Do I need to be doing all this?

[faithwings]

I have wondered if my 3 daughters have food sensitivities over the years for various reasons: dd 7yrs for dark circles and emotional outbursts, dd 3.5 years for continual loose stools and dd 1.5 yrs for a distended belly bloated with gas. We are finding out that dd 7yrs issues are more likely due to ASD. We had had her on a dairy free diet but are now allowing a bit of dairy here and there and see absolutely no difference in her (there was no big difference on the diet either). She is improving with new coping techniques we are implementing. Dd 3.5 yrs has been on an elimination diet (corn, soy, gluten and dairy) for a few weeks and hasn't shown any change. Her bms fluctuate from mush to firm toothpaste. I don't even know if this is a big problem Maybe it's just b/c she is a light eater and eats lots of fruit. She is otherwise healthy. Dd 1.5 yrs has been on the same elimination diet and her belly is still about the same, but we do notice that dairy free has kept it from getting firm. It is soft and just a big bigger than normal. Her ped saw her recently and didn't seem concerned at all.

I don't know what to do. I don't feel I am very good at this. It is so hard for me to deny foods to my kids. I just want us all to be able to eat fairly normally. I'm wondering if it is more sensitivities than outright allergies we are dealing with here and if it wouldn't just be fine to keep dairy, gluten, corn and soy to a minimum in our diets. I can DO THAT...it's keeping all the trace amounts out that is hard.

Does this seem reasonable? I am affraid I am either kidding myself or overreacting! LOL

thanks

[Mommy2Haley]

bumping you up...

[FireWithin]

At least for the initial discovery time you need to be taking EVERYTHING out, even the small amounts, otherwise all of your work might be a waste of time. Once you get to baseline you can test if you can tolerate a little bit.

It is scary and intimidating to remove food, and yes taking food away from your kids is hard.
For the initial period (a few months) don't keep any food in the house that the kids can't have. It is just not fair to them. Don't take them grocery shopping if you can help it.
I keep a list of foods that they can have, and keep it fun.

My youngest can't have 25 plus foods, my oldest only 4. It can be challenging, but we are able to find foods that are easy, fun and are pretty good replacements for what he can't have.

ASD kids are greatly helped with diet changes.

[faithwings]

Right now I just feel so not up to this challenge. We are going through major life changes...dh was unemployed for 3.5 mos, now has a new job that starts in June and we will be moving. Also, my aspie child really takes A LOT out of me, not to mention my aspie dh...they are so wonderful, but still...ykwim. I realise that I am not taking out ever single thing and that I've been basically wasting my time with the little one b/c she still nurses and will be getting those foods through my milk anyhow!!! DUH. I totally knew that in some parallel life where I think straight. I think the answer to my question is that I need to do this right - and that I therefore need to do this later. If they had severe symptoms, that would be a different matter. Since their symptoms are vague I feel ok giving it some time until we are more settled. Thanks for your input. I agree with everything you said.

[lil_miss_understood]

It is hard. We all know that and can totally sympathize. Believe it or not, in the end it is worth it.
ASD kids have been proven time and again to be helped with a gluten free, casein free diet. I believe the research has even shown that they are not helped with an either/or diet- not gluten free diet, not a casein free diet, it has to be gluten and casein free.
Even with "just" sensitivities rather than full-blown allergies, the first line of defense is complete elimination.
Mammo2Sammo has great advice. All of us here will be totally willing to help you figure out how and what to feed your family. One resource you may want to check out (for recipes) is Kathy's blog. Changing season's blog is also a wonderful resource for hidden ingredients lists (I'm quite sure she has so much more than that there, but I haven't nosed around in some time.).

[faithwings]

thank you so much for your help! It's good to know that when I am ready/able to really do this thing right I have support.