DS2 allergic too?

[MrsMook]

DS1 was formally identified with allergies to milk and eggs, and intolerance to soya around the time he turned 1. The problems became clear when we started weaning, and had obvious reactions where the trigger foods touched his skin, and was thoroughly covered in eczema. He's now 3, and we've managed to introduce controlled amounts of dairy, so family cooking still contains Oatly in place of milk, but we also have cheese, yoghurt and baked goods.

I had been optimistic about DS2. He's grown consistently better, he's had beautiful skin. However he started nursery within the last two months, where he uses cows milk (I had tried him on it a few times with no obvious effect). He is EBFed several times a day, and still taking one or two feeds in the night (This is very familiar from DS1, and magicly cured itself when we changed his diet). A couple of weeks ago I went away for the weekend. DH gave him lots of yoghurt to compensate for taking no milk- like DS1, he is a total bottle refuser. After a couple of days, he was showing early signs of an eczema like rash.

Yesterday we were eating pizza, and DS2 came up with several red blotches, including a hive-type mark with a pale centre. I suspect that he may have a mild allergy, and can cope with our low dairy diet at home, but may be overloaded at nursery. He has had a nappy rash with clear hives on a couple of occasions after some dairy, but I wasn't sure if it would upset him after being digested.

What is the best approach now? It took 3 visits to the GP with DS1 including the first visit when I ran in with his face swelling and being unable to open his eyes, so an allergic reaction was very obvious, but it was still 6m later before we saw a dietician. I think I need to go so he can have a prescription for anti-histamine so nursery can give him some if necessary as they won't be able to use DS1's. I can ask them to use the same diet as DS1. Should I revert back to our low dairy diet that he's always been happy with, or do I need to be looking at a total avoidance of dairy. Our diet doesn't have many triggers to activate a reaction.

I'm not sure if this is related or not, but he had bronchiolitis back in November. He's never fully shaken the cough of and has been very snotty and plegmy since. It's flared up again over the weekend. When DS1 was struggling he appeared to be very hayfevery. At the moment it feels like he's in teething trough mode, but he'd normally cut a tooth soon after, and that's not happened.

I forgot to say, he'll be 1 later this week.

you are asking questions that are really medical ones. Is your older child under a pead allergist or allergy clinic?

if so go to gp and mention your concerns, and then ring allergy doc/ pead about younger sibling in family.

it might not be caused by milk lots of different food in pizza, so you still need to make sure you have got the correct food to avoid if required.

DS1 sees the dietitian every 6 months, and just had one ap with the pediatrician which was a couple of years ago.

I've told nursery and suggested using the same level of dairy /alternatives as DS1- it would be awkward having a notable reaction there.

With the amount of dairy we eat, it's awkward to trigger a reaction naturally. DS1s weren't consistent with yoghurts/ cheese which was why it took a while to pin down the trigger. That became obvious when he spilt cows milk down his chest the first time I offered it as a drink on its own.

then you need to question if you need more expert help with this, is there any chance you could ask your gp to refer you to a pead allergy clinic?

does your local pead have any plans to give you further support for your older son with his allergies? eg testing for other allergies, testing for outgrowing allergies, and safe food challenges?

DS1 was never tested, but had an obvious reaction to milk and eggs. When we saw the dietitian a few weeks after we changed the diet, she identified the soya intolerance from the new digestive effects he was suffering (he demonstrated the screaming cramps and flatulence while we were there). The dietitian has been planning the phasing in of foods which we've done at home.

so your son has never been tested for other allergies? such as environmental allergies?

My son had egg allergy and had to have hospital food challenges when testing indicated that he was outgrowing.

Has your pead ever mentioned the need for an auto injector, or jext or epi pen?

No, the allergies have always been skin reactions on contact, and eczema. Food trials have been done at home, not under medical supervision. (DS1)

We've just got another dietician appointment for DS1 through the post. It needs to be rearranged as neither of us can get him there that day, but hopefully we can see them soon.

DS2 has been taken off cows milk at nursery, but is still having our low dairy diet at home (DS1 is partially reintroduced, and can cope with controlled amounts), and his dry crusty patches are softening without any other interventions- they had been there a few weeks.