Mia’s Story: Girl Can Only Eat 5 Foods

Peanuts, gluten and lactose intolerance, are allergies that are commonplace in the United States. They are all serious, but there are some conditions that are even more so.

The Dollman’s world turned upside down weeks after little Mia was born because she started having serious allergic reactions. Now, she can only have five foods: blueberries, bananas, rice, soy and strawberries.

Jennifer and Gary Dollman remember how they felt the moment they saw her for the first time.

“I think we both cried,” said Jennifer.

“It was beautiful,” said Gary.

Allergies run in the family and the Dollman’s knew something was wrong at six weeks. Mia suffered from rashes, vomiting and diarrhea even from breastfeeding, and the reactions only kept getting worse.

“It was heartbreaking,” said Gary, “because it is one of those things where you want to do everything you can, but you really can’t do anything.”

Jennifer said it took too long for doctors to take them seriously, but the allergies son started spiraling out of control.

“She was failure to thrive by 12 months. She was losing weight, and wasn’t gaining anything,” said Jennifer.

Little Mia had a G-tube surgically implanted into her body when she was still a baby. It pumps nutrients into her body because five foods is just not enough. In heartbreaking pictures Mia’s family members can be seen holding her little arms down because she would try and pull it out. She now carries the feeding system in a backpack with her at all times.

Still, Gary and Jennifer make sure Mia eats something orally everyday, and just like any kid, she gets picky. Bananas can be iffy.

“She won’t eat them raw or from the peel. We chop them up and turn them into different shapes. There is not a lot you can do with a banana,” said Jennifer.

Doctors cannot say with 100 percent certainty what is wrong with Mia, so they are going off their best guess.

“She has a disease called Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis. It is the closest diagnosis we have been able to get to solving her little mystery. She doesn’t quite fit into any of the other diagnoses,” said Jennifer.

Jennifer and Gary have worked hard to teach their daughter that her condition is should be a reason to be better and prove people wrong.

At six years-old, Mia is well versed in telling adults what she can and cannot eat. She knows what is in the formula that nourishes her and knows how to work her feeding system.

Mia also understands that her condition is likely a lifelong one.

“After when I grow up, I am going to have a bigger backpack because this one is too small for grownups,” said Mia.

Mia wants to be a Coast Guard helicopter pilot. She had to grow up fast to understand her condition, but she is a happy kid. She said so herself.