What would you do if someone told you your child couldn’t eat some of the very basic foods we all – or most of us – take for granted. Like eggs, or cow-based dairy products, or gluten, or corn, or soy, or certain nuts, or food colourings …? And what would you do if someone told you your child couldn’t eat any of these foods – and then some?

When this happened to me, my child was about 18-20 months old and getting sick constantly. Partly, this is a natural part of childhood – once a child has been weaned, they start to build up their own immune systems by actually getting sick more often for a while. But the other part of what was going on clearly had something to do with the foods he was eating.

In trying to figure out whether or not certain foods or environments are triggers to symptoms – be they “allergic” in the classical medical sense or whether they be “sensitivities” or non-allergy-based reactions – often your best indicators are your own senses.

In the case of my son, he was going through a monthly ear infection/antibiotics cycle. This lasted for at least 6 months before I noticed in one of my many health-related books a mention of there being a connection between cow’s milk dairy intolerance and ear infections. It reminded me that not only had both my husband and I suffered from terrible earaches as children, but also that we both now had problems tolerating cow-based dairy products as adults. Added to this was the fact that he loved anything dairy-based that came from a cow – he went nuts if you told him he couldn’t have it. (A near-obsessive need to have a food on a daily basis is usually another indicator of a food sensitivity).

At the same time, I was very concerned with him getting adequate amounts of calcium in his diet, especially at such a crucial age. So I gradually switched him over to goat’s milk and goat-based dairy products where possible, calcium-enriched soy milks, calcium-enriched rice milks, and of course a wide range of dairy-free alternatives. I also made sure he got almonds and cashew nuts in various forms on a regular basis.

Unfortunately, it was too regular a basis. His range of sensitivities increased exponentially, with symptoms ranging from hives and a runny nose to hyperactivity and coughing. Health issues were cropping up so regularly that it was getting hard to figure out what was causing the problems.

Back to the books, and I compiled a list of the highest-ranking allergen/reactivity foods. Looked at what my son was eating. Thought about both my family history and that of my husband. Cross-referenced.

Then started eliminating foods. All the while trying to keep my son eating a balanced diet incorporating the range of ingredients he could still handle.

I did look around for books on substitutes and allergy-based or elimination diet cooking. Maybe I didn’t look hard enough. Don’t get me wrong – there are some great classics out there. But I personally felt I needed more options. So I started experimenting with recipes.

When my son was at the height of his food sensitivities, he was reacting to all gluten – including barley and oats – as well as corn, soy, eggs, all nuts, and coconuts. Which you’ve probably noticed are standard basics for gluten-free or allergy-free cooking. I would look through these cookbooks aimed at people who have issues with gluten and/or dairy products, and would be faced with either eggs or soy or corn products – if not coconut, nuts etc.

Drove me crazy, and is the main reason I started creating recipes to work around this.

NOTE: Something I’ve tried really hard to do here is to limit my ingredients to foods that are as non-allergenic (including using low-histamine foods) as possible.

In all fairness, coping with my son’s food sensitivities wasn’t a totally new concept for me. I’d started noticing when I was in high school that I had a sensitivity-type reaction to certain foods. In fact, from what I can tell now, it’s a fairly common problem in one branch of my immediate extended family. The issues may be even more endemic, but not everyone notices certain kinds of reactions or shares them with others so it’s hard for me to know.

The recipes and notes and information in here are really just guidelines. Food is a creative experience, and the best way to make it is to feel your ingredients and put a bit of yourself into whatever you make. I might say “1/8 tsp. of salt” but you prefer 1/16 instead. I might say tarragon when you prefer parsley. Use your judgment — there is no wrong here. Your imagination and your knowledge of your own child are your most valuable tools in helping your picky/highly allergic/food sensitive child to eat properly.

And my goal in writing this down is to help start you on your path.

Good luck, and enjoy!

Copyright 2008 Beth Dranoff. All rights reserved. No reprints or copies of the materials found on this site are allowed without the express permission of the author.