New to wheat allergy

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New to wheat allergy

[admin rebekahc]

Kaye
Member
Posted: 12.02.2008 at 10:03:37


i posted in the peanut section about my dd's allergies. One that is up is her wheat allergy. Last year it was a low positive and this year it's a medium positive (not sure exactly what that means or what the numbers are). The dr wants me to try taking her off wheat for a couple weeks to see if we notice any changes to her eczema or anything else.
Anyway, I am a bit confused. Is wheat and gluten the same thing? If I am taking wheat out of her diet, do I need to also worry about gluten?
She is not positive to other grains like barley, rye, oats, etc. It's just the wheat.
Also, is spelt flour/bread safe for wheat allergic individuals?
I feel a bit overwhelmed with this-- wheat is a big part of our diet right now. I am not sure where to start.
What would I send to school with her for lunch? Right now she takes chicken salad on white bread, pretzels and a fruit cup. What would I replace the bread and pretzels with?
I feel like dinners wouldn't be too difficult. I am more worried about the breakfasts and lunches. She eats cereal and toast for breakfast too. I can't give her eggs yet. Only in baked things right now. So that is out.
Any advice/help/suggestions/support would be appreciated!


I just read your reply, YouKnowWho. Thanks for the help!!
We'll be heading to Good Earth soon to look for some of the foods and for Enjoy Life brand stuff.

[admin rebekahc]

GingerPye
Moderator
Posted: 12.02.2008 at 11:59:04


No, you don't need to take gluten out -- just wheat. My daughter had WA, quite severe early on, and then was challenged/outgrew at 4. I could not believe that she had outgrown it. She still shows positive on tests for wheat; DS does too, for that matter. Both eat wheat with no problems now.

We used barley, oat, and rice flour for DD when she was wheat allergic. I have some recipes -- pm me if you want some.

Also, I don't know your DD's age, but our daughter could not play with Playdough because of the wheat flour in it -- she would have hives all over her hands. I made her playdough with barley flour -- every week of her preschool time until she had outgrown.


DD, 15 - MA/EA/PA/env./eczema
DS, 12 - MA/EA/PA/env./asthma
DH - adult-onset asthma
me - env. allergies, exhaustion, & mental collapse

[admin rebekahc]

GingerPye
Moderator
Posted: 12.02.2008 at 12:00:52


Had another thought -- Living Without magazine also has lots of recipes; they are gluten-free but they would give you some help as far as avoiding wheat.

http://www.livingwithout.com

click on "recipes" on the left-hand side.


DD, 15 - MA/EA/PA/env./eczema
DS, 12 - MA/EA/PA/env./asthma
DH - adult-onset asthma
me - env. allergies, exhaustion, & mental collapse

[admin rebekahc]

mom2twoangels
Member
Posted: 12.02.2008 at 02:49:48


My Daugter was just diag as Celiac. I few things I have found for her are wheat / gluten free pretzels from Ener-G brand they also have a cracker that I don't care for but my daughter will eat. I have found breads that are so so and I have been trying to make my own.

I have also found corn pasta and quinoa pasta that she will eat.

Cereal is hard. Can she have rice? Rice cheks are supposedly gluten free my dd can't have rice so I found one puffed corn cereal she can have but I have to go to the gluten free store to get it...

Many of the rest that are labeled gluten free also process items with peanuts so watch out for that.


Nichele,

DS, 7 Ige to Peanut and Treenuts
DD, 3 Celiac

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Juliebove
Member
Posted: 12.03.2008 at 12:34:40


Spelt *is* wheat. Do not feed her that. Not even if it's sprouted. I've had people tell me that my daughter could eat the sprouted kind because it was living food. But it's still wheat and makes her just as sick.

If you buy gluten free foods, they will also be free of wheat. However, you will not have to be as careful as a person who must avoid gluten would be. For instance, your daughter could have corn flakes or Rice Crispies or other oat based cereals and you wouldn't have to be concerned with the barley malt in there.

My daughter likes Ener-G products.

http://www.ener-g.com/

We buy the 2 slice packets of tapioca and rice starch bread. Why do we buy them that way? Because if we buy a loaf, we'll open it and it will quickly go bad. There is no way she can eat a loaf before it does. I sometimes send in a package of bread for her lunch along with some single serve jelly/jam. Used to send in almond butter but she's allergic to almonds now.

She also likes their pretzels. We buy the Wylde because they are free of soy. She likes the pound cake, cookies and cinnamon rolls. We do get the hamburger and hot dog buns but I have to be careful and open them when I know we can use them up quickly. They don't keep well and are sooo expensive!

Enjoy Life is another brand she likes.

http://www.enjoylifefoods.com/

She likes all but the "no oats" oatmeal cookies and the "no nuts" trail mix. She isn't big into dried fruit.

This is another brand that we like:

http://www.allergyfreefoods.com/index.html

We like the gravy mix, cake and cornbread.

For lunches, you should probably get some insulated containers. It's not likely she will be able to buy her lunch because wheat is usually in there somewhere.

I often send in leftovers. Pasta is a big favorite. So is rice. I might make Spanish rice or send in some cooked white or brown rice and a cut up cooked chicken breast. She likes some that come in a pouch and are seasoned with garlic.

Now that she is no longer allergic to dairy, I sometimes get the Lunchables nachos, or she takes in cottage cheese or yogurt.

Sometimes she will take in a salad.

We get a lot of little things from minimus.

http://www.minimus.biz/

That's where I get the jelly and jam. Also hummus and little packs of meat. If I am in a hurry to get her lunch, I will grab some of those things and maybe a bag of chips, some applesauce or fruit, cookies or a bar of some sort and she's good to go.

For pasta, there is corn, quinoa, rice or a blend. Tinkyada makes a very good rice pasta. Alternate pasta can be expensive though. So if cost is an issue, you can look in the Asian food section. You can sometimes find rice pasta there. You'll also find sweet rice flour which you can use for thickening gravies and sauces and the like.

Be careful with cooking alternate pasta. I usually cook it for a minute less than what the time says and then taste it to see if it is done. You also need to add a lot more salt to the water than what you are used to. It can be rather flavorless if you don't.

When buying flour, you'll probably need a white rice, brown rice and a four flour blend. For most baked things you'll find that you can't just sub in a rice flour for wheat and make it work. You'll also need xanthan gum, but that should be in the mix if you buy a pre-mix.

If you can't find the flour you need in a store, you can get it here at their store and at other places online.

http://www.celiac.com/

Be careful with hidden sources of wheat. I'm sure you already read every label. I've seen wheat in mustard. And it is in some soy sauce. Tamari is a wheat free soy sauce and there is one brand that is wheat free. Sorry I don't know what that is because for the most part we avoid soy.

Ian's makes chicken nuggets and fish sticks that are wheat free. They're very good. They also make a kid's meal that is free of wheat.


IgG, me: Eggs, oysters. OAS: Almonds, pistachios

IgG, daughter: Wheat, spelt, peas, lentils, peanuts, almonds

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YouKnowWho
Member
Posted: 12.03.2008 at 08:14:32


Julie - We buy the Ener-G light brown rice loaf and as soon as it is opened, we stick in the fridge.  (I tend to buy 4-6 loaves at a time because only one store carries it, as long as it's not opened it will be shelf stable awhile, like 6mo  ) 

We seal the package with a chip clip or binder clip (usually the binder clips are easier to find LOL), stick in the fridge and it will last indefinitely.  But I cannot leave it out for long periods of time.  Usually pull it out, grab my slices and stick it straight back in.  For the price we pay, it's insane how quickly it turns black 


USA

DS1 (age 6) - wheat, rye, barley and eggs
DS2 (age 5) - soy,legumes, mushrooms, peanuts and tree nuts
DD1 - (age 1) - NKA/Beef Jerky Junkie

DH - many food intolerances
Me - eggplant, banana, drug allergies

[admin rebekahc]

Juliebove
Member
Posted: 12.03.2008 at 10:15:29


12.03.2008 at 08:14:32, YouKnowWho wrote:

Julie - We buy the Ener-G light brown rice loaf and as soon as it is opened, we stick in the fridge.  (I tend to buy 4-6 loaves at a time because only one store carries it, as long as it's not opened it will be shelf stable awhile, like 6mo  ) 

We seal the package with a chip clip or binder clip (usually the binder clips are easier to find LOL), stick in the fridge and it will last indefinitely.  But I cannot leave it out for long periods of time.  Usually pull it out, grab my slices and stick it straight back in.  For the price we pay, it's insane how quickly it turns black 

We've tried that, but...  She might eat 2 slices then not want any more bread for  2 or 3 weeks.  It just won't keep for that long.  That's why it is more economical for me to buy the 2 slice packets.


IgG, me: Eggs, oysters. OAS: Almonds, pistachios

IgG, daughter: Wheat, spelt, peas, lentils, peanuts, almonds

[admin rebekahc]

krasota
Member
Posted: 12.03.2008 at 11:10:52


Spelt shares several proteins with modern wheat. If she's allergic to those particular proteins, she'll react to spelt.

Barley, rye, and oats all have a significant level of cross contamination, from the field to the combine to the mill. I couldn't get rid of my hives/eczema/allergic reactions until I cut those out.

And cutting those out for *allergy* reasons is how the celiac disease was uncovered.  I was able to breathe and had intact skin and suddenly my IBS disappeared, along with a host of other symptoms that were slower to fade.


DS (04/07)--eggs, mango, cashew, pistachio
DH--shellfish, mushrooms
Me--Sometimes it seems like everything.

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catelyn
Member
Posted: 12.04.2008 at 08:11:43


Yes, I suspect a lot of wheat allergic people are actually celiac too. I think there is a great cross over IMHO. Baking with wheat flour always made me feel off when I'd breate the dust. I suspect I have some degree of wheat allergy on top of the celiac.


Canada

DS 15
DD 11 Tree Nuts and peaches
DS 7

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April in the US
Member
Posted: 12.04.2008 at 10:50:32


Some people just have wheat allergy, some have both wheat allergy and Celiac disease. Before she stops eating wheat (like this week), maybe ask your regular pediatrician to order a Celiac Panel. It's an additional blood test that might tell you if you should avoid all gluten grains.

Rice Chex cereal, Dora Cereal, Tigger & Pooh Cereal, & Little Einsteins Cereal (General Mills) are all wheat free and gluten free, ingredient wise.

Look up "Wylde" pretzels to see if they fit the bill. If soy is no issue, look up Glutino pretzels - son loved them before he developed soy issues.

Namaste mixes, 123 Gluten Free mixes - these are all worth checking out. There are a variety of gluten-free pizza crusts. The one we use has egg (Kinnikinnick) - perhaps that's okay if baked, but there is also a frozen thin pizza crust at Whole Foods that is made from just rice and potato flours, I believe.

Here's what goes in my son's lunch bag:
Monday - Hormel turkey pepperoni pizza on kinnikinnick pizza crust with Enrico's sauce, carrots, juice, small piece of safe candy
Tuesday - diced chicken (plastic fork), blue corn chips, pears, gummy bears
Wednesday - Yogurt, cheddar cheese, fruit, Cape Cod potato chips
Thursday - same lunch as Monday
Friday - same lunch as Tuesday

Cascadian Farms french fries are worth checking out for a dinner side. Baked potatoes can be topped with lots of good stuff.

Amy's Rice Mac & Cheese is mostly rice pasta and milk ingredients. It's delicious...but caution that it's made in a facility with wheat and tree nuts. Label says no peanuts, fish, shellfish or eggs. Personally we have not had issues with getting "glutened" by it. My oldest is Class 6 / anaph. for peanut, but he does not have tree nut allergies (knock on wood), so you'd need to decide if Amy's is in your comfort zone.

Tinkyada rice pasta is amazing - you can use it just like regular pasta...very specialized company, so not a lot of other allergens.

I really focus a lot of attention on breakfast - we spend adequate time each morning and make sure there are carbs/fat/protein at each breakfast. He has a burger on Wednesday mornings because I don't send meat to school with him that day! It's his favorite breakfast.

If Red Robin restaurant is in your comfort zone, check out the protein burger...they will wrap a burger in lettuce and white butcher paper - very tidy to eat. Or they'll just serve a burger on a plate plain, if that's what your child prefers. Most have dedicated fryers for their french fries (fries can be QUITE contaminated with the breading from chicken nuggets, tortilla strips, etc.), and they also serve fresh sides like cantaloupe slices and carrots. The fry seasoning contains soy - we ask for fries no seasoning...might not be an issue for you.


Mom of 3 AWESOME boys

* Me: Celiac
* DS1 (8): IgE allergies Peanut (ana), Soy, & Pork; also Celiac Disease (gluten), Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis & Colitis, on gastrocrom
* DS2 (4): NKA, gluten-free diet, mild Eos., outgrew milk allergy
* DS3 (2): Neocate plus tolerated foods, Celiac, no IgE allergies, lots of intolerances, doing well

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catelyn
Member
Posted: 12.05.2008 at 09:08:40


My kids are all ceasar salad freaks and have chicken ceasar salad almost every day for lunch except the days we ahve left over GF pizza which is genearlly once a week (and homemade).


Canada

DS 15
DD 11 Tree Nuts and peaches
DS 7

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Kaye
Member
Posted: 12.13.2008 at 08:29:47


Wow! Thanks for all the information. I haven't had time to do anything about the wheat allergy. I feel so bad about not helping her. We are just going the same as before. We've been extremely busy with in-laws in town. I had hoped to get this going when we first found out about it. I'll let you all know how she does once we remove wheat from her diet. I am anxious to find out! Although, there is a part of me that worries if we take her off wheat, the allergy will get worse. Is that possible? Since it's a medium level, would it be better to keep her eating some wheat? Her levels did go up from last year. So maybe that is not true.
And maybe I am just in denial 

[ajasfolks2]

Pretty good overview regarding X-contam and how to avoid gluten:

http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6442470092

[spacecanada]

Anyone here know if wheat allergy can stem from a grass allergy?  Like an OAS connection?

I am currently eliminating wheat after several allergic reactions, mild to severe, and am already noticing a huge difference: no more random hives, no more post-nasal drip, no more throat and palate swelling/swallowing issues, huge eczema improvement. But wheat allergy is most common in babies, not randomly springing up in an adult, from what I have read.  My anaphylactic potato allergy has stemmed from my grass allergy (per my previous allergist), in some sort of OAS connection, so I wonder if wheat is connected somehow too.

Googling wheat allergy makes my head spin with too much naturopathic and gluten intolerance nonsense incorrectly labelled as allergy.