Special treatment for certain kids

[Anon]

Just wondering if any of you have experience with kids who have a certain problem and how you tend to deal with it?

I know our 4 yo has had chronic urticaria for two years now. He is on eight pills a day and still deals with some hives and itch each day, esp if he eats the wrong thing or gets a virus. He cannot have acids or preservatives in his food or drink. He can mostly only drink milk or water, but I'll give him pure apple juice (100% pure squeezed) in small amounts on occasion.

Anyway once in awhile it really hits me how good he takes this and I'm glad but also sad a little....yesterday I came home from shopping with a big Sam's Club fountain drink and my hot and thirsty boys who were all outside came running to see me. The two older ones immediately wanted a big swig from my soda. I let them...and Andrew, the 4 year old with hives, didn't even ask for a drink or seem to notice his brothers getting an icy cold drink. Now I know Andrew would LOVE some (he sometimes asks if he gets it when he's bigger) but he knows he can't.

Stuff like this happens quite often...I do buy him something special when I can, like his own water bottle or a chocolate milk on occasion (which is slightly "itchy" but not bad enough for a treat). So I do tend to find that if I can treat him special, by getting him something he wants sometimes or something, I will. Or making him his own special "non itchy" food of course. Stuff like that. I know there is a fine line between spoiling, and just trying to take the sting out of when he can't have what other kids have. I'm glad he will grow up independent, being content with what he has and not always wanting what others have (mostly in food) but in some areas I can see a slight "spoilage"...nothing too serious though.

Have any of you had any experience with a child who maybe had to be restricted in ways your other children did not have to be restricted...and did you do anything, even in a small way, to atone for that? I know life isn't fair...on the other hand, what four year old do you know that will stand there and watch his brothers chug down soda and not say a word?

Anyway just thinking. :-) I have the opportunity to buy a secondhand "truck/tractor" for him that is John Deere like the John Deere tractor mower that is the church's that my husband mows with. He loves to be like his daddy and he's wanted a tractor since his birthday but the new ones are too expensive. So I am going to get it for him.... I think its pretty "fair" because sometimes I buy the older boys video games and stuff for good grades or whatever (thought lately they've been too naughty and have had the game privilege revoked for quite some time) but sometimes I think my little guy goes through so much, being itchy all the time and having a different diet than everyone else, that I feel its nice to let him have something special.

Oh another cute note...he loves being with the men...he's daddy's boy...and loves men's prayer breakfast. He can't eat donuts or sausage or pretty much anything unless I make it at home from scratch...but he'd rather tote over a little tupperware bowl of Cheerios and milk and eat with the men, while the men eat donuts and other yummy things, than be left out of something with the "men". I just think its sad and cute both. :-)

[bzmomo7]

:-S Your little guy sure sounds special. Sounds like your doing a good job.

[trc123]

I agree, you are doing a fine job. Just continue to raise him in concert with your husband and the Lord's leading and he'll be fine!

[John81]

Oh another cute note...he loves being with the men...he's daddy's boy...and loves men's prayer breakfast. He can't eat donuts or sausage or pretty much anything unless I make it at home from scratch...but he'd rather tote over a little tupperware bowl of Cheerios and milk and eat with the men, while the men eat donuts and other yummy things, than be left out of something with the "men". I just think its sad and cute both. :-)

That is so cool! :thumb

And yeah, I'd get him that John Deere too. :Green

[HappyChristian]

Kita - there's a family in our church who has a child that has foods he has to avoid. I don't know if it's the same problem your son has or not, but I do know that they used to send some things with him to the nursery so that he would have something to eat when the other kids did. Also, whenever we have church eating times, he's always got his little bowl (he's still quite young...I'm sure the bowl will get bigger as he grows :smile ) of food. He sits at the table with everyone else and eats what he's got. I think he's too young right now to really realize that he's eating different food, but because it is something that is already second nature to him, and because no-one makes a big deal out of it, I don't think it'll bother him too much.

I don't blame you for getting him special treats sometimes. The example of your older boys getting a drink of your soda is an example of a treat for them, so your youngest should have some sometimes, too. And that John Deere tractor sounds like a great one! If you get it, you oughtta take a pic of him on it and post it - I'm sure it'll be cute!

[Anon]

Yeah we are always having to bring him some food, esp church fellowships....I usually make "Andrew friendly" food anyway but sometimes if its the only thing he has to eat, I have to run next door (home) and grab him something else. And he's getting really good about not minding having to drink water.

He knows he hates to be itchy so if he has to not drink anything fun, so be it I guess! Although he's awfully itchy today....sometimes its not food that triggers him, just unknown factors. Oh well!

Our next step btw is cyclosporine but it comes with so many risks I'm not ready yet, and the dr will not tell me to...she said most parents try to wait it out.

[JerryNumbers]

Prayers for whole family, I know it has to be tough on all, but more especially mother. I cannot even imagine what that would be like, but it sounds like he is taking it in stride. I just hope & pray at some point that there will be something that will help with this.

My wife works with a young woman, she is young to us, 39. She has diabetes real bad, and she does not eat right. I tell my wife, if I had it I would probably be just like her if not worse. Those who have such trouble and have to eat certain things, who do it, I have an extreme amount of respect for, including your son and the way he seems to be handling it.