>HI all,
>
>I was at my brother-in-laws last night and saw my poor nephew (2 1/2 yrs)
>in very poor health. He has a cough that will not go away that is really
>mucousy. He has been cautiously diagnosed with asthma but he has other
>symptoms that I noticed like dark circles under his eyes and a bloated
>tummy. I am not a doctor but this to me looks like an allergy, possibly
>milk.
>
>I casually mentioned (I hate to be a buttinski) that he might have an
>allergy but there was not a huge response to that. As the evening wore on,
>and this poor kid was given different inhalers, meds, he looked awful. I
>finally suggested that he go on a BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce,
>toast) for a couple of days to see if there is any change, then address the
>problem from a different angle.
>
>If any of you have expereince with this, maybe I can gently pass it on to my
>brother-in-law. His little boy needs help!
>

This child sounds like e needs help! He has all of the signs of being
atopic, and your observations about milk may be right on. But it may not be
milk - it might be wheat or some other allergen. The BRAT diet is on the
right track, but is too severe and lacks essential nutrients. What he needs
is a "nothing diet", one that at least will sustain him while he's going
through this.

I have a great deal of experience with all of this. My son was quite ill
(severe eczema, asthma, anaphylaxis, hives) from his food allergies for
quite some time before we tried what is now called a "nothing diet",
consisting of very few foods. For him it was chicken, rice, broccoli, maple
syrup (to sweeten the rice cereal) and soy formula (a common allergen, but
ok for him). His symptoms cleared up quite quickly, and we were able to add
in new simple food items, one at a time, until we had a picture of what
triggered his symptoms. He's now a healthy 11 year old, even though he
still has allergies and asthma. He takes much less medication, has
virtually no trips to the ER any more, and is mostly symptom-free. He still
takes preventative medications to help minimize the frequency and severity
of his asthma, and still occasionally has a reaction to foods that have
been "contaminated", but his overall health is quite good and he's growing
and thriving.

Of course, his parents need to find an allergist who is supportive of this
approach and who supervises it and a nutritionist who can tell whether his
needs are being met.

In addition to the food allergy angle, we had our son allergy tested, and
completely cleaned the house of all allergens: no more pets, no more
carpets, no more drapes, no more upholstered furniture. We also put in HEPA
filters. We are all doing better in this environment. An atopic child is
not just allergic to one thing, but to many. You've got to find a "clear"
diet and environment - one where he has the fewest symptoms - before you
can go on to determine exactly which items he is allergic to.

Their first task is to learn, learn, learn. They should get Thomas Plaut's
or Nancy Sanders' books on being the parent of an asthmatic. They should
join Mothers of Asthmatics. They should read everything they can on food
allergies. Once they do, they'll be more likely to get past the initial
denial and realize that they can do something in addition to the
medications. Their son needs their help - the pediatrician alone cannot
solve this one for them - they must step in and be an appropriate advocate
for their child.

Good luck and feel free to write back.

Mark

Mark Feblowitz