A case for food sensitivity testing

One day my wife and I noticed a patch of rough skin on my 16 month-old son’s neck. Shortly after this, patches formed on his back and was getting worse by the day. They were light red, rough and itchy. These are the classic signs of eczema, which is very common in kids. He was having problems sleeping from the itching and we believe some digestive discomfort as well.

We tested him for food sensitivities. Soy, cow dairy, wheat, egg whites, apple, banana, and peanuts tested strong so we removed them from his diet and replaced them with nutritious alternatives. Interestingly, at this time he craved egg yolks and would refuse to eat the egg whites. I find that children's' taste for foods correlates well with food sensitivities quite often. Of course with the exception of sugar. All kids like sweet things even though most kids are sensitive to it!

I also added some naturopathic remedies from our dispensary. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG has even been shown to prevent cavities and strep throat in kids. I used a liposomal Vitamin D spray to support his immune system because and it's easy to administer as a spray. Liposomal based remedies have superior absorption and deliver the nutrients inside the cells where they are needed. We used Manuka Honey and calendula cream to soothe his skin and gave him immediate relief from itching so he could sleep.

We noticed that when he was exposed to the sensitive foods, like cow's milk, over the next few days the patches would flare up again. The eczema patches did not spread after the dietary changes. Now after 2 months the patches are almost completely gone and we do not have to use the cream. He is also sleeping through the night and we have noticed he is much calmer. 

Combining the food sensitivity testing with nutritional remedies provided great results and I was excited to share this with you all. We have seen many of our patients benefit from the testing alone but from my experience combining this with other forms of naturopathic care ultimately brings the best results since most long-term health problems are multifactorial.

Over the years, I have seen naturopathic medicine shine for the vast majority of my family's health problems. Our family doctor is always impressed with the level of our children's health. I can not remember the last time we had to use a medication. I want to keep it this way. I wish all people could experience this wonderful kind of care but I know that there is often a financial barrier. Many do not even know that naturopathic medicine exists. That said, it is estimated that the majority of Canadians have extended health insurance and do not even realize that it may cover some of the costs for naturopathic consults!