andarah

My 6 yo DD is lactose intolerant and she goes to a `nut-free' school. I don't want to push it because one of the kids with a nut allergy is in her class. I think they're too young to truly be responsible with such a severe allergy (my 7 yo DS has a shellfish allergy, and I totally empathize with the parents). We also don't have a microwave.

So, I am finding lunch options to be limiting.

So far we have done `cold plates', as my mother used to call them - a whole conglomeration of cold stuff on a plate. This week her lunch bag had about 12 containers with carrots, cukes, cherry tomatoes, strawberries, watermelon, rice thins, rice cake, cut up chicken, ham, etc. She's liked it so far. I've varied it each day, and she's liking it. I have decided to not even bother trying gluten-free bread. She's too picky and won't go for it.

Tonight I made chili and they loved it! So, I froze it in lunch-sized portions that I can heat up in the mornings and add to a thermos. I am going to try to think of more options like this.

I am writing down all the ideas - thanks!!!!

  gfpaperdoll said:

I have not heard of the ADHD elimination diet. But it probably gets to the same place which is gluten free, dairy free, soy free & then eliminate other things as you notice them. Really once you eliminate gluten, dairy & soy, the child should be able to tell if he has problems with any other foods. I do recommend a total elimination of food dyes, artificial flavors & ALL artificial sugars, which pretty much gets rid of most processed foods.

yes, the hubbies are usually in denial, my son 37YO keeps his head in the sand...

I am sure you will learn a lot reading this forum!

The ADHD diet that we are following eliminates: dairy, sugar, sucralose and aspertame, MSG, yellow fruits and vegetables, fruit juices, chocolate, no food colourings, no fried foods, no processed meat and no junk food (anything wrapped in celophane).

So, it doesn't eliminate soy or wheat. But, once we have most of these foods back from the elimination, we'll have a little room to move and then we'll do the gluten and soy.

We have noticed amazing things with our DS since we've been doing this - his eyes are brighter, he's noticing irony in situations, he's helpful, he's `on the ball'. None of it is academic, but we're seeing big changes at home.

I am definitely learning a lot as I read the forums and I getting so much help with recipes, school lunches, stocking my kitchen, etc.

Thanks everyone!!!!!!!!

Would you include a belly that is not that hard, but not fat (just round) and it doesn't get bigger through the day as a celiac belly?

We have always referred to DD's belly as her `toddler belly' that hasn't gone away. But, at 6 1/2, it should be gone by now. It's not remotely fat, is fairly hard, but not hard like a contraction in labor. Just very firm.

Is this what you are referring to?

We are trying to figure out if she has celiac and we've just started her on gluten-fee.

Thank you!

I will definitely continue with the gluten-free for my DD. I will continue with the ADHD diet for our son, and once he has many of his choices back after the elimination, we try him on gluten-free. I think I will try it when we try it with our DS. I am beginning to wonder if I am celiac and have never known.

My DD is now 6 1/2.

We have been having a few problems since Christmas and we are trying to figure it out.

Here's her story:

She stopped growing properly at 12 months and fell off the growth charts for height, but her weight has always maintained the 25th%ile. The doctor has run tests and determined she will be about 5' 3", which is probably around the 25th%ile or a little taller. He feels she is supposed to be on the 25th, but her height is being stunted for some reason.

She started showing signs of incredible defiance at the age of 11 months.

When she was 3, she was dx with lactose intolerance. At the same time, a naturopath told us she was wheat intolerant, but he didn't do anything with her, other than listen to me talk about her. We took off wheat and saw no improvement, so we disnmissed his ideas.

We got control of her defiance around 3 1/2.

In the last 4 months, her defiance has returned with a vengence. She's also complained of stomach aches, almost daily, in the same period of time and she started wetting the bed, which is now a nightly thing. She was night trained for 4 years before this. When we do wake her up to use the toilet (now necessary to avoid bed wetting), she is so tired, that we are not able to wake her up. She also still has her `toddler belly'.

She has no constipation, diarhea, or other classic signs of a digestive problem.

Family history:

My father has diverticulitus and has had 1/2 his bowel removed because of perforations. My cousin has IBS and a few other cousins have lactose intolerance.

We've taken her to the doctor and she was given a clean bill of health. She had blood work done for her thyroid, blood sugar, and cell count. She has no problems, including infection. We've also had her seen by a psychologist because she has some classic signs of abuse. The psychologist does not feel that anything has happened to DD.

So, in our search to figure out what is going on, I've stumbled across Celiac Disease and it has struck a chord in us. We've decided to try going gluten-free to see if it helps her, but this is a major undertaking, esp because her brother is on an ADHD diet and it completely contradicts the gluten-free. So, if I'm off-base, I'd like to know.

Does this sound like celiac disease?