Food allergy paranoia

[pitter patter]

Over the last couple of weeks DD has become hypervigilant about labels.  She used to trust the food I gave her-----but didn't trust anyone else.  I was good with this because DH and I have taught her not to trust anyone else.    She is learning g to read so I have been teaching her about labels.   She has been taught to recognize trusted company logos like the Keebler elf.  "The elf always tells you the truth....."   And the Betty Crockery spoon. Etc....  I have shown her food labels and we read them out loud, together.    This new education/ involvement in the process has made her paranoid.   She refuses to eat anything now until I read her the label-----sometimes multiple times. If I tell her I already read it or even if I read it in front of her, she still insists I read it out loud.  Then she will repeatedly ask "are you sure its safe?"   This is new behavior.  She has not had a recent new reaction.  In fact she has only had the one initial reaction that brought about the diagnosis and that was in March 2011.  So this is not the result of a new reaction.

Can you all tell me if this is a normal part of the process for kids?  I am afraid I have done something to make her so scared.  Maybe I have involved her in the process too soon?  She is 6 years old.  What do you all think?

[CMdeux]

How long has this been going on?


I'd be concerned if it's been longer than a few weeks, or if she's losing weight and truly refusing to eat as a result, or if the anxiety is becoming more generalized in any way (notice any other OC behaviors like counting steps, verbal tics, touching surfaces repeatedly, etc?).  Is she doing this anywhere but at home?

Six is probably a little younger than I'd have encouraged overt label reading... though by this age, my DD had learned (similarly) that the big G and Keebler elf meant that we could check the label and 'see' if it was safe to try.

The reason I don't know that I'd have pressed label reading at this age is that-- as you've discovered-- about six months to a year in, they go through a phase of reading and re-reading labels.  It's better if they are fully literate (for most kids about 8-9 yo) at this point, because otherwise... well, you get what you have.

Can you place limits on the number of times you'll read a label to her?  Explain that you've read it to yourself TWICE already (once at the store and once putting it away at home) and that you'll read it to her once and only once, because three times is the right number to read a label.

[pitter patter]

CM:  This has only been going on for a week.  She is not exhibiting any other OCD behaviors and does not have any generalized anxiety either.  She does not request label reading for home-made items-she trusts my cooking to be safe, items from Peanut Free Planet, or fruits/veggies.  She only questions prepackaged foods.  I am not sure how she has made the distinction among the foods she has chosen to be leary of because we have never discussed high vs low risk foods.  I guess she has just picked up on it.

I think I will try your suggestion and discuss the 3 times we read labels and how it is not necessary to read them more often than that. 

As I am typing this post, I remember that about a week ago I made some cherry popsicles using GV brand jello.  I did not read the label as the jello/puddings have always been safe.  HUGE MISTAKE.    I remembered to check the label before letting DD eat one,  Well there was an almond warning on the box.   I  had to throw them all away.  Maybe this was the catalyst??

[CMdeux]

Yes, I'd guess that was it. Well, then, that should be a relief as it should blow over in a few weeks.

In addition, I think that I would praise her for her distinction between low risk foods (veggies, etc.) and processed ones.  That's actually a HUGE positive thing.


DD has gone through periods of serious paranoia with label-reading after I've screwed something up (or overlooked something) like that-- even if it relates to my LTFA and not her own.  I think that this is really quite normal, even healthy as a coping method for processing a 'scare' like that.

[nameless]

Well...I wanted to add my "I was the allergic kid and now an allergic adult" opinion.

I remember going through phases of being hypervigilent.If part of the training is to always ask every adult to read the label before I eat it (read it to me...is how we did it. I learned very quickly adults scan and could miss something...then to read outloud..."Oh! There's a may contain on here!")  Anyway...mind you this was 30+ years ago...

Anyway --- even if the catalyst was the Jello...is it SUCH a bad thing she is asking to read the label? Granted...it gets old and annoying fast, even in your own home. But, I mean, you did kinda missed something and she called you on it. You do want her to be hypervigilent when with other people/adults...right? Let her practice it at home

Let her read the label or read it aloud with her. The whole phase might pass once she starts to trust you again. Even now, when I visit my mother she'll say, "Oh, that's safe" and I retort, "I'm reading it anyway Ma!"  Part of that...is she only sees me once a year.

So - from my perspective, I don't see it as a huge problem at the moment for her. Like CM said, if she exhibits other anxiety behaviors or stops eating...then that's a potential problem to seek out professional assistance to get her through it. Right now she's just re-learning to trust you. It seem re-reading the label (outloud) to her helps...and yes, make a rule "We'll read it outloud ONCE to you and we'll be careful when we read outloud"  Maybe some smiley face stickers on things you've already read? That way she won't keep asking?

Good luck, hope it works itself out.

Adrienne

[booandbrimom]

We've talked over the years about a phase they hit right around 8 or 9 that corresponds to a greater awareness of mortality:

http://www.umb-eap.org/pdf/DeathByAgeGroup.pdf

This references 6-9...clearly she's an overachiever.

I think it's common, especially among girls. I remember several posts along these lines over the years.

[SilverLining]

Anyway --- even if the catalyst was the Jello...is it SUCH a bad thing she is asking to read the label? Granted...it gets old and annoying fast, even in your own home. But, I mean, you did kinda missed something and she called you on it. You do want her to be hypervigilent when with other people/adults...right? Let her practice it at home

Exactly what I was thinking.

She needs to see the proper way for an adult to handle her questioning

[pitter patter]

Thank you so much for the responses!   I knew I could count on you all!  I don't think that her asking me to read labels is a bad thing.  Dh and I have been reading all labels per her request and we don't mind doing so at all.  I was just afraid that maybe I'd given her too much information too soon and made her overly anxious.   I am relieved to read that this paranoia is not uncommon.