Little support & I don't know what's wrong.

[seabuckthorn]

Ds2 is 10 months and has a cows milk protein allergy- we know this from what the GP told me based on his symptoms of vommiting normal formula, going bright red all over and being rashy. I also have CMP and DP is lactose intolerant ( I know match made in heaven there).

So he has been on Nutramigen since he was 7 days old. All fine, he is thriving I'm really pleased. Have a review at 1 year.
But he always sounds like he has a really bad cold! Snotty nose and sounds chesty even though whenever I have had his chest checked the GP says he is clear. He sounds like he can't clear his throat- a good old cough and bringing up some mucus I reckon would help.
It's not wheezing it sounds wetter, it's hard to describe.

The GP won't do anything like allergy testing or asthma testing until he is a year- her reasons were vague, I suspect the real reason is financial.

I feel useless because he always sounds ill but he isn't at all. He's a happy chap. I am not expecting strangers on the Internet to diagnose him, I just would like to know of anyone has experience of this or similar?
Thanks very much for reading.

i would ask for a referral to the paediatric allergy specialist.

DD had cows milk protein intolerance when she was a baby. She sounded snotty and I remember them thinking that she might have a problem with adenoids.

Are you not under a paediatric consultant? DD is now 9 but we were referred to a paediatric consultant at the time. It could just have been 'cos our GP didn't know what was wrong with DD and DD was screaming and screaming all the time. Just surprised that your GP diagnosed it but maybe given family history etc. GP could put 2 + 2 together.

I don't recall there being any allergy testing until DD was between 1 and 2. I think it was because it's quite difficult doing the tests on the baby and, from what I remember, they don't think they're very reliable.

Well, that's my experience. I would have thought that you'd have been referred to a paediatrician.

A child can be allergy tested at any age. My ds was tested way before age one, both skin prick and rast (blood) tests, and there are many others on here whose dc's were also tested as babies with pretty accurate results. I think that the guidelines state that once an allergic reaction has been diagnosed then you are entitled to be referred and given further testing. You should also have access to a dietician for help with feeding and nutrition. Babybarrister is the expert on this, I'm just going on what I've read on here...

If I were you, I'd be demanding a referral from your gp, and if you get no joy I'd be looking for a second opinion - many doctors are not very well clued-up on allergies and I think a lot do seem to really believe that allergy testing is not possible for babies when it is just not the case.

Good luck!

Thanks I've booked an appointment to see the GP and I will demanding a referral.
He seems fine in himself meeting the milestones etc he just sounds all congested and snotty and no one can tell me why.

I would definitely demand that referral and you should also get an appointment with a dietician too. With regards to your DS sounding mucusy, this in fact quite common in babies and young children with allergies. My DS has multiple allergies and when he was little he always sounded a bit like a cat purring and his chest always sounded rattly when I picked him up. He also had prolonged reflux until he was gone 2, another common symptom of allergic children.

Like everyone has said rhinitis is very common with allergies, whether it's a symptom of allergies, or because of silent reflux. Ether way this shouldn't still be going on and you should be getting more help. It maybe even as simple as switching to nutramigen AA or neocate like most cmp allergy babies.

Your GP is talking rubbish about waiting until 1 for allergy testing, both mine were tested at 6 months old. They don't tend to be able to diagnose asthma properly until they are a lot older though as babies/young kids can't do the peak flow test.

And my CMP allergic DS couldn't tolerate Nutramigen, so maybe a different formula would help as Chocamum has suggested.

Trixy is spot on about your GP talking rubbish, definitely no need to wait till a year. My ds has had skin prick tests etc at 4 months!

Good luck with getting referral.

Oh yes, after reading some of these, I'm starting to remember more. We saw a dietician too and had regular check ups both by paediatrician and dietician.

Just realised your Ds is also almost 10 months old so not a newborn. Surely they can do an allergy test then?

Good luck again.

Yep, the tests done on my two at 6 months old were 100% accurate too.

My DS was also like this - even had to have nasal suctioning and sometimes lying him down would make it near on impossible to breathe.

DS does not have the usual food allergies and actually has no diagnosed allergens. But he has had anaphylatic chock and carries an epi-pen.

I would also be pushing for a referral as allergies are a tough nit to crack and even if there are no absolute answers then you need to be treating correctly.

FWIW DS was also always being diagnosed as 'fluid in his ears' which was seen by ENT consultant who wasn't concerned because it drained itself regulary. It wasn't until the allergic reactions started that they put it down to allergy based.

In fact it was only last year we discovered DS has a high eosinophil count which is basically an indicator of allergic rhinitis. It can't be cured but it can be controlled.

Best of luck with GP appointment.

Thanks for all your kind replies. I'm going to demand referral and push to try neocate instead of the Nutramigen we have been using for 10 months! He is having oat milk on cereal etc but bless him he just really sound like he needs a good old cough and bring up the mucus.
He did need the further hearing test as he was too muffled. She said he thought he had a cold, he didn't to my knowledge.
He is always snotty too. I feel terrible I haven't pushed this further, I don't want him to suffer and due to the crap the GP told me I have.
I find this upsetting, worsened by pregnancy hormones I imagine!

The hearing test after they are born.
He was born quite quickly and threw up a lot of the gunk
that would normally dispell at birth. Could that have anything to do with it?