Could this be a food intolerance?

[lailasmum]

Hi

I am trying to figure out if a food intolerance can account for some symptoms my daughter has.

 

She has really dreadful skin on her hands, really dry and it breaks down and bleeds really easily, this is all year not just winter and rarely goes away, her skin is like sand paper. Sometimes it happens on her face but that is rare. She is also constantly clearing her throat and makes a lttle hum kind of noise a couple of times a minute. She has black rings under her eyes pretty much all the time and someone pointed out to me that her eye lids were quite puffy (though I hadn't noticed that myself).

 

Her behaviour is quite irritable too, very highly strung and quick to over react. Its starting to affect her friendships as other kids don't want to put up with her moods when there are other more fun chilled out kids to play with.

 

Up until recently she has really bad problems with constipation , from about the age of 2 I would say and as a baby was always a pretty dreadful feeder (both bf and formula) with bad colic.

 

I am only just now wondering if all her little quirks fit together to form a bigger picture.

 

We took her to the doctor for the constant throat clearing and the hum about 2 years ago and it was dismissed as a habit that she would grow out of.

 

Her diet is pretty good, minimal processed food. She takes Cod liver oil on and off, Her skin does improve when taking it but it never completely goes away.

 

Any ideas or advice would be gratefully received.

 

Thanks

[MindyD]

This sounds like a little girl I know. She looks just like you described your dd. They found out she was allergic to nuts, corn, and soy. Not so much that she would go into anaphalaxys (sp?) so they find out until she was 5 or 6. I'd have allergy tests done.

[k2bdeutmeyer]

This sounds very familiar to me too, only my DD's issues are with diarrhea not constipation, and her skin isn't near as bad as it sounds like your DD's is. I had DD allergy tested because of all the intestinal trouble, and everything came back negative. We still don't know the cause.

[RahRah]

DS-6 didn't have the skin issues, but did have intermittent darkness under his eyes and moodiness that would come and go.

 

I have a shellfish allergy and DH is allergic to a variety of environmental allergens - his grown DD is allergic (anaphalaxis allergic) to nuts - peanuts and tree nuts. We figured it was some type of environmental allergy, but couldn't pinpoint what since it was year-round.

 

Then he started getting hives - and we couldn't figure out from what since each time he did, he'd eaten different things he'd eaten before and nothing was sticking out as a good target since there were so many confounding options it could be.

 

One night, a few months ago, we walked into a restaurant and one side of his face broke out in hives, literally, within a minute of walking past the open kitchen....it was then we were pretty sure it was a food....the question was, which food? Didn't matter at the moment, we had to get him out of there, give some benedryl and watch-wait for the hives to go away.

 

On the grill was fish....but we didn't know what oil it was being cooked in (could be peanut?), and we didn't know what other residue was on the grill....rather than trying to continue guessing, I got him in to an allergist later that week.

 

Given the 'all over the place' allergies in our family history, the doctor did a full panel on DS's back and he was a 4+ reaction to fish, shellfish and cockroaches (which have the same protein as shellfish).....that was all - but it answered a lot - we eat a lot of fish, he was taking a daily fish oil supplement, and he fishes with DH in our lake......he was, year-round, being exposed to varying levels of the allergens!

 

We now have a couple of epi-pens (I carry one, one stays in the house) because fish or shellfish is in almost every restaurant and you just don't know if someone he's in contact with has eaten fish and has residue on their hands or face.....so far, since we found out, he's not had any major reaction (just a kiss from a cousin who'd eaten shrimp and didn't rinse her mouth gave him some hives).

 

You may want to get her tested....since eliminating the fish oil supplements (his daily exposure), the dark circles under his eyes are gone and his mood is much, much better! We don't cook fish/shellfish in the house anymore either, so there is no risk of cross-contamination or air expsoure at home anymore.

[lailasmum]

k2bdeutmeyer - thats interesting that it came back negative. Must be frustrating.

 

I'll try some allergy testing, I doubt our doctors will take us seriously so I might have to get some private testing done. I did think about trying to remove certain things from her diet in rotation and see if it helps but I just don't know where to start.

[sleepymommy]

That does sound like some allery/intolerance issues to me. The first route I would try is allergy testing.

 

If those turn out to be negative, I would try private testing and an elimination diet.

 

K2- Ds6's regular allergy testing came back negative too. He had become Failure to Thrive, had itching so bad that he drew blood from the scratches every single night, had dark circles under his eyes, would cry and scream in outbursts for no real reason, and he also had stinky, loose stool.

 

We did an elimination diet and tested through enterolabs. His issues turned out to be gluten, dairy, soy and egg. He also had terrible yeast overgrowth in his gut. We did that testing through another lab, but the name is not coming to me.

 

There are other labs that test for over 100 different foods and allergens for delayed allergic reactions/intolerances that don't alway show up on regular allergy testing.

 

Its so hard when our children are suffering and we just watch and don't know how to help. I spent countless hours struggling and crying over this. I wish you both the best. ((HUGS))

Edited December 13, 2010 by sleepymommy

[Lisa in Jax]

k2bdeutmeyer - thats interesting that it came back negative. Must be frustrating.

 

I'll try some allergy testing, I doubt our doctors will take us seriously so I might have to get some private testing done. I did think about trying to remove certain things from her diet in rotation and see if it helps but I just don't know where to start.

 

My son has a ton of behavioral reactions to gluten, dairy, preservatives and food coloring, but he tests NEGATIVE for allergies b/c food allergies involve a different immunological reaction than food "intolerance" or sensitivity. So, a negative test doesn't mean that she has no food sensitivities. B/c allergy testing won't show which foods your dd is sensitive to, I'd agree that a food-elimination diet might be worth trying.

 

Given the constipation, irritability and skin issues, I'd start with dairy as the likely culprit. Dairy is a big cause of eczema in some kids, and it's in EVERYTHING (as is gluten, the protein in wheat, rye, barley and some oats), so it's really hard to identify as a problem.

 

Here's a website that may help you eliminate dairy. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=66

 

If dairy isn't the cause, you might have to do a full-blown "big 8" elimination diet by removing all sources of dairy, nuts, tree nuts, eggs, shellfish, fish, wheat/gluten and soy.

 

You'll have to be really vigilant about eliminating ALL sources of each thing during the elimination period. Do this for at least 2-3 weeks before adding back any of the items you're testing, then add back ONE type of allergen for and look for reactions. Give it at least a week (while still eliminating 7 of the 8 allergens), b/c reactions can take days to appear.

 

If you add back dairy, for example, and it doesn't seem to cause issues after a week, add in another allergen for a week or so, then if there's still no reaction, try another for a week, etc., until you see which allergens cause concerns. If you see a reaction to something, remove it and see if the reaction goes away. (Sometimes, the reaction is due to a combination of things, so it can be confusing, and you may need to remove different combinations of things before figuring it out.)

 

It's time-consuming and can be hard to do, but it's SO worth it when you figure out what the cause is.

 

My son "on" gluten/dairy/colors/preservatives is an angry, rude, grumpy kid who's hyper, impulsive and constipated. He has memory problems. He's arrogant, and he thinks he knows everything. When we keep those foods out of his diet, he's calmer, kinder, learns better, has no "bathroom" issues, and is a fun kid to be around. So, it's worth every bit of the work to keep his diet "clean" of those food categories.

 

HIH,

 

Lisa

[The Girls' Mom]

We are going through all that right now.

 

DD 14 has had 'raccoon' eyes, bad skin, exhaustion, stuffed up nose and drainage, asthma, ADD symptoms and more pretty much her whole life. She recently tested allergic to wheat, corn, soy, eggs, dairy, peanuts, shellfish and sesame. We've elminated them from her diet, and can see an improvement. Her energy level is improving, her sisters have noticed a mood change (positive), she's less scatterbrained/forgetful and her allergy symptoms have lessened.

 

Her pediatrician was willing to do a RAST blood test. We can't get in to see an allergist until January, and then we'll probably start shots for the environmental allergens that we cannot eliminate (there was a fungus/mold that she had very high numbers on)

 

She has NEVER had a typical allergic reaction to any of these foods. The only typical allergic reaction she's ever had to food is to certain fruits, and has been limited to lip swelling and throat itching (and she doesn't eat those any longer)

 

FWIW, I went on the elimination diet with her because I didn't feel well either. (I haven't been tested) Once removing the grains and dairy from my diet, my own energy level has dramatically increased.

Edited December 13, 2010 by Apryl H

[sleepymommy]

 

It's time-consuming and can be hard to do, but it's SO worth it when you figure out what the cause is.

 

My son "on" gluten/dairy/colors/preservatives is an angry, rude, grumpy kid who's hyper, impulsive and constipated. He has memory problems. He's arrogant, and he thinks he knows everything. When we keep those foods out of his diet, he's calmer, kinder, learns better, has no "bathroom" issues, and is a fun kid to be around. So, it's worth every bit of the work to keep his diet "clean" of those food categories.

 

HIH,

 

Lisa

 

Yes this! My boy is this way too, except the constipation is diarrhea and add soy to that list.

[Hockey Mom]

Check into Red dye 40 too.

 

My DD had similar reactions to red dye 40. Only instead of bowel issues, she would get UTIs. It affected her behavior too. She would go from sweet and loving to violent tantrums.

 

Our doc tested her for every allergy under the sun except that one. It was only when a family member told me she was allergic to it, that I cut it from her diet and she no longer had those reactions anymore.

 

As a teen, if she ingests anything with red dye in it, it makes her ultra hyper.

[lailasmum]

Lisa - Thanks. I think I'll try food elimination.

 

I do know that she doesn't tolerate Aloe vera on her skin-she gets a bad rash like she has been scalded or sun burnt if she comes into contact with it so I will investigate what aloe vera is related to. She is definitely arrogant and thinks she knows everything.

 

I just reserved a book about food intolerance at the Library so hopefully that will arrive soon and may be helpful.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I second or is it third? fourth? an elimination diet. Dd8's problems didn't show up with a blood test because her allergies are to strange things that aren't the ones usually tested for - she's allergic to chili peppers, eggplant and bananas.

[Lisa in Jax]

Lisa - Thanks. I think I'll try food elimination.

 

I do know that she doesn't tolerate Aloe vera on her skin-she gets a bad rash like she has been scalded or sun burnt if she comes into contact with it so I will investigate what aloe vera is related to. She is definitely arrogant and thinks she knows everything.

 

I just reserved a book about food intolerance at the Library so hopefully that will arrive soon and may be helpful.

 

She reacts to aloe? Look up the members of the "allium" (onion) family of foods (which includes onions, garlic, chives, leeks, shallots and scallions, etc.) and start with elimination of those foods. Bear in mind that the skin issues might be due to one thing, and the behavioral issues related to another. So, it's possible that she's got issues with allium foods *and* dairy or another, more typical, allergen, too.

 

Does she crave/adore any family of foods (milk? cheese? bread? carbs?)? Any food she craves could be the culprit. My son used to eat the breading off foods, leaving the meat behind. He always filled up on bread before he ate other foods. He craved milk, ice cream, cheese, etc. He loved pizza. So, it was no surprise when we learned that gluten (in bread and breading) and casein (in cheese, milk, and all dairy) were two of his biggest food intolerances. (Pizza was a trifecta of foods that caused him issues -- preservatives in pepperoni, along with crust (wheat/gluten) and cheese/casein).

 

If you dd is craving a food or category of foods, it's a clue that you might try eliminating that category of foods as your first option (after onions, garlic, etc.).

 

HIH,

 

Lisa

[k2bdeutmeyer]

VERY interesting thought Lisa!!!!!

 

DD loves carbs (pasta in particular) and CHEESE! However, her most severe tummy troubles usually result from popcorn, and pop/soda (Sprite/7up/Sierra Mist). I don't want to hijack, but....that definitely gave me something to think about.

[The Girls' Mom]

VERY interesting thought Lisa!!!!!

 

DD loves carbs (pasta in particular) and CHEESE! However, her most severe tummy troubles usually result from popcorn, and pop/soda (Sprite/7up/Sierra Mist). I don't want to hijack, but....that definitely gave me something to think about.

 

Might look into corn for her then. It's one of my dd's allergens (although she had a bit of a corn revulsion rather than craving)

 

My dd's favorite foods were pasta and cheese...both allergens for her.

[Lisa in Jax]

Might look into corn for her then. It's one of my dd's allergens (although she had a bit of a corn revulsion rather than craving)

 

My dd's favorite foods were pasta and cheese...both allergens for her.

 

K2B,

 

I agree with Apryl: it might help to eliminate corn products and corn syrup and see if her tummy issues get better. Corn is a big allergen -- it's not in the big 8, but it's pretty common, b/c corn is in a LOT of foods, via fillers and high fructose corn syrup.

 

Lisa

[k2bdeutmeyer]

Well, she's been tested for the big 8 plus corn, and a few other things. All testing came back negative. The allergist recommended we see a GI dr. I've never made the appt. I should though.

[DawnL]

yes, that sounds like an allergy or intolerance.

 

You've received great advice. I would add, have you read the book, Is This Your Child, by Dr. Doris Rapp? If you have any questions about reactions to allergens in anyone, this is a great book. She has shown just how weird some of the reactions can be.

 

She has a video on YouTube as well.

 

It's when she was on Phil Donahue a long time ago. But the information is still just as relative today as it was then.

[LittleIzumi]

Well, she's been tested for the big 8 plus corn, and a few other things. All testing came back negative. The allergist recommended we see a GI dr. I've never made the appt. I should though.

I would. Dd's skin test came back negative but the GI doc ran a scope & biopsied tissue to test and that one came back definitely positive.

 

To the OP, just another nod towards allergy testing & elimination! Dd would react so much to dairy that her system would freak out for a week, which made it really hard to diagnose with an elimination diet. Once we got the positive allergy result we were able to modify her diet & see big changes. The throat-clearing with our dd was related to her allergic esophagitis to dairy.

[lailasmum]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm going to try removing dairy straight away and see if it makes a difference.

 

She doesn't in general crave anything that I have noticed.

 

I'll look into allergy testing, I've not heard great things about NHS allergy testing either (am in UK) it either takes ages or you just don't get taken seriously enough to get referred. My friends son has a peanut allergy and years later is still waiting for testing.