It wasn’t until my diagnosis of celiac disease at age 32 that it ever occurred to me that my asthma could be triggered by food. Not one allergist had ever suggested it. It was my own idea to stop inhaling the steroid medication after 3 months on a gluten-free diet… I have not used it since.

I now know that my asthma was caused by gluten. It got worse with other triggers such as the flu, dust and exercise, but these weren’t the causes, they just made it worse. All those years I believed I had exercise-induced asthma, but within months of changing my diet, I ran an 8 mile race — without a puff!

To those of you out there suffering from asthma or whose kids are suffering from it, think about food being a cause. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) website, “asthma symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, or difficulty breathing due to narrowed airways, may be triggered by food allergy, especially in infants and children.” According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America website, “babies in particular may have food allergies that can bring on asthma symptoms. Some of the foods to which American children are commonly allergic are eggs, cow’s milk, wheat, soybean products, tree nuts and peanuts.” Even adult-onset asthma could be caused by food.

It’s up to you: try a change of diet or be on medication the rest of your life. If you decide to try it, look at which foods are being consumed the most, usually gluten and dairy, and trying cutting one or both out for a few months. Of course, consult your doctor before reducing any medications (not like I did), but also know that your doctor may not believe that food could be the cause of asthma. But it can. Just look at me.

Filed under: Babies & Kids, Celiac Disease, Food Allergies, Gluten Intolerance, Symptoms | 2 Comments »

Remember the slogan “the incredible edible egg”? Well, not so incredible or edible in my household since my child is allergic to them. I have hopes that she will outgrow her egg allergy, but really, in the back of my mind, I am doubtful.

Kids with egg allergy can become egg tolerant, but the rate that children are developing tolerance to eggs is slower than in the past when it was thought that most children outgrew egg allergy by age 5 or 6. An egg allergy study published in December 2007 concluded the following:

• 4% of children outgrew egg allergy by age 4
• 12% of children outgrew egg allergy by age 6
• 37% of children outgrew egg allergy by age 10
• 68% of children outgrew egg allergy by age 16

They found that a patient was less likely to outgrow the allergy if they had high IgE antibodies when blood tested for egg allergy, if they had other atopic disease (like eczema or asthma), or if they had other food allergies.

So I guess I will just keep on baking without eggs until things (hopefully) change.

Filed under: News & Research, Babies & Kids, Egg Allergy | 3 Comments »