To be tired of so called food "intolerances" in children when the parent can't explain what symptoms the alleged intolerance produces?

[MrsSchadenfreude]

For the record, I am NOT talking about proper food allergies - coeliac disease, nut allergy etc. DD had some friends round for a sleepover the other week, and one mother said "oh X can't have anything dairy, she is intolerant to it." Fine, I cooked everything with soya milk and veg margarine. Another child was intolerant to wheat, so cakes were all gluten free as well. Gluten intolerant boy also had an intolerance to bananas. Apparently.

Asked parents what the symptoms were of these "intolerances" when children were collected. The wheat boy "bloated a bit after having bread once". Bananas? Apparently the doctor tested for banana intolerance and he was, although had never shown any signs. Dairy child "sometimes gets a tummy ache" if she has cheese. Has she had tests? Oh no. Parents self diagnosis.

Am I being unreasonable to think that this has all gone a bit far, and is used by mothers to show just how "precious" their little one is?

[LadyVictoriaOfCake]

YABU


dd2 had a intolerence of gluten when she was younger. by the time she actually got to see a specialist she had outgrown the problem. but dealing with projectile vomiting, screaming in agony as her gut was in torment, the blosting, the stinking runny poo, was nothing to do with being fashionable. once my mum in a fit of absentmindiness gave my dd2 a biscuit when she was babysitting. by the time i got home my mum was practically in tears as she was trying to deal with dd2 screams of agony. trying to explain to people that dd2 couldnt tolerate gluten was hard enough when i couldnt undersdtand it fully myself.

dd1 is actually allergic to food colourings, partically tartrazine. her eating this will sent her body haywire, and although not causing an allergic reaction straight away, over the next few days she will suffer urticia, eczema flare ups, wheezing, sometimes swelling of the lips.

[MrsSchadenfreude]

I object to being called an "intolerant grouchy mother". I went out of my way to cater for these children - I didn't just think "bollocks" and give them pizza.

I didn't expect long details of the symptoms - "he gets a really bad upset stomach" would have sufficed.

I also said "so-called" food intolerances. NOT something which has been diagnosed. I am not getting at people with real problems - I am having a go at people who think it is "trendy" (and yes, there do appear to be a fair few out there) and can't back up their claims

[Desiderata]

I thought that was very clear from your OP, MrsS.

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Lady Victoria, my point is that if all these mad parents jump on the bandwagon, children like your DDs (who clearly have/had a real problem) are likely to be lumped in together with them and provoke raised eyebrows and heavy sighing (and probably a bit of pizza!). Which is clearly wrong - there is a world of difference between projectile vomiting and a bit of (supposed) bloating.

[VoodooLULUmama]

that is how it came across to me too

the OP is ticked off with making special food for children who get a bit of a tummy ache or bloating, not ones with severe , painful symptoms like LVOC or Spidermama's children

a lot of people do not understand there is a difference between an allergy and an intolerance

a few years ago, everyone was cutting out wheat, as it was the in thing to be intolerant of...

[MrsSchadenfreude]

May I claim a spiritual allergy to spam fritters, please? Or is this a sceret wish to flee my working class roots?

[madamez]

No YANBU, some people need a good kick in the fanjo. I have at least one friend with the full battery of allergies, nuts, shellfish, dairy etc, who can't go anywhere without her adrenalin pen and a packed lucnh, so I know how serious they can be. But a lot of the self-diagnosed stuff is just postruing about how fragile and sensitive and special you are - or expecting your finicky eating habits to be indulged by other people.

As someone else said, the folk with the serious problems get on with it, the ones who are making a screechy great fuss probably have naff-all to worry about.

[SmartArse]

I'm HIGHLY allergic to cake and chocolate. The bloating is terrible ... especially around my thighs and backside

I think you're very kind to have made special food for the intolerant children, MrsS and I never got the impression that you were ranting against those with real, medically diagnosed allergies.

[moljam]

our gp has said ds is intolerant to cows milk as he gets diarhoa,ezcema and asthma after cows milk but wont test him so i get the 'well hes not been tested' by other parents.if gp wont test him but says hes intolerant what do i do?i wish he was ok with it as would be so much easier especially for crap cook like me.

[Blu]

oooh, tell me about it.

It is going on in my own home, atm.

DP diagnosed hi,self as having a wheat intolerance as he was experiencing 'bloating' and feeling tired. As you might expect after 3 heavy drinking sessions followed by Chicken Cottage nasty food.

He has now come over all Sweeney Todd and despite DS having no symptoms whatsoever has subjected him to a Mail Order Home Testing Kit that consists of cutting his thumb open with a scalpel and soaking a swatch stick in blood.

I have no argument whatsoever with peope who have real issues - LadyV - your DD's projectile vomiting are actual symptoms, and you may have been able to get help sooner if the system was not blocked up my people like my DP! (although I have stopped DP bothering the doctor about it...)

[brimfull]

totally agree with the OP

My ds has nut allergies so I am as aware of the danger of real allergies as you.

We took dd's friend on holiday with us,she told us she was allergic to chillis.SO we avoided them,at the end of the holiday I finally got round to asking what happens if she eats them.....she gets nightmares!!!!!FFS!

These trivial intolerances make it more difficult for people with real allergies to get people to take it seriously.

[peskipixie]

imho posts started off like a charlie and lola book

my mums cousin (who is in her 60s so should know better) made a big fuss that she was not given a veggie alternative to meat and potato pie at my other cousins party. they had catered for veggies, but she has never been veggie. apparently she is intolerant to red meat. big huffs and decided she would have to get by on pastry and bread, she couldnt have anything else like the mushy peas because she is intolerant to gluten

so imagine our disapointment surprise the following week at our bbq when she was shovelling down beef burgers without collapsing. some people have too much time on their hands

[themoon66]

ROFL at 'spiritual' allergy to shellfish

[VoodooLULUmama]

me too smartarse !

blu- what is chicken cottage?



my DS has a peanut allergy, and has to go with his epipen and piriton everywhere,as from time to time he gets random reactions ..

[Spidermama]

I don't have pieces of paper to 'back up my claims' but that's because of the ignorance and uselessness of the British medical profession on this issue. They've been singularly useless on the issue and I've had to spend my time researching and testing out my theories. I'm afraid I don't share your faith in the medical profession being able to provide proof of anything much because it's officially known now they are unaware of arse and elbow in this field.

I wasn't necessarily saying you were a grouchy old baggage btw .... just counter attacking the irritation inherent in your OP with a general swipe of my own.

Let's shake and make up.

[Blu]

Chiken Cottage is a really nasty cheap greasy and foul version of KFC, common in S London.

You can get a huge boxful of chicken and fries for 99p.

[VoodooLULUmama]

sounds delightful blu !

[Spidermama]

I also object to the suggestion that the milder reactions are unimportant. You try living your life with constant itching and snot or bad farts and sore tummies not to mention asthma and other related things. It's miserable and totally avoidable if only we'd invest, like other European countries, in solutions and knowlege.

Is it really necessary to be competitive about allergies? Are my ds's reactions not severe enough so stray into the realms of fashion.

[SmartArse]

Do you think it's really chicken, Blu??!! There are lots of pigeons in London ... I cycle past 2 of those places on my way into work every day. On the way home, I'm sometimes quite tempted!

[moljam]

totally agree Spidermama

[Peachy]

That sounds awful, Blu- yuck!

Agree with the person who said they can't understand why anyone would waste money on this food if not needed- apart from the fact that GF bread is truly ansty, it can cost up to £4 a loaf ! I use their DLA towards it, it adds a good £20 a week onto the shopping- even things like gravy and baking powder have to be GF. Fortunately Wacky warehouse (posh no, useful yes) does a few GF kids meals now, which helps us immensely.

[themoon66]

I think I have an intolerance to fresh pears. I eat one every day at lunchtime, but take pleasure in having bloody good 'man-style' farts when sat next to DH on sofa of an evening [revenge is sweet emoticon]

[Blu]

Spidermama - I think anyone would sympathise with someone who experienced anything like the list of 'minor' reactions you cite - all those things make quality of life uncomfortable and are significant.

This thread is about pepole like DP who get caught up in believeing they have intolerances and make life harder for pepople who genuinely suffer!

All DP has is a physical reaction to drinking himself stupid and eating at Chicken Cottage for 3 days in a row. (I have a spiritual intolerance of it so would never eat there even if they are open at all times of the night)