Toddler with gluten intolerance

[pixieglenn]

Hi!

My son is 2 1/2 and has had severe reflux (GERD) since he was a very young infant. We discovered over a year ago that it is due to allergies. After extensive testing (which all came back negative) and food trials, we have discovered his allergies are gluten, dairy, and soy.

I am wondering if any of you have experience with toddlers and their naturally finicky age, along with severe allergies. His diet literally consists of five things. Which in some cases is normal, but even more horrible for a toddler who already has so many limitations. I have tried everything I know. Made him special pancakes, pizza crust, etc. If he perceives he is eating something different than everyone else he won't eat it. If it's some thing he doesn't 'want' to eat, he won't eat it. You know, typical toddler behavior. Is this something that they outgrow like every other toddler or do they tend to have 'food' issues throughout their life? I am just looking for someone who's 'been there done that' a little longer than me

Thanks!

Kitty

[**Jubes**]

Hi Kitty

I have the same issues as your little one, and even as an adult it can be hard to accept. It must be so difficult for you and quite a challenge that has been forced upon you.

Have you joined a Celiac Society? When I joined the information pack and ongoing support provided has been wonderful. I'd definitely recommend joining your local society. They may even have some books to help with issues particular to children and perhaps some videos or books to borrow that might help.

I'm a few years into being gluten-free and it has become a lot easier, especially now that I feel the benefits of the diet. I tend to cook everything GF-so our meals are the same for the whole family (although my family also still eat things like regular biscuits, bread and cereals, takeaway meals when we are out).

There's some great gluten-free recipes here on zaar that will be suitable for the whole family. Includes biscuits/cookies, pancakes, main meals, cakes, desserts

Check out your local health food store or supermarket for gluten free pastas, cookies and sauces. We've also started a list here in this forum for gluten-free foods and ingredients that you may find useful.

It's great to meet others that have the same issues and cook gluten-free too. Please let me know if there is any way that I can help you

Julie

[**Jubes**]

I forgot to say that with the psyllium use a small amount and introduce slowly into the diet. It will be quite grainy but soften in a warm liquid before adding to your recipes. It does go into a gelatinous goo.

With the dairy issues check out the margarines as you should be able to locate a margarine based on oils that is gluten and dairy free. There are two brands that I know of in Australia that are gluten, soy and dairy free that are readily available

No milk or soy- I guess that will mean rice, almond or cocnut milk. If a yogurt is required you maybe able to substitute a home-made mayo or 'white sauce' instead.

I was also reading a thread in the vegetarian forum where they are using nutritional yeast to give the taste of cheese...so you might want to check out that one too.

Perhaps the regulars in the vegetarian forum could give you some more ideas on substitutes or recipes without dairy or soy.

[pixieglenn]

Thanks for the great advice Julie

We have been using a quinoa pasta for spaghetti and it is so good for him and cooks up with basically the same texture too.

We've been doing Rice Milk for over a year now and I've only found one margarine that doesn't contain soy or dairy and is good tasting...It's not even a GF margarine, just a regular one which is good because it's not expensive. If you want I can post the brand name but wasn't too sure if that was kosher or not.

I will definitely be buying some Psyllium! How do you use it in recipes, what does it replace?

Thanks!

[**Jubes**]

Hi Pixieglenn

The psyllium husks or powdered psyllium are a great source of added fibre to a gluten-free diet. Most GF specialty cereals have added psyllium to increase the fibre content.

Psyllium is the main ingredient of 'Metamucil' which is used for helping add fibre to diets and tried by those with IBS.

You can add psyllium by sprinkling a small amount over breakfast cereal or by adding it to drinks like smoothies or juice (though in a drink you would want to drink it straight away)

Psyllium is often used by vegans as an egg substitute as well. 1 Tablespoon of psyllium to 2 tablespoons of warm water-leave for a few minutes to gel. Then add to your recipe in place of an egg. This is a good substitute where egg would be used as a binding ingredient.
In GF foods you can add a little psyllium in place of or in addition to xanthan/guar gums.

Also if you are making muffins or breads then you can add a small amount in with your dry flours.

I would suggest adding very small amounts initially (eg 1/4 teaspoon on your cereal or in a banana smoothie).
It's also recommended with psyllium to drink plenty of water or liquids.

I love quinoa. It makes a great breakfast porridge if you add in some dried fruits while it is cooking, or stewed fruits on top. Also love it in salads made like tabouleh.

[Mommy Needs Coffee]

Hi, Jubes!

If it works well for baking, do you think you could post the psyllium egg substitute as a recipe? I can't find anything like that here on 'Zaar. We use boiled flax seed all the time as an egg substitute in cookies, etc. (i.e.Flax Vegan Egg Substitute), but it's nice to have options!

Thanks!

(Sorry to hijack, Pixieglenn!)

[pixieglenn]

No problem whatsoever We love flax meal too! I use it as a substitute for a 1/2 cup of flour to 1 cup flax meal. Works great and no one even knows it's there.

Do you think I could find psyllium at whole foods?

[**Jubes**]

Mommy Needs Coffee wrote:
Hi, Jubes!

If it works well for baking, do you think you could post the psyllium egg substitute as a recipe? I can't find anything like that here on 'Zaar. We use boiled flax seed all the time as an egg substitute in cookies, etc. (i.e.Flax Vegan Egg Substitute), but it's nice to have options!

Thanks!

(Sorry to hijack, Pixieglenn!)

Here's a vegan website that gives some options for egg replacers that you might find interesting.

I have some psyllium-so next time I bake I'll give it a try (although I eat eggs) and see how my recipe works. The I'll post the psyllium egg replacer. (I dont like to post recipes that I haven't tried).

The psyllium egg replacer looks very similar to the flax egg replacer.

[auzzi]

My niece, who is a diabetic coeliac, was diagnosed a child. She is now 22 y.o.

The specialist that diagnosed the problem probably directed you to a diet professional who will/would have given you diet sheets. This will be his diet for life and the only foods he will know.

Your household has to be geared up for "allergy food preparation".

The biggest problem for people suffer from multiple allergies is the problem of cross-contamination. If the family is eating one thing and he is eating another, then this could cause difficulties. The food-preparation area must be allergy proof - the slightest trace of allergen on equipment, counter-tops, hands etc is enough to contaminate his food-products.

".. special pancakes, pizza crust, etc... different than everyone else"

One thing that both you and your family [relatives and firends] must keep firmly in mind is that your son is not going to know the same foods as you. Your cake, biscuits, pastas, etc are not relevant to him as he will not know either dairy and wheat flour. Dwelling on this pushes the point that you have something that he cannot have - "forbidden fruit".

As he cannot compromise, I'm afraid that you will have to. You will have to eat what he eats: eg instead of bread sandwiches, try corn tortilla wraps .. try rice vermicelli, instead of pasta ..

There are lots of GF flours and baking products on the market. Use them in conjunction with vegan [dairy-free] baking. As he is lactose-intolerant, soy products that vegans like to use in baking are ideal.

Try these sites:
http://www.recipes4us.co.uk/Specials%20and%20Holidays/Special%20Diets%20Allergies/Special%20Diets%20and%20Allergies.htm

http://www.foodyoucaneat.com/food/index.php

One thing: oats [oatmeal, rolled oats, oat flour] has a protein very similar to gluten. In some coeliacs, it can trigger an allergy attack, so it is best avoided unless you know for certain..

[Mommy Needs Coffee]

(Return to hijack: It's up: Psyllium Vegan Egg Replacer! Thanks, Jubes!)

[psyllium]

Thank you this is great info.

SPAM LINK REMOVED

[Megan's Mommy]

Been there, done that, and it does get better.
Or at least for us it did. My daughter is 9, and was just diagnosed with Celiac 6 months ago. But I've known since she was a baby that something was wrong with her digestive system. It's just taken us 8 years to figure it out.
You are lucky you are finding out now, it will be much easier for your son I am sure.

My daughter as a toddler was very very picky! Like you said with your son, she survived on only a few foods. Mainly hard boiled egg whites, cheetos and plain yogurt. It drove me crazy! People thought I was an obsessive mom complaining about a picky toddler, but it was much more than that. All through her toddler years she would never eat bread or crackers. It thought it was weird, what kid doesnt eat crackers? Come on, Goldfish are practically a food group! But I think even as a little one, she knew what made her tummy feel yucky, and what didnt.

Even when she was diagnosed at age 8, she knew what she liked to eat and what she didnt. She knew she liked hamburgers, but not the bun, and she didnt like pizza or macaroni and cheese, or sandwiches. But she was a great fruit and veggie eater.

She has gotten better with time. Each year she would try new things, and find what she liked and didnt. Now she is a great eater. She loves almost everything. She still prefers a mainly meat, fruit and veggie diet, but loves some of the gluten free foods that she's tried. There are some great snack options out there, cereal bars, things like that. But most of the pre-prepared frozen stuff we've tried is yucky. I just make my own. I make chicken nuggets from scratch with a combination of crushed up rice chex and rice flour coating, and freeze them in small batches. I also make a noodle soup with rice noodles and turkey meatballs that my daughter loves, and freeze that as well. Maple grove farms makes a great pancake mix that I make a double batch on weekends, with sprinkles in them, and freeze leftovers for during the week.


Just hang in there, toddlers are notorious for being picky, and I think for your son its made worse by the gluten intolerance.

We gave my daughter pedisure supplements daily during her picky phases to help boost nutrition. Carnation instant breakfast makes a dairy free lactose free version if you need to stay away from milk. Otherwise pedisure, boost, any of those are great. She likes the vanilla, but they usually come in chocolate or strawberry too. At least if she had one of those a day I knew she was getting some nutrition. In fact, she still drinks one each day. Her gastro dr said it can help with some of the nutrition lost from celiac, and since she is underweight, it can boost weight gain too.

[HealthyGFdad]

I am a father of 2 and been gluten free my whole life. My son (21months) is now on a gluten free/lactose free diet. good thing I allways enjoyed cooking (got that from mom). Since i've all ways been on a gluten free diet it really didn't scare me when we noticed our son was allergic to gluten/lactose, but I could imagine how parents that are not use to the diet would be. There are many delicious and nutritious things you can whip up with a little imagination. I mainly use these recipe sites for ideas to start with. There are all kinds of bread, pancake,pizza... mixes available. I like "namaste" brand myself. i usually transform the recipes on the package into some more complex like my "super brownies" witch I have posted or I will shred a sweet potato into the muffin mix witch make them not only delicious but boosts nutrition. If a gluten intolerance is the worst we must deal with as parents then we should be considered lucky.

[sworange]

Hi my 3yo and I are Gluten Intolerant. I have found that cooking one dinner for everyone that is GF means that he is not eating something different from everyone else at the table. DH has just been diagnosed Coeliac (not expected) and my DD has one of the genes and needs further tests. I am blogging about my experiences in the kitchen and will post some recipes for kid friendly food. The best advise I can give is just feed him without telling him it is "special" food. My 3yo now asks before he eats anything to see if he is allowed it. He knows that some foods make him get a "sick tummy".
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