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Allergies and intolerances

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Original poster

13mo Dreadful nappies for over 7 weeks - GP says nothing to worry about

53 replies

WikiSpeaks · 21/01/2011 19:58

I am so stressed about this. I have already posted about my DS here

I took him to the GP last Friday and GP just said I shouldn't change anything in his diet, but come back in another 6 weeks if nothing has improved.

Today he had an absolute explosion in his nappy - stinky wet and massive (sorry if TMI)

This just doesn't seem normal for a 13mo, and he has definitely had solid poos at some point last year.

His symptoms are the awful nappies and just constant crying/whinging. My CM who has him twice a week also finds the same problems as me.

Can anyone offer advice as to what I can try?

I thought about gluten free/milk free diet?

OP posts:
bicback · 21/01/2011 20:10

just an idea but what about getting him tested for allergies (skin prick tests), not sure if he is too old for them to do this, possibly he is allergic to something but i wouldn't stop a specific food from his diet unless you knew he was allergic first. from my experience with dd's allergies (atopic child, always had eczema and for first 4 years of life nut/all dairy and egg) going to the gp was a waste of time, totally on my own, no support, sent away the same as you. we ended up having to pay and go private for her to be tested as my dr (quote) didn't believe in children being tested. turned out dd has high nut allergy plus egg and we have to carry epi pens around. my point is if you feel you are not getting help from hv or gp worth saving up and going to private dr who deal with child allergys. all the best

Original poster
WikiSpeaks · 21/01/2011 20:12

Can I ask how much private testing would cost - and where would you look to do this?

Thank-you.

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bicback · 21/01/2011 20:31

i can't remember exactly but for the skin prick test it was at a guess around £250 (could have been a bit more) plus we paid for a blood test for a more detailed result, that was ridiculously expensive, about £450.....but to be honest, it was worth every penny. what has been really frustrating for me is someone i know whose ds has allergies to food got all this done for free via her gp, i guess it is down to luck to who your gp is and possibly where you live. my various gps at my local surgery don't seem to particularly acknowledge food allergy's as a problem, they think we are like neurotic mothers fussing but there is a world of difference from epi pen needing food allergys to say a wheat intolerance that makes you bloated or have a tummy upset. the chap we saw is based at i think it is the portland in london, he has a long waiting list but was really pleased we saw him, we are due to go again actually when she is 8.5

Original poster
WikiSpeaks · 21/01/2011 20:44

Thank-you - I thought it would be expensive!

I guess it's unlikely to be an actual allergy but more likely to be some sort of intolerance.

I've asked DH to buy some soya/lactofree products on his way home tonight so at least I can try something without being risky.

Looking back - when DS turned one (Nov) I took him off formula and started giving him cows milk as his main drink. Dropped formula altogether. I am hesitant to believe it could be to do with this, as formula is based on cows milk isn't it?

He was on 'comfort' milk for his first months though which leads me back to my suspicion that it's something lactose/dairy related which bothers him in excessive quantities.

OP posts:
bicback · 21/01/2011 21:00

my dd is 8 now so i can't remember it that clearly, let me think.....i bf but my boobs were useless (never enough) so initially she had top up with c&g but then she had terrible eczema (from a few weeks old) so she had top up soya based although i cannot remember what it was called, i think there are a few on the market. i wouldn't switch to soya based unless gp says as i think ideally bf and or cows milk based is better but we had no choice. alpro do a good soya yogurt for children (no bits), my dd lived off this when young. fortuantley the last few years she is HOORAH fine with diary, such a relieft. you can also get soya based cheese from holland & barrats (other health food stores, don't think sainsbury's sell soya cheese although waitrose does have a rice cheese). see if your gp will get your child tested if you cannot find a reason for upset tummy, could be a gluten thing, tbh doesn't sound like same as dd as she would come out in urticaria (red/white large white itchy hives) and have facial swellings. my mil has allergy to gluten. best of luck

Elk · 21/01/2011 21:08

Have you heard of toddler diarrhea. My dd1 had this and she had one/two explosive nappies a day from about 12 months until she was 2. They were horrible (we had to open the windows to get rid of the smell). There was nothing else wrong with her and then one day, just after her second birthday she was fine.

mawbroon · 21/01/2011 21:10

My ds1 is intolerent to cows milk. I am fairly sure it's the protein rather than a lactose intolerence because in the past, he was able to tolerate goats milk/cheese, but not cows, so I have concluded (possibly incorrectly) that it's the protein. So, it might be an idea for you to avoid dairy completely, even the lacto free stuff

Anyway, his started after a nasty tummy bug when he was around 2yo and sometimes it made him miserable.

If you are cutting out dairy, then you need to do it for perhaps as long as a couple of weeks before you see any difference.

There is a scale for reintroducing dairy. You start with milk as a minor ingredient in something well cooked. Then you move to cooked milk in sauces/custard etc, then cheese, then yogurt and then finally raw milk. This is because the proteins change as it is processed and often the unprocessed stuff is the most difficult to tolerate. Given that formula is powdered and been through processing (I don't know exactly what, but presume heat involved somewhere!!) it could be that he could tolerate that, but not the straight cows milk, if you see what I mean.

DS1 is pretty easy going, but I remember him having a full screaming tantrum in the shopping centre, lying on the floor kicking and screaming (it was the only time he ever did that!) after we first tried reintroducing dairy, so I reckon he was feeling lousy. If your ds is feeling lousy too, then no wonder he is miserable Sad poor wee soul.

Anyway, hope you get to the bottom of it soon.

Original poster
WikiSpeaks · 21/01/2011 21:32

Thank-you

Really interesting posts.

Bicback - your DD does seem to have very 'concrete' symptoms. My GP doesn't seem to think my DS's warrant proper testing at the moment.

Elk I had never heard of 'toddler diarrhoea' - your DD was fine in every other way? Did she get nappy rash at all? It sounds exhausting!

Mawbroon yes I think DS does feel lousy much of the time. Your post makes alot of sense.

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Original poster
WikiSpeaks · 21/01/2011 21:52

Another question if I may...

DS is at his worst at home when there's nothing going on, and better when he's out and about. Especially 'on the move'.

Is it possible that he can be 'distracted' from discomfort? IYKWIM?

I took both kids to soft play with my Mum this afternoon, and he was good as gold (except for the nappy incident resulting in binning of his clothes!) When we got back to Mum's house he started his usual whinging routine. Can't pick him up/can't put him down. I said 'this is what he's like all the time' and she pointed out (correctly) that for 1.5hrs at soft play he was fine. The other 10.5 hours not so good though...

Could 'being busy' take his mind off the discomfort?

OP posts:
mawbroon · 21/01/2011 21:55

Yes, I think it is possible that being busy could take his mind off it.

CarGirl · 21/01/2011 21:59

Something designed for bedsores called "sprilon" is amazing for nappy rash. It's pricey but we did get it on pescription for our dds when it was really bad.

LittlePushka · 21/01/2011 21:59

My DS never had a poo you could pick up (and the smell was unholy). He was diagnosed with lactose intolerance and in what seemed like an overnight result he had normal stools, great bowel control and stopped pooing in his sleep.

You could just try for a week or so justswapping his milk/cheese/ youghurt for lactofree versions - readily available in supermarket alongside "normal" milk etc. Take out butter too and try Pure, which is a soya based spread. Trying it wont harm him and if it is lactose intolerance you may see a difference for free as it were, and can go back to GP.

CarGirl · 21/01/2011 22:01

I agree btw he does sound intolerant to something in his diet

Original poster
WikiSpeaks · 21/01/2011 22:08

Great - DH is on it as we speak! I'm on the phone advising him to grab some soya based stuff :)

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duchesse · 21/01/2011 22:10

Certainly sounds like an intolerance to me. DS had the same thing but it took us ages to track down the cause to wheat. It certainly sounds like a milk problem to me. Just a long shot that may be worth trying, but have you tried him on goats' milk? You can get it at the milk display in any supermarket. Also try UHT cow as it is heat altered and he may be able to tolerate it. It's worth trying a few things before cutting milk out entirely (ie putting him on soya), as you should ideally avoid soya milk for boys.

Original poster
WikiSpeaks · 21/01/2011 22:12

BTW CarGirl, you were everso helpful on my other thread. I borrowed a baby signing book from the library and started trying to sign to him today.

The irony is i did learn BSL and Makaton. Just hadn't thought to use them. Dur!

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Original poster
WikiSpeaks · 21/01/2011 22:14

Ooh ducesse why should we avoid soya for boys? Eek!

We had tried UHT milk, but that was more about the access to milk during the snow Grin don't remember that it made any difference.

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Pancakeflipper · 21/01/2011 22:18

My 2 yr old went through similiar last year. The GP insisted it was viral... For over 5 months... Our HV took over in the end before I went bonkers and created a seige situation at the Dr's surgery.

Keep a food diary. And a nappy/ health diary. If you get referred to a consultant - they will whoop with joy at your records. Makes it easier to spot a pattern.

We spotted a link with dairy cos' the huge bottom explosions occured on days he had a yoghurt.

As already mentioned there's a great alternative with Pure spread and Sainsburys do their own dairy free.

Milk is trickier so ask your HV and Doctor. Rice isn't good due to possible traces of arsenic, soya could have an association with infertile males...

We get Neocate on perscription and I use almond milk when baking.

Lots of luck. It's very tough and seems endless but you will get there.

Original poster
WikiSpeaks · 21/01/2011 22:19

AM frantically googling - and it appears that fertility could be affected by soya...

Although if this were the case wouldn't most of Asia be in trouble now?

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LittlePushka · 21/01/2011 22:19

lactofree milk tastes just like normal milk by the way and has a slightly longer shelf life too. The brand is easy to spot as it has a lovely big black and white cow on the products. good luck

duchesse · 21/01/2011 22:20

Apparently the difference is that in Asia they eat fermented soya. Soya is not fermented to make milk.

mawbroon · 21/01/2011 22:22

Soya products have high levels of plant oestrogens apparently and there are concerns over fertility, especially with boys.

I don't know that much about it, but because of this, I was careful to not rely too heavily on soya products.

You can also get rice milk, but it is not recommended for under 5s because of high levels of naturally occurring arsenic. Again, I don't know all the ins and outs, but I gave it to ds, but not in huge quantities.

You can also get oat milk and oat cream.

duchesse · 21/01/2011 22:22

Also, don;t worry, a fwe days of soya (to check if it's the milk) isn't going to damage him!

Original poster
WikiSpeaks · 21/01/2011 22:22

Thank-you pancake - like the idea of a seige.

I feel like I want to do that most days Angry

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Original poster
WikiSpeaks · 21/01/2011 22:25

You guys are so knowledgable! Arsenic and infertility! Who knew???

I guess this is why the GP said to wait and not to do anything different.

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