Episode 8 Live Q&A: Karen Fischer (Nutritionist)
Former TV presenter, Karen Fischer, is now a qualified nutritionist; health columnist and an author (health book due for release in 2008). She specialises in skin complaints, eczema and diet.
My 2 year old daughter seems to be allergic to every orange food (fruits and vegetables, such as pumpkin, carrots, peaches, aprictos) and those high in vitamin C content (broccoli, avocado. eggplant), she gets a bad rash if she eats anything with added Vitamin C or citric acid – do you have any advice of what I can do other than avoid these foods?
Your child may have salicylate sensitivity as the foods mentioned are all high in this natural plant chemical. This sensitivity is very common in eczema sufferers. Salicylates are found in many fruits and vegetables (and products such as sauces and gravies). Salicylates don’t usually pose a problem to our health but in the case of eczema, the liver clears them out too slowly so they build up and contribute to inflammation. Temporarily take all of these foods out of the diet and speak to a naturopath about a suitable children’s supplement to help reduce salicylate sensitivity. See the eczema fact sheet on the Huggies website for more information on ‘implementing dietary changes for two months.’
Kind regards, Karen
What can i feed my 8 month old other than the tinned food for lunch. I’m really stuck on what to give him? Also he has very bad eczema, how can i help this?
Hi, For an 8 month old you can give your child vegetables, beans and rice that are cooked and pureed (a small food processor makes it easy and quick). Serve lukewarm and freeze leftovers in a ice cube container. Best food choices for eczema are potato, choko, peas, kidney beans, baby rice, carrot and sweet potato. See my Eczema Fact Sheet online for more information on eczema.
Kind regards, Karen
hi karen i have a 15month old little girl, she only has 4 teeth and i am presuming she is teething, we have some good days and bad days of eating, my concern though is how much dairy should she have daily? and she gets a rash around her mouth from certain cheeses, mainly spreads, would that be preservitives or could it be a dairy allergy…? she seems to be fine with plain cows milk, no reaction..she has always had very sensitive skin though. with eczema behind her knees and on her torso..its seems to have cleared now though..it seems to be effected by the weather.. the other problem i have had with her, is ulcers? what could be causing these, and whats the best way to treat them…its causing us sleepless nights? thanks caryn
Your child is at the perfect age to effectively treat eczema. Preservatives and other artificial additives can trigger an eczema flare-up so it’s best to avoid them. Dairy can trigger eczema flare ups but she doesn’t need to avoid all dairy if her skin has cleared up. Dairy dosage for a 15 month old is 2 bottles of full cream milk (can be diluted with ½ water) per day, plus one extra serve of dairy (yoghurt or plain cheese with no preservatives or additives). The ulcers suggest she has too much acid in her system. This can happen from not having enough leafy greens in the diet or she just may be prone to excess acid in the body (this is very common with eczema sufferers). Alkalising foods can help immensely (veggies etc). Speak to your doctor about her ulcers (as I’m sure you already have). Lots of extra hugs can also help if her ulcers are caused by a nervous tummy (as hugging releases endorphins that can reduce inflammation in the body!)
Kind regards, Karen
My daughter has bad eczema. What kind of food should she avoid to improve her eczema and she has constipation as well, is it related? I’m really confused because I’ve heard that a few foods aren’t allowed for eczema but at the same time different foods, so exactly what kind of food makes it worse? Please help, as her eczema and constipation are bad.
Hi, I have some eczema information for you on the fact sheet ‘"Nutrition for Eczema (Nutrition for Eczema)":/baby-care/health/skin-care/eczema, for more information. Constipation can be caused by many things and I’m not sure how only your daughter is or what diet she’s having so I’ll give you some general information: Constipation can be caused by dehydration (not enough water, sleeping under doona’s as they cause sweating, not enough fibre coupled with too much dairy and protein/low fibre foods). Water, fruit, grainy carbohydrates and veggies can help. See a nutritionist for more information.
Cheers, Karen
Hi Karen, I have heard different advise on reducing the risk of peanuts allegies in your baby by avoiding it completely while breast feeding due to the childs immune system not maturing till 3-5 years of age. I love peanut butter and reduced from eating it daily to two-three times a week while pregnant and now that I am breastfeeding my 3.5month baby have cut it out altogether. I dont have any peanut allegies in my family history but want to avoid the possibility of peanut allegies in my baby daughter Leela. What is your advise in regards to consuming peanut butter and products while breastfeeding. Im loving your show by the way and watch it most days and have let every new mum I know about it..look forward to more episodes on new mum topics… looking forward to your response Danielle.
Hi Danielle,
Great question! The British Nutrition Foundation suggests that pregnant or breastfeeding women who suffer from allergies or have a family history of allergies, allergic asthma or eczema (in their immediate family), should avoid eating peanuts and peanut-containing products during pregnancy and breastfeeding. So Danielle it depends on your family history, you may not have to avoid peanut butter. However avoiding peanut butter and other processed nut products (that may be rancid during processing and long periods of time in storage) can be a good idea if you’re concerned. Allergy specialists now suspect that processed nuts and other food products that aren’t fresh, when consumed during pregnancy/breastfeeding could be contributing to severe peanut and seed allergies that we see today. If you want to eat nuts, have them freshly shelled or favour almonds as they don’t tend to go rancid. I learnt this the hard way as we didn’t have this information when I was pregnant. My daughter has a significant walnut allergy and I ate rancid walnuts (often) when I was pregnant and breastfeeding. Keep enjoying Mums and Bubs! Karen
When I change my baby from solely breast milk to food, what is the best foods to start with and how do I know if my allergies will affect her?
Hi, Good question. Begin your bub on baby rice mixed with boiled water (cooled before serving). You can do this at 5 or 6 months of age. Then give your bub one new food ever three days – this will help you identify allergies. Allergy signs include red dots around the mouth, increased painful-sounding crying, redness (face/body) and swelling. If you notice any of these then speak to your doctor immediately. Swelling, although very rare, is particularly dangerous so if it occurs call 000 for further advice.
Karen
Hi, I have 16 months old twins. My daughter only has 4 teeth and will only eat pureed food. She will nibble on biscuits. My son has 10 teeth and eats everything. Is this normal and should I wait to give her more lumpier food until she gets more teeth? She also gets constipated if she eats yoghurt, so I have started to give her soy milk products instead of the normal dairy products. Is this ok? Thank you for your time. Sabine
Hi Sabine,
Thanks for your question. Yes, you can give your daughter lumpier food, just make sure she knows to chew her food lots before swallowing. It’s good for her to get used to eating more solid foods as it will help prevent her from being a fussy eater (don’t worry, there’s always one in the family!). Dairy can unfortunately contribute to constipation. Give her lots of water and fruit when she’s constipated. You can also give her fibre-rich foods such as kidney beans (flavoured with tomato sauce if she won’t eat them on their own) and veggies. Soy milk is also okay at her age. Cheers, Karen
Hi Karen, my daughter suffers quiet bad from eczema & constipation and is seeing doctors regarding this as it’s been a problem since she was 6 mths old. Im just wondering what foods may be causing this? Any suggestions would be great Thanks for your time Kristy
Hi Kristy, There are many factors that contribute to and cause eczema. I find the quickest way to reduce the severity of eczema and constipation is to take dairy products out of the diet for two months (then re-test dairy to see if it makes the problems worse again). I don’t know how old your child is so I can’t tell you whether this advice is right for your child. Over the age of 1 year it’s quite easy to do an elimination diet however you should speak to a nutritionist about dairy alternatives and amounts of calcium specific for your child’s age.
Kind regards, Karen
I have an 11 month old boy who is a terrible eater. At the moment he eats half a weet bix for breakfast and that is it fir the day. i offer but he refuses! he has 2-3 bottles a day but always offered a long time after food. any suggestions and will he just eat when he is ready.
Welcome to the world of fussy eaters! Don’t worry too much as your child is still very young and he will change his ways if you show him who’s boss now (I have found this practically takes a degree in psychology to convince a child to eat healthy food but just stick to your convictions and don’t give in). Once your child turns one he needs to eat more solid foods and have less milk. Two bottles a day is fine but don’t let him favour dairy over all other foods as he will need veggies, meat and healthy carbohydrates to grow big and strong. Good luck!
Karen
I have a 6 month old baby boy who has eczema behind his knees, on his forearms and in his foot crease. What cream can you use that is natural and suitable for that age plus also any suggestions for what may have caused it so I can rectify. He is formula fed and now on solids, however he developed it not long after birth when he was breastfed. It isn’t severe but something I would like to get a handle on. Both my husband and I had eczema as kids so it is in the family. Thanks !
Eczema in the family history! All you can do is try dietary changes (“"Nutrition for eczema":/baby-care/health/skin-care/eczema” fact sheet). Also, I will have an article on creams and moisturising ingredients for eczema on my website (www.healthbeforebeauty.com) early next month. Sorry I can’t give you more info now as it would not be comprehensive enough to help you (as different creams suit different people and I’ll be doing an independent review that is pages long). There is more info on eczema on the Huggies website for you…
Kind regards, Karen
Hi Karen, My daughter is 6 months old and has had eczema from nearly day one its getting harder as now she is eating and no one seems to be able to help in guiding me in the right direction for her diet at the moment all i give her is pear pumpkin and carrot and she is also 1/2 breast feed and 1/2 formula, i would really like it if you can help me in what kind of foods would be good for her and what i should stay clear from. Thanks Kelly
Hi Kelly, I have some great information for you on the following link on the Huggies website (see ‘"Nutrition for Eczema (Nutrition for Eczema)":/baby-care/health/skin-care/eczema’).
Kind regards, Karen
Dear Karen, My family is lacto-ovo vegetarian. My 10.5month will eat everything that we do (fruit & vege, tofu and lentils, as well as foods from other cultures {curries, asian stir frys}). As we try to maintain a well balanced diet, (with little to no processed and/or packet food) is all this food ok for him to eat? (as yet nothing seems to upset his tummy.)
Hi, Yes, this diet should be perfectly fine. Just make sure that you ‘combine’ vegetarian protein for your child so he eats ‘complete’ protein. For example: grains + legumes = complete protein as all the amino acids for building muscles (etc) are present. Another example is: legumes/beans/nuts/seeds + grains (rice/oats/wheat/rye) = complete protein. E.g. homemade beans on toast would be a complete protein meal (and even better with a couple of veggies!).
Cheers, Karen
Hi, my 6 yers old daughter have very bad eczema since she was a baby. We have tried many things to help her with eczema eg. creams, diet etc. Nothing works. What is the best way to minimise the itching and red, dry flaky skin? what kind of food is the best to eliminate that make it worse and can affect? Heard your daughter have eczema too, what did you do with her eczema? Ally
Hi Ally, I have some great info for you on the fact sheet ‘"Nutrition for Eczema (Nutrition For Eczema)":/baby-care/health/skin-care/eczema’ on the Huggies website… With my daughter I used a combination of diet, probiotic supplement that was very specific for eczema (not all of them work the same), avoiding food additives, no dairy/tomato and I have the rest for you of the link below.
Kind regards, Karen
Hi Karen…I’m 5 months pregnant and was just wondering about the chances of my baby developing eczema, the reason for this is that the father of my baby has suffered very bad eczema and asthma his whole life and I also suffer from asthma. Thank you Michelle
Hi Michelle,
Do you really want to know? According to the research your bub has an 80% chance of developing eczema BUT the good news is that there is a 20% chance your bub won’t get eczema! All you can do is have a healthy diet and don’t stress about it (as stress is bad for you). You can also reduce your bubs chances of developing peanut/nut allergies by avoiding peanut butter, salted peanuts/nuts, and nut/seed pastes that may have rancid nuts/seeds such as hummus, tahini, peanut butter.
Kind regards, Karen
Hi Karen My daughter Zoe is 16 weeks old and we have just been told by our doctor that she has excema. On doctors advise we were told to use Sigmacort 1% ointment for 2 weeks, twice daily & bathe her in QV Wash. It is on her stomach, under her arms and a little on her back. As this is not a natural product I am concerned as to what effect this shall have on her. Do you have any advise onto what to do and any natural alternatives that can be used? Your advise is much appreciated, thanking you in advance. Deborah
Hi Deborah,
I understand your concerns. I found it’s best to begin with medicated creams to reduce a child’s pain, while you search for better, long-term solutions so don’t feel bad about this. I will have a product review of natural creams on my website early next month as I’ve got lots of client feed back on good natural products. However today you can find some useful information on the fact sheet “"Nutrition for Eczema":/baby-care/health/skin-care/eczema,” just follow the link.
Kind regards, Karen
Hello Karen, I have a 10 month old beautiful little boy and he breaths quite heavily (very chesty). I’ve been told they can’t diagnose asthma until he is two – but is there any food he should or shouldn’t be eating to help this situation? I appreciate any help, as I know I need to be doing more. Thanks Karen :)
Hi, Poor little fella! I don’t know what he’s eating or drinking but dietary changes might ease some of the chest congestion. It sounds like you need to get him off dairy as soon as possible (if he is having any, as he may still be breast fed?). Dairy is mucous producing so it will only contribute to his discomfort however you need to speak to a nutritionist specialising in children’s health and ask about non-dairy alternatives and calcium alternatives for your child. If you are still breastfeeding then you could take add omega-3 and probiotic supplements. See the information on probiotics (on the" fact sheet":/baby-care/health/skin-care/eczemap) for you and your child as probiotics can help.
Kind regards, Karen
My 2 year old son has severe allergies to Dairy, nuts and eggs. He also suffers from dry skin and eczema since birth. We use QV cream daily for the dry skin. Jack can have soy products but I’m finding it very difficult to find a cheese that does NOT contain any form of dairy in it. Is there such a product? Renee
Hi, Yes there is soy cheese that does not contain dairy but it may not taste very nice so try other soy alternatives instead. See the fact sheet for more information. Kind regards,
Karen
I have an 18 month old girl. She has had two colds in the past 4 months that she doesn’t seem able to shake – always with runny nose, etc for about 4 weeks each time. I ensure she has vegies/fruit and have started a multivitamin.. Is there anything else you can suggest to help me help her?? Thanks Cath
Hi Cath, It sounds like you are certainly doing the right thing giving her fruits, veggies and a children’s multi. I find that when a child has a cold its best to avoid dairy as it makes the child (or adult) more congested. At your daughter’s age she is developing her immune system so it is very normal for her to pick up every flu bug going around! This is actually good for building a strong immune system before she goes to school. Her immune system should be much stronger soon (I can’t say when but it should be pretty good by the age of three or earlier). Kind regards,
Karen
For more information see Episode 8 Health or Parenting .
