Sudden onset of food sensitivity? And if so, which one?

[Anonymous]

My young teen has been having discomfort, sometimes accompanied by vomiting or diarrhea (never both it seems), after eating pizza. It’s the oddest thing. It seems to have started suddenly this summer, and I’m flummoxed. She drinks milk with no problem. She eats cheese with no problem. She has never had a gluten sensitivity, though we actually eat very little gluten aside from our weekly pizza night. Still, she eats burgers sometimes and has no problems. She eats fresh tomatoes regularly and experiences no problems. No family history of food allergies or sensitivities. Any thoughts or ideas?

[Anonymous]

I should add that the origin of the pizza does not seem to matter. She’s had this happen with frozen pizza at a friend’s house, with pizza from Whole Foods, Papa John’s, and small, local places. She even had this happen with pizza in Chicago over the summer.

[Anonymous]

my youngest boys 10 and 12 are now reacting to all stone fruit..even asian pears no clue why.

[Anonymous]

Food sensitivities can change through life or become apparent at different points. Changes through puberty can often be a time that things change. There can be other triggers such as an illness. (Some fortunate people eventually become less sensitive over time )

Sometimes it’s the “load” of the gluten (ie amount of gluten) which tends to be more in pizza. It can also be gluten in combination with other things that one may be slightly sensitive but usually no major symptoms, but in combination add to more sensitivity. Would find a GI doctor ideally with nutritional bent. Short term, You may want to have your pediatrician do a celiac blood test - as many celiacs have no symptoms for many years. Though note many top GI doctors now believe you can have a gluten sensitivity without being celiac.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Serve the pizza with soy cheese. Another time, replace tomato sauce with pesto. This should narrow it down.

In 7th grade, my child started having allergic reactions to what seemed like different foods. She thinks it has something to do with salmon, so we avoid it, and carry an epipen.

[Anonymous]

I know a girl who developed celiac disease at around that age. It took them months to figure it out. GL

[Anonymous]

Get a celiac blood test before she stops eating gluten! We are now having to feed my kid gluten to get tested after being off it for a while, and it kinds of sucks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:my youngest boys 10 and 12 are now reacting to all stone fruit..even asian pears no clue why.

It maybe related to hayfever. I had severe hayfever as a kid, developed into an irritated throat after eating tree fruits, rice of any kind and some vegetables like carrots. Basically I have issues with a lot of raw fruits and vegetables (which I love) now, but my hayfever has subsided now that I'm an adult. Interestingly I don't have the reaction if those foods are processed. You might look at articles about apple allergies.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for the responses. I had hoped maybe it was just a bizarre coincidence. Now I guess I’m hoping desperately for a gluten sensitivity rather than cheese or dairy.

[Anonymous]

I started reacting to both gluten and dairy as an adult. Best to do an elimination or substitution system like a PP mentioned. But don't add soy in there, people who react to gluten and/or dairy often also react to soy.

Triggers for sudden food sensitivities could include antibiotics, illnesses, other medications.

[Anonymous]

Our DK started getting hives and stomachache when eating any form of dairy, using milk and honey soap etc. It was the immune system going haywire from Lyme - granted there were many other symptoms that were coming and going too-it wasn't the only one.

[Anonymous]

I'm an earlier PP -- are you sure the problem is gluten / dairy? My aunt became allergic to green peppers, and so we didn't have that as a topping when she ordered a pizza with us.

[Anonymous]

I suggest keeping a food diary where she writes down everything she eats and how she feels over the course of two weeks and look for patterns-- there may be more connections than you realize. Take your food diary with you when you go to the pediatrician and/or GI doctor.

[Anonymous]

It could be an allergy to a spice in the pizza (onion, garlic.) Do any of the pizzas contain egg?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:my youngest boys 10 and 12 are now reacting to all stone fruit..even asian pears no clue why.

It maybe related to hayfever. I had severe hayfever as a kid, developed into an irritated throat after eating tree fruits, rice of any kind and some vegetables like carrots. Basically I have issues with a lot of raw fruits and vegetables (which I love) now, but my hayfever has subsided now that I'm an adult. Interestingly I don't have the reaction if those foods are processed. You might look at articles about apple allergies.

wow interesting,thanks. I do not think they have hay fever, or rather it has not been looked into but do have seasonal allergies to pollen and grass, also have eczema.