The Super Allergy Girl Blog

Failure To Thrive in Infants and Young Children

Recently I dealt with a mother and her infant who was on the verge of being diagnosed with failure to thrive. Just as the phrase implies, failure to thrive, is a condition in which infants (or children) are not growing and developing as anticipated or would be expected. Many times the indicator for a diagnosis of failure to thrive is an infant’s inability to gain weight or failure to gain weight. My own daughter experienced this. From age six months to one year, she dropped 60% on the growth chart, which is of course alarming given that she was unable to walk, crawl, or even sit up. In other words, her drop in the weight growth chart was not due to expending calories or increased activity. This is a very frightening and scary situation. You simply don’t expect to have difficulty feeding your baby or your child. There are some things that parents can do to interrupt this path.

One of the most important things a parent of a failure to thrive child or infant can do is make sure they have a really good physician. It is important that you work with a medical professional to rule out medical conditions that would be the cause of the failure to thrive. For some children (usually not infants), the source could be celiac disease, which a pediatrician could rule out through testing for celiac disease. Much beyond celiac disease, there are other medical conditions, which could be the source or cause of a lack of weight gain. When my daughter dropped 60% in the growth charts, I worked with the pediatrician to do some blood tests that would rule out other medical conditions. Finding none, I was more or less on my own. What we discovered with Anne was that she would lose 2 ounces a day when she was fed foods that “didn’t agree with her” for lack of better terminology. She was not highly allergic to those foods, but they seemed to cause a sufficient disruption in her GI system to cause weight loss. It normally took us two days to get those two ounces back on her.

Now, two ounces is not much – I would agree. However, with a failure to thrive infant or child, it could be the difference between making progress or hospitalization. We used a high-tech baby scale with two of my three children who had feeding issues. One of the best ways to put weight on – the very thing that is called for with failure to thrive infants and children – is to use carbohydrates. With infants, this could be in the form of baby rice cereal or pureed pasta in broth. With older children who have teeth and more chewing capacities, this could come in the form of very fine pasta in broth or pureed pasta in broth as well as higher calorie baked muffins and breads.

In addition to choosing higher calorie foods, another strategy that can help these infants and children is feeding them more often. With my daughter, we feed her non-stop. I wish I was kidding. While she was playing we would feed her – while we were on a walk – we would feed her. Adding a few more snacks typically helps these children.

It is important to have the medical supervision and support to make sure that the nutrition is on track and that any underlying medical causes can be determined or ruled out. It can be extremely frightening and unnerving for a parent with a failure to thrive child. Take heart and comfort in knowing that help is available. Let me know how I can support you if you are dealing with a failure to thrive infant or child. This mother, by the way, reported back that her baby had gained 4 ounces by the hospital visit – a full two ounces over the minimum required – and had gained more weight in one week than in the previous several months. Yay Mom!

Love,

Lisa

Getting Your Kids to Eat Healthier - The Journey Begins

Almost every week I hear other parents say “I can’t get my child to eat fruits and vegetables”. There is frequently a sense of upset, annoyance, and even embarrassment when it comes to this topic – for the parents that is. Over the last six years we have transformed the relationship my children have to eating fruits and vegetables by 1,000%. This does not have to be difficult for you parents or care givers. It really does not have to be hard- although you probably can almost see your child or children pitching a fit when you place that first bowl of beets down in front of them! Here are a few tried and true ideas that are likely to work with most children – maybe not your children, but probably everyone else’s.

 Make up your mind that it will come to pass. Yes, once you make up your mind that your sweet and loving children WILL eat more fruits and vegetables, an amazing thing will happen. They will. Once YOU make up your mind that your children are going to eat healthier they will actually eat ‘that green stuff’. You will hear new statements come out of your mouth. Statements like: “You will be eating fruits and vegetables from now on. Your job is to figure out what you like and how you will eat it.” Or this one that I actually said years ago: “You will all be eating beets tonight. You can put salt on them, some salad dressing or eat them plain. Your job is to figure out how you will eat them.” My children ate the beets with a homemade non-dairy ranch dip, and declared that they were not ‘half-bad’.

 Take your children grocery shopping with you. Have them pick out fruits and vegetables with you. While you are shopping you can talk about how the fruits and vegetables could be prepared and eaten. You can also talk about the cost of real food compared to junk food and nutrition. My children and I do this on a regular basis – where we are “on the look for a new fruit or vegetable”. The last time we went on a new food hunt,  we ended up having the kids sample some “Wholly Guacamole”, which they loved! Finding a new food was just too easy with Wegmans giving out samples that day on gluten-free rice crackers no less! Score!

Wholly Guacamole Brand

Get your children in the kitchen to help prepare the foods. Children who are involved in food preparation are much more likely to taste and enjoy the foods. You can have them help pick out the top three recipes they would like to try using the new fruit or vegetable.

Set a good example. You knew I would eventually get to this one didn’t you? Yes, it’s like telling your child to wear a bike helmet and then not wearing one yourself. Then do you really wonder why your child grows up and ditches the bike helmet as soon as they can? If you are serious about your child eating healthy, set a good example for them. Change your mindset about fruits and vegetables. We just found a new food that will work well when we dine at a restaurant for my severely allergic daughter - Revolution Food Organic Mashups Squeezable Fruit. Packaged in individual servings, this works great for travel and restaurant use - and fits well into our healthy eating lifestyle.

Revolution Foods - Organic Mashups Squeezable Fruit (we use this exclusively for when we travel or go to a restaurant).
 
Rome was clearly not built in a day. If your child or children don't eat lots of fruits and vegetables, do not despair! Start today by making a commitment and make one small change here and one small change there. It will add up - I promise. Need more help than this? Share your situation in the comment section or ask a question on this blog! I am here to help!

Love,

Lisa

Lisa Lundy's recent Article in The Autism File USA Magazine

Yes, my first article in The Autism File USA appears in Issue #33 on sale now at your local bookstores! The title of the article is "Things Worth Knowing When It Comes to Food", and it is a 6-page article on some of the top aspects of food. The website for The Autism File magazine is www.autismfile.com. And while I am completely biased as the author of this article, I would definitely recommend that you race right out and purchase it while it is still available! Some of the aspects covered in this detailed article include how food can affect health and human behavior, emotional states, and cognition and learning; how changes in your diet can help repair the immune system; the distinction between malnutrition and malabsorption; and how rotation diets can be used to prevent the development of new food allergies or sensitivities and health issues. Below is what the cover looks like for your information.

The Autism File USA cover that features my recent article. Issue # 33 2009.

The fact that I have an article appearing in The Autism File USA may leave some of you wondering what exactly is my connection to the Autism community. About 9 years ago, Bette Hagman* came to Buffalo to talk to the local celiac community about gluten-free baking. For those of you unfamiliar with Bette Hagman, she was the pioneer of gluten-free baking cookbooks. At Bette's presentation I met a delightful Mother by the name of Katrina who was the mother of a child with Autism. Katrina and I hit it off, talking for a long time after Bette's speech, and Katrina invited me to join a local gluten-free and casein-free food group. Since my son Noah was gluten-free and casein-free (and egg-free, nut-free, soy-free, etc.) due to his food allergies, I was thrilled. Noah's diagnosis for celiac disease would come years later and only after much research on my part.

My only concern from Katrina's invitation was whether it would be o.k. for a parent of a typical child to be coming to a GFCF food group. I jumped in and loved participating with these delightful mothers! I did not actively promote the fact that I did not have a child with Autism, and it would be a long time before some people figured it out. I did not hide the fact that we did not have Autism as an issue, I simply did not make a point of it. Some time later, after much experimentation, I would come to realize that both of my sons would have likely been diagnosed with ADHD had they not been on the GFCF diet. Both of my boys were on the GFCF diet due to being highly intolerant to gluten and dairy. Many years later, I would come to find out that the assumption was that I had at least one child with an Autism diagnosis. I am thankful beyond words for Katrina's early invitation to join the local GFCF parent group.

Many of my closest and best friends came out of that GFCF group! And that was the beginning of my roots with the Autism community. Earlier this year I was a guest on Teri Arranga's live radio program on www.VoiceAmerica.com. The program went so well that she invited me back and then asked me to host a program on Autism One Radio, which I was elated to accept. The Autism One Radio programs that I do are pre-recorded programs, which you can listen to at your leisure at www.AutismOne.com. Thus, I have along-standing and proud affiliation with the Autism community.

If you are looking for great information on food, get a copy of The Autism File USA and read my article. I'd love to hear what you have to say after you read it! You can post your comments on the article right here on my blog! Happy eating and good health to you!

Love,
Lisa

*Note: Bette Hagman and I would eventually become good friends. Bette passed away two years ago, and I miss her very much. I still think of her often. She was an amazing leader who blazed trails that were needed.

Have You Seen the '10 Americans' Video by Ken Cook from EWG?

I suspect many of you have not yet seen it unless you are on the Environmental Working Group's e-mail list or visit their website frequently.  I believe it is a fairly new video.  It is an amazing video in my humble opinion.  I just watched it this past week, and because it was late I had made up my mind that I would just watch a few minutes of it.  After all, I DO know a great deal about health, the environment, and what makes people sick and well.  I watched the entire video, and I highly recommend it.  Here is the link: www.ewg.org

Here is who I think should watch this particular video:  parents of young children, prospective women who hope to become mothers, grandparents, retired people of all ages, educators, men who hope to become fathers, people who wonder why they don't feel well, legislative representatives at the state and federal level, and journalists.  Who did I miss?  I guess I could have written a shorter list by stating who should skip watching the video.  Let's see the manufacturers of chemicals and environmental toxins and the companies who profit from these toxic chemicals.

Oh, yes, I have not really mentioned the content of the '10 Americans' Video.  Humm.  Dare I go there?  I guess I'll have to or it will seem too much like a big tease.  The '10 Americans' video is about what they know about chemicals showing up in the umbilical cord blood of newborn babies.  It is very educational.  It is scientific.  It represents a great financial investment in the study that was conducted.  It is a stunning video that would cause an outcry in my humble opinion if enough people saw it.  I hope to contribute to the awakening that is happening in this country and in the world.  Do you know the rate of birth defects for the United States?

The last time I checked it was 1 out of every 24 babies.  If you ask some medical experts, they would say that number is more like 1 out of 17 or 18.  Thirty years ago, the number was 1 in a couple hundred!!  How we will cause more babies to be born healthier is NOT by giving money to the March of Dimes - but to rally Americans together and make a stand that we will not allow babies to be born poisoned because of chemicals in our environment.  It is a moving video.  It was made with the intention, I believe, to help a new day to arise.  Watch it.  Share it.  Pass it on.  And please let me know what YOU think about this video!!  Sending my love,
Lisa
 

Mother Desperate for help Chases Down Food Allergy Expert Lisa Lundy

Friday morning, June 26, 2009, I was driving to my daughter's doctors office to drop off some medical papers minding my own business.  There was very little traffic on the road and no cars behind me as I neared the doctors office.  As I was getting ready to turn into the parking lot I noticed in my rear view mirror a car approaching me at a speed so fast that I became alarmed that I was going to be rear-ended.  I quickly pulled to the left towards the curb as I executed my turn into the parking lot fully expecting to either be rear-ended or have my driver's side passenger mirror clipped by the speeding car.  As I pulled into the parking lot I watched the speeding car make a dramatic turn into the adjacent parking lot, only a mere 10 feet from where I had turned.  How interesting I thought to myself.  Why speed so much just to get an additional 10 feet?  But the car didn't stop in the next parking lot, it made a rapid turn and exited out of the parking lot and came around into the parking lot I was now parked in!  I have to admit I had a small burst of adrenaline, and quite frankly a tinge of fear, as I watch this car pull quickly into the spot next to where I had parked.  What possibly was going on here? 

I got out of my car, a bit on edge clutching the paperwork I was there to drop off, and looked over my shoulder at the woman now getting out of her car.  She practically fell out of her car and was mumbling and fumbling with her words.  Now, she had my full attention and I turned to see if something was actually wrong with her.  Not really speaking she pointed to the words on the back of my mini-van - www.TheSuperAllergyCookbook.com and said, "Is that you?".  Yes, I assured her, that was my website.  As the conversation unfolded, this desperate mom had a food allergic child, allergic to most of the top 8 allergens, and she was having an extremely difficult time feeding her young child.  I was filled with compassion knowing exactly the kind of upset and frustration she was experiencing.

She asked for my business card, which I gladly forked over to her.  We had a lovely, although brief, conversation because I had an appointment to get to nearby.  This delightful woman is not alone.  This past week a mother from Australia had ordered my cookbook for the very same reason - trying to cook for a child allergic to wheat, milk, eggs, etc.  Before her copy of my cookbook had even arrived, she downloaded some of my free recipes and made rolls that were in her words "Today I made the dinner rolls and they are the NICEST gluten free bread I have ever tasted. THANKS A MILLION."  Then she posted two comments on this blog later to say that she had made the white cake recipe listed in this blog and said this: "Lisa- back again. This recipe is absolutely fantastic." 

When I was suffering over feeding my son Noah many moons ago (he is now 10), I knew in my heart of heart that God does not give you a cross without providing a greater cause that it can be used for.  It brings tears to my eyes to know that I am actually helping mothers who are struggling.  I know how hard it can be to get information, manage the maze of medicine, and figure out what is bothering your baby, toddler or child.  I know, too, how difficult it is to bake and cook foods without gluten, dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree-nuts, coconut, and corn and soy (over 75% of my recipes are naturally free of corn and soy).
Here is a quick look at the statistics of the potential numbers of people who could be helped by a change in diet:
-3 million Americans with celiac disease (97% of them not yet diagnosed)
-75-84 million Americans with food intolerances or sensitivities
-4.4 million school-aged children with ADHD
-1.2 million with ADD (6.8 million estimated as undiagnosed with ADD)
-5 million with irritable bowel
-60-70 million with digestive diseases
-15-20 million (estimated) with gluten intolerance (distinct and separate from celiac disease)
-3.1 million with constipation
-20+ million with depression
-4 to 8 million with behavior issues, fibromyalgia
-40 million with anxiety disorders
-1/2 million with Crohn's disease
Now, some of the people have more than one symptom, so we can't really say definitively how many individuals could be helped.  The bottom line is that there are millions and millions of people who would have a substantial increase in the quality of their life if they knew that a change in diet might resolve their health issue.

The more we can get the word out there, the more children and families we can help.  You can help by posting links to this blog on your Facebook page (on your wall), by Tweeting about it, by sharing the link with your friends, co-workers, and family.  Together, we can make life a lot easier for people.  I'd love to hear your comments and your stories!!  
Love,
Lisa

A Plea to Dear Abby for Help for Millions of Children and their families

 I am going to make a personal plea to Dear Abby and ask all of you and everyone I can to do the same thing.  The Dear Abby Column, over years has made a big difference in our society and I am committed that Dear Abby could and can help millions of parents right now.  But first a bit of background.  The Dear Abby column, today, Tuesday, June 23, 2009 was titled “Parents share secret shame” or “Parents of ‘Problem’ Children Share Mom’s Secret Shame” and it was remarkable on one hand and sad on the other.  Here is a link for today’s column: http://www.uexpress.com/dearabby/
The column basically talks about children who are “difficult” to manage and how badly the Mom’s feel, and how often they have negative feelings about their child as a result.  So far, that is a good conversation to get out into the public.  But it gets better!!  One of the writers (Enlightened in Minnesota) discovered after 3 years of dealing with a child who was “spinning out of control, constantly whining, aggressive toward his siblings and unpleasant to be around even on a good day” that he has celiac disease.  This is the good news.  There are hundreds and hundreds of children YET to be diagnosed with celiac disease! 

Authoritative medical experts estimate that close to 3 million Americans have celiac disease or roughly 1% of the population.  The kicker is that 97% of them don’t yet know that they have it!  In children this often shows up as behavior issues or irritability!!  Dear Abby, you could help get nearly 3 million Americans diagnosed with celiac disease and not only save millions of Moms and Dad’s aggravation, but you would be saving lives as well!  Some people with celiac disease die before they get diagnosed.  Untreated celiac disease (read undiagnosed) increases the risk of cancer 200-300%!

Here is the sad news, what was missing from this Dear Abby column was the rich research that proves conclusively that foods, food dyes, preservatives, food additives and chemicals can cause learning issues, behavior issues, emotional issues and social problems in children.  So, I wrote to Dear Abby on line, which you can do also, and I urge you to do this.  Here is the link: http://www.uexpress.com/dearabby/dearabby_form.html

If you have not checked out the Feingold Association and their fabulous website and group, please do!  They can be found at www.Feingold.org Their site is loaded with information and research.  Another site loaded with information is Dr. Doris J. Rapp, M.D.’s website at www.DrRapp.com Dr. Rapp, M.D., has been a physician for more than 50 years.  In her clinical practice, she saw the impact of food and other allergens on children.  Dr. Rapp has written several books to help parents including the National Bestseller “Is This Your Child?” 

It is high time that the public understood that for more than 2,500 years physicians starting with Hippocrates, the Greek physician considered to be the Father of Medicine, have known that food can injure some people.  Dear Abby, would you please join forces with the Feingold Association, Dr. Doris Rapp, myself and the many other organizations that recognize that food can affect how you think and feel?  This would help millions of parents who are struggling!!  Readers, I request that you contact Dear Abby!  Here is the address for snail mail:  Dear Abby, PO BOX 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.  If enough Moms’ like us write to Dear Abby, I believe that she will get the message and help us help others!
Let the games begin!
Love,
Lisa

Teaching Kids to Bake Gluten-Free

I've come along way in the last year in teaching my gluten-free children to bake!!  Luke, my oldest son  who is almost 12, can whip out most of our rolls, danish, and pancakes with relative grace and ease.  It really has become easy for him.  In the last two months Noah, my 9-year-old son, has stepped up to the Gluten-free baking counter and is loving his success!  About two weeks ago he made gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, which are also egg-free and dairy-free that were a rousing success.  He was quite pleased with himself and the rest of us were not only proud of him, but happy to taste the delicious cookies.  On Wednesday, Noah decided to make an apple crisp.

Noah's Apple Crisp

Now mind you, he decides to do this while I am busy making a triple batch of gluten-free rolls which I will then cut up and toast to make gluten-free stuffing for Thanksgiving.  So, I had my attention diverted to other important activities.  Noah took out my cookbook, read the directions and then measured out the dry ingredients.  After dinner, he and his father peeled and cut the apples and finished making the apple crisp.  Even I was amazed to see how well he did.  We tasted it on Thanksgiving and it was fabulous! 

I told Noah that I was going to blog about his baking successes and he smiled and instructed me not to forget to include his baking mistake.  Ah, yes...his baking mistake.  That would be his first attempt at chocolate chip cookies where instead of a teaspoon or two of baking soda he put in a whole can of club soda!!!  Yes, it was a mistake that we rescued by adding more flour.  Were the cookies good?  Yes!  Would anyone have known that there had been a mishap in the kitchen?  Definitely not.  Were they as good as the ones he made earlier this month?  No way!

I am letting my children learn by doing and that includes letting them make mistakes.  They are building life skills that they can use for the rest of their lives and having fun in the process.  The thing parents have to be willing to tolerate in addition to the mistakes is the mess that they can make.  My kids all know that we don't have a maid in the kitchen - but sometimes they forget.  They are all learning to clean up after they are done with their kitchen activities.  What are you teaching your kids about baking?  I'd love to hear. 
Love,
Lisa

The Feingold Association U.S. - A Fabulous Organization for Parents & More

I'm about to blog about one of my favorite organizations of all time - the Feingold Association of the United States!  As a food expert, I feel that this is one terrific group that people need to know about particularly if you deal with food, food service, children, education and learning, or some aspect of health and well-being.  I took the following from the Feingold website for accuracy:  The Feingold Association U.S. was founded by professionals and families in 1976 (long before I even went to college) to help children and adults apply proven dietary techniques for better behavior, learning and health, and to generate public awareness of the potential role of foods and synthetic additives in behavior and learning problems.  It is a non-profit charity, 501(C) 3 of the IRS tax code.

Before I learned about the Feingold Association U.S., I had observed my son Noah, as a one year old and then toddler, have dramatic swings in behavior from eating dairy, gluten, and other foods.  He was a different child if he had foods that did not agree with him.  From my son Luke, who is 2-1/2 years older than Noah, I learned that gluten and dairy would affect Luke's ability to pay attention, focus and write his school work.  And certain colored drinks would make Noah lose control of his bladder, something that was not a problem for him normally.  Because I had never heard anyone else talk about this, I thought that I had invented the concept that food can affect your ability to learn, your behavior and your disposition!  I eventually learned about the Feingold Association U.S. from a woman in our local celiac support group who had been a member of the local Buffalo Feingold Assocation chapter for some 26 years. 

So, let's just say that I place extreme value on the mission and work that the Feingold Association U.S. does on any given day!  I have personally met Shula Edelkind, who is their webmaster, head librarian and a leader on their executive team, and she is a wonderfully talented woman beyond measure!  I speak about the Feingold Association U.S. every time I speak about food and the impact food can have on children and adults.  I highly recommend membership in this outstanding organization.  Check out their website:  www.feingold.org which is one of the best websites I have ever seen for articles and information on the impact of food on health and behavior. 

Or contact them using the following contact information:
Feingold Assocation of the United States
554 East Main Street, Suite 301
Riverhead, NY 11901
1-800-321-3287 (U.S. only)
1-631-369-9340
1-(631) 369-2988 (FAX)
help@feingold.org (e-mail)

Jane Hersey has been a Feingold Association Director since 1985 and has written books of value on the topic as well as editing their Pure Facts publication.  I have so much to say about this group, that quite frankly, I won't be able to do it all in one blog, so watch for more blogs about the Feingold Association U.S.  Looking for a great organization to support financially?  This is one of my top picks.  Looking for help with your child's behavior, learning or disposition?  I'd spend some time on their website and consider joining this excellent group!  The parents I have personally spoken with who are members of the Feingold Association have gotten extraordinary value.  What has your experience been with the Feingold Association?  Do you have anything to share on this topic?  I'm interested!
Love,
Lisa

Teaching Young Children Bicycle Safety

My husband and I had been having a conversation with our two older children about bicycle safety in the last two weeks.  They had been riding their bikes on the street and we deemed that they were not paying attention or enough attention we thought.  So they were banished to the sidewalk amidst some unhappy growls and grimaces.  Tonight on a walk with our three children came an unbelievable opportunity to teach our children about the impact of bicycle safety.

We were walking back home from our walk when we all noticed 5 children most likely teenagers, 3 with bikes who were camped on the grass near the road and two girls sitting in the road near the grass.  It sounded to me in my motherly way that one of the girls was crying.  Having approached many young people in my day who had the sound of pain or distress - when they were just horsing around, I approached these two young girls thinking that they were playing around.  As I got closer, it appeared that the girl who was crying was actually crying and there was blood coming out of her mouth and some blood on her face. 

Being me, I sprang into action to see if she was o.k.  Clearly she was not.  I briskly barked out a command to my husband across the street to knock on the front door of the house that he was closest to and get some paper towels and supplies.  Meanwhile I was surveying the other children and wondering what to do.  A stranger driving by asked if we needed help and could he call someone.  Yes, I said, please do that right away.  Before long we had the neighbors, several of which were local firefighters and paramedics, on the scene with the ambulance not far behind.  She had lost two teeth and was visibly shaken.  Her mother arrived just before the ambulance and the crowd increased in size.

All this witnessed by my children as my husband and I were in action comforting the teenage girl and getting an extra plastic bag for her teeth.  Once the paramedics and firefighters were in control we could step back and resume our walk home.  Now, the safety lesson that had unfolded was memorable and all of the children got what we meant by the fact that you have to pay attention and ride safely when you are cycling.  It was also a lesson in being in action.  None of the teenagers had gone for help.  Other than making a cell phone call to the girl's mother, no one had done anything.

It was what they call a "teachable moment" which led to a discussion about what to do in an emergency!  The children were quick to note on the walk home that none of the children present were wearing helmets.  And they were able to ascertain that the two girls had been riding on one bike together.  May we all pray for this young woman's health and well being and that she recovers fully and as quickly as possible.  It is a moment that no one will forget soon.  Wishing you well in teaching your children about bicycle safety.
Love,
Lisa