Parenting 101 Questions?

[okgrace]

HI,

So my 4 year old daughter has been having watery D for several weeks. I have cut everything I can think of out her diet with little improvement, slightly formed is improvement at this point. Sorry if this is to much info .

She has been off dairy and soy for over a week, it would have been two plus but a babysitter gave her milk and cheese last week. I cut out peanutbutter, garbanzo beans, lentils as of last Sunday. Nightshades also last Sunday. I haven't given her oats since we went gluten free dec/jan. We avoid all artificial flavors/colors. I do not give her milk substitutes because I can't find one around here that isn't produced in a factory etc. We have replaced our pots and pans except the stainless ones. I have checked soaps and shampoos. Toothpaste is ok to I think, but could it be enough to set her off. This is the first time she has had flouride toothpaste and the last for a while since she only spits half the time.

Can anyone think of what I am missing or does the D just go on for a while? Appreciate any thoughts

Thanks

[home-based-mom]

HI,

So my 4 year old daughter has been having watery D for several weeks. I have cut everything I can think of out her diet with little improvement, slightly formed is improvement at this point. Sorry if this is to much info .

She has been off dairy and soy for over a week, it would have been two plus but a babysitter gave her milk and cheese last week. I cut out peanutbutter, garbanzo beans, lentils as of last Sunday. Nightshades also last Sunday. I haven't given her oats since we went gluten free dec/jan. We avoid all artificial flavors/colors. I do not give her milk substitutes because I can't find one around here that isn't produced in a factory etc. We have replaced our pots and pans except the stainless ones. I have checked soaps and shampoos. Toothpaste is ok to I think, but could it be enough to set her off. This is the first time she has had flouride toothpaste and the last for a while since she only spits half the time.

Can anyone think of what I am missing or does the D just go on for a while? Appreciate any thoughts

Thanks

Poor little thing!

Can you post what she does eat? It might be easier to spot something that way . .

[shayesmom]

Can anyone think of what I am missing or does the D just go on for a while? Appreciate any thoughts

Thanks

She may need more fats in her diet. Low fat diets can cause chronic diarrhea in children. You may want to look into adding in more coconut oil, olive oil, etc. in to see if it helps.

I would definitely consult with a doctor, nutritionist and if possible, a homeopath/naturopath on this. Hope you find answers soon!

[okgrace]

This week we've been eating chicken soup that I made. I boiled the chicken whole to make the stock, added rice, carrots, rice noodles, daikon, bay leaves, celery- it was pretty boring since I was out of some herbs and onion and didn't realize it when I started the soup.

We also eat blue corn chips, apples, melon, celery, asparagus, broccoli, string beans, carrots, strawberries, blueberries, honey, orange juice (for the smoothie), banana, avacodo, onion, garlic, ludenburg rice chips, sandwich meat -sara lee honey turkey, roasted turkey or chicken, rice cakes -store brand or lundenburg, almonds, raisins, unsweetended apple sauce, rice, beef, tuna steaks with rosemary, sea, salt and oil, haddock, portabella mushrooms, apple cider viniger, horseradish, she has snuck sips of my pepsi, and a few chocolate bits, chicken, sweet potato, eggs, bacon - nitrate free, cranberry juice in a smootie at school and grape juice there, unflavored gelatin sweetened with juice, real maple syrup.

I think thats about it, I am sure I am missing a few things, but I have basically cut back on anything processed. last week she also only had 1/2 a banana because she was eating several each day I thought it would be a good idea to cut back. Plus she wants them with peanut butter and we aren't eating that right now. Hope this can help shed some light on the issue. Thanks for the help!

[fedora]

gross guestion here....is any food coming out undigested? Some of the food, fiber, isn't digested normally. But when I have food that comes out whole, I know that I should be getting more from it.

Some people can't tolerated rice and some can't tolerate corn. Good luck. That must be awful for her. Keep her hydrated.

[okgrace]

Hi Fedora,

It isn't really a gross question when you are dealing with food allergies or intolerance. Don't we all become experts of pooh or are trying to become experts? Sometimes food comes out undigested, but it doesn't look like rice or corn, just larger bits of food, I guess. more recently however it has just been totally watery or an interesting texture that is hard to described, something between whipped and peanut butter. Less thick than peanut butter, but smooth in consistency.

I also remembered that I have been cooking with a minimal amount of butter. I had read that butter is fat and therefore doesn't have the proteins that are difficult to digest. This may be enough, but I am talking very very little butter, almost none.

Thanks again for the help it make a big difference to have others input when you are trying to figure this stuff out. Other people just have no idea or think I am completely nuts!

[rick-spiff]

It could be the eggs.

for butter, we make ghee. you cook the (real) butter and skim off the dairy protiens and let it reharden.

also if she wants peanut butter, maybe subs almond butter.

you can make your own nut milk in a blender.

Have you done any allergy testing?? if you do blood testing you won't have to put her back on any foods.

avoid apples & carbinated pop, give potassium

[okgrace]

Thanks for the input Rick Spiff,

I really hope it is not the eggs, we bought 20 laying hens a week ago and getting about 10 eggs a day from them. hubby finished the new hen house this weekend so we can get a flock of meat birds. Yikes, this would be reaaly bad.

She doesn't usually get any soda, unless she is feeling exta sneaky, which happens with this little girl. Why avoid apples, I thought they were pretty benign as far as food allergies and D ?

Thanks again

[Kibbie]

Thanks for the input Rick Spiff,

I really hope it is not the eggs, we bought 20 laying hens a week ago and getting about 10 eggs a day from them. hubby finished the new hen house this weekend so we can get a flock of meat birds. Yikes, this would be reaaly bad.

She doesn't usually get any soda, unless she is feeling exta sneaky, which happens with this little girl. Why avoid apples, I thought they were pretty benign as far as food allergies and D ?

Thanks again

I'd also try giving her some binding foods like bananas, probiotics (careful with the yogurt or pill form if you think lactose is an issue some of them contain lactose), blueberries,

low fiber foods, carob flour added to applesauce, also look for pectin rich foods like pears, apples, grapefruit, carrots, potatoes, and beets, plus removing as much fat from her diet as you feel safe doing.

Those should help, but I typically call the Dr. after about 48 hours of loose stools with my daughter because I'm terrifyed for dehydration and we live in a warm climate, so I'm EXTRA cautious when it comes to that.

[feedmykids]

Soo Sorry for your little one! Does her poop float? That will show if she is digetsting her fats or not. If it does float, I woud have her tested for Cystic Fibrosis, she may not be making the neccessary enzymes to digest her food. Or she might have a yucky virus that is hanging on. I would definitly take her to the doc. Try Vans' Dari-Free. It is a milk substitue that is casein and soy free, and well pretty much everything free. MY DD loves it, it kind of tastes like a sweet skim milk, no chalky flavor or aftertaste. You can search it on google (I forgot the web site, as I can buy it around here). THey also have a chocolate flavor that is yummy! HTH, And I hope she feels better soon.

[rick-spiff]

applesauce is ok but stay away from regular whole apples, the raw apples and the skin will make diarrhea worse, but once cooked it changes.

[okgrace]

Thanks for all the help, I will call the doc today. I am now debating which one, Naturo or MD. Probably it will end up with both either way I go. I didn't know the sknis of apples would cause D. I don't give them to her usually unless I buy organic.

Her poop is a combo of floating and sinking, but it has been so watery that a lot of times she can't make it to the bathroom and it ends up in her pants. I am not to worried about dehydration because she is eating well and many fruits plus she is drinking and typically only having one bowel movement a day.

Thanks again for the help.

[fedora]

I live in the country and when the fruit crops come in, everyone gets D. Just a suggestion, but maybe too much fruit? More dense vegetables may be good.

I have used a homeopathic remedy for D before that helped. (I didn't get D much from celiac as an adult)

good luck