Milk allergy?

[WaftyCrank]

DS2 is 13 weeks today. He was FF from birth on C&G. He started with reflux from his very first feed in hospital but that was put down to mucus from when he was born. After his first feed he didn't take anything else for 24 hours and wasn't allowed home until he did. Eventually he had a feed but it was less than an oz. He fed like that for the next few days, eventually going up to 3ozs at about 10 days.

I took him to the doctors several times with his reflux as it was getting progressively worse. Eventually he was sent to hospital where they prescribed Gaviscon and Colief. This made things worse and I took him back and questioned a milk allergy. I was told it definitely wasn't a milk allergy and prescribed Domperidone and recommended I tried BF next time.

The Domperidone didn't help so I took him off the Gaviscon and Domperidone and gradually weaned him off the Colief.

Last week I took him to the baby clinic and saw a different HV. I showed her his eczema that covers his whole torso with patches on his arms and legs and told her about his reflux. She prescribed SMA Staydown and Hydromol for his eczema which is easing it. He also has a Hydrocortisone which I'm using sparingly.

The HV mentioned that if the SMA didn't help, she would try him on Aptamil Pepti to rule out or comfirm a milk allergy. His reflux hasn't improved at all. After a bottle I sit him upright in his chair but it's just a constant stream of sick. Not projectile like it was at first but just a mouthful or so about 5-6 times an hour. It's mostly clear with what looks like undigested milk in it.
She is coming to see him on Thursday but I was just looking for other opinions and advice.

He was 8lb 14ozs born and on the 91st centile. He is now 13lb 3oz and on between the 25th and 50th centile which is gradually dropping lower and lower. He is often irritable and refuses feeds. He gags, hiccups and coughs a lot. He has a constant blocked nose and runny eyes. He also vomits after every feed and has really runny nappies. He's also very windy!

Sorry for the long post but just wanted to make sure I said everything.

TIA

Reading your post was like reading about my own son's first months (even though I breastfed, so don't feel guilty about that bit as it didn't make any difference in our case). It certainly sounds as though your little one could well have cow's milk protein (CMP) allergy. Did the hospital say why they ruled out milk allergy? Prolonged reflux and eczema are common symptoms of CMP allergy as is failure to thrive and whilst I appreciate that they can also be the symptoms of other things I think it's definitely worth investigating. My son was 9lb 13 born so on the 98th centile but dropped to the 25th and the HV still didn't think there was a problem. When I showed the GP his growth chart however he agreed that something was wrong and referred him to a paediatrician. Sounds like your HV is willing to consider possibility of CMP allergy so I would go back and ask for the Pepti. Please bear in mind that it can take up to 6 weeks on the hypoallergenic formula before you will notice a real reduction in symptoms (perhaps longer for the eczema) so stick with it. It might also take a while for your child to accept the new formula as it will prob taste very different. We had to do it gradually by mixing just an once at a time with normal formula then slowly increasing the amount of new formula. Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Ditto freefrommum except my DS was always gaining weight so the GP said to me after I went in asking to try something different from Gaviscon " frankly mrs h as long as he is gaining weight his screaming at every feed is a minor inconvenience and he will grow out of it" .

He also poo pooed my suggestion of dairy allergy as he said there was no way he could be reacting to the proteins in my breast milk.

Definitely try the hypoallergenic formula.

Thanks so much for your replies. I will definitely be ringing the HV tomorrow to see if she can come any early but she's coming Thursday if not so at least he'll get the formula then hopefully. My DS1 had reflux and this doesn't seem just like reflux. The GP brushed me off completely. It was a different one to the one I had see previously and when she asked what was wrong I said I'm concerned he has a milk allergy and she said no he hasn't, they don't vomit with an allergy. Then recommended I breastfeed my next child as it's more gentle on the stomach. When I pointed out he was my 3rd DC she said she'd just presumed I was a first time mum and was over worrying.

That was 5 weeks ago and he's been struggling since then. If she'd just tried the formula he might have been a lot happier. If I hadn't gone to that baby clinic last week then I wouldn't have been given the opportunity to try it because none of the GPs would listen.

Thanks so much for the replies, I'll let you know how he gets on.

Don't vomit with a dairy allergy?!?!?!?

WTF?!?!?

The first time my DS tried formula it was in the HV office down at the GPs surgery, because I said I was concerned about a dairy allergy and we had been to a&e once after DS had got ice cream on his skin and reacted, although the doctor then also said it couldn't possibly be an allergic reaction.

I kid you not, it was like a scene from the exorcist, projectile vomit all over me,the desk, the HV!! The GP came in and surveyed the scene of devastation and poor DS coveted from head to toe in vomited formula and hives and concurred with me that DS was definitely allergic to dairy!!!

BTW you can buy hypo formula over the counter at the chemists if you are really concerned. It is v v expensive though.

How awful, did you consider giving it go with goats milk formula( nanny's) available for Goodness direct, it is hypo-allergenic very good given to babies with intolerance of cows milk.

oh I can so help you here! My son was diagnosed with gastric reflux but I can tell you that was hard work! I explained that he was sick constantly and didnt want to drink his milk (low lights, lying flat, smooth talking) almost a seduction scene for every feed. So I took him to the doctor who nodded a lot and asked when he had last been fed? I said 2 hours ago! He prodded his stomach which then produced a bottle of milks worth of sick! He agreed he had gastric reflux and prescribed gasviscon in his milk and rainitidine before a fed. Nothing changed untill I seen a peaditrician when I then described the 8-10 ounce of milk he was drinking unlike the at least 30 ounce he should have been. He was put on prescribed soya milk for the next 6 months until a year old (he was extremely small for his age) . Good news is 90% grow out of an allergy at this young age. When he seemed to then become allergic to soya I phoned all the helplines but it was a bank holiday weekend. But being so skinny I thought bugger this and put him onto full fat milk, best thing I ever did. Allergy gone! Never looked back! My advice, forget the doctor talk to a peaditrician, change his milk for 6 months and at the end he willgrow out of it! Hoped that helped xxx

I agree with babybarrister pls try hypoallergenic formula NOT goat's or soya milk.

Well DH has taken him to the GP's this morning as I can't get in touch with my HV so fingers crossed they listen and prescribe the milk for us to try. He's under strict instructions not to accept soya milk. He had a big eczema flare up last night. His whole torso was completely covered and he was crying and pulling at his clothes. I took his vest off to put some cream on and in the 30 seconds it was off he managed to make himself bleed in 3 places with scratching. So now one of us has to hold his hands then the other can get him dressed.
Really hoping this milk helps as it's horrid seeing him so distressed.

agree with babybarrister. ds is on neocate, but we went down the nutramigen route first without success. he's 3.4 and still on it.

Well the GP seems to think it is a milk allergy but he couldn't find the milk on the system so couldn't prescribe it. He's asked for a stool sample to rule out a lactose intolerance and has referred him to the hospital.
Our HV mentioned Aptimal Pepti is that any good?

Again worth a try, of course if dairy allergy is ruled out, New Zeland Nanny goats milk hypo allergenic formula available from "Goodness direct", our younger one now 4.10 has been on it since six months of age, for the first six months she has been only breast fed with no problems, but once I have taken her of the breast it did not go well, on the advice of a very good friend we tried her on goats milk and never looked back, she had no digestive problems since, her skin is clear and even today she a pint of fresh waitrose's brand a day, it saved us.

I've heard there is more chance of them developing an allergy to goats milk if they have a milk allergy so I'm reluctant to try it. Plus I'd rather have something I can pick up locally just incase. Thanks for your reply though.

Absolutely, if they already have the milk allergy, then no milk of any kind, but if not still worth considering it for overall health of child. All I know and I can't back this up, is since mine has been on it, there are no colds, runny green nose, no coughs, in general very healthy, regular bowel movements, but have been given a nod of approval by our paediatrician. There are cons of course tin of goats milk baby formula is around £11, which can be huge deciding factor, it is not expensive for no reason, good luck to you.

Just checked the website it's actually £19 for 900g, yes expensive.

Agree with BB, goats milk Formula and soya formula are not recommended for CMP allergy. Plus if you can get the hypo formula prescribed it'll be free!

Saw the HV today and she thinks it's definitely a cow's milk protein allergy and has prescribed Aptamil Pepti 1. She said if it doesn't work then there's nothing else she can prescribe as they are reluctant to give Soya to boys under 1 now but he has been referred to a specialist at the hospital so hopefully they can prescribe something else if the Pepti doesn't help.

There ate several different hypo formulas that can be prescribed, nutramigen, neocate to name just a couple. FWIW DS reacted to nutramigen as it still contains CMP, but there is also nutramigen AA to try too.

It's great you have been referred to a specialist though who will know what there is available.

Hope the hypo formula helps and your LO will drink it!!!