Does every kids event have to involve food?

[Anonymous]

My youngest has severe eczema. We have met with several specialists and over the course of a year have identified what flares him up- wheat, dairy, eggs, corn, tomatoes, chocolate, nuts, preservatives, annatto, sorbitol, and some others. Basically anything that comes in a box or can triggers hives and then skin that looks like third degree burns on his neck, torso, legs, arms, back and cheeks. It’s absolutely miserable and takes weeks to clear up a flare. I travel with our own snacks but it’s so damn hard when every single kids event involves food that he cannot eat. He’s 5 and he understands that he can’t have that sort of stuff and we are praying that he outgrows his allergies, and I honestly don’t want to take away the joy of food for anyone else but I just want one kids event that doesn’t involve food. Swim team celebrates every meet with boxes of donuts. The meets themselves involve snacks that are candy bars and chips. Piano gives away lollipops and other candy as prizes. Baseball does ice cream after every game. Soccer does cookies. School does pizza parties and ice cream. Every play date involves chips, gummies, etc. I know it’s just bad eczema and nowhere near the stresses of anaphylactic allergies that other parents have to deal with, but it’s just tiring. Give me one school event or sports practice where everyone eats fruits and veggies to celebrate. Anyway, I know this is a first world problem and I wouldn’t dare bring this up anywhere but an anonymous forum so this is just a rant.

[Anonymous]

You are not going to get the whole world to change for your child.

[Anonymous]

Because most kids move food and the majority don’t have health problems that preclude it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because most kids move food and the majority don’t have health problems that preclude it.

*love food

[Anonymous]

Sounds like an eating disorder to me. It's very fashionable to blame all sorts of things on gluten or wheat or dairy or eggs. But there is absolutely no scientific proof that they are the cause of anything. Doctors are just fobbing you off because they don't know.

[Anonymous]

Bring food your kid can eat. What other people do isn't your business.

[Anonymous]

My child has celiac and I’ve decided I’m more sensitive about them missing out than the kid is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like an eating disorder to me. It's very fashionable to blame all sorts of things on gluten or wheat or dairy or eggs. But there is absolutely no scientific proof that they are the cause of anything. Doctors are just fobbing you off because they don't know.

I’m OP, it’s not an eating disorder, he can eat those foods. He will happily eat those foods. But in a matter of hours his skin turns horrid. We have worked with several allergists and two specialists in eczema. No one has been fobbing us off, they’ve actually been extremely helpful and sympathetic. For now all we can do is avoid the foods. He does great with meat, rice, coconut milk, most fresh fruit and veggies minus corn and tomato (corn in particular is tough), fish, shrimp, etc. Hes not starving by any means, but we have yet to find any treats that don’t cause an issue unless I bake them at home with alternative flours and other things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like an eating disorder to me. It's very fashionable to blame all sorts of things on gluten or wheat or dairy or eggs. But there is absolutely no scientific proof that they are the cause of anything. Doctors are just fobbing you off because they don't know.

I’m OP, it’s not an eating disorder, he can eat those foods. He will happily eat those foods. But in a matter of hours his skin turns horrid. We have worked with several allergists and two specialists in eczema. No one has been fobbing us off, they’ve actually been extremely helpful and sympathetic. For now all we can do is avoid the foods. He does great with meat, rice, coconut milk, most fresh fruit and veggies minus corn and tomato (corn in particular is tough), fish, shrimp, etc. Hes not starving by any means, but we have yet to find any treats that don’t cause an issue unless I bake them at home with alternative flours and other things.

Helpful and sympathetic, sure. Because you are paying them but they are not giving you any real advice. And all you are doing is making your kid neurotic about food. Maybe not now. But wait.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child has celiac and I’ve decided I’m more sensitive about them missing out than the kid is.

OP here, thanks for this, it does make me feel better. I do bring our own food to events but it’s hard to replicate junk food. I have nothing against it either (I love a good donut and ice cream myself and aside from my own allergy to nuts, happily indulge). I just wish it was confined to birthday parties and celebrations but it feels like everything now revolves around food. It’s probably also because I never noticed it before, my other two kids don’t have allergies of any sort that I know of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like an eating disorder to me. It's very fashionable to blame all sorts of things on gluten or wheat or dairy or eggs. But there is absolutely no scientific proof that they are the cause of anything. Doctors are just fobbing you off because they don't know.

I’m OP, it’s not an eating disorder, he can eat those foods. He will happily eat those foods. But in a matter of hours his skin turns horrid. We have worked with several allergists and two specialists in eczema. No one has been fobbing us off, they’ve actually been extremely helpful and sympathetic. For now all we can do is avoid the foods. He does great with meat, rice, coconut milk, most fresh fruit and veggies minus corn and tomato (corn in particular is tough), fish, shrimp, etc. Hes not starving by any means, but we have yet to find any treats that don’t cause an issue unless I bake them at home with alternative flours and other things.

Helpful and sympathetic, sure. Because you are paying them but they are not giving you any real advice. And all you are doing is making your kid neurotic about food. Maybe not now. But wait.

Huh? What other advice do you recommend? He eat the food that makes him break out in a full body rash? Get wet wrapped at the hospital (yep, we have done that)?

[Anonymous]

I agree with what you’re saying. No, every event should not involve food!! Kids get enough calories and junk as it is. They do not need donuts at a swim meet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like an eating disorder to me. It's very fashionable to blame all sorts of things on gluten or wheat or dairy or eggs. But there is absolutely no scientific proof that they are the cause of anything. Doctors are just fobbing you off because they don't know.

I’m OP, it’s not an eating disorder, he can eat those foods. He will happily eat those foods. But in a matter of hours his skin turns horrid. We have worked with several allergists and two specialists in eczema. No one has been fobbing us off, they’ve actually been extremely helpful and sympathetic. For now all we can do is avoid the foods. He does great with meat, rice, coconut milk, most fresh fruit and veggies minus corn and tomato (corn in particular is tough), fish, shrimp, etc. Hes not starving by any means, but we have yet to find any treats that don’t cause an issue unless I bake them at home with alternative flours and other things.

Helpful and sympathetic, sure. Because you are paying them but they are not giving you any real advice. And all you are doing is making your kid neurotic about food. Maybe not now. But wait.

Huh? What other advice do you recommend? He eat the food that makes him break out in a full body rash? Get wet wrapped at the hospital (yep, we have done that)?

If it were me, I'd try a JAK inhibitor - maybe even a natural one like Lion's Mane or Brevillin A. That would help his body address the underlying immune system issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like an eating disorder to me. It's very fashionable to blame all sorts of things on gluten or wheat or dairy or eggs. But there is absolutely no scientific proof that they are the cause of anything. Doctors are just fobbing you off because they don't know.

I’m OP, it’s not an eating disorder, he can eat those foods. He will happily eat those foods. But in a matter of hours his skin turns horrid. We have worked with several allergists and two specialists in eczema. No one has been fobbing us off, they’ve actually been extremely helpful and sympathetic. For now all we can do is avoid the foods. He does great with meat, rice, coconut milk, most fresh fruit and veggies minus corn and tomato (corn in particular is tough), fish, shrimp, etc. Hes not starving by any means, but we have yet to find any treats that don’t cause an issue unless I bake them at home with alternative flours and other things.

Helpful and sympathetic, sure. Because you are paying them but they are not giving you any real advice. And all you are doing is making your kid neurotic about food. Maybe not now. But wait.

Huh? What other advice do you recommend? He eat the food that makes him break out in a full body rash? Get wet wrapped at the hospital (yep, we have done that)?

If it were me, I'd try a JAK inhibitor - maybe even a natural one like Lion's Mane or Brevillin A. That would help his body address the underlying immune system issues.

Thanks, our dermatologist has said the only safe biologic for kids is Dupixent. But he is very reluctant to do the shots of the eczema is well controlled with dietary changes (which it is, we do not use any creams if he steers clear of the foods that came up in his patch testing and bloodwork). Our pediatrician thinks he will outgrow most of the allergies, except for wheat and eggs, he said those tend to stick around. We do have celiacs on my husbands side and I have a nut allergy but other than that, no issues. My other two kids have no issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with what you’re saying. No, every event should not involve food!! Kids get enough calories and junk as it is. They do not need donuts at a swim meet.

Agree 100 percent. There is too much food and too many sweets.