Macaroni Isn’t The Same Without Cheese: Danny’s Story About His Eosinophilic Esophagitis

In their book, Eating Isn't Always Easy, pediatric psychologist Nancy S. Rotter, PhD and gastroenterologist Qian Yuan, MD, PhD, explored the journey of a young child with eosinophilic esophagitis and provided an engaging story that children and parents dealing with similar issues could relate to. Now the authors return with a second book, geared toward slightly older children aged six through eight. Like their previous title, Macaroni Isn't the Same Without Cheese features a main character with EoE as he deals with the medical testing, dietary restrictions, and the everyday ins and outs of life with this illness. Seven-year-old Danny enjoys playing video games, spending time with his friends and family, and exploring the woods behind his house. He also enjoys hamburgers, pizza, and ice cream. But while others around him seem to eat anything they want, Danny isn't able to enjoy some of his favorite foods anymore. He has a condition called eosinophilic esophagitis, or EoE, which causes certain foods to irritate his esophagus and make him feel sick. For Danny, those foods include dairy, peanuts, and potatoes-but it took a long time, and a lot of tests, to figure that out. Starting when he was a baby, Danny always had trouble eating food. He would often choke, gag, and throw up, and he had difficulty gaining weight. This made his parents very worried. So when he was almost four, his parents brought him to see a stomach doctor-also known as a gastroenterologist-to try and figure out why. He had a test called an endoscopy, or "scope," so Dr. Rubin could see inside of his body. After finding out about his EoE, Danny met even more doctors. There is Dr. Anderson, an allergist, who does tests to find out if he has any food allergies-and Dr. Sweet, a psychologist, who has an office full of toys and art supplies, who he can talk to about his feelings about his EoE, elimination diets. or anything at all. Living with EoE isn't always easy. Sometimes it makes him sad or angry. Macaroni isn't the same without cheese, and he sometimes misses being able to eat the same foods as everyone else. But the good news is, Danny doesn't feel sick all the time like he used to. He can still explore the woods behind his house, and he can still play soccer and video games. He's even met some new friends who follow special diets too. Featuring colorful illustrations and relatable, child-friendly language, Macaroni Isn't the Same Without Cheese is a realistic look at the life of a second grader with eosinophilic esophagitis throughout the diagnosis and treatment process. While addressing the real-life frustrations and obstacles familiar to children and caretakers dealing with EoE and food allergies, it also provides a message of hope-letting children know that they aren't alone in their disorder, and can still live a happy life and enjoy all their favorite activities with the help of support from their families and medical professionals.

Qian Yuan, MD, PhD, is the clinical director of the Food Allergy Center at Massachusetts General Hospital and an assistant professor in pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. A specialist in pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition, Dr. Yuan attended Beijing Second Medical College in Beijing, China, and earned his PhD in immunology at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. Nancy S. Rotter, PhD, is a licensed pediatric psychologist with more than two decades of clinical experience. The assistant director of the outpatient child and adolescent psychiatry service at Massachusetts General Hospital and an assistant professor (part-time) in child psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, she regularly treats children with food allergies and eosinophilic gastrointestinal conditions and collaborates with allergists, gastroenterologists, nutritionists, and feeding specialists in the Food Allergy Center. Dr. Rotter also has a private practice in Newton, Massachusetts.