? for parents about kids food issues

[MamaLema]

Let's say you had a child that couldn't eat certain foods that they enjoy because it makes them quite ill. Not an allergy but something that triggers a medical condition. I am in this position now. After months of journals, I have pinpointed that chocolate and cheddar cheese (and any aged cheese) make my son ill.

Here's my question...My other kids love this stuff. Do I still buy it and let them (the other kids) eat it or should I ban these foods from my house altogether so my DS won't be sad that his brothers are eating these things and he's not?

 

[Christine]

Since this is not a safety issue, I would not ban the food. However, depending on the age of your child, it could be hard right now to rationalize with him. If he is very young, I *might* ban it for a little while. But generally I don't agree with bans. Your child will have to learn that he has a problem with this food, but the rest of the world doesn't and he will need to learn to deal with it. The earlier the better.

My son has a peanut allergy and we do continue to eat peanut butter in our household.

 

[DisneyPhD]

My youngesnt (1 year old) at the time. Developed an allergy to milk and egss. I tried to manage it fora while with just not feeding her the things. I found I had to tottaly get it out of the house for a number of months. No more milk, gold fish crackers, animal crackers that milk in it. NOTHING. I slowly started letting milk back in limited amounts. I get the boxed choclate milk drinks for my oldest. My oldest (4 years old) sometimes gets treats (like Doritos or pizza, but only at friends houses. More rectenly we are letting more and more small amounts in. Oldest DD had mac and chesse (frozen kind) with dinner yesterday. Her baby sister wanted some.

As hard as it its to go with out them, that isn't too hard to work around really.

I say get it all out for a while. Slowly start letting it back in and have specail occasions that the other kids can have it.

 

[Skylarr29]

I wouls also say that if your child is too young to rationalize this maybe you could give him another kind of treat when the children are eatting the chocolate. Candy , ice cream etc. anything that he will enjoy just as much so he knows that he is going to get something he just cant have the chocolate.

 

[MamaLema]

Just want to thank you for your replies, as the boards are busy today and this will go to page 2 in no time

 

[NMAmy]

I think it kind of depends on the age of the son who is allergic. If he's younger, I might ban them for now and let them eat them again when he's older and can understand better.

My younger sister, showing that she's a psychologist, made a comment once that she "had issues with food because of her food allergies when she was younger." My mother snorted and told her if anyone ought to have "issues" it was me. Since my sister was under 5 at the time, my mom forced me to eat any forbidden foods such as chocolate, peanut butter, etc., in a tiny little closet sized pantry with no light. She'd shove me in there with the food, close the door, and I'd have to eat the treat in there.

I'd kind of forgotten about it but Mom said she was always worried that it would scar me for life. She didn't want to take those foods away from me (particularly the peanut butter which is still one of my main food groups ) but she didn't want to listen to my younger sister fuss about not being able to eat it, too.

 

[minkydog]

My DDs best friend(12) has been diabetic since age 2. She needs to be very careful with sugar. Her family eats normally and Rachel manages her diet & insulin very well. She doesn't feel badly that they can eat a whole cupcake and she can only eat a piece of one. She knows that whole cupcake will make her feel really bad. She doesn't resent the others for eating what she chooses not to eat--she can have it, after all. If she's willing to pay the price.

No, I wouldn't ban the food, unless there was an life-threatening food allergy. Life is unfair and some of us can't eat the things we like. Your child will discover himself that certain foods make him feel bad. He will either learn to avoid them(with your help) or he will opt to pay the price.

 

[DisneyPhD]

I think it kind of depends on the age of the son who is allergic. If he's younger, I might ban them for now and let them eat them again when he's older and can understand better.

My younger sister, showing that she's a psychologist, made a comment once that she "had issues with food because of her food allergies when she was younger." My mother snorted and told her if anyone ought to have "issues" it was me. Since my sister was under 5 at the time, my mom forced me to eat any forbidden foods such as chocolate, peanut butter, etc., in a tiny little closet sized pantry with no light. She'd shove me in there with the food, close the door, and I'd have to eat the treat in there.

I'd kind of forgotten about it but Mom said she was always worried that it would scar me for life. She didn't want to take those foods away from me (particularly the peanut butter which is still one of my main food groups ) but she didn't want to listen to my younger sister fuss about not being able to eat it, too.

Oh my God, I was laughing so hard when I was reading this.

Only a parent of kids one kid who can't eat things and another that can would really understand this (or a sibling too I would guess.)

I sometimes feel that was about it situation. I feel bad for my poor DD (both of them.) I always carry fruit snacks or some other specail treat so the youngest can have something when I take that donut away from her someone gave her. However since she is breast feed and I can't eat it either at least I feel my sacrafice is a bit of comfort (at least I can say "we can't eat that.) Or at least I am not a hypercite. I have to admit when my oldest gets a treat like scrambled eggs or mac and cheese and she DOESN'T want to eat it, it bugs me. Just eat it! I wish I could.

People are always, I can't belive you let your 1 year old have dumb dumb suckers. Hello! That and smarties was the only Halloween candy she could have. Don't take that away from her. Now I found dairy free choclate chips and I give them too her all the time.

The really unfair thing is my oldest can eat everything and does. All that her sister can't and what she can. However I do control it by doing the shopping and not letting many things in the house in the 1st place.


Of course sometimes I eat snacks like that, but mostly so they don't find me and I have to share.

 

[PaulaSue]

We have a few different food allergies in different members of our family. Thankfully nothing life threating or I would def. keep that out of our house. I just make sure we have many choices for the meal/snack.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Since it is 2 things that are easy to eliminate, I would do that.