Question:
My 8-yr-old daughter breaks out with acne on her face after eating
chocolate. She has been skin tested and has a whole host of
allergies. Can anyone tell me if they have had experience with the acne as an
allergic reaction? Is it possible it is just coincidence, or from
the sugar and not the cocoa?
Also the allergist did say to avoid chocolate, caffeine,
aspartame, and food colouring. I'd sure like to know how to avoid
food colouring!
She loves chocolate and candy, as do most kids. It is very hard to
refuse her, esp. as she isn't having a life-threatening reaction.
I've told her I'm not going to buy expensive cream for her face so
that she can eat chocolate.
Anyone have any other suggestions? She accepts chocolate at school
from her friends on occasion. I can always tell by looking at her
face. The Brownie leader insists on chocolate in everything and
makes her feel different because she has to eat something
different. The last day before March break, the teacher made the
class a cake with chocolate icing. Two days later, looking at the
broken-out chin, I asked my daughter if she had indeed eaten
chocolate. She told me about the cake.
How do we convince these people not to give chocolate? Several
years ago, she got a 2 lb solid chocolate bunny from her teacher
... for being the most cooperative student that week. Aaaaaarrrgh!
Answer:
Well, I make everything that is served in this house from scratch
ingredients. That includes canning all the veggies and fruits we use.
It has made a MAJOR difference in the health of all of the allergic
people in the house. 1. It could become one quite easily.
2. There are all-natural candies available, or you could make your own. It's about time to have a chat with these people. Accomodating a
chocolate allergy is NOT difficult. Well, personally, I would have a chat with the teacher, etc., and point
out that 1] giving my daughter a chocolate 'reward' isn't a reward at
all, as she can't eat it; and 2] giving children food rewards in general
is a bad idea, because it promotes the idea of food and eating as
comfort activities. What the kids want is the RECOGNITION . . . when my
wards were your daughter's age, getting to pick out a sticker to put in
their album was WAY cool. Status was having the whole set awarded by
the teacher. You can promote the same idea amongst the adults in her
life for the other holidays you mentioned, too. To respond to the below, yes, I have consequenced her, and yes I
have talked to the Brownie leader (more than once), but if the
child wants to eat it, and will eat it on the sly, and you're just
not sure ... what can you do? After all, the other kids are eating
chocolate and if they give her a piece ... do you honestly expect
her to say no, or to eat it and then tell me?
Of course, she went to my husband's ex's parents yesterday (she's
actually a stepchild) and I just heard Dad comment on a zit which
has appeared on her nose ... it is not too difficult to figure out
why, and you should see the load of candy (foodcoloring!) that
came back home.
1. Talk to a doctor on how serious it is or is not.
2. When 8 gets older appearance will start to make a huge difference and
things should change.
3. IMHO There is NO way you can force her not to eat chocolate at this
age.
