Taking Almost 2Yr Old off Milk as Test. Please Help!

Sounds like fruits and veggies would be the way to go. How about meat, chicken, eggs etc? Beans also provide some protein. Combining beans with a grain (in your case, one that doesn't contain gluten) makes a more complete protein.

For grains, try rice, quinoa, corn meal (polenta, mush); I have heard of teff but never tried it.

As for the milk substitute, I am reading a book called The Whole Soy Story, and it makes me not want to eat/drink soy. Have you tried almond milk? We don't have known allergies but we tried some just for fun, and it isn't too bad.

FWIW, I have read that we are often most allergic to the foods we crave, so you may be on the right track by eliminating dairy, if you say he loves it.

While you are somewhat limited (and you WILL become a label-reader, whether you want to or not), there should be enough things for him to eat that he won't waste away.

Try googling "nourished kitchen" for recipe ideas, I think they have a section on allergen-free recipes.

Good luck, and let us know what happens!

K. Z.

My son has a huge milk allergy and we recently took him off milk....my pedi recommended almond milk,coconut milk and rice milk. He likes rice milk so thats what we're sticking with. Are you trying the flavored kind? We do vanilla rice milk but I believe they have the flavors in almond as well..... My pedi is not a fan of any child being on cows milk to be honest. There's also goats milk yogurt....... Is your pedi recomending any other options?

Trader Joe's and Henry's or Whole Foods will become your best friend. Rice Pasta is a great one to use for a young toddler. TJ's has a pretty good frozen pancake and waffle that my son loves. Spead with sunbutter or whole fruit spread. There are a lot of things out there now that are cassein and gluten Free. Most stores are now labeling their Gf products.

Nodic Naturals Omega 3-6-9 liquid is a great supplement for him for both sensory and speech issues. 1/2 a tsp 2xa day. Both my kids have taken it for years and it has helped my kids with the same issues.

coconut milk is great!
rice crackers.
banana
almond milk

also, cheese and yogurt are cultured, therefore easier to digest. so if/when you try milk again, he may tolerate cultured products better than milk. look for yogurt with live active cultures. kefir is really good too.

realmilk.com helps you to locate raw milk if you are interested in that-- pasteurizing kills the bacteria that help digest milk. if you can find a clean, safe, local source of raw milk that is another option.

My son is also on a gluten and casien free diet (we've done blood work - he is allergic) I use a product called DariFree http://www.vancesfoods.com) . Believe it or not, it is a potatoe based dairy alternative that tastes good. I use it for baking, cereal, and anything else you would use milk for. It comes in chocolate too. There's also soy milk which I like but he doesn't. The other options are rice or almond milk. They can be used as a substitute in baking, although my son won't drink it (has a grainy texture). Hope this helps.

If you are taking out milk, just on your own without being formally advised by a Doctor, then it is not going to help.

You need to first find out, IF that is a cause. Otherwise, you are just going by guesswork. Each child is different.
And has it been proven, that your son is gluten sensitive?

You should really ask the Doctor. And perhaps be referred to a proper Nutritionist.
Don't do it willy nilly.

All the best,
Susan

My son is completely dairy free (inc casein & whey). He drinks soy milk and really likes it. We typically buy Kirkland brand from Costco in a case of 12 cartons that don't need to be refrigerated until opened. He's been drinking it for almost two years.

He occasionally eats soy yogurt, but he doesn't really like it much. As for brands of soy cheese, Tofutti is best for American-style cheese. Follow Your Heart brand is best if you want something that will melt (though it is kind of gross if it isn't melted b/c the texture is weird).

I cannot say whether or not the following snacks are gluten free, but here are some of my son's favorites:
Wheat Thins - original, low fat, or Whole Grain
Nabisco Brand Vegetable Thins (crackers - comes in a green box)
Honey Maid brand graham crackers
Snyder's or Trader Joe's brand pretzels
Triscuits
Good Health Natural Foods brand Veggie Sticks
Ritz Crackers - plain or reduced fat
Annie's Brand Bunny Grahams (cinnamon flavor)
Nabisco Barnum's Animal crackers
Cheerios
Gerber Puffs

He also loves fruit, so he eats fresh fruit, fruit cups in gel, fruit strips, fruit snacks, etc.

Good luck. Feel free to send me a private message if you want any other info.

K.
http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/karenchao

go to yahoogroups and look for foodlab. They are a wise group of parents that have family members with different allergies & sensitivities and would be great to offer advice on how to start and ideas on what you observe from your test.

Not sure if there is gluten in soy, but my son cannot drink dairy and LOVES the soy milk - it comes in organic vanilla flavor. I tried it, and it tastes like a milkshake - no wonder he loves it. It's not as fattening as whole milk b/c he has trouble gaining weight, too, but I give him as much as he wants. Good luck!