On the 18th, after 30 days of uninterrupted gluten free, our gluten-free trial came to an abrupt and unintentional end as an unaware family member twarted my efforts by giving our son a brownie. I was tending to our daughter's needs and son asked if he could have a brownie, not realizing that not all brownies are gluten-free.
I was realistic in knowing that we likely wouldn't make it through the holiday unscathed, but I can't help but be a little disappointed that it came to an end so quickly. But at least we made it 30 days, which is a pretty solid testing period.
This unplanned ending opened the door to a perfect opportunity to try a different approach. In addition to no gluten, we are attempting dairy free. We sampled almond milk and he does not like it. I picked up the unsweetened vanilla flavor. Probably should have chosen one of the sweetened version or the chocolate version. I might pick up some of the chocolate this weekend and see how that goes. I submitted a refund request for the two half gallons I bought that he won't drink. Silk provides refunds if you don't "love it". Just waiting to hear back from them.
I have spoken to DS's teacher and told her we were going to be testing for a dairy allergy and she said she would help us as best she could. She asked me to provide drinks and snacks for him so that she can ensure she's giving him proper foods. So I did. I sent some cut fruit and 5 Juicy Juice Fruitfuls juice boxes with him to school yesterday for his snack. He told me last night that she forgot his juice boxes in the classroom and provided him milk to drink instead... seriously?? What happened to helping us? I've had it up to my neck with this teacher - between her disregard for our requests and disciplining him/changing his behavior color for some pretty stupid reasons, I'm about done with kindergarten. *sigh*
Anyhow, we're moving in a new direction. We're testing the dairy allergy now while maintaining the gluten-free diet to see how things go. I can't wait til he's out of kindergarten so snack time is no longer an issue. I feel so bad for him when his classmates are all eating a cupcake for someone's birthday and he is "stuck" eating cut fruit. :(
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Is 19 days long enough??
Is 19 days long enough to know whether or not gluten is the problem? I am seriously considering moving to a sugar free or dairy free diet for our son. While I have seen some minor changes with the gluten-free diet, I think we need to do more.
I am digging deeper. I am considering sugar and dairy. I think added sugar will be easier to combat. I can provide fruit for snacks at school. In fact, he asked about fruit and asked to make a fruit salad tonight for snack at school. Someone made fruit kabobs the other day for the classroom snack and he talked non-stop about them. So, I will be introducing more fruit into his diet in place of his normal sugary diet items.
And no more gluten free brownies! We were ALL eating them too much and none of us need them. :)
I think sugar will be easier to combat than dairy at this point... I want to get him used to eating fruit and vegetables before I take milk and cheese and all that from him at this point. And maybe it's simply a sugar hyperactivity thing.
Gluten wasn't enough... Next step, sugar. If that's not enough, then we'll eliminate dairy as well.
I am digging deeper. I am considering sugar and dairy. I think added sugar will be easier to combat. I can provide fruit for snacks at school. In fact, he asked about fruit and asked to make a fruit salad tonight for snack at school. Someone made fruit kabobs the other day for the classroom snack and he talked non-stop about them. So, I will be introducing more fruit into his diet in place of his normal sugary diet items.
And no more gluten free brownies! We were ALL eating them too much and none of us need them. :)
I think sugar will be easier to combat than dairy at this point... I want to get him used to eating fruit and vegetables before I take milk and cheese and all that from him at this point. And maybe it's simply a sugar hyperactivity thing.
Gluten wasn't enough... Next step, sugar. If that's not enough, then we'll eliminate dairy as well.
Friday, November 2, 2012
14 Day Update
November 1, yesterday, would have been Day 14. I think I'm seeing some changes, but I wonder if they're actual changes or if I'm just seeing coincidental differences that I wouldn't see if I wasn't looking for them.
One change I've noticed is that DS has more good days now. And by good days, I mean good days at home. Saturday (or maybe it was Sunday) morning, we were laying in bed because it was too early to get up. If he was disturbing my ability to snooze a bit longer, I would ask him to stop and he would. He wouldn't remained stopped for long, but he would stop. Before, it always seemed like he'd just flat out ignore my request and keep doing it.
When we get home from school, grandma's, etc, he takes his shoes off and has been putting them away.
When he turns the sleeves of his coat right side out on his own now instead of whining that he can't do it and asking me to do it.
He is putting on his socks himself instead of whining that he can't do it and driving me nuts to the point that I do it for him just to get it done.
The other night we went to the grocery store to pick up some Betty Crocker Gluten Free Brownies for his snack at school this week (there was a birthday, so we needed a gluten free snack). He behaved like a little man! I was so proud. He walked next to me, he stayed with me and didn't run all over the store. He carried the groceries like a gentleman, set them in the car nicely. He then walked back up to the store to use the trash can, waited for the cars to allow him to cross the road way and walked back to our car. Calm, well behaved. That NEVER used to happen! I would have to go with him, be constantly reminding him to watch for traffic, and asking him to slow down so he didn't get too far away from me. And he NEVER used to walk next to me in the store. He'd be up and down the aisles, running around like it was a playground!
His hyperactivity seems to have been dialed back a bit. He still gets excited and rambunctious, but he's less rambunctious now. He's calmer and more in control of his body, it seems.
And I can't remember when the last time was that we had a meltdown or he talked back or argued.
Like I said, maybe I'm seeing coincidental stuff, but I'm hopeful that it's not just a coincidence. I'm hopeful that this diet is shaping my son into a gentleman instead of a rowdy kid. Most of all, I'm hopeful that others are seeing the changes as well.
His behavior chart at school doesn't seem to be changing much, but I think over time it will. We're still having trouble with him making noises with his mouth during class, but I think with more time, that will change too.
One change I've noticed is that DS has more good days now. And by good days, I mean good days at home. Saturday (or maybe it was Sunday) morning, we were laying in bed because it was too early to get up. If he was disturbing my ability to snooze a bit longer, I would ask him to stop and he would. He wouldn't remained stopped for long, but he would stop. Before, it always seemed like he'd just flat out ignore my request and keep doing it.
When we get home from school, grandma's, etc, he takes his shoes off and has been putting them away.
When he turns the sleeves of his coat right side out on his own now instead of whining that he can't do it and asking me to do it.
He is putting on his socks himself instead of whining that he can't do it and driving me nuts to the point that I do it for him just to get it done.
The other night we went to the grocery store to pick up some Betty Crocker Gluten Free Brownies for his snack at school this week (there was a birthday, so we needed a gluten free snack). He behaved like a little man! I was so proud. He walked next to me, he stayed with me and didn't run all over the store. He carried the groceries like a gentleman, set them in the car nicely. He then walked back up to the store to use the trash can, waited for the cars to allow him to cross the road way and walked back to our car. Calm, well behaved. That NEVER used to happen! I would have to go with him, be constantly reminding him to watch for traffic, and asking him to slow down so he didn't get too far away from me. And he NEVER used to walk next to me in the store. He'd be up and down the aisles, running around like it was a playground!
His hyperactivity seems to have been dialed back a bit. He still gets excited and rambunctious, but he's less rambunctious now. He's calmer and more in control of his body, it seems.
And I can't remember when the last time was that we had a meltdown or he talked back or argued.
Like I said, maybe I'm seeing coincidental stuff, but I'm hopeful that it's not just a coincidence. I'm hopeful that this diet is shaping my son into a gentleman instead of a rowdy kid. Most of all, I'm hopeful that others are seeing the changes as well.
His behavior chart at school doesn't seem to be changing much, but I think over time it will. We're still having trouble with him making noises with his mouth during class, but I think with more time, that will change too.
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