SC - Allergy Discussion Conclusions to date

[CorwynWdwd]

On Monday, May 11, 1998 11:21 AM, marilyn traber
[SMTP:mtraber at email.msn.com] wrote:
> Food allergies can take a much different form that sniffles,
anaphylaxis or
> hives. There is a common allergy to wheat for example. If an infant is
> allergic to wheat, cows milk or even soy products[the 3 most common]
they
> will not thrive. How many people have you known who have had a child
grow up
> [or even die in late infancy] that the grannies said was just plain
sickly?
> They were colicky, and cried a lot, just stayed the runt of the
litter, got
> any illness that was going around? There stood a very good chance that
they
> were allergic to something in the diet. 

My son has the most inconvenient of food allergies (for an American). He
is allergic to Peanuts and ALL corn (American ear corn - maize)
products:
Corn, Corn meal, Corn flour, Corn starch, Corn syrup, Corn syrup solids,
Dextrose, Dextrin, Maltodextrin, dextromathorphan(sp?), Confectioners
sugar (5% cornstarch to stop clumping), baking Powder (3% cornstarch to
stop clumping), Modified food starch (unless it is tapioca or potato),
Corn oil, Vegetable oil, Peanut oil, corn oil, Peanut flour, Fructose
(commercially produced in America by processing corn syrup), OH THE LIST
GOES ON AND ON!!!. 

Corn does not give him rashes, or anaphlaxis or whatever, His Corn
allergy is exhibited BEHAVIORALLY!
He becomes violent, short tempered, attention deficient, whiny... in
short, a typical "Problem Child".
A genuine candidate for Ritalin. The only physical symptoms are a rapid
pulse, reddened and hot ears, dark circles around eyes, and pale face. 
   
Here is the upshot:
according to my pediatric allergist:
There are 7 recognized forms of allergy, only three of which are IGE
(immunoglobin) mediated (typical allergy symptoms, like hives or rash,
etc.) the rest cannot be tested in a clinical environment, only by
extended "double-blind" elimination testing (eliminating suspected
allergens from the system, and reintroducing them one at a time and
measuring reactions). This is an inconvenient and time consuming
testing. It is, therefore, rarely done. Consequently many allergies go
undiagnosed.
My Doctor asserts that as many as 20% of children diagnosed with ADD,
and receiving Rivaling, may in fact be suffering from an allergy to
corn, or similar grain items (surprisingly common he says). 
Gluten allergies are sometimes exhibited as migraine headaches.

IF your kids have a hard time getting over colds, get sick easily, have
frequent nervousness, uncontrollable or irrational emotional responses,
problems with toileting, difficulty sleeping at night, etc., get them
PROPERLY tested.
It has made all the difference with mine.


Brandu
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