But Crackers Would Settle Your Stomach!

[Juliebove]

The other day, my daughter had severe stomach pains. We didn't exactly know the cause at the time. I began to figure it out that night and the Dr. confirmed it the next day. Allergic reaction to Claritin D. Alas the Dr. said it takes a good 4 days for the medicine to get out of the system. Said she would be sick for 4 days but each day would be a little better. It is a little better in that now she can eat a bite of two of something. At the worst part, she could eat nothing at all.

Anyway... When she first became sick, I had a tire problem on my car. Rather than take my daughter in there and make her wait with me, I opted to leave her with my mom. When I left, she was on the couch with a blanket. I thought my mom would just let her sleep. But, no!

I returned to find my daughter quite agitated. My mother kept insisting that she eat crackers because they would settle her stomach. Daughter said something like, "But don't crackers have wheat in them?" I think she honestly didn't know because she probably doesn't remember eating them. I did buy her Goldfish when she was really little. But mostly I didn't keep crackers in the house because I don't really like them myself and my husband doesn't usually eat them either. Yes, we do buy Schar gluten-free crackers from time to time. Some corn crackers from Trader Joe's that are more like little tortilla chips. And once in a blue moon, some gluten-free rice crackers. I do not know what kind of crackers my mom tried to make her eat, but she knew they weren't those.

My mom first told her she didn't know if they had wheat in them or not. My parents attitude seems to be what you don't know won't hurt you. I have seen this time and again. Mom is allergic to eggs and isn't supposed to have wheat (for arthritis) but time and again eats waffles, pancakes, muffins, etc. Each time claiming that she didn't know there was wheat or eggs in them. Daughter then told her to check the box for ingredients. Her reply was that she didn't have the box. *sigh*

Daughter didn't eat the crackers and was most perturbed that my mom kept trying to force her to eat them, insisting that crackers would make her tummy feel better! Gah! I should add that daughter doesn't have celiac, but a wheat allergy. She still gets stomach pains if she does eat wheat. Not that she actually eats it but there have been times when she ate a "may contain traces of" or what we suspected was a cross contaminated food and she did get very sick. So she knows better than to eat wheat!

[AlysounRI]

Julie:

It's not the crackers that settle your stomach - it's the **salt**.

It's good for nausea, as well as general stomach malaise like D.

Even if she could have a piece of sliced gluten-free bread with butter and lots of salt that would probably do the trick.

[Salax]

That's interesting. It didn't know that, it's the salt! Hmph. Thank. Makes sense now.

[Juliebove]

That's interesting. It didn't know that, it's the salt! Hmph. Thank. Makes sense now.

I didn't know it either but that's probably why some Drs. tell you to have sports drinks when you are sick.

She has the big D now. Had it twice so hopefully the med is getting out of her system. I gave her some plain chicken breast (it was processed so I know it had salt) and some plain white rice for dinner. I would hesitate to let her have butter or margarine given the circumstances.

I feel (but am not sure) that since this is an allergic reaction to the med and not an actual illness, that the regular dietary rules might not apply here. I am really not sure what was causing the severe stomach pain. She literally could not eat at all for the past couple of days. Not even popsicles. I found several popsicles in the trash with just about an inch eaten from them. Today is the first time she has had an appetite and when I ask her if her stomach hurts, she says she doesn't know. Her ear is still plugged though. *sigh*

[Jestgar]

It's not the crackers that settle your stomach - it's the **salt**.

It's good for nausea, as well as general stomach malaise like D.

I've never heard this. Do you have a reference?