First Thank you to
Jennifer,
JennD,
Sharon,
Kate,
Andrea, and
Milehimama for all your responses. I took all of your advice and wrote a note (more of a letter really,
LOL) to the teacher, who is awesome! She responded, said she was sorry that it happened and she would be talking with the principal promptly. We will see, but so far I have been able to take her at her word. I also learned from
Milehimama that I can request a support person/aide or support training for the driver so that is what I did. Hopefully it will happen quickly, I also requested an
IEP meeting to reevaluate/add services. I cannot wait until the 30
th I am going to also ask the pediatrician or the developmental specialist to recommend a nutritionist and allergy testing for both boys to see if they have food allergies or sensitivities. For Ethan, because of his behavior and for Alex because certain foods seem to irritate his skin. He gets red blotches on his face from ranch dressing, certain yogurts, and some artificially colored foods when it sits on his skin for a few minutes, like while he's eating before he gets wiped off afterwards.
This is picture of him yesterday after dinner. We had chicken strips with ranch. I wiped his face and saw the red and a few minutes later it was actually worse, this is at its worst. It went away within an hour or so but that's not normal, I don't think. He had NOTHING red or pink or anything so I know it wasn't just dyed like koolaid does, or something. Weird, huh?
6 comments:
I would really encourage you to keep a log of foods eaten. It is so important when you are trying to track down the causes of rashes, etc.!
Red 40, Blue 6, etc. can be in all kinds of foods - even white foods (vanilla pudding, white canned cake frosting). You've really just got to read the label.
"Annato" is a natural yellow colorant from a plant; "Caramel" could be natural, or not.
My son reacts to Apartame, MSG, and BHA, BHT, and TBHQ. The last ones are really long chemical names that are petroleum derivatives - they are used to stabilize lard so it doesn't go rancid. This means they are found in a lot of bakery products (and Rice Kripies, too).
A good book on the subject of food additives and allergies is Ben Feingold's "Why Your Child is Hyperactive". He's an allergist who first discovered a correlation in the 70's.
HTH!
Thanks! I actually found the Feingold diet back in May, from following a link on your site. I joined, got the info, and then had a hard time following it. I gave the info to my sister who's middle child has adhd and seizures(he's on adderall and 2 seizure meds totally 8 pills 2x a day and he's 9!!!) I thought she could use it, but I forgot since she lives in FL and we live in OH the food guide wouldn't really help her, LOL. She is supposed to get it back to me when she comes up in November and I got her the FL book. I am definitely going to start keeping a food diary though. My FIL also saw an article in Time mag. about food dyes and flavors causing hyperactivity and other problems, so I know I have support and understanding on that end if we decide to give the Feingold another go! Thanks for the advice.
Were the chicken strips fried or baked? Sometimes the oil in fried foods can cause a reaction. Landon has the same rxn to peanut oil...SCARY! I LOVED milehimama's comment--and she's absolutely right--I posted something about those things a few months ago "You Are What You Eat"--You should check it out--Lots of good links!
I've never joined the Feingold Association, but I do know it is a big change!
BTW - it could easily have been the ranch dressing as well. It probably had MSG (monosodium glutamate) in it and/or the red and blue dyes.
One of my sons did a similar thing - breakout for no apparent reason, and I could never put my finger on it - until I realized he only broke out at family events, and watched my mom make coleslaw, and saw that she makes it with pineapple juice. Turns out that's what got him! He eventually outgrew that allergy.
Jennifer- the chicken strips were homemade and baked! thats why I dont *think* that is it, but maybe. I will have to check out that post and those links, thanks!
Milehimama- thanks again. I actually went back and read the ingredients and one that stuck out was MSG! funny you mentioned that! I am going to see what else is in there, and have switched to some things I remembered from the Feingold food list. I even bought organic, all natural yogurt this time around to see if it makes a difference. Good to hear your son outgrew the pineapple juice allergy, I really hope neither of my boys are sensitive to any fruits, they absolutely LOVE them especially apples and grapes which are 2 you are supposed to cut out for the first 4 weeks of Feingold!!! that was probably the most difficult part, and finding breads on the list, cause I can buy the mixes and use my bread machine, but I have a tendency to forget to do it. Like right now I know for a fact I have 2 boxes of bread mix, and yeast! the BHA, BHT, and TBHQ are chemicals that Feingold diet eliminates too along with foods that have high salicylates(hence, the apples and grapes and berries too!). We will see how it goes.
I'm happy to hear things may (should) be improving for him at school/bus. Kids should be safe at school, starting w/ the transportation there.
And goodness, Aidan gets red easily, too. I'm fair-skinned and so is he. SENSITIVE, are we. I hate it.
As for diet, I am amazed at what I'm learning about what effects him. I'm reading labels more and more, too. But hey, BAKED homemade chicken tenders...those are usually pretty healthy. ;)
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