I'm sure ds is still intolerent to something in his diet, but what?

[TheArmadillo]

Ds is still having some problems with wind/constipation/swollen tummy, though it has improved a lot.

We have taken him off wheat/gluten for about 6ish months now and the difference was almost overnight and he is nowhere near as bad as he was.

I took him off cows milk and put him onto goats and there was a bit of a difference (though this was a couple of months after the wheat/gluten thing and the difference wasn't as big).

However I think something is still causing a problem but I don't know if this is because some members of the family are accidentally giving him foods he shouldn't have - possible but I don't think they are, or if there is something, what I can take him off.

He eats fruit (strawberries, bananas, apples, melon, rasberries,) rice cakes, marmite, raisins, gluten free bread, oven chips, carrots, goats cheese and yogurt, apple and orange juice.

Drs is useless and I don't know what to do next. Any advice?

[Laura032004]

Lots of oven chips have gluten in them - flour covering to make them crispy. Think strawberries are common allergenic fruits? Marmite has yeast in it doesn't it? Not all yeast is gluten free. My DS has similar problems if eating too much fruit juice - how much is your LO having? You could try removing the dairy completely, but this a big step, and probably shouldn't be done without medical advice. How old is he? My DS1 has rice milk instead. He could tolerate goats milk a bit, but since we've removed it completely, there is a big difference. HTH a bit.

[luckylady74]

have you been to a qualified nutritionist?
i got one from the yellow pages and she was really helpful - session was expensive, but she gave be lots of info and a very detailed plan for my son - a lot of my ds's problems were fruit juice and he needs pro-biotics

[TheArmadillo]

thanks thats given me a few ideas

OVen chips are mccains 5% fat ones so don't think they will have flour but will check.

I was wondering about marmite and the fruit juice. He seems to be a bit addicted to strawberries so that might be a sign?

I worried about taking him off milk and putting him on a replacement without drs advice, but they are useless (apparently there are two intolerences - adults have wheat intolerence, and kids have dairy intolerence, but as there is no way of telling there is no point worrying about it ).

Will try the other stuff and hope it isn't the milk

[Soapbox]

A common food intolerance is to a chemical (can't recall the name) in tomatoes, strawbs, rasps, water melon, and lots of other red coloured fruits.

Goats milk also has quite a lot of lactose in it (though not as much as cows) if he is very sensitive (both my DCs were) then this might be the problem.

[TheArmadillo]

haven't been to a nutritionist, may see if I can find one and how much they charge, don't think I can afford one - but wonder if its worth using some of ds savings?
Probiotics made no difference to him - tried fro a couple of months.

Thanks

[TheArmadillo]

thanks - sorry every time I post a reply there's a new post (not that I'm complaining ).

I think this is way out of my depth. I think I'm gonna look in to seeing a nutritionist. Is there any associations or qualifications to look out for?

[tatt]

really not a good idea to permanently remove food from a child's diet without good advice on alternatives. Constipation could just be too little liquid. There are ways of testing for gluten intolerance and lactose intolerance but for milk intolerance it's really an exclusion diet. Probably get more help in the allergies section.

[TheArmadillo]

think I might take him off red fruits for a couple of days. The addiction to strawberries is worrying me, whenever he's been obsessed before its been something that he shouldn't have.

[Laura032004]

I don't know if a few days would give you a definite answer, but it might give you a clue. If DS1 has milk, the main effects only take about 48 hours to clear his system (bad diahorrea, doesn't sleep).

We've seen a dietician on referral from the GP, but they just advised that the diet we had DS1 on (gluten and dairy free), was fine, and that he wasn't missing anything out. We've also seen paediatricians, but I think I often know more than they do about intolerances.

[TheArmadillo]

thanks tatt - it is something that has been worrying me. Its why I didn't do anything for ages and found alternatives before I took things off.

Ds drinks alot - a huge amount (last time I calculated it it was about 3 litres a day not including milk) so I don't think not drinking is a problem.

I really wouldn't be doing this if I thought there was an alternative, but the HV agrees there is a problem but doesn't know what to do and I have been to seen every dr at my practice several times, but they just lable it as 'colic' (he's now 2.4) or a general intolerence to all foods (so no point doing anything).

I want advice and think I will try and find a nutritionist.

[Laura032004]

I know it is probably the wrong approach, but I found once I removed dairy from DS1's diet, the GP got a bit worried, and we got a referral to the hospital quite quickly. I was still bfing him at that stage, so wasn't that worried about what I was doing, but I didn't really let on how much bmilk he was actually getting.

[Laura032004]

Is 3l a day a lot to drink? It seems a lot more than my DS1 drinks, but he probably doesn't drink enough. Have they checked the sugar levels in his urine?

[tatt]

there are a few allergy specialists who will see people privately, you may be lucky enough to be near one.

It's quite difficult to do an exclusion diet properly but you take to take food away and then reintroduce it to test whether it is a problem. Personally I've always done this at least 3 times before stopping a food. If you haven't done so already give probiotics a try.

[TheArmadillo]

The drs will not check anything - its like banging my head against a brick wall.

I have found a list of nutritionists for Bristol and think I will give one of them a go.

Ds has terrible problems with food as he associates it with the pain in his stomach and so eats very little and his diet is very restricted.

There is something wrong and I don't think it is right for him to spend his time like this.

THis whole situation f8cks me off tbh. My sister has terrible food intolerences and 20 yrs ago my mum had to do all the research into it herself and then pay for private treatment. Its only as an adult that the drs have run tests on her. Stupidly I thought nowadays it would be different, but it isn't.

[edam]

If you do see a nutritionist, please check their qualifications and experience very carefully. Anyone can call themselves a nutritionist, it's not a protected title like doctor or registered nurse. And any adjustments to the diet of a small child should be done by someone who knows what they are talking about and understands the implications of their advice.

To be on the safe side, you really need to see a state-registered dietitian. There are some people who have set themselves up as nutritionists who have some very strange ideas that they got from courses run by equally strange people. People who say seeds are superfoods because 'they contain all the nutrients to make a fully grown plant', for instance (well, yes, but eating the seed isn't going to perform miracles and it isn't going to have the same nutritional value as an aubergine or whatever).

The British Dietetic Association is the professional body for properly qualified dietitians. I'd contact them and ask for a list of dietitians who do private practice in your area (if you really can't get anywhere with your GP ie can't get an NHS referral out of them).

[singersgirl]

Strawberries are high in salicylates. You're right - when they're addicted, it usually means they shouldn't have it. DS1 is like this with cheese. When I removed almost all salicylates from his diet he used to sneak into the bathroom and eat my toothpaste - mint flavouring is high in salicylates.

[TheArmadillo]

thanks edam I'll check them out and see if I can find someone through them.

Singersgirl - Ds also loves too munch toothpaste that he nicks at my parents house (he has an all natural one at home). Wondering if the two could be linked?

[chloesmumtoo]

HI, MY DD HAS BEEN SEEMING INTOLERENT TO OTHER THINGS TOO RECENTLY. I WELL RECOMMEND KEEPING A STRICT FOOD DIARY, WE ARE AT PRESENT. I KNOW ITS HARD ESP WHEN THERE CAN BE MORE THAN ONE CULPRIT OF FOODS. ALSO BE AWARE OF THINGS YOU DONT ALWAYS EXPECT. MY DD IS ALLERGIC TO BANANAS AND CARROTS OUT OF WHAT YOU HAVE MENTIONED AND POSSIBLY RICE BUT STILL INVESTIGATING THAT ONE. MANY OTHERS WE HAVE ALSO HAD CONFIRMED BY SKIN PRICK TESTS BUT I WONT BOTHER YOU WITH THE NEVER ENDING LIST!! WE WERE LUCKY TO GET OUR SKIN PRICK TESTS, OUR DERMATOLOGIST REFERS US DUE TO HER LIFE THREATENING PEANUT ALLERGY I THINK AND ECZEMA. NOW THEY KNOW SHE IS SO ALLERGIC I MANAGE TO GET THEM DONE WHEN I NEED. WAS A LONG HULE GETTING TO SEE A DERMATOLOGIST BACK THEN SO KNOW WHAT YOUR GOING THROUGH. EVEN MADE A FEW CALLS TO GO PRIVATE. NEVER RIGHT IS IT AND HORRIBLE TO HAVE THE CHILDREN SUFFERING. THINKING OF YA AND GOOD LUCK

[tatt]

if you tell your gp you have taken food out of your child's diet and they have improved the gp may refer you to an NHS dietician. I is certainly worth another try before you pay for one. Have you read this book?www.amazon.co.uk/Allergy-Bible-Understanding-Diagnosing-Intolerances/dp/1844001725?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21
It's a good guide and will tell you more than most gps.

Does he have live yoghurt? Have you tried lactase at meal times to see if that helps?
Have you tried him with quinoa flakes, corn, or buckwheat noodles, lentils, lamb if he's old enough for meat? The more you try - and tell your gp you've tried - the more chance you have of a referral. Anyone you could take along with you to be assertive with them?