Best/Most Reliable Testing for a 2 year Old? How Did yours go? Questions about Wheat/gluten,... - Page 2

[lactatinggirl]

My daughter was just about 2 when we went in to test her for peanuts. She tested very, very positive for them (doctor said as high as it gets) and he recommended we avoid all other nuts too. He said that the risk of cross-contamination was very high because they're often processed on the same lines and children who are allergic to one type of nuts are more likely to be allergic to other types (though I don't get this because peanuts are technically legumes). 

I have a friend though that has a daughter who is allergic to like 10 things, including I think 2 types of nuts. I think they avoided nuts in general for a long time, but now they're introducing other nuts that she hasn't shown an allergy to. I don't know how this works, but she's one of those people who has obviously done her research. 

Personally, at least until I figure out this whole allergy and possibly if she passes some sort of age mark that she's less likely to develop further nut allergies, I'll be avoiding all nuts. Nut allergies are one of the scariest because they are one of the types that children can react anaphylacticly or by closing of airways. Maybe I'll think differently down the road, but for now she's so small and I would hate to use her epi pen.

[flightgoddess]

If you can get all the tree nuts tested individually, do it. since you need milk and flour 'replacers' if she is safe with almond, that is a great choice for both protien and fiber, calcioum, etc. My son was tested after a reaction to cashews, and the only tree nut that affects him is cashew. He safely eats (uncontaminated) walnuts, pecans, almonds, etc.

[gracemamma]

Thank you so much for all the incredibly valuable advice!

Great idea on getting the tree nuts testing separately- I so want to have some nuts available to her but I am scared of them now because of the rashes she's developed after peanuts. She developed one after some almond butter from whole foods but had almondmeal on other occassions ok. Thanks for this suggestion.

Glad to hear that some do ok with xanthan gum. I'll keep an eye on thsi and I know there are some replacement gumsout there. All GF prepared breads and the like seem to ahve Xanthan Gum.

Huge bummer on the buckwheat. I hadnt thought of cross contamination. I found a fab buckwheat pancake recipe that even my gluten adoring husband loves. I really appreciate the heads up on this one and will start paying minute attention to this. Just froze a double batch of buckwheat pancakes to have on hand. I think the brand was arrowhead mills for the flour- I read the package and there was no info on being from a GF facitily or any info on this- probably means processed on same equipment.

I dont have all the names in front of me now but was so empathetic with the mama who was careful of allergens in pregnancy to keep future babes safe.There is nothing so tortuous as your precious baby crying out in pain throughout the night.  I so empathize- but have only done this once, not three times. DD's colic went away as soon as dairy got out of our systems but sleep was still screwy while gluten and soy were in the mix and there was crying and bleeding for gluten. She has slept 8 hours once in 2 years- last week yay! and six straight hours 2-3 times. Otherwise, we are up  after the first 3 hours and then regularly after that. The fact that she has slept well a handful of times makes me believe that if I can figure out her triggers and take them away that she is capable of sleeping. I really really really hope this is so. If anyone has experience with the sleep improving once you get a handle on the triggers, I'd love to hear about it.  

thanks again so much for sharing your expertise and what has worked for your families.

[changingseasons]

Sleep is ALWAYS tied to food reactions here. There is hope for a full night's sleep!

We never had any issues with buckwheat. But I would buy whole groats in 25# bags (also processed on shared equipment, but I figured they would have less chance of xcon than a flour) and grind them myself in an old coffee grinder.

[gracemamma]

Yes- sleep is so tied in for us! DD got a rare good night of sleeop a few nights ago followed by being up 2-6 due to 1/2 a cashew the night before and last night 12:30-4.  I never thought Id get so little sleep with a 2 yr old! good idea about grinding your own flour. Not sure what Id do with the 25 lb sacks though! Food for thought!