Suspected Allergies and Weaning

[lockie1983]

Hiya, DS is almost 8 months and loving food very much.

He has always been really sicky, weird green poo etc etc and for the longest time I have been going back and forth between doctors, HVs trying to get some help with this. The suspicion is allergy to his formula and possibly dairy, probably nuts and maybe wheat (gluten?). Finally are waiting for allergy testing but in the meantime I have been advised to avoid these three and eggs in their pure form (but ok in cakes etc)

I have paired back his diet, eczema looks better, allergy rash going down, poo looser and more yellowy ...

Thing is, I really am only giving him fruit, veg and meat. I'd like to give him toast, breadsticks, lumps of cheese etc to mix things up a bit and bulk out his meals ... Can you give babies "free from" versions of food?

Also, any ideas on good finger foods in this case that isn't veg fruit or meat?

[GingerMaman]

Ask the GP to refer you for allergy testing. That way you'll know for sure exactly what to avoid.

[GingerMaman]

And yes to your question. There are plenty of normal products that are free from dairy, egg and soya. For example, American bagels and waitrose bread.

[lockie1983]

We are waiting for our allergy testing appointment to come through.

Do bagels and bread have gluten/wheat in them?

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Check out the free from range in Sainsburys.

[ilovepowerhoop]

if they are going to test for coeliacs disease then he needs to be eating gluten or the tests will not be accurate so I would clarify if he really should be avoiding it

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Actually agree with power. Now I think about it I had to keep on eating dairy before the tests.

[lockie1983]

Thanks, I will check.

Problem is combinations of those foods are wreaking havoc on his poor skin. Gave him some cheese on his pasta two days ago (so not avoiding entirely) and his whole face flushed up with eczema again.

Hopefully the date will come through so

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Poor thing. If you are to eliminate those foods how about a stir fry with rice noodles, some DF, gf toast and baked beans, get some spelt pasta and do bolognase, chilli and rice, gluten free flour to make dumpling to go with beef stew, mushroom risotto? You can also get vegan cheese

[ilovepowerhoop]

www.coeliac.org.uk/coeliac-disease/getting-diagnosed/ - at all points it says not to remove gluten from the diet as it will give the wrong result. Dont know if the same is true for dairy.

www.coeliac.org.uk/coeliac-disease/coeliac-disease-in-children/

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Dont know if the same is true for dairy think it is power

[lockie1983]

Thanks both. I will confirm with the doctor when he calls about our appointment, HV hasn't a clue.

And thanks for all the food tips julie currently have a DH on a low residue diet too so mind is stretched to breaking for food ideas

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Not surprised you are struggling. One has to have whole meal bread, pasta and brown rice and the other has to have white gluten free. Must be hard.

[JRmumma]

Just a thought, but if cheese made his eczema flare up then its likely a dairy allergy? If it is, then might also be sensitive to soya products but see no reason to exclude other food groups too?

Maybe try him on some bread and see what happens. Avoiding wheat/gluten is a nightmare so seems worth a try to me.

FWIW my DS is suspected milk allergy and so I'm having similar problems with weaning. I don't want to give him soy products but have just found out that vitalite is dairy and soy free. Happy days!

Do you have a prescription formula?

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

The stork 250g is good for baking too JR

[lockie1983]

JR they don't really know what it is yet. He regularly throws up his formula, has weird green poo and eczema since tiny but I have always been fobbed off about perscription formula and allergy testing and instead told to switch brands etc

A fortnight ago he had a reaction to, we think, nuts. Because it's nuts they are now putting us forward for testing (and will do dairy at the same time because of issues above). I think dairy defo flares his eczema and am unsure about wheat right now. Am food diarying and taking pictures of flares for the doctors.

How old is your little one? What sort of things have soy in them?

Yes julie blw not exactly easy when the two of then are on polar diets! my own food needs have sort of gone out the window too

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

What sort of things have soy in them? hate to tell you this but bloody everything. Its soy lecithin that's the main one. Have a read here. I think its about roughly half the people who are CMPI or CMPA have a problem with soy too.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Oh and have a look for Wot no dairy yoghurts, they are soy and dairy free

[ClaireOB]

just to say wheat allergy and coeliac disease (gluten sensitivity) are not the same thing - link - so it's worth clarifying with your GP if they are thinking actual wheat allergy or coeliac disease. While you would need to keep consuming gluten for an accurate diagnosis of coeliac disease, this is not true for a food allergy diagnosis, where the suspect foods should be avoided, especially if they cause breathing difficulties or swelling in the facial area. Allergy UK have good information on allergy in children here - and they also have a helpline you can contact for further advice.

You could also try reposting this on the allergies board here, lots of experience with these issues! -

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Forgot to mention these recipes. Rice pudding made with coconut milk is good too. You and DS can eat it, unfortunately not DH

[lockie1983]

Gladly We aren't even talking about coeliac disease right now (think that just sort of happened in the thread cos I mentioned wheat/gluten). I am more convinced as time goes on that it's dairy that's our top problem, but wheat allergies are the other thing that's been mentioned.

Great links Claire

Julie luckily he hates rice pudding then ;-) we are wary of coconut at the moment as whilst I know it's not a nut as such, the GP has sworn us off it for the moment.

Headbutts table.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

The trouble with excluding everything at once is, you won't know which one is the culprit until you get the results back, which could be some time. Have you had any word on when he will get tested yet?

[lockie1983]

Yeh, just had the call, 4 weeks. We are ok to keep giving him dairy and wheat until then and must monitor and photograph any reactions. Reoccurring offenders can be cut out but it must be specific I.e. Certain brand of yoghurt or whatever.

No nuts or eggs whatsoever until the testing has been done.

I really don't know what to do for the best

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Know it sounds hard but I'd introduce the wheat first and then dairy a few days after. I'd also introduce them first thing so that if he does have a reaction he'll hopefully have an unsettled day rather than an unsettled night. How about a round of white toast with vitalite for breakfast?

[JRmumma]

My DS is almost 7 months. Has been on Aptamil pepti formula (prescription) since about 8 weeks old. The paediatrician fobbed me off but i took him to my GP in the middle of a screaming fit as he was clearly in pain and the GP prescribed it to me instead. It took about a week and all of his symptoms went away.

If he is allergic to milk protein then it doesn't matter what you do food-wise, without changing formula he will be constantly exposed to his allergen.

Yep soy is in lots of things so lots of label reading is necessary.

[lockie1983]

That's a good point JR I was thinking that earlier. Cutting dairy isn't going to makes much difference whilst he is drinking his milk.

Unfortunately I had PND back in those early weeks manifesting itself n extreme doubt in my instincts and abilities so allowed myself to be fobbed off. Have been back and forth since October but still no joy yet. He is fussy, but not screaming with it if that makes sense.

He was sick 5 times in an hour this afternoon, coverd everything.

Are you having allergy testing now he's bigger? Or just certain he is and avoiding it at the moment?