the rise of food intolerances
Spitting up Possible culprit: Intolerance to casein, a dairy protein. Casein in dairy products— which is different from the casein in human milk—that gets into breast milk or is in formula can irritate an infant’s gut lining, causing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Later, the symptoms may morph into chronic ear infections or constipation, says Dorfman. Action plan: Remove dairy from the baby’s and nursing mom’s diet for at least a week. (It takes four to five days for dairy to clear from breast milk.) For formula- fed infants, choose a brand made with predigested casein or whey. To heal baby’s damaged intestinal lining, give 10 billion CFU daily of probiotic bacteria mixed in a bottle or sprinkled on solid food.
Chronic diarrhea Possible culprit: Intolerance to gluten (a protein in wheat and other grains) or lactose (dairy sugar). Diarrhea is the gastrointestinal tract’s way of getting rid of problematic substances. Terefore, the most common symptoms of both gluten and
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lactose intolerance are diarrhea, gas, and bloating. Lactose intolerance is usually the root cause because the enzyme that digests lactose (lactase) is easily inactivated when the gut is irritated. When you’re gluten sensitive, digesting gluten irritates the gut, so almost everyone with gluten intolerance also cannot tolerate lactose, Dorfman says. Tankfully, fermented dairy products such as cheese and yogurt have low lactose levels, so consuming them is often safe. Action plan: Get a blood test to rule out celiac disease; then eliminate gluten for at least a month. Although the diarrhea could resolve within a week, it may take a few weeks to get a clear picture with school-aged children. “Te birthday parties, the grandma visit—there’s often something that causes accidental cheating,” Dorfman says. “You need a longer period to see a trend.”
Chronic ear infections Possible culprit: Dairy intolerance and, for some, soy sensitivity. Some research has shown that 90 percent of kids with recurring ear infections or ear fluid have
food reactions, a statistic Dorfman says her current patients corroborate. Te usual suspect: dairy products. However, about half of people who react to dairy also react to soy, according to Dorfman. Action plan: Quit dairy and soy for several months. Because children don’t suffer ear infections every week, it can take longer to verify a correlation. Dorfman recommends eliminating soy milk, soy yogurt, and tofu, but adds that ultrasensitive individuals may need to avoid processed foods, most of which contain soy byproducts.
Eczema or itchy skin rash Possible culprit: Reaction to a combination of gluten, casein (in dairy products), eggs, and what Dorfman calls “extended” citrus (oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, lemons, strawberries, and pineapple). Action plan: Ask an allergist to conduct an IgE radioallergosorbent (RAST) blood test on your child. Because an itchy rash suggests a histamine response, blood tests can be more accurate here than they can be in detecting food sensitivities. ➻
CENTER: RIOU / CORBIS
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