More of an intolerance but can anyone help me wih this one? Think I might have found out what causes DDs skin problems

[used2bthin]

I hadn't been shopping for a bit so for three days DD was without her usual breakfast of weetobix. She has had very bad excema on her cheeks since she was 3 months, she is under a paediatric dermatologist for it. Then early last year she developed psoriasis on her arms and leg. The dermatologist said she was keeping an open mind as to what was on her face, excema or psoriasis but treat that as excema for now. Anyway, I digress- her skin looked so much better after the three days and I realsied that just by coincidence she hadn't had pasta either so decided to try it yesterday and today her skin is terrible. So would this be wheat I should avoid? Gluten? Do people usually avoid both if they are avoiding one? Clueless! Any tips? I think I will cut it out for the next two weeks completely to see.

Out of interest tomatoes, strawberries and any red fruits seem to cause a flare up, wheat based snacks like quavers and baby crisps do it and baked beans are so bad that I always know if she has had ven a spoonful fro the state of her skin.

bump

I think if you first cut out gluten and then, when her skin is fine, try oats (which have gluten but obviously aren't wheat) this will give you some idea of whether it's wheat or gluten. I'm not an expert.

There is gluten in loads of things though - sausages and Waitrose salt & vinegar crisps for example - so you do need to become a label reader

Yes it could be. Give it a try - but perhaps talk to the GP too.

Acid foods (tomatoes, bean sauce, strawberries etc) all irritate DDs skin (and mine too!). As she has gotten a bit older she can eat more but tomatoes and especially puree still cause quite a bad rash.

SoupDragon, does gluton ever get called anything else in ingredients?

I have got her some oatibix, thinking I could try that as alternative to weetabix(which she loves). So maybe I should try just cutting wheat first or would it not work so well that way? Is wheat intolerance common does anyone know?

callmeovercautios the beans are worse for her than cooked tomatoes I have realised which seems odd. I think it probably is the acid in them then because her skin improved dramatically when I stopped her cherry tomato habit-again she loves them.

I am cautiously quite pleased at being (fingers crossed)closer to finding ways of helping her with it. Children often comment on her bright red cheeks and people stare I would love to get it sorted before she starts school.

Have you thought about seeing a nutritionist? They will be able to draw up a good elimination plan and they can suggest new things for her that you may not think of?

Hi puss, I have considered it. Only thing is I bet they would make me do what I'm doing anyway (ie eliminating foods then reintroducing). It would be nice to have someone in charge and suggesting stuff but I'm not sure its worth the money when its probably a case of trial and error iyswim?

The nutritionist told me to avoid wheat and gluten but that was because I was really suffering with tummy bloat, not skin problems.

I think you could try a week or so without pasta/weetabix and then reintroduce. The thing with intolerances though, its its not always the foods you have eaten that day that can cause the problem - it can take a good day to get into the system iyswim?

The supermarkets do a good range of free from Pasta range so maybe worth trying that for a week? Its made with corn instead of what irrc...does taste a tad different though! You can also get gluten free flour for making gluten free bread etc

u2bt - gluten gets called all sorts of things in ingredients, but if you look at the allergy section on packaging, it should say 'contains gluten' if it does. Most products have an allergy section, but if you find something which doesn't then you'll need to check the ingredients for wheat, oats etc.

And just one other thought. Did she have milk on the weetabix and a dairy based sauce on the pasta?

Yes I bougt some stupidly over priced pasta! I am going to try wheat free definately. If I could know for sure that any one thing would work I would do or pay anything its just hard to keep trying stuff not really knowing if it will help. Might chat to the GP or community nurse next time we see them but they always seem so anti the idea of cutting certain foods, the dermatologist was a bit dismissive too so think it really is just a case of trial and error. Trying to think of all the things she eats that contain wheat now... she isn't great with bread which is probably no bad thing. Pasta, I am sorted with because I bought the wheat free one. Anything else I could be missing?

x posts cantsleepwontsleep, do they say if things contain wheat too? Is it more common to have problems with gluten than wheat alone? She did have milk on the weetabix but also has a bottle at night still and still it seemed to improve. at her still having a bottle but she loves it!

Maybe dairy but I'd try everything else first then dairy as she's just a toddler and I'd be reluctant to cut that out unless I absolutely had too. Although I've had goats milk in the past before and its been fine...

ezinearticles.com/?Prevent-Eczema-Symptoms-With-A-Wheat-Free-Diet&id=640150

www.talkallergy.com/webdocs/yourlives/food.php

I have had threads on here about cutting her dairy intake as I was intolerant to it and know lots of people with excema get flare ups from it. I am actually not convinced that it is excema we are dealing with though, neither was the very experienced dermatologist and since I THINK wheat and/or gluten can make psoriasis flare up, I think its a possibility for her.

Thank you there are some interesting things on that link, lots to think about. Although did you see the suggestion of giving your baby green leaf juices I'd like to see DDs face if I tried that lots of people seem to be saying cutting out wheat helped though so I am feeling hopeful.

If it contains wheat then it contains gluten, so if you avoid everything that says 'contains gluten' then you will be avoiding wheat (as well as other sources of gluten).

How old is she btw?

I thought you would like those links as they seemed more targeted to wheat rather than dairy

My DS had excema - particularly bad on his face, used to crack and bleed and looked so sore. Thanks to the internet I discovered that BANANAs can trigger eczema.

My DS's excema cleared up within 2 weeks - honestly, it was a miracle. He didn't eat bananas for about 5 years but then I gradually reintroduced them and he can now eat them with no side effects.

Hope this helps.

She is 2.5. I'm just thinking that if I cut out just wheat it would be easier but then, no point if it doesn't work I guess. Any ideas for a healthy breakfast cereal that is similar to weetabix but gluten free? Thought I was so clever with the oatibix!

Try a wheat free cereal from the free from ranges -am sure they have them

Oh yes good idea. Its always the food she likes that we have to cut out, bless her!

www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-local/frameset/sect/FBC-Breakfast_Cereals.html

www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-local/frameset/sect/FBCC-Children_s_Cereals.html

the kids cereals maybe wheat free but they seem a bit choc heavy! lol