No matter how restricted your diet is, it's probably not as narrow as Tylor Savage's, who appeared on NBC's Today show last week. Twelve-year-old Tylor can eat six foods (chicken, tuna, carrots, potatoes, grapes, and apples), along with a special type of formula that he takes through a feeding tube.

Tylor's allergies are caused by a rare disorder called eosinophilic enteropathy (EE). In eosinophilic disorders, the body produces extremely high numbers of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell associated with some allergies, autoimmune disorders, and parasitic infections. (According to the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders, some cases of EE are allergic in nature, while some are not.) Eosinophilic disorders can affect many parts of the digestive tract, including the esophagus and stomach, and symptoms may include difficulty swallowing and severe heartburn.

The use of a feeding tube, followed by slow reintroduction of solid foods to the diet, has allowed Tylor Savage to eat more foods, but eosinophilic disorders are not considered curable at this time.

More information about EE:

• Eosinophilic Esophagitis
• Cincy C.U.R.E.D. Foundation: About EE
• American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders: About EGID