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?

[Peachy]

ASD- autistic sprectrum disorder (ie all the varinats of autism, not just 'classic')

hth

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Ho yes, also remembering DD1's class mate, who according to the mother was allergic to "some apples." Can understand her being allergic to something unpleasant sprayed on apples, if not washed properly, but allergic to, say Golden Delicious and not Cox's? This child was also supposedly dairy intolerant and was not allowed milk at break, but had yogurt for her lunch and Laughing Cow cheese spread in her sarnies.

I don't think it is necessarily the people who don't have problems who are responsible for the cynicism, rather it is the parents who claim their children have these intolerances (when they patently don't) who invoke cynicism in others.

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Which again, backfires against those children who do suffer.

[Blu]

MrsSh - I have a reaction to 'some apples' - especially nice red ones with v white flesh. I egt a very itchy back of throat and red itchy eyes. Doesn't happen with granny smiths, though. Or cooked apples. No idea why this is, and it only started recently- but it is definite and immediate.

[toomanydaves]

Peachy, that you are living with those symptoms. I would have said sod the tea.

I think those kinesiology tests have a lot to answer for with those anxious parents Mrs Schad.They do seem to show up ludicrous numbers of allergies, spiritual malaises, etc.

[MrsSchadenfreude]

I stand corrected!

[claricebeansmum]

In response OP - I am with you. We have a young friend with coelic disease for whom I more than happy to cater for and another of DS friends has allergies including nuts - for which I have been shown how to use epi pen as he is always hanging out here

BUT

I think we are all intlerant to something - lots of red meat makes DH & I fart like it's a tornado but we ensure we eat in moderation etc...

Personally I am fed up - DS has a friend who is allergic/intolerant to pretty much everything. If he comes to play he brings his own food - but what is it in my hiomemade shortbread that he is intolerant too that is not in the jaffa cakes he brings? And what about the fact he cannot eat my homemade lasagne where I know exactly what went into it but he can eat MacDonalds?

[Blu]

But otherwise I'm on your side in this, MrsSh!

espcially the way it undermines the seriousness for people who do have very real problems, as you say.

[Skribble]

I wouldn't say people do it on purpose but I think a lot do wrongly self diagnose, perhaps because of misinformation or too much information from magazine articles etc.

Plus I think people look for things to blame their childs behaviour on. Nobody wants to admit they are a crap parent and their child is running riot because they can't control it, much easier to think its all down to the nasty evil additives. (of course too many can make us all go a bit loopy).

[Peachy]

Blu- might actually 9whispers) be worth getting that reaction checked- if it's destroyed by cooking its a sign of enzyme or protein that can be denatured by heat, and a protein causing a mouth / throat absed reaction sjhuld really be checked as these thngs can progress into life threatening allergies....

[Peachy]

Yiou know, ADHD kids are just as often reactive to salycylates (in raisins, tomatoes, loads of HEAKLTHY things)- its only possible to work out whether its additives or salycylates after the old exclusion diet- but that is probably too much effort for some people

[Blu]

(Peachy - really? Almonds do it, too....I am seriously allergic to penecillin and have cat and hay fever...so....)

[mamadoc]

It is hell on earth trying to cater for these people. The outlaws are serial offenders: MIL wheat free, no citrus fruit or tomatoes, SIL 1 vegetarian no nuts, SIL 2 dairy free, no red meat and BIL (the rebel) junk food only. It is nearly impossible to have a family meal everyone has to have something different. My own family are big on food as a bonding thing I just think it is a shame. Needless to say all these intolerances are self diagnosed by MIL aided and abetted by an army of complementary therapists. As this is a woman who truly believes you can have your aura photographed forgive me if I take it all with a pinch of salt.

[singersgirl]

I did an exclusion diet with DS1 but it has been very difficult to pinpoint exactly what produces which symptoms - as our trials kept on getting contaminated by sweets brought into school or playdates with friends where, understandably, DS didn't stick to his lunchbox.

I have put him on a trial of school lunches to see how he copes after 3 years of restricted diet (and because I felt that he was feeling really left out), and he has developed a constantly streaming nose. He is also farting most unpleasantly.

After lots of preservatives (squash, sausages etc) at a family barbecue recently he had asthma.

Symptoms that caused me to look at food included bedwetting, diarrhoea, constant tummy aches, terrible thirst, the mucus and coughing, and behavioural stuff which is necessarily hard to pinpoint.

[UnquietDad]

Yes, my DS is vegetable "intolerant". They make him go "bleerrggh, vegetables!", screw his face up and push the plate away. I think that's pretty conclusive.

[singersgirl]

DS1 reacts to salicylates and additives, but the additives are worse, so that is why I thought I'd try the new supposedly healthy school meals. I don't think they can be preservative-free, though. Am going to see if I can find out ingredients from school cook so he can avoid the worst offenders.

[EricL]

Ooooohhhhhh - interesting topic.

I have never considered this since i have never encountered an 'intolerant' child and i suppose if i did i would think the same as you.

Precious parents really get me annoyed.

[mellowma]

Message withdrawn

[Peachy]

Blu- really! tell that to DH

mamadoc- we have various dietary things in our family- vegetarians, BIl has ulcerative colitis (wrongly diagnosed as IBS for years so it shows the medics can get it wrong- poor chap facing an ileostomy at 30...), the ds's etc. What we do for a family lunch is put out loads of bowls of little things- olives, tuna,, cheese, toamtoes, all kept separate- then provide a pile of empty wraps with oils, mayo etc. Always seems to go down well with adults and kids alike.

[LadyVictoriaOfCake]

i am intolerent to KFC, it gives me a bad gut

seriously though, bloating can be very uncomfortable. dd1 has started bloating at times, so we are trying to figure out what is causing it.

[scareybee]

I suffer variously from urticia, smelly farts, eczema and swollen lips, all of which I assume are caused by foodstuffs. I still have no idea what causes them and I really don't care. While they're uncomfortable, they are in no way serious enough for me to insist someone prepare a special meal for me. On the other hand, I also projectile vomit if I eat certain shellfish and can't breathe if I eat kiwi fruit so I do tell hosts about those.

YANBU

[Mungarra]

Re: the 'spiritual allergy', my SIL claims to have a 'psychological allergy' to mushrooms and nuts. Isn't that just another way of saying she doesn't like them?

[Blandmum]

I once had to cook for a woman who told me that she was 'Intolerant' to australian wine. One questioning her, it would seem that she drank some once, and had a headache the next day! I'm not joking this woman was serious.

I also differentiate between this sort of nonesense are real food issues, which are quite different.

Woman was just a fool, would dressed up a hangover as an 'allergy'

She was also allergic/ intolerant to a list as long as your arm

personally I think she was just picky and did a real diservice to people with real issues

[Blu]

Could anyone with knowledge of genuine intolerances and testing procedures help me here please? Thanks!

[weblette]

Blu - you might want to check out something called oral allergy syndrome. Basically your body confuses the proteins in certain fruits with certain types of pollen - essentially your mouth gets hayfever. Details here

I'm very allergic to tree pollen so anything which resembles my problem types is a no-no.

Was told by my dermatologist that it isn't a life-threatener but to always have antihistamines close by.

HTH