children with food allergies

elisecohen

Tue, Apr 12 2005, 4:55 pm

2 of my kids (the youngest 2, ages 6 yrs and 3 months) have eosinophilic gastroenteropathy. It's an allergic disease, IgE and cell mediated, in which any offending protein in the GI tract causes it to flood with white blood cells and destroy the tissue. The oldest also has severe IgE mediated allergies so we have always had to make sure he didn't even come into contact with eggs or soy even though he doesn't eat them (he only eats a medical formula, soem by mouth and some via gtube). He once kissed an egg because he saw it was alone in the fridge and decided it was lonely--and sure enough out came the hives, wheezing, etc. Of course it was erev Shabbos...

elisecohen

Wed, Apr 13 2005, 5:04 pm

sounds awful
with two kids having it - is it hereditary?

Yep. Boruch Hash-m only 2 of the 5 have it for now. Unfortunately, it can pop up later in life so there's always a chance the others could develop it, but G-d willing they won't. At least with the baby (one of the 2 who has it) we knew to look for it since his older brother has it, so we caught it very early and he may never need a gtube, etc, and may never wind up with his gut as destroyed as his brother's got before he was diagnosed.

We have friends who had made aliyah but 1 of their children had it and wasn't getting adequate care. They had to come back to the US and since then another of their children has been diagnosed with it and they had a new baby after they arrived in the US who has it so severely that right now she can not even tolerate the amino acid formula via gtube and is on a central line (parenteral nutrition) for the time being.

We are very lucky. There must be many out there who never get diagnosed in time. I thank Hash-m every day for my little boys!

Motek

Wed, Apr 13 2005, 5:12 pm

wow, it's wonderful how you are able to see the blessing even within the hardships

since you write in your signature:

Quote:

Mommy to 5 bli ayin hara, with medical issues including mental health, brain damage, GI disease, developmental delay

you obviously want to share this information with us, so I'm assuming further questions are okay

would you tell us about the other medical issues you refer to - what caused them, do you know? do all of your children suffer from one of these problems? Sad

elisecohen

Wed, Apr 13 2005, 6:57 pm

We have, k"h, 5 children. The oldest dd has mental health issues (early onset rapid cycling bipolar disorder, and OCD). The oldest son has Smith-Magenis syndrome (a chromosome deletion) and septo-optic dysplasia and partial agenesis corpus callosum (a cluster of neurologic and endocrine abnormalities including brain abnormalities, small optic nerves, growth issues, developmental delay, behavioural issues, and so on). The youngest two sons have eosinophilic gastroenteritis.

I am very open about all of this because I think it's critical in the frum community to stop hiding medical issues. All our children are gifts from haKod-sh Bar-ch H- and none should be hidden away or given up because we don't want to be known as a family with special needs children. The rebbeim offer two ways of looking at it: either these children have extraordinarily special neshamos, no longer in need of performing certain mitzvohs because they've perfected them (like my sons not being able to eat matza at Pesach--they must have perfected that mitzvah in a previous gilgul); or else the children are a tikkun for all of us in galus, in which case the whole community owes them an unpayable debt.

Now I just wish there were more support for families with special needs children available.

And as for why they have these...certainly mental health issues are very prevalent in the Jewish community overall, and certainly throughout our extended families. The older ds's issues are just "luck of the draw" as it were, not considered genetic/inheritable. And the younger two? Well maybe it was all that inbreeding in small shtetls in Europe over the centuries and dh and I just have the wrong combination of genes. I don't know.

Sunshine

Thu, Apr 14 2005, 6:36 pm

elisecohen wrote:

these children have extraordinarily special neshamos, no longer in need of performing certain mitzvohs because they've perfected them.

I have seen this many times with special children! Their attitude towards life is a powerful message. Despite their challanges in life they are happy. They try so hard to achieve goals that come easily and naturally to others and if they don't succssed the first time they try again. They teach us so much about the purpose and meaning of life. From my personal experience a few amaizing qualities of special children are: I worked with a few down's syndrom children and can tell you how much ahavas yisroel they have. They have made a lot of friends and become accepted in the class because of their big heart and generosity not because others feel bad for them. They feel for others in a way that most of us are too selfish to. I have seen how they accomplish amaizing things because of their determination and will power. You see the purity of their neshamos! I think Hashem sends down neshamos like these so we can learn from them, since they already perfected many mitzvos it isn't for that reason, so what else could be the reason?
Elise you sound like a very special lady that Hashem chose you to raises such special children. Not many others could cope with such a responsibility and have a such a positive attitude.

elisecohen

Thu, Apr 14 2005, 8:21 pm

Thanks..I'm blushing. It's not all roses around here, but I appreciate the thoughtfulness from all of you. It definitely helps that before kids I was a medical librarian--at least I know how to research all their stuff and make connections.

And yes, we do feel very priviledged to be entrusted with these neshamos. Sometimes I wish I could get a little break though, like at 3 in the am when I've been up all night dealing with a beeping feeding pump, a restless manic dd, a hyperfearful developmentally delayed ds, and a crying baby who can't comfort himself because his whole GI tract is damaged and hurting! I try not to be judgemental, really, but sometimes it's hard for me to gear up a lot of sympathy for someone who complains to me because their kid doesn't nap well or something like that.

So I guess I know what character faults of my own I need to work on!

Motek

Tue, Apr 26 2005, 9:51 pm

hisorerus wrote:

Have you tried NAET? It is an allergy elimination technique, and I know several people who swear by it! My friend's sister could not go near a slice of bread to avoid triggering anaphylactic shock, but after the treatment, she eats bread without a problem.

it sounds amazing

here's the official website:

http://www.naet.com/

Mishpacha magazine had an article about allergies and it described the different treatments available, mainstream and alternative.

In one letter to the editor afterwards, a woman wrote:

"Also, regarding homeopathy, you quoted: "According to Dr. Zamir, homeopathy offers full recovery ... " Just so as not to mislead the public, I would like to bring to your attention that according to medical science, there is no cure for food allergies, although a breakthrough may be possible in the near future. In the meantime, only strict avoidance of the allergic substance can keep our allergic children safe."

In a subsequent letter to the editor, another woman wrote:

"I'm also a mother of a child who had life-threatening reactions (choking) to many, many different allergens. Dr. Zamir is not misleading the public. My child, and my brother, and many other children I've now met, have rid themselves of their allergies completely through homeopathy and a combination of other approaches of alternative healing, and lots of siyata diShmaya [help from heaven]. Hashem prepares the refuah [healing] before He gives the makah [lit. blow]. If no cure for food allergies exists in the world of conventional medicine, let's look elsewhere.

?!

Motek

Tue, Dec 18 2007, 7:32 pm

Motek wrote:

is it true that these food allergies are becoming more common, and if so, why?

I read an article that asks, "Are Our Kids the Sickest Generation?"

http://health.msn.com/health-t.....71793

Some excerpts:

Quote:

More kids are getting diagnosed with bipolar, ADHD, allergies, and asthma in this decade than in previous decades. Some attribute this increase to improved diagnosing, others to over-diagnosing. Still others view the sick-kid trend as the proverbial canary in the coalmine: More children are getting sick because they are fragile and affected by an increasingly industrialized world.

Quote:

Increased understanding of mental disorders in children has also led to a rise in the pediatric diagnosis of ADHD, by as much as 400 percent or higher over the last 25 years, according to some estimates. It is the most commonly diagnosed behavioral disorder in childhood, affecting between 3 percent and 5 percent of school-age children in the United States. Worldwide use of prescriptions to treat ADHD in children has increased by 274 percent, with the United States prescribing more medication for ADHD than any other country.

Quote:

Bipolar Disorder: A 40-fold increase among kids

Quote:

Allergies: 40 percent of children now have allergies

From 1997 to 2002, child food allergies increased from .68 percent to between 2 percent and 4 percent; adult food allergies remained the same slightly more than 1 percent. And Chiu says there has been an increase in upper respiratory tract allergies, now affecting 40 percent of children

Quote:

Asthma rates in children under age 5 increased more than 160 percent from the 1980s to the 1990s. Of people with asthma, 70 percent also have allergies

montrealmommy

Thu, Feb 14 2008, 10:48 pm

earlier someone posted that hives, rahes, etc.. are an intollerance not an allergy, this is not completely accurate. Those are also signs of an allergic reaction, but not a severe one. They are indicators.

Based on research, experience and talking with many many doctors, here are the main reasons for the increase in ped. allregies (these are not all my opinion, so please bear that in mind when reading):
1. our world is very chemically altered today with cleaning products, perfumes, preservatives, pesticiedes, etc... These are breaking down our immune systems leaving children much more vulnerable to minute cell alterations which can be the difference b/w a 'safe' food and an allergy

2. becuase of international trade, we are exposed to and consume many foods that are we are not genetically implanted to eat. Ex. many people of european heritage are allergic to tropical fruits (incl. kiwi, pineapple, strawberries, mando, etc...), many orientals are allergic to diary, etc.... Through evolution, we may as a culture out grow these allergies, but it will take a long time. Also, this applies to spices and herbs too.

3. We (as a society) are introducing our children to foods that their bodies have not yet developped the enzymes to digest (ex. cow's milk before 12-18 month, nuts before 3years) - think of it, how many kids are eating bamba or corn chips, or potato chips fried in sunflower oil. Almost anything that comes from a bakery has been in contact with eggs, etc... It is not intentional, but it happens.

That said, allergies are a very scary thing (I live with constant anxiety b/d of dh, ds, and dd). Learn your child's signs. I learned that DS gets constipated and hives almost instantly. As a baby he used to projectile vomit. Now, his cheeks get red hot (in color and temp) and his lips are so red they almost look purple. Whenever I see that I know he has been exposed to an allergen (even if not eaten, when Ch"V"Sh eaten, the reactons are much worse). With dd, her eyes and lips begin to swell and she gets very lethargic. dh (although he won't admit it) get's flushed and feverish if exposed. He knows about the real symptoms (mouth swelling, etc...) and we have had our fair share of experiences with all 3 people. These are only food, not environmental allergies (a whole other thread!). When I realized I knew what was happening before it was full blown, I was much clamer and know how to treat my kids, whether is was giving benadryl, a full shower, topical treatment, drinking lots of water, etc...

PLease fell free to pm me for more (my fingers are getting tired). I am also an EMT (both in Canada and US) so I have experince on both sides. And I have allergies myslef.