Food allergy parents are truly some of the most resilient individuals out there. The anxiety and fear that come with feeding our children can be overwhelming. I remember feeling an immense desire to provide my kids with ordinary meals without the constant worry that accompanies feeding time.
When my youngest, Leo, was just a few weeks old, I sensed something was off. His diapers had an unusual odor for a breastfed infant, he was colicky, and let’s just say, his gas could rival that of an adult! After a visit to the pediatrician, it was confirmed: Leo had a dairy and soy allergy, indicated by blood in his stool. Following her advice, I eliminated dairy and soy from my diet, and he showed improvement.
However, when it came time to introduce solid foods, I followed the conventional wisdom found in baby books and parenting websites, starting him on rice cereal—much to his dismay. The first time he consumed a significant amount, I felt a wave of dread. My previously calm baby was back to being colicky, and he screamed for hours, arching his back in discomfort. I felt utterly powerless.
After trying the rice cereal a couple of times, he vomited during a nap. The same happened the next day. I switched to organic oat cereal, but his symptoms intensified, leading to recurrent vomiting that occurred almost exactly two hours post-ingestion. Despite reassurances from friends and family that it couldn’t possibly be the cereal, I followed my instincts and stumbled upon a little-known food allergy called FPIES—Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome.
Chances are, you haven’t heard of FPIES; I hadn’t either, and my pediatrician was equally unfamiliar with it at that time. Two of the most common triggers for children with FPIES are rice and oats—the very foods I was attempting to introduce to Leo’s diet. Trusting my motherly intuition, I promptly removed all grains and focused on fruits and vegetables instead. It took a while, but eventually, my sweet boy returned, and his sleep patterns began to normalize.
In layman’s terms, FPIES is an allergy to food proteins, and its triggers can vary widely, making it a challenging condition to navigate. As I mentioned, rice and oats are the most prevalent offenders, similar to how infants should avoid cow’s milk during their first year due to digestive immaturity. Just like those babies can’t handle cow’s milk, Leo’s gut couldn’t tolerate rice and oats.
Months later, I found a doctor knowledgeable about FPIES who confirmed the diagnosis. Although relieved, the journey didn’t get any easier. I cautiously introduced new foods one at a time, meticulously noting everything in a food journal. This painstaking process often filled me with anxiety as we identified what Leo could safely consume. During that first year, his diet consisted mainly of avocados and breast milk.
A hallmark of FPIES is a delayed reaction to the trigger food, typically occurring two to four hours after consumption. This delay can lead many doctors to misinterpret the symptoms as a stomach bug rather than a food allergy. Unlike classic anaphylactic reactions, FPIES exclusively affects the gastrointestinal tract, presenting its own set of challenges. Some kids experience such severe vomiting episodes that they become lethargic and dehydrated.
Before you add this to your list of parental worries, rest assured that many children with FPIES outgrow it by ages two or three. The most significant takeaway from my experience? Never underestimate a mother’s intuition.
For more information about FPIES, check out the FPIES Foundation. If you’re interested in understanding more about home insemination and pregnancy, Kindbody offers excellent resources. And if you like comic books, Intracervical Insemination has got you covered!
In summary, navigating food allergies can be daunting, especially with rare conditions like FPIES, but with time, patience, and a keen instinct, parents can find a way through the challenges of feeding their little ones.