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this is a new development for us. we think dd has milk intolerence but doctor has said she will grow out of and to give small bits to keep trying. anyhow, had cheese yesterday and noticed almost a nettle rash on legs mainly. she had one huge one and about 20 smaller ones. gave piriton and gradually went away. is this linked and why not had before?

It is unusual to have hives with dairy intol.

My DS2 has dairy intol and as a baby suffered altern constipation/diahorrea, vomitting and lack of weight gain.

He was also allergic to wheat (similar symptoms as above), and soya (caused eczema).

Strawberries & penicillin brought him up in hives.

How old is your DD and what other foods is she eating?

if you gave piriton and rash went away its not intolerance, its classic food allergy.

get reffered for further medical support.

It is an allergy if getting hives. Continual exposure can make the reaction worse each time. I would steer clear of dairy and ask for referral to allergy specialist.

DS2 has a milk allergy and got hives as an early warning. I tried him with further dairy and he went into anaphylactic shock. Your GP is giving very, very dangerous advice to say keep trying with dairy. An allergy can be life-threatening and will get worse with continued exposure. Please get a referal to an allergy specialist and a dietician for proper advice on how to manage it. Having seen a child in anaphylactic shock, I don't recommend it as an experience. I didn't think ds2 would survive - more importantly nor did the paramedics that I called....

hi, thank you for this. she is 18 months old, have had no problems with food weaning but still has not tried lots of things! she was admitted to hospital at 1 yo old after 2 weeks of going onto cows milk. she was floppy, running nose and really constipated. they said was not presenting as allergy as no hives, etc etc. we stopped cows milk and is now onsoya formula. she does not eat yoghurts but has been having cheese and yog fruit flakes to which nohing before.this last week after giving them in small amounts has had almost nettle rash some tiny some huge on legs, tummy and feet. would this have just started, does that mean it is getting worse? is it best to see gp again or health visitor?

My ds has had confirmed food allergies which started with hives after milk for the 1st time. My experience with the health visitor was that she was quite unhelpful - so was the gp actually - but it was the gp who did the referral to dietician for us.

Best wishes, it can all seem quite daunting but it's manageable!

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thats partly my question really anniemac, does it develop? i dont really know much about allergies. can it start off mild ad get worse?

Anniemac is right. ask doc to refer you to allergy clinic for skin prick tests.

You say she had yog fruit flakes. Has she ever had a reaction to nuts? Is this her first time eating the yog fruit flakes?

DS has a cow milk protein intolerance, although there is a query as to whether it may be lactose intolerance. Allergies can develop as a result of intolerances.

But I was told by the Children's Hospital dietician that soya was not good for a dairy intolerant child as allergies can be the same.

He is on Neocate Advance (waiting to Jan 2010 for Neocate Nutra!)

An allergy is a reaction from the body's immune system where the body mistakenly recognises something ordinary and harmless as potentially harmful and tries to protect the body against it by e.g. closing the airways. An allergy can get worse with repeated exposure as the immune system becomes more efficient at recognising the "trigger" and responding to it. Also you can not predict the strength of future reactions so even if a previous reaction was mild, the next may not be. A blood test called a RAST test will give a grade from 0-6 of the strength of an allergy (0 being no allergy, 6 being the most severe), but even this does not tell about how strong the reaction will be to the allergen only what the probability of having a reaction will be.

Also some people that are cows milk allergic are strangely OK with yoghurt and cheese (though not recommended to try it) as the proteins in these are subtley altered so that some people don't react. Having said that when a milk allergy has been confirmed you should usually avoid all dairy products and those from goats and sheep too.

<<brief hijack - ilove, what is the difference between Nutra and Advance?>>

Sorry for that interuption...

Academic -- good question. Here's what I know. DS (19 months) is dairy intolerant. Cow milk protein intolerant, possibly lactose intolerant, and under a Dietician and 2 consultants having recently been reviewed by a Gastroenterologist who said that he was probably dairy intolerant circa 3 weeks.

Re: Neocate Advance/Nutra. DS is on Neocate Advance, and has been approved for Neocate Nutra theoretically, as both are complete foods and contain the calories, are both hypoallergenic and suitable for dairy allergies/intolerant children. Neocate Nutra is not available in the UK until December/January, according to the distributor, but will be available in a tin, vice sachets, so will be appropriate for those who are prescribed variable amounts or rather less/more than a sachet contains. Apparently is also more palatable, but more palatable than, um, what?

ok thanks. think will re visit dostor and go from there!

please take all the above advice really seriously as we have all been through it and then finally after probably each individually not knowing the full picture, have all discovered what to do after a lot of banging on a lot of doors. I had never heard of MN when DS had problems and if I had I know it twould have saved me and DS a lot of aggro.

the following is twaddle frequently peddled by GPs/health visitors as a way of fobbing off parents because frankly they havn't a clue and/or are protecting their budgets [or am I a cynic?! ]:

1. excema is rarely connected with allergies for babies

2. anyone under one cannot be tested for allergies

3. allergy tests are not accurate

4. babies cannot have epipens

All bollocks - DS tested at 3 months - blood and skin, all accurate and continue to be so. Epipen prescribed. This was by St Thomas who have one of few paediatric allergy units in UK so can only presume they knew what they were doing ... ie not some quacky health food shop test ....

please get pushy sooner rather than later!!!

agree with other comments. Hives responding to anti-histamine are a classic allergy symptom and the floppy part of the description of previous symptoms is not good. So if it was my child I would also avoid all dairy and get skin prick tests. Meanwhile carry anti-histamine (piriton is cheap and works quickly).

Intolerances are often outgrown but you have to be a lot more careful with true allergy symptoms.

It's a common misconception that you need a rash to have an allergy. Usually allergies present with a rash but not always.

have decided to keep food diary until date of doctors appt which is thursday 5th so i can present evidence and start to fight my corner! i tried to take picture of rash earlier but was not good on camera. will try again tomorrow if happens

for all you lovely people that helped me i have managed to get some pictures of the hives that come up. are they similar to anyones? let me know

http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2273/12347180/21963587/377164230.jpg

http://pic90.pictur etrail.com/VOL2273/12347180/21963587/377164228.jpg

http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2273/12347180 /21963587/377164226.jpg

http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2273/12347180/21963587/377164224.jpg

Thank you! am taking these to doctors too in case nothing on the morning i go!

OK these are the pictures! thank you for helping me out and let me know what you think!pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2273/12347180/21963587/377164232.jpg

pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2273/12347180/21963587/377164230.jpg

pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2273/12347180/21963587/377164228.jpg

pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2273/12347180/21963587/377164226.jpg

pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2273/12347180/21963587/377164224.jpg

sorry don't mean to high jack but just got back from docs about lactose intolerance - only test offered was to test the poo.

Kcartyparty - symptoms exactly the same constipation/diahorrea - was initially vomiting but once cut out cows milk the vomiting stopped, but still get constipation/diahorrea from time to time although its much better, and complaints of tummy ache. DD on soya milk and dairy free products, but even dairy free chocolate gives her diahorrea.

did not know that soya protein and milk are similiar, so worried that the soya milk may also be a problem.

How did you know that your DS was allergic to the other things too - what tests did your GP do?

Also, if allergic to soya too - advice on alternatives would be very welcome.

Sunnyshine, was also told DD would grow out of it and to give small amounts from time to time, but the very next day (or if at breakfast, later that day) - tummy ache and diahorrea - which causes her distress when passing it. Been going on since before easter when first 'diagnonsed' but she was often sickly before that, was ok on breast milk but once switched to formulae the symptoms started.

i have posted pictures of the marks that come uup after milk. any one out there tonight to have a look! most of you seem to be night owls!thanks. let me know what you think?

dd has been referred to hospital for further checks and discussions! will keep you informed!