A child who has food sensitivities may have experienced numerous symptoms before being diagnosed. According to an article entitled "Food Sensitivities: The Hidden Problems" by Dr. Robert J. Doman, MD in the Journal in the National Association for Child Development, the child with sensitivities may have had a variety of symptoms, such as frequent bouts of congestion, sinus infections, ear infections, headaches, poor attention span, behavioral issues, and more after eating offending foods.
Foods that cause sensitivities in a child might be quite common in a typical diet, such as wheat, milk, citrus fruits, etc. Determining the root cause of symptoms may have proven to be quite time-consuming and difficult with numerous visits to the doctor and multiple changes in the child's diet.
At some point, the child may respond favorably to a diet that eliminates offending foods. Parents may be overjoyed to see their child begin to enjoy life without the physical and behavioral symptoms associated with food sensitivities. However, others may not understand the complexities of this special diet and may actually hinder efforts or even verbally attack those who are trying to provide safe foods for the child.
Many People Have Limited or No Knowledge About Food Sensitivities
Although many labels now carry allergy warnings, some people may be unaware of how to determine whether or not an ingredient is safe for a child with food sensitivities, particularly if the child has multiple sensitivities. For example, a food that does not list wheat as an ingredient is not necessarily gluten-free. Non-food items that might be used in crafts, such as clay and dry noodles, might produce symptoms if they contain an ingredient to which the child is sensitive, particularly if the child tends to put his hands in his mouth.
If the parent provides special snacks that are safe for the child with special instructions regarding the diet, the caregiver may or may not understand or respect that information. Some caregivers may assume that a child is fine if they do not exhibit immediate symptoms after ingesting a food or drink to which she is sensitive. Symptoms might appear hours later, at which time the parent or caregiver might not make a connection between the offending food and the resulting behavior.
Take, for example, a two year old that is in a play area where other toddlers are carrying and dropping snacks. Many young children will pick up and eat foods off the floor or drink from another child's cup. Even if the caregiver notices the incident, he or she might not think to report this to the parent because the child is acting completely normal at the time. If the child does display behavioral or physical symptoms while in the group setting, the caregiver may become focused solely on the behavior or sudden congestion without realizing that a food or drink might be the root cause of the symptoms.
If symptoms appear later in the day, the parent may be completely unaware of the incident leading to the symptoms, especially if the child is too young to talk or is afraid to tell the parent of eating the offending food. The parent may become dismayed with thoughts that the special diet is not working without realizing that the necessary diet was not followed. This might lead to additional tests or even a return to a regular diet and with resulting symptoms.
Some People Become Angry About Food Sensitivities
Food is often associated with cultural connections. Parties, holidays, social events, and other special occasions often call for a meal or snack, and people who reject offers of food may find that this action may offend others. Some may simply disbelieve that a food sensitivity exists and assume that the parent and/or child has some sort of mental illness or is rude or antisocial.
A parent of a child with food sensitivities often must carefully plan special snacks or meals that are safe for the child with the hope that the child will be able to enjoy a similar snack or meal that does not produce negative symptoms. Caregivers, friends, or family members may invite the child to share in a meal or snack but might forget about the special diet, resulting in a tough situation in which the child might not have an alternative food prepared. Surprise parties may catch the child and parent off guard unless a back-up snack is available.
Some people might offer the child an offending food and expect the parent to take away the treat if it is not allowed. Schools may offer edible incentives for everything from a job well done to excelling at fundraising, but ironically many of these incentives might lead to negative behaviors and painful symptoms in the child with food sensitivities or leave the child feeling ostracized if she refuses the incentive or asks for a safer alternative.
Friends, family members, or caregivers might encourage or insist that the child eat foods or treats that cause symptoms. Although an official accommodation plan may be developed at a place such as a school, often ancillary staff may be unaware of the plan. Other children and even some adults might ostracize, verbally attack, or bully the child with food sensitivities and/or his or her parents, which can lead to additional problems in social situations.
Far-reaching Social Effects of Food Sensitivities
Although the public is becoming more aware of food sensitivities, many people have limited knowledge of the issue or may believe that food sensitivities are simply a figment of the imagination. Parents of kids with food sensitivities and their children face many challenges, from educating caregivers about how to recognize offending ingredients to creating effective accommodation plans to encouraging open communication if problems occur. Sometimes parents end up serving as shields as anger may be misdirected when people are ill-equipped to handle the complexities of providing safe food and drink alternatives. Those same parents often also become the soft place for their child to land when dealing with the complex issue of food sensitivities and their psychological effects on the family.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.
Sources:
- Krista Anderson-Ross March 2, 2008 article "Food Sensitivities in Children – An Introduction"
- Robert J. Doman, MD article "Food Sensitivities: The Hidden Problems," Journal of the National Association for Child Development 1984, Volume 4, Number 2
Katrena Wells - Katrena Wells is a RN in NC with 17 1/2 years of experience in oncology, an educator since 1995, and has taught exercise classes since ...
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