1.5yrold-Corn, etc.!

[sraplayas]

We just got the results back from DS IgE panel. Lentils, Corn, Almonds, Whole Wheat are the offenders. Who would have thought? I've been avoiding dairy and all nuts since he was 6 months! We love givine him pink lentils with cous cous, basmanti rice, and sauteed vegetables.

Lentils don't seem to hard but what about the corn? I have the feeling this is a toughie. Comments?

BTW, since we are BS as long as possible this will be a team effort.

I guess it's bye-bye tortilas, tamales, atole for a while.

[kjbrown92]

corn is EVERYWHERE! Dextrose, maltodextin, xanthan gum, etc. It's got many, many names and since it's not a "top 8" allergen, it seems to be hidden in a lot of places. We've been corn free for 2 years (as well as dairy, gluten, soy, and some other miscellaneous ones) and I'm still amazed at where it lurks... most confectioners sugar (WF's store brand has tapioca starch instead), iodized salt (we use sea salt from France I think it is, that still has natural iodine in it), baking powder (we use equal parts baking soda, tapioca starch, cream of tartar), many, many supplements have it in it, some rice vinegar, a lot of white vinegar (though some is from wheat), etc. The good news is that IgE allergies are likely to be outgrown by age 5 (though nuts, peanuts, and shellfish are less likely to be outgrown).

[sraplayas]

Where I can find a good exhaustive list for Corn and Whole Wheat?
Thanks!

[rhesp1212]

My son is also allergic to corn...it's a royal pain in the butt!! Here's a great website with a very extensive list of corn derivitives. It's very helpful, but very intimidating!!

http://www.cornallergens.com/list/co...ergen-list.php

[sraplayas]

Corn-Free Wheat Free Vacation in Mexico

rhesp1212,

thanks for the link. very helpful.

we are going on vacation in a week and so i am really trying to plan ahead. do you have any recommendations for store-bought snacks such as crackers and bread-type items (but they have to be wheat free, too!). we live in Mexico but we are close enough to the border to drive to Whole Foods if necessary.

i am looking for a sort of shopping list of products that are safe for a Wheat-Free, Corn-Free, Almond-Free diet (the lentils, green peas and brazil nuts don´t seem as pervasive). do you know of anything like this? maybe a good thread?

i am really overwhelmed but i know it will just take time to adjust. i am hoping that dd (5yrs) won't have to do this, too b/c she has similar issues but hasn't taken the test yet.

Thanks!
p.s. do you know where I can get those cute silicone braclets for allergies for little ones? i saw them on www.mom4life.com at one point and now I can't find them...

[rhesp1212]

Personally, my DS is allergic to so many other things that I don't even attempt any type of store bought snacks for him. I make all of my own crackers for him using safe ingredients. They are super easy to make. Otherwise, you could check some of the gluten free crackers like rice crackers, etc. and see what ingredients they have in them. I don't know off the top of my head, unfortunately. Enjoy Life brand of foods is free of top allergens so you might be able to find some snacks with their brand as well.
The biggest one to slip up on is salt...most table salt has an anti caking agent in it that is derived from corn. Stick to natural sea salt with no additives or anti caking agents and you'll be okay. So, when you're checking ingredients on packages, I don't buy it unless is specifically says sea salt on it. Also, most prepackaged juices have asorbic acid in them (from corn) or corn syrup. Stick to organic brands and read the labels....I've only found a couple that don't have acids added to it to maintain color. I do alot of freeze dried fruits for snacks. I buy them prepackaged in several stores. I make homemade pancakes, waffles, crackers, muffins, etc. using safe flours and always take some with me wherever we go for snacks.

Since your little one can't have wheat, you might be able to do spelt or kamut. They are a strain of wheat, but alot of kids are okay with them. I have found spelt cereal, breads, etc. in whole foods and puffed kamut cereal. All great for snacks on the go. For crackers.....at Whole foods, I did see some flax crackers today that looked like they might be safe. There are also kale chips, etc. that are okay. Potatoe chips with sea salt are good snacks too.

Goodluck and if I think of any other good, safe snacks later I'll let you know.

[sraplayas]

thanks for the good info.

as we just found out on thursday, i am still sorting all of this out. friday we ate with family, and had grilled fish, etc. the whole meal was safe--i even asked--(not about the salt, didn't think of that!) but later ds broke out in a terrible burn-like diaper rash and so i asked about the ingredients again and found that there was HFCS used in the marinade! Poor little guy, it's like he's had a hangover from it.

so, we know that HFCS is nasty anyway and it is already an Avoid food in our family. however, from your experience, if you gave ds a food prepared with iodized salt and everything else is safe, does he react to that too? when you go to a restaurant, do you ask them not to salt (or butter?) anything (i.e. a potato or safe meat, vegetable)?

as you mamas know, it's overwhelming at first--and i'm feeling it! i really want ds to feel better.

[kjbrown92]

When we go out to a restaurant, I tell them the no's (gluten, dairy, corn, soy for us, plus some others) and tell them very specifically, no seasoning, no condiments, etc. And I have a little tupperware of sea salt in my purse that we use. Sometimes I bring our own ketchup depending on what kind of restaurant it is. We don't eat out much though.

[rhesp1212]

My DS is not quite 2 yet, so I just bring his food with us wherever we go. He can't eat anything on the menus anyways! Usually the wait staff doesn't even ask, or when they do I simply tell them he has food allergies. Each child is different, but my DS will react to ANY trace amount of corn...yes, even in table salt. And his isn't even an IgE allergy, atleast not that we know of...it's just a very very severe intolerance.

When I was nursing him and could eat more than he could, I used to bring my own olive oil (some are cross contaminated with other unsafe oils for us) and sea salt in little containers in my purse. Never had any problem that way!! But, as PP mentioned be very specific about your requests and make sure to tell them that is because of a severe food allergy or they sometimes "forget". Most places are very accomodating in that way.

[sraplayas]

i just realized i wrote IgE when the test performed was IgG

How long did it take for you little ones to be symptom-free (or close to it) after you cleaned up your diet?

Also, did you eliminate, say, cleaning/beauty products that contain components of you DS's allergen? (Since, for instance, white vinegar is supposed to contain corn I am considering changing my cleaning routine. I make my own solutions---and they all contain white vinegar!).

[kjbrown92]

I don't use white vinegar anymore for cleaning. But if he's not touching it, it may be fine. I don't let them soak in a tub full of bubble bath with their allergen in it for instance.