Re: Brainstorming... Jhan please review...

Wow...that sounds so overwhelming. It is very hard when you don't have important people "on board" with you. You may have a huge job ahead of you trying to get their support. When you're up against all that, if at all possible working with someone locally may be very helpful to you. I really commend you for learning all you can like that, and doing what you can to help your daughter. Don't give up! This is NOT your fault, and it is an extremely difficult situation for any parent.

If the doctor you're working with doesn't get it, try asking around to find one that does treat yeast. Then, if that doctor works out, see if you can get grandma and dad to come along to the visit. For some strange reason, people will sometimes take the doctor's word directly, even when they won't respond when they are told the very same thing by a family member. Spouses are especially bad, you have plenty of company there! What I did is cleaned the house of all foods that could not be eaten on the diet. This worked for me, because I was working with a doctor that had a much less restrictive diet than many people on this board use. This meant (per my doctor): absolutely no vinegar and no malt (maltodextrin, barley malt, etc.) Those were the most important. No moldy foods like aged cheeses (we kept on with american cheese, mozarella, cream cheese, other fresh cheeses). No yeast products. (We were also recommended no chocolate, nuts, cottonseed oil. These we did not follow exactly, just cut way back). Our doctor found that this diet was sufficient for 80% of his patients- he kept track. Only 20% needed more restrictions, like no sugar, etc. (We cut back on sugar, just because it's a good idea to do so).

Snack ideas- peanut butter crackers (careful no malt)... yeah the peanut butter is not the greatest, but this is better than the yeast bread. And she'll likely eat it. Berries. Frozen peas- for some reason at that age my kids loved 'em frozen. Carrot sticks- really any veggie she'd accept. I used fresh cheeses as snacks, too bad that won't be ok for her... OH! I've got it- some of the cereals in the store did not have malt- look for one without too much Sugar in it. Try general mills brand- they had some. Toddlers will eat cereal dry..so that may help you.

I'm giving you this level of detail because with a child who is 2 years old, it is so hard to do a strict diet, being too strict may end up meaning she's not on it at all. Maybe it won't be necessary for her to have too many restrictions, since so many people do fine with just these. There are people on the board who do much more extreme methods, you will need to figure out what is working for her. I'd recommend starting with the least restrictive, and then progress to eliminate more if that is necessary.

Bring your daughter's written diet needs to the daycare, if you haven't already. You may need to provide substitute snacks if they don't have what she needs.

I'd end the struggle about trying to get her to eat. She will eat, when she's hungry. She's doing that already, eh?

With money being a struggle, wait on the extra nutrients- yes she'll benefit from them but the priority has to be getting rid of the yeast that is depleting them. The rest can wait. I think the most potent inexpensive antifungal would be the oregano oil. (Nystatin is comparatively very expensive- 10 times the cost, and that is if insurance is footing a good part of the bill). If you get nothing else, I think that has the best chance of success. There are others you could try, but the very tiny gel form the oregano oil comes in will help you to administer it. Shop carefully so you don't get big capsules you can't use. Also, remember that garlic is helpful, when you cook supper, perhaps trying to throw some in whenever possible?

Well, I hope this was helpful to you. For local assistance, one place to try, (if you haven't) is a local health food store, usually the ones that are locally owned are the best help- at least in my town. Try calling ahead- you'll get a sense of how knowledgeable and helpful they are. They may be able to direct you to a doctor that can help, and they could also be a great source of helpful information, too. Yes, they will list more "helpful" things than you can afford, but if they are kind they may also help prioritize with you...figure out how to make progress within your budget. I sure hope so! Hang in there, and again, what you are doing is so important! I do hope that you find workable solutions. I'm not on every day, but I'll watch for you, in case you decide to post while you're looking for local help, or whenever... Best wishes for you and your daughter.