# 3 year old with IBS



## shellyfancy (Jun 5, 2003)

I have a 3 year old with IBS, she has had this since birth, we just found out now, at this age can anyone suggest foods she would want to eat and still get her nutrition. thanks shelly


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## Julia37 (May 9, 2001)

As a person who grew up with undiagnosed food sensitivities, this sort of thing is a red flag to me. You don't mention if she had any tests for food allergy. If not, she should have both a RAST or ELISA blood test for food allergies, and the LEAP test for food sensitivity. Please don't be like my parents who made no effort, not even getting a second opinon, to find the cause of my allergies.







Meanwhile you might try taking her off milk and other dairy products. Rice milk is just as good on cereal or to make hot chocolate. To me it tastes way better. And they make a rice milk "ice cream" also. Soy contains estrogen and probably isn't good for men or children.Here is the web site for the LEAP program. There are several threads here about it if you want to do a search.www.nowleap.comI hope she feels better


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## WD40 (Jun 7, 1999)

Have you tried keeping a food & symptom diary to maybe find a pattern? Are there certain foods she likes and doesn't like? My three year old niece loves almond milk, and rice milk is pretty good. It's hard to suggest anything because I don't know if she's more C or D. Plus, everyone's triggers are different so I would need to know some of her triggers. IN general, try eliminating all refined sugar foods, acidic fruits and vegetables, spicy foods, extra fatty or greasy foods, and corn products. Has she been tested for wheat or gluten sensitivity?


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## Julia37 (May 9, 2001)

Don't eliminate all these things at once - do them one at a time, for 2 weeks each, and see if her symptoms improve each time. That's a good idea to see if she's gluten sensitive.


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## Mike NoLomotil (Jun 6, 2000)

SHELLEY....one question before we run off madly...by the way Julia is barking up the right tree!Can you tell me a little more about your 3 year olds symptoms and history? You say she had "IBS since birth". Was she breast fed or formula fed and if so what formula was used? Did she get diarrhjea from it or throw it up or both?What makes the pediatrician think her symptoms are "IBS"?HAs she been worked up for milk intolerance or milk allergy? (2 different problems which sometimes are clinically confusing)This is one of the most common pathways to symptoms for little kiddies when it appears at birth.Probably has, of coursde, just want to know if that was ruled out and if so how?I think we can help collectively with a litle more info about her....its sometimes easier to figure out a little kids problem than an adults...look how little antigen she has been exposed to!







MNL


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## shellyfancy (Jun 5, 2003)

hi, thanks for the replies, we have been on vacation, now we are back. My daughter has been tested for milk allergy she has had all the allgery tests done for food and others, she comes back to be negative. she has had a test done with the tube in her throut and rectum. the doctors have done all the tests possible and this is what they have to us that she probably has IBS, she used to get D's all the time, now she gets more c's, she only gets d's if she has had any milk. does anyone have any sugesstions for snacky food for a 3 year old, she is very fussy. thanks for all the help.


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## shellyfancy (Jun 5, 2003)

I have a friend, that has been diagnosed with this and she has been put on special medicine, my doctor has never said my 3 year had to be on medicine, can anyone tell me if she should be on med.'s


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## Julia37 (May 9, 2001)

I think the first thing to try is take her off all dairy products. Cheese, butter, yogurt, etc, everything. Since she has D from milk she may be reacting badly to all dairy. You'll have to check the labels on packaged foods because they often have milk products in them. Watch out for "whey", "casein", "milk solids", etc. Take her off for at least 2 weeks - in fact, it would probably be better to do a month - and see if her symptoms improve. Olive oil is a good substitute for butter and rice milk for dairy milk. You can cook with it, I do all the time. BTW watch margarine, it often contains milk products.This is a really good time to do this with her because you can control what she eats, and in a few years when she goes to school you won't be able to.If she still has problems without dairy I suggest the LEAP test. It's not likely to have been included in the tests you mention, but you could double check. They test for sensitivity to more than a hundred common foods and additives, they should be able to find it. I don't believe a child that young will have symptoms for "psychological" reasons - any doctor who says that to you is copping out!







OK, calmer now - please keep us posted.


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## Polly6034 (Sep 21, 2003)

Shelly,Just a suggestion...if you are thinking of eliminating food groups from your child's diet, you may need the assistance of a dietitian. Children have much higher requirements for nutrients for growth and by cutting out food groups, she may be missing out on these. I'd give you some advice...but I won't be a dietitian till the end of next year







Good luck!


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