Can anyone recommend an allergy clinic/pediatrician?

[ilovetosleep]

Who will see us privately, in London preferably? We are not uk but insurance will cover a second opinion elsewhere.

He is 6months and ebf, just started weaning, and I want somewhere/someone who will try to support me in continuing to breastfeed as well as introducing solids. I need help with elimination diet I guess and I want to establish whether allergies are our problem or not.

(Symptoms are reflux, general unhappy baby and appalling sleep, some rashes since starting solids. Omeprazole is helping reflux but he is still utterly miserable. I am dairy free and soya free. Doc here just wants me to take neocate and believes it will solve everything)

Any suggestions?

[eragon]

ring anaphylaxis campaign helpline for names and support for this.

[StepDoor]

Professor Gideon Lack
Dr Adam Fox
dr George Du Touit

[ZamMummyInGabs]

Dr Helen Cox (allergy paediatrician)
Dr Neil Shah (paed allergy gastroenterologist)
Rosan Meyer (awesome paed allergy dietitian)
For all diet support you will need a dietitian as well as the doctors.
Be warned that the allergy tests may not give you any more answers especially for the reflux/gastro problems
Also worth considering is supplementing BF with Neocate Spoon (like a porridge that you can mix with pureed fruit etc) which is what I do for DD as she's always refused Neocate to drink (she was 15mo when we started). An elimination diet is really really tough.

[StepDoor]

Zaf, could you tell me the nutritional value of Neocate spoon please? Might ask my dietician to prescribe us some. Is it palatable?

[StepDoor]

Zam, don't worry, I have found it. Going to ask the GP to prescribe some for us.

[ilovetosleep]

Thanks for the replies. I have booked to see dr george du toit next week. Can anyone advise what to expect from an appointment - they said it was only 3mins inc testing so really there's not much time to talk?

I have now cut out gluten and egg also and I'm sure I've seen some improvement but that may just be coincidence and/or the omeprazole kicking in after 10days of that. He's now extremely constipated and windy though which might just be te far he's started solids rather than a specific food intolerance. Thanks fr the advice re neocate spoon. Never heard if it and will ask. Thanks.

[StepDoor]

3 mins appointment?! Really? Or do you mean 30 min.

Usually 1st thing is a skin prick test with the nurse, nothing to worry about, your LO might cry a little but it's not really fun. They'll do the main ones milk, soya, wheat and egg and any other ones you suspect (so take your list).

When you meet the Dr he will probably ask you questions about history and how it is going now. I usually take with me a list of my own questions (if I have any) and that way I don't forget.

Don't feel rushed, take your time. The ones I have met have never rushed me.

What is really handy is to take someone with you to look after/entertain your LO whilst you talk to the pediatrician, if you can of course. That way you get to concentrate and get the best out of your consultation.

We didn't go through privately but after our consultation we saw a dietician who was really good. She went through everything again with me and told me all the about the foods to avoid, products I could buy off shelf, how much food LO needs to have, vitamins minerals etc. maybe ask George to recommend a dietician that you can ask your GP to refer to? I found my referral came through within 2-3 weeks. I did chase it up though via the telephone.

All the best. Hope it goes well. I've heard he is lovely and approachable btw.

[StepDoor]

Btw you must get hold of the book 'the complete guide to food allergies and intolerances' by prof granstoff. It's on amazon. It really is very thorough and a life saver!