Food allergy parents exhibit an extraordinary level of strength. They face the ongoing stress, worry, and fear associated with ensuring their children’s safety while eating. I can relate to this deeply. When my children were infants, I often wished for the simple joy of feeding them without constant concern.
When my second child was just a few weeks old, I sensed that something was amiss. His diapers had an unusual odor for a breastfed baby, he was colicky, and his gas was nothing short of explosive. A visit to the pediatrician confirmed my fears—my son had a dairy and soy allergy, evident from blood in his stool. Following the doctor’s advice, I eliminated dairy and soy from my diet, and he improved.
However, when it was time to introduce solid foods, I stuck to the conventional wisdom found in parenting books and websites. I began with rice cereal, ignoring his protests. After he consumed a significant amount for the first time, I sensed that something was very wrong. My once calm baby was back to being colicky, and this time it was worse. He screamed for hours, arching his back in apparent agony. I felt utterly powerless.
After a couple of attempts to feed him rice cereal, he vomited two hours later during a nap. This pattern repeated itself the following day. I decided to try organic oat cereal, but his condition worsened significantly. He would vomit almost exactly two hours after eating it. Trusting my instincts over the reassurances of friends and family, I began to research food allergies and stumbled upon something called FPIES—Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome.
Chances are, you may not have heard of FPIES before; I certainly hadn’t, nor had my pediatrician at the time. Rice and oats, ironically the very foods I was trying to introduce, are among the most common triggers for children with FPIES. Trusting my maternal instincts, I promptly removed all grains from his diet, opting for fruits and vegetables instead. It took some time, but gradually my sweet boy returned to his former self, and we eventually established a normal sleep schedule.
In simple terms, FPIES is a reaction to the protein in certain foods. Any food can potentially be a trigger, which complicates matters, but rice and oats are the primary culprits. It’s akin to how infants cannot tolerate cow’s milk before their first year; my son’s gut simply couldn’t handle rice and oats like a typical newborn cannot handle dairy.
Several months later, I found a doctor familiar with FPIES who confirmed the diagnosis. While I felt a sense of relief, the journey was far from over. We had to methodically introduce foods one at a time to determine what was safe. This involved extensive food journaling and significant anxiety as we navigated the complex world of food tolerances. During that first year, my son mainly survived on avocados and breast milk.
A hallmark of FPIES is the delayed reaction, typically occurring two to four hours after consumption. This can lead many medical professionals to misinterpret the symptoms as a stomach bug or viral infection, rather than a food-related issue. Unlike anaphylactic reactions, FPIES affects only the gastrointestinal tract. However, it can still be serious; some children experience prolonged vomiting that leads to lethargy and dehydration.
Before you add this to your already lengthy list of parenting concerns, rest assured that children with FPIES often outgrow it by ages two or three. The most important takeaway from my experience? Never underestimate a mother’s intuition.
For more insights into FPIES, check out the FPIES Foundation. Additionally, if you’re exploring family-building options, consider resources like this article on home insemination kits from Make a Mom. And for those interested in pregnancy, this link is an excellent resource.
In summary, FPIES is a rare but significant food allergy that can be challenging to navigate. However, with patience and awareness, parents can manage their child’s dietary needs effectively.