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]]>Things didn’t go quite according to plan though, as during this transition period I began to notice a change in my son’s personality.
As the weeks passed, Ronan started having terrible anxiety attacks – which began to happen more frequently and the extreme tantrums would sometimes last up to 30 minutes. I used every possible disciplining technique I knew, but he would appear to be in a “trance” like state and I was unable to sooth or calm him down. As I was an experienced teacher at a school for learners with disabilities, I was coming to terms with the fact that my son could have ADHD, ADD or a behavioural disorder.
Then one night, whilst he was asleep he had one of his “fits”, he was crying, kicking and rolling around but I was unable to wake him. We were both experiencing a terrible nightmare and all I could do was hold him tight and pray that he wouldn’t hurt himself. The next morning I made an appointment at the paediatrician and after a full examination, it appeared that nothing seemed wrong, other than a mention of possible iron deficiency and a recommended allergy test, to which I agreed.
I was horrified when the blood tests came back positive which meant he could be allergic to any or all of the six hit list foods of which they tested: fish, nuts, eggs, milk, soy, wheat. The advice I was then given (over the phone) was to try everything out to see what works and what doesn’t. I was lost for words and I didn’t know where to start.
I was referred to Marlene Gilfillan, a dietician specialising in allergies and who was wonderful in explaining in detail how the allergy system functions. We worked out an elimination diet, cutting out every possible thing that could cause an allergic reaction. This “diet” would allow the immune system a rest period so when re-introducing foods one by one, the allergies could easily be detected.
For me, cooking became a nightmare. I had to learn to cook without dairy, eggs, wheat, soy and also had to cut preservatives and all artificial colours and additives. I had to start reading the labels and I suddenly became aware of how much “junk” is put into our food and we don’t even realise it.
I followed the elimination diet strictly, and by doing this I could establish that of the six possible problem foods it was only dairy causing Ronan the discomfort. Ronan stopped getting sick and his sleeping pattern improved, he was now only waking up once, maybe twice a night.
As things started to settle, I felt that as we were eating so healthily and we had pretty much eliminated all the allergenic foods, I could bring in cool drinks, a packet of chips and the occasional sweet every now and again. Boy oh boy was I wrong!
Almost immediately Ronan’s behaviour got worse, anxiety reared its ugly head again and he would cry about everything. This was when I decided to clean out the pantry, no sauces, no chips, no sweets, no cookies – in essence,no more junk!
Within only three days of a preservative free diet, I couldn’t believe the change in my son, he was like a different child. Ronan was no longer the aggressive, anxious and tearful little boy, he was happy, he had energy, the tantrums had stopped and he was sleeping through for eight hours solidly.
A year later we returned to do the blood tests, they came back negative. He has no allergies to food, but giving him the wrong foods can still have the same profound effects.
The reason behind this is he shows intolerance towards certain foods and not an allergy. Research shows that many young children are intolerant to food colours and preservatives and this influences their behaviour and moods intensively.
Only as little as three percent of children are allergic to certain foods and this is why so many moms let these symptoms slip and we blame ourselves for doing something wrong as parents.
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]]>The post Real life: Turning our baby’s food allergies into a learning experience appeared first on All4Baby.
]]>Recently though, I have been promoted to being the mother of a beautiful baby girl and from the first moment I found out that I was pregnant, I knew that it was my responsibility to provide the best possible environment for my baby to grow up and develop in.
I was committed to breastfeeding and even before my daughter was born, my husband had to sit through numerous lectures on the importance and benefits of breastfeeding.
Since then though, I have realised that reading from textbooks and teaching is not the same as practicing, as just because breastfeeding is natural, it doesn’t mean it is always easy!
Breast milk has numerous advantages and the benefits of breastfeeding extend well beyond basic nutrition. In addition to containing all the macro and micro nutrients your baby needs in the first six months of life, breast milk is packed with immune boosting factors that protect your baby from illness. Studies have shown that stomach viruses, lower respiratory tract illnesses and ear infections occur less often in breastfed infants and are less severe when they do occur.
For the first six months, babies get all the nutrients they need from breast milk and considering how tiring those first few weeks were, it’s a big relief to know that at least when it comes to feeding your baby, you’re pretty much covered.
Time went by so quickly and before we knew it, our daughter was six months old and it was time to introduce solids.
Introducing solids can be daunting: It’s now up to you to make sure that you are supplying a nutritious diet to your baby. It is a critical time to give your baby a wide variety of healthy foods and textures, both of these are essential to establish good eating habits.
Excited to start on this new milestone, we were shocked to find out that our daughter is allergic to numerous foods which was the last thing I had ever expected, since we have no family history of allergies.
A food allergy is an adverse immune response to a food protein. The last 40 years has seen a dramatic rise in allergic diseases such as asthma, eczema and hay fever, particularly in the western world.
The most common food allergens are:
Luckily many childhood food allergies can be outgrown.
Eating is such a central part of day-to-day life and therefore being diagnosed with a food allergy has a massive impact on the whole family. Care takers and family members need to be able to recognise reactions and know exactly how to deal with them when they occur. Food labels need to be examined in detail and parents or caregivers need to be educated on the terminology used to describe different food components.
The treatment of a food allergy consists of avoiding the food or foods that cause the symptom. It is essential to make sure that the nutrients present in the food or foods excluded from the diet are provided from alternative sources and to ensure an adequate calorie intake, in addition to macro and micronutrients.
Every dark cloud has a silver lining and I have taken this situation and turned it into a learning experience. Saturday afternoons will never be the same again, because this mamma is cooking up a storm.
From peeling, cooking, blending and freezing, I am enjoying preparing food for that little tummy, and with every “so ry die trein, so ry die trein…” and every bite my baby takes, I love being a mom and I know that I have been preparing for this my whole life.
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]]>Parenting Expert and Pampers Institute Member, Sister Lilian, fills parents in on this and how food and environmental allergens can make baby restless – especially during sleep time.
Watch the Pampers YouTube video for more.
Helpful advice and tips from the Pampers® Institute are available at www.Pampers.co.za and on www.youtube.com/PampersZA Receive emails with information tailored to your baby’s age by subscribing at www.Pampers.co.za/registration and connect with us at www.facebook.com/PampersSA
The post Video: Food allergies can cause your baby to be restless appeared first on All4Baby.
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