Food Intolerances in Kids
Food intolerances can be difficult to identify in adults but are even more tricky in kids. Not only are some of the symptoms sometimes ‘normal’ or age appropriate, but we also need to rely on our kids’ ability to tell us what is happening.
Often parents suspect a reaction to food, but just can’t quite pinpoint exactly what it is. This is because food intolerances are much harder to identify than food allergies. With food allergies, kids experience severe reactions every single time they come in contact with the food. Food allergies can be serious and need to be managed medically but are easy to identify due to the reliability and severity of symptoms.
It’s not so simple for intolerances due to the reaction being delayed and accumulative, which means that symptoms don’t happen with every contact. Either symptoms only occur with multiple exposures to the food or the symptoms are so chronic that you don’t see any difference until the foods is removed for a few weeks.
The most common symptoms of food intolerances in kids include:
Recurrent infections
Eczema
Behavioural problems
- Bedwetting
- Tummy pains
- Constipation or diarrhoea
Our team can assist
ReMed’s practitioner team can take you through a comprehensive case history to ascertain the best plan to correctly identify and eliminate reactive foods in addition to advice on testing options.
Although all our naturopathic practitioners are skilled in the assessment and treatment of food intolerances, kids should still be booked in with our pediatric-focused team as they have specific expertise in working with kids including food ideas, how to replace nutrients to ensure adequate intake as well as practically supporting parents through the implementation of dietary change.