Reaction to 'kids party food'?

[milkjetmum]

My dd who is 6 has been having recurrent stomach pain for a few years now. Have been under consultant who has ruled out coeliac, milk Allergy etc and we did a lactose free trial and no problems on reintroduction of milk.

Her pain is accompanied by bloating (sometimes visibly so and she says she can't bend over ) and diarrhoea. Probably some emotional link as often strikes alongside stresses eg first day of rainbows, fall out with friend. But pretty sure there's a physical issue too. Should also mention she is chronically constipated and on daily movicol.

I think an additive in kids party food is setting it off as it tends to happen around birthday parties (or days with granny). But how to know what to try excluding? Is it the squash, the sausage rolls, the sweets? Or just the quantity?

We have good diet at home, homemade food, she enjoys fruit and veg, but tolerates treats at home without problems (usually ice cream or chocolate).

Any ideas? Hate to see her in pain

[milkjetmum]

Oh also quorn definitely a culprit on school dinner menu

[chloesmumtoo]

Hi milkjetmum, it is very difficult with these things. My dd is a teen now but she has had various allergies/allergy related issues throughout her life. Some easy to recognise but some we probably will never know. Had spells of stomach problems too. Sometimes stress related and sometimes not. One suggestion, is if it can be triggered by stress it may also trigger by excitement. We have also had it happen prior to exciting days out. Particularly times in the past when doing homework too under stress. I always wondered if my dd had an ulcer, also had times under a paediatrician for her stomach.
One thing that I found useful was keeping a very accurate food diary and noting all of her symptoms/medications/trips out. I know this wont help when she is not in your care. But can be good to look back on when the stomach issues arise. Or to look at times when it didn't.
My dd did not have bloating/diarrhoea but did have severe pains for years above her belly button and suffered feeling nauseous/indigestion on eating drinking. She has been on movicol since young too.
Fortunately her stomach symptoms are a lot better now.
My dd has allergies to most things anyway so can't eat at parties, life threatening allergy to peanuts is the worst one. So used to take a pack lunch. Maybe try doing the same and see if it still happens? Atleast that way you will know exactly what she eats/drinks.
My dd cant eat some fruits without certain issues too itchy mouth/ throat cough known as oral allergy syndrome. Does your dd have any allergies eczema asthma hayfever ect already?

[dinobum]

My first thought is cmpa. A lactose free trial will not have done anything to test that as it's the protein in the milk, and can cause chronic constipation. You'd have to completely dairy free, not just lactose free, to determine whether it was an issue

[Ameliablue]

I've heard of someone having similar problems with gelatine, so sweets like haribo. Have you tried keeping a food diary?

[milkjetmum]

Thanks everyone. They did a blood test for cmpa, all clear (but not sure if that's definitive).

No other allergies we know if, very sensitive skin but not having daily bath and taking her own soap into school sorted that. Very prone to severe styes (2 big scabby ones now ) but these actually don't bother her much and she doesn't picker rub them.

Good idea Re excitement, will try the packed lunch option at next party. Dh thinks it's a sweet, but one we don’t have at home iyswim.

We were keeping a food diary and all was well, but then at party she has a dozen 'new' foods so hard to know which is responsible. Will try packed lunch and water only at next party and maybe do a test at home of party foods one by one. My suspects are squash with sweeteners, 'cheap' sausage roll type things or a sweet we don't usually have at home (white mice this weekend for example)

But maybe she's just sensitive and it's the quantity of 'junk' rather than a specific reaction? So hard to tell

[QuackDuckQuack]

Could you try just one of those items, then a few days later another? I appreciate that you won't be able to predict and try every party food, but it would be a start.

[dinobum]

Blood tests aren't useful if it's non-ige cmpa