Ds is 15 months, and has food allergies (egg and sesame and not yet been exposed to nuts) and intolerances (dairy and soya). They arent severe - so far, they just make his eczema really bad, but it gets really uncomfortable for him, and if he eats something he shouldnt he will sit there and scratch and scratch his face until I have given him some piriton, washed his face etc etc. And from thereon it goes downhill - he is uncomfortable and unsettled and wont eat and gets frustrated etc etc.
The result is that I often prepare food for him that is different to our meals - like a separate sauce or missing out ingredients that we would have. And when we eat out, I take our own dairy free butter and ds tends to have jacket potato and veg, or else I make a packed lunch. I check all the ingredients to make sure his allergens arent in the foods.
So yesterday we went to a friend's buffet. I met another friend there, and her dd is the same age as ds. And she tucked into everything, stole food off her mums plate etc.
It made me realise how different ds is. I felt sad for him that he had a sandwich (with a little bit of cheese, he is on a dairy trial) and a couple of cold sausages and fruit, while his little friend had cake, buffet sandwiches, crisps etc. And I had to keep my eye on him to check he didnt steal food off other people's plates, especially as there was satay there, and egg sandwiches.
So how do you all cope with this? I found it really depressing - and I can't imagine being able to just let ds eat food without me checking it first.
Sometimes it feels like I am just making life hard for ourselves, then he reacts to egg in some mayo or something and I realise it is pretty horrible, although it isnt life threatening.
Am I being too vigilant? The allergist said to avoid sesame, nut and egg, and to try dairy and soya in a controlled way first. But it just feels like I am not letting him eat normal food just to be neurotic iyswim