Totally confused - please help re dairy allergy? (sorry long post)

[Tartanmam]

I'm looking for some advice about dairy allergy, my ds is 10.5 months old and had a reaction a few months ago to a muffin i'd made, we assumed it was either the egg or the buttermilk (i'd been very relaxed about allergies to that point as their is no history in the family) He'd had previous skin reactions to yogurt and philadelphia when he rubbed it on his face (v messy eater, blw) - red blotches with white spots but the HV said he probably just had sensitive skin, i decided not to give him any more dairy because it seemed easier but didn't think it was an allergic reaction.

When he had the muffin his eyes swelled up really badly and when i gave him piriton it calmed down. The HV was pretty convinced it was the egg he'd reacted to but i deicded to continue staying off the diary after that. Recently though hes been having butter and the occasional v v small bit of cheese and hes been fine so i decided it probably was the egg after all and this weekend while at my mums for tea i let him have a taste of my cheesecake (i know in hindsight i can't believe i thought it would ever be a good idea). Within a few minutes his face was really blotchy where he'd been rubbing with his messy hand and his eyes started to swell up. Gave him piriton again but now i'm confused, could he be allergic to the philadelphia or double cream in the cheescake but not to cheddar cheese and butter?

Also, i'm scared to try him on egg again as i keep reading that the reactions get worse, but i don't even know for def if he is allergic, does anyone have any advice on reintroducing foods, should i do it in the health centre car park?

Sorry this is so long but the area of allergies is so grey and i've never had to deal with it before.
Thanks for reading.

[Josie3]

i would say the safest way to deal with this is pay your gp a visit.

[tatt]

if your gp is like a lot of them they won't have a clue where to start. You need to see a specialist although you'll probably have to settle for a paediatrician "with an interest in allergy" and you'll wait months for that. They will probably just want you to avoid all dairy and egg but to return for skin prick tests when your son is older. They may do skin prick tests for you, though.

They will want to know if its possible that there could have been any egg in the cheesecake - who made it and what was used for a base? Remember if a child has a serious allergy even slight contamination (e.g from putting the cheesecake on an unwashed surface that had egg on it previously) can be enough to set them off.

I'd suggest you avoid all dairy until you can get some specialist advice - unless you can identify egg in the cheesecake. As for other foods - tred carefully and keep the piriton handy. You may also want to ask to see a dietician for help in how you cope until you get better advice.

Hope your child outgrows it.

[chilledmama]

Tartanman- I am lactose intollerant (v mild allergy...looks like I have hayfever when I do too much dairy). GP wasn't really interested as it was easier to just keep giving me the anti-hystamine. I went to an alternative practioner who told me I was allergic to feathers ( which I knew) and milk (I had no idea...had been drinking it all my life). It turns out that I am allergic to lactose rather than the full milk protein therfore can use products low in lactose. All milk products have varying levels of lactose and milk protein in them therfore you may react to one thing rather than another but lactose also has a cumulative effect so I can eat a little now and again but not every daY. Fundamentally you need to see your GP first (what have you got to lose) then sort out a visit to a homeopathic practioner. Hope DS gets better soon!!

[hester]

My dd was allergic to dairy and is under the care of a consultant paediatrician with a special interest. I strongly urge you to see if you can get a referral from your GP, and also to a dietician. You need good advice on how to give him all the nutrients he needs on a dairy-free diet.

The good news is that most children grow out of dairy allergy (egg not so much, I think). My dd is now 18 months and seems to be getting over it (though it still plays havoc with her eczema).

[Tartanmam]

Thanks for your replies, i'm positive there was no egg in the cheesecake, my mum made it herself and he only had one baby spoonful of the topping (made with Philly, full fat double cream and fresh raspberries). I think i'll try and get an appointment with the GP and go from there.

[Tartanmam]

also, do you think i should avoid all dairy then, even butter and cheese just till i find out whats going on, i suppose even as i write this that would make sense. Can you buy a soya spread similar to butter or will i just give up on toast altogether for a while?

Thanks again for your replies, i've found more information on allergies on this site than anywhere else.

[Nightynight]

you just have to read the labels. "Pure" is a dairy free spread, and it comes in 2 varieties, soya and sunflower. I tend to alternate them, as soya is a fairly strong allergen itself.

[bettythebuilder]

I second the recommendation for 'pure'!pure

I'm lactose intolerant (it causes IBS symptoms in me, as I can't digest the milk sugars, rather than a rash) but I was (eventually!) diagnosed through a hydrogen breath test, done thro' the NHS. May be worth mentioning to the GP?

[chilledmama]

Pure also do an organic dairy free spread but sadly it is also taste free. Most of the big supermarkets (tesco and sainsburys) do there own version of dairy free but I tend to stick with the Pure (yellow one tastes best in my opinion).

[Nightynight]

if you can manage goats milk, St Helens goats butter is the real thing.

[chilledmama]

Goat and Sheep products are lower in lactose than bovine products (with exception of Buffalo which is also low...bizarre) but they still contain enough lactose to make someone who is sensitive quite ill. I would exclude all dairy for a period of at least 10 weeks (the longer the better) then you can re-introduce items one by one (while you are waiting for your appointment with the specialist)

[Nightynight]

it may not be lactose though, could be protein.
I still dont know what exactly I am reacting to (protein, fat, lactose). Have never tried mozzarella, so dont know if I would react to it or not.

[Nightynight]

(agree about removing all dairy products though)

[SachaF]

I am self diagnosed as dairy and egg intolerant - again hayfever type symptoms - but my GP and HV just accept this self diagnosis as it is often mentioned.
Try and get a referral to a dietician from your GP who can then help you with an elimination diet - I searched the internet and found one to follow myself which involved 3 days of having a food and then 4 without, and doing 1 food at a time (my staples were rice, chicken, fish, peas and sweetcorn for 4 weeks to clear out the body - yes even for breakfast! I don't suggest doing that with a child though)

[chilledmama]

nightynight- All dairy products have milk protein in them whether from sheep, goat or bovine...keep your fingers crossed its not that!!!

[Nightynight]

yes, but I understood that there were different proteins in different milks?

[chilledmama]

the doc (homeopathic so could have been a complete quack) told me that milk protein is a basic block and if you react to it then thats pretty much it

[Nightynight]

chilled mama, I really must find out more about this!

[chilledmama]

Nightynight- It really is a nightmare!!! It took me months to get all in check and I only have a v mild allergy to lactose!!!

[tatt]

agree that with facial swelling you shouldn't be running any risks.

The proteins in cows milk, goats milk and other true milks are quite similar so if you have an allergy to one you probably have an allergy to the others - however aminority are OK with goats or sheeps milk because the proteins are not identical. Lactose is in all milks so the lactose intolerant may also have problems with all milk. However for lactose intolerance you can possibly use lactase drops to allow you to tolerate a little milk.

[chilledmama]

There is now a semi skimmed cows milk available in most supermarkets called Lactofree. Funny old thing its virtually lactose free cows milk(and tastes good too!!)

[Gingermonkey]

Another vote for pure! I have a lactose intolerence and use lacto free milk too and it actually tastes like milk (which it is, but it doesn't taste like weird milk, IYKWIM!!). I dropped all dairy for 2 months and then started to reintroduce it to identify what it was that upset me. I'm ok with butter, but not milk or cream. And even little bits of milk and cream are now ok, whereas before I would flare up with eczema and get awful stomach cramps. I would advise that you stay clear of everything for a while and then just introduce things one by one over a couple of weeks and just keep an eye on him.

[chilledmama]

Before a found lactofree I used semi skimmed Goats milk which tastes like ordinary milk IMHO. If you go for the full fat version you cann realllllly smell the goat!. Still, much better than rice milk or soya milk [disgusted emoticon]