✔️ Does your baby scream and cry for hours on end for no obvious reason?
✔️ Have you had trouble getting rid of blood or mucus in your baby’s diaper?
✔️ Did your child test negative to skin prick/scratch tests or IgE blood tests but you still feel food is the culprit?
✔️ Does your baby struggle with infant reflux or silent reflux and you want to avoid or get them off medication?
✔️ Does your baby choke or gag while breastfeeding or have frequent hiccups?
✔️ Have you seen some improvement with dietary changes but feel like there’s still a food causing trouble, you just can’t figure out what it is?
✔️ Are you a breastfeeding mom that’s tried an elimination diet (where you only eat a few foods for a period of time) only to find your baby’s symptoms have gotten worse?
✔️ Does your child struggle with behavior issues, attention difficulties, hyperactivity, bed-wetting, diarrhea, or constipation?
✔️ Are you frustrated with doctors not helping or ignoring your concerns?
If you nodded your head to any of the above, let us help you.
As parents, we’re the best advocates for our kids. We know when something’s wrong and we know when there’s something we can do to help them, but sometimes we just don’t know what that “something” is. Unfortunately, doctors either don’t have the time to work with us on these issues, or they don’t think they’re a big deal.
If you’re still reading, it’s likely you suspect food has something to do with your child’s symptoms. And guess what? You’re probably right. Those little immature digestive tracts and immune systems are super sensitive and often need a little extra TLC.
Click here for info about food sensitivity testing for adults.
Food sensitivities can affect kids in so many ways:
In babies we often see:
- Infant reflux/silent reflux
- Colic
- MSPI (milk soy protein intolerance)
- FPIES (food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome)
- Proctocolitis or allergic colitis
- Blood or mucus in stool/foul-smelling diapers
- Disrupted sleep
- Eczema
- Congestion/cough/ear infections
In toddlers and children we often see:
- Reflux
- Diarrhea/constipation
- Eczema
- Behavior issues: anger, aggression, hyperactivity, attention difficulty
- Sleep problems
- Bed-wetting
- Congestion/cough/ear infections
- Headaches
The good news? By eliminating trigger foods, we can usually resolve these symptoms, and often in just a couple weeks. Sometimes these dietary changes are permanent, but often they’re just temporary until we can calm down the immune system and/or digestive tract. Most of our clients see a 60-70% reduction in symptoms in the first 2 weeks.
So how do we put an end to the never-ending, frustrating guessing game? We use a simple blood test to identify reactions to 150 different foods and food chemicals. We discover what causes an immune response in your child (whether it’s IgG, IgM, IgA, t-cell mediated, etc.) and more importantly, we learn what doesn’t cause an immune response in your child. These foods and chemicals are different for everyone, which is why random elimination diets can be so frustrating.
We then use those “safe” (aka non-reactive) foods to build a custom diet for you (if you’re a breastfeeding mom) or your child. (Or both of you.) As symptoms resolve and inflammation decreases, we systematically add foods back in over the course of several weeks and months. This means you or your child won’t be starving or strictly limited for a long period of time.
What you can expect:
Once you make the decision that this is the program for you and your child, we’ll screen your application. We do this to make sure your child is a good candidate for both the test and the program. Our number one goal is to help your child and we refuse to set anyone up for failure, so we’ll let you know if we don’t think your child is a good fit. If they are, here’s what else you can expect:
We’ll mail you a test kit.
- You’ll take the kit to a lab or doctor’s office for a blood draw (we can help you find one, but typically places like AnyLabsNow, etc. will do it for a nominal fee) sometime after 12pm.
- You’ll include a few forms in the kit, including one that lets us know what foods you don’t eat (so they won’t be included in your eating plan).
- You’ll drop the box off at FedEx (it’s already paid for) immediately after the test.
You’ll get your results.
- Your child’s results will include a 60+ page booklet explaining about different foods, food chemicals, eating tips, etc. It’s a huge book. Do Not Panic. You also get a wallet-sized color-coded cheat sheet that reminds you what foods you are the most reactive to.
- We go over your child’s results and build a custom, guided meal plan (see, told you not to panic. You won’t do this alone.)
Follow the eating plan.
- Your child (or you, if you’re a breastfeeding mom) will follow his or her specific diet (usually 20-25 foods) for about 2 weeks, then check back in on his or her symptoms. We make adjustments and/or start adding in new foods.
- Most people see a 60-80% reduction in symptoms in these first 2 weeks. Pretty cool, right?
- You get constant support, no matter what. We’re just an email away.
[Click here for info about food sensitivity testing for adults.]
Ready to finally get rid of those symptoms? Scroll to the bottom to grab a program application.
For caregivers of infants & kids with food sensitivities: Join our FREE support group.
FAQ
What’s the difference between food allergies and food sensitives?
To keep it short and sweet, food allergies are caused by something in our body called IgE. Food allergies are what most of us think of when we think of peanut allergies – anaphylaxis, hives, life-threatening emergency. Food sensitivities are caused by other things in our blood such as IgG, IgM, IgA, and t-cells. They can cause immediate or delayed reactions that include diarrhea, reflux, constipation, eczema, joint pain, mood changes, and more. Sensitivities are notoriously hard to figure out because they can happen up to days later and can be dose-dependent (meaning it depends on how much you ate). We do NOT test for IgE food allergies.
I’ve been told food sensitivity testing is inaccurate. What gives?
Food allergy testing is pretty straight forward, but when it comes to food sensitivity testing or food intolerance testing, things can get a little murky. Most tests look for the antibody (typically IgG) that can lead to a reaction. Sometimes it will provide a clear cut answer, but often it won’t. The problem is that sometimes IgG can be good – it can be protecting us. Other times it shows up as a “positive” simply because we’ve eaten the food recently or frequently. On the other hand, it can show a “negative” to a food we’ve never had or haven’t eaten a long time. Then we eat that food thinking it’s safe, only to still have symptoms.
How is this test different?
We use patented functional mediator release testing. Without getting super scientific on you, it tests for evidence of a reaction, regardless of what caused it. It looks for things like histamines, cytokines, etc. You might recognize these words from dealing with environmental allergies (think “antihistamine” drugs). They cause inflammation which can manifest in a million different ways: stomach or skin issues, joint pain, headaches, brain fog, depression, etc.
One of the most useful parts of the test is that it tell us what foods are SAFE for us. We start there, ease the symptoms, and then add foods in one at a time, seeing how they make us feel. Plus it tests for sneaky food chemicals as well, like dyes and additives.
Does it test for food allergies?
NO. It’s very important to understand that this test will not reveal standard IgE food-allergies, although you can still use this test if you have known food allergies. Often people have a mix of allergies and sensitivities.
Do I have to eliminate these foods forever?
Sometimes, but usually no. Often we end up with so much inflammation in our gut that it becomes “leaky”, meaning it lets all kind of particles through that it shouldn’t. Our immune system then attacks them and we get a reaction. It’s not reacting to that food specifically, it’s just reacting because it knows that item shouldn’t be there. Once we’ve eliminated the problem-causing foods, we can reduce inflammation and let the gut heal, then sometimes we can tolerate many of the foods that used to a problem. Sometimes you’ll choose to keep certain foods out of your diet just because you feel so good.
How quickly will I see results?
It varies by individually, but most people see a marked improvement in symptoms within the first 7-10 days, with symptoms continuing to improve over the next 4-6 weeks.
My infant is breastfed. Can I still do this program?
Yes! We test your baby, then have the breastfeeding mother follow the prescribed diet. If your baby is also eating solids, he or she will follow the diet as well.
How old does my baby have to be?
Age will vary, but your baby typically needs to be a minimum of 16 pounds in order to draw blood (can determine with doctor & lab)
More Questions
Where are you located? We’re 100% virtual – meaning you don’t have to figure out how to cram another appointment into your already busy day. (Seriously, we know what it’s like trying to schedule an appointment around a cranky baby or nap time or school schedules.) You can choose to meet with our dietitian through secure video chat, by phone, or even entirely through email if you prefer. (If you’re really curious though, we’re in NC – and therefore follow all licensure laws as set by that state.)
How many appointments are included? We work a little out of the box here. We don’t think a set number of appointments is the best way to go. We want you to be able to get the support you need when you need it and not skip an appointment because it will cost you more. Instead, we build a working relationship together. (To give you a more concrete answer, typically we formally check in with an initial appointment to review your results and build your eating plan, then around 10-14 days, and again around 30 days, but we cater to your individual needs along the way.)
Do you take insurance? We do not, but you can use your HSA/FSA account. We can also provide a superbill for possible insurance reimbursement (but as an out-of-network provider we can not make any claims about whether you’d get reimbursed or not). Payment is due in order to enroll in the program, although we do offer payment plans.
What if I have other issues besides food sensitivities? Remember how we said food sensitivities can cause all kinds of inflammation? Well, it can be hard to see what’s really going on through that thick fog of inflammation. Avoiding certain foods for a little while might be all you need, but if you have a complicated case, it’s a lot easier to figure out what other support you need once all that inflammation is cleared out. We like to think of the MRT test and associated LEAP eating program as a “windshield wiper” – it clears the way to see if anything else is going on. If there are additional issues at play, we’ll address them separately as needed. (Frequently people opt to do a micronutrient test to make sure they don’t have any lingering deficiencies, especially if they’ve been sick a long time.)
Ready to finally get your child feeling better? Request a program application below and we’ll get back to you ASAP (we know you’re ready to put an end to your child’s health issues, we won’t make you wait any longer than necessary!)
For caregivers of infants & kids with food sensitivities: Join our FREE support group.