Milk allergy, sensitivity in babies. Not sure about my 8 mo, what were your symptoms?

[pevie]

My LO has been unsettled since birth, originally pukey, windy, screaming, not sleeping!!! Was diagnosed with reflux, given gaviscon, ranitidine, omeprazole, didnt seem to work. Have also tried cranial osteopath, no difference. I tried cutting out dairy at about 4 months or so but no real difference, although I dont know if I was strict enough about things in all foods. I did cut out chocolate, butter, cakes, cheese, milk, pastry, etc. so thought that wasnt it either. also not convinced because she didnt have the explosive poos always discussed as factor in allergy and for last month or more has been pretty constipated. she is obviously weaned now and we have stuck mainly to diet of meat, fruit, veg. Although we did try yoghurt, not huge difference. One time tried a recipe with cheese and milk in it - seemed to be a problem with this. Anyway, the reason I am revisiting allergy, sensitivity as a potential problem is that she is still v.up and down and over last week has been horrendous again, up all night with windy pains, gurgling tummy and constipation. I have had more creamy, chocolately products cos of Christmas so wondered about this as a factor. Is constipation a symptom, how about gurgling tummies?

I always found breastfeeding my LO (2.3 now) quite hard, as he would only feed for a few minutes before crying and being very fussy. Somehow we managed for 6 months before I decided to try formula - one mouthful and he came up in the biggest rash, massive red bumps instantly all over his face, chest and shoulders. My MIL who is a nurse said try with a teaspoon of milk just to make sure, and the rash came up again round his mouth. That was how we discovered his milk allergy! My doctor was pretty rubbish so we paid to see a private children's dietician who was excellent and recommended we try Nutramigen formula which worked fine until he went onto soya milk and other products when totally weaned.

We were lucky in that it was such an obvious reaction, but I would definitely recommend seeing a specialist. Also, I was trying him with different dairy foods and found he didn't have a reaction to certain things like marge and cheap ice-cream, but the doctor then told me to cut out EVERYTHING, whether it gave a reation or not, until he was four, just in case.

Sorry this doesn't really answer your questions - good luck with it!

We tried formula milk for first time on monday and no obvious reaction right away but since tuesday night has been v.unsettled again after having week or so of being okay. Could formula milk have affected her that long after or would it have been immediate? Need to try weaning on to other milk soon as due back at work and have bf for last 8 months, would still do sometimes but need to give formula in day.

In my completely uninformed opinion I would say that your LO could have a reaction to something a day or so later due to the time it takes to go through the system. Would really recommend you see someone - or in the meantime, try Soya formula (from Tescos or anywhere, normal price) or something like Nutramigen (on prescription or about £13 per tub if bought privately ) which is totally non-dairy, then see what happens.

Pevie, my DD was diagnosed with milk/soya allergy at 6 weeks (now 19 months). I was breastfeeding, she fought at the breast, had horrendous reflux (on all the meds), losing weight, cried constantly only sleeping in snatches. AND she was constipated, you could feel it in her tummy. Also she was covered in a rash, like heat rash. Hospital said milk allergic babies don't get constipated but thats a load of crap, pardon the pun. A lot of milk allergic babies show with constipation.

She turned out to be allergic to my breastmilk too, even though I never drink milk and followed the milk/soya free diet. Nutramigen is fantastic, smells disgusting though, your HV can get GP to prescribe it, I think they can have it on prescription up to age of 5. I finally had a happy, contented baby when we started giving her that. Personally I don't like soya formulas.

Shes also allergic to rice (v unusual), meat, citrus at the moment, but a very happy little girl.

I use MILKFREE site a lot www.milkfree.org.uk/
theres a lot of advice on babies and weaning, recipes. Can't recommend it enough, it saved my sanity. You will get used to reading labels on everything, for example DD had a strange spot of rash on her lip which wouldn't go away until I discoved my washing up liquid had milk in it! Unbelievable.

Sorry if I've gone on a bit, but hope it helps, feel free to ask anything its one subject I actually know about! Good luck, thinking of you, Blue

I have read this thread with interest as I think my DS 7mths has dairy allergy. I did start a thread thinking that it could be a reaction to the washing liquid I used on his clothes but a friend suggested a dairy allergy due to the red spots on his face especially around his mouth and eyes so have cut out completely so far for 2 days.

I should also add that he was breast and formula fed to 5 weeks and then on formula only and no reflux etc at all and it wasn't until I introduced solids that the spots appeared. There is no constipation or any other symptoms other than the spots on his face.

BlueDomino, which washing up liquid contains milk?????? Yes, quite incredible.

Sorry to hijack and that I can't offer any advice so far.

It might be Ecover washing up liquid she's talking about, there are 2 varieties - one is OK (has Vegan Society mark on it), the other one has whey in it - I remember because I used to use it and only noticed about 6 months after DS was diagnosed with milk allergy.

DS (10mo) has some kind of dairy allergy and it is driving me slightly insane. At first it was just cows' milk, he was OK with cheese, yoghurt, goats' milk etc. Now he has started reacting to these too (he comes up in hives where he has contact with it). Although not all the time -- sometimes he is fine with something I've cooked, then I can give him some from the same batch and he flares up.

So my main questions are:

Can I use soya milk & yoghurt in his cooking? How can I check to tell that he isn't allergic to soya too?

How else can I get fat and protein in his diet -- we are vegetarian so will be a major pita if I have to cut out dairy altogether.

Do I need to cut out dairy from his diet 100% -- he is OK with some things but not others, but it seems to change on a daily basis!

Also I am still BF, do I need to cut out dairy too? I did for 3 weeks before he was on solids as he has eczema and it made no difference then...

I use Ecover washing up liquid so will call the helpline and get the facts. Staggering. While I am in 'staggered mode', Abidec vitamin drops are in ... wait for it... PEANUT OIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Looked up ecover.com and its the camomile washing up liquid that has the whey proteins. Gawd! I use their entire range from loo cleaner to descaler not because we are vegan (we're not) but because I want to use something with as few chemicals or harmful things as poss. But is this possible?

DD wasn't diagnosed until she was ten months old, by which point she was passing blood and mucus, and not much else several times a day. She also hadn't eaten any solids for a month other than the occassional yoghurt and was losing weight, was pale and lethargic. She had horrendous nappy rash which bled when ever her bottom was cleaned and projectiled vomitted her bottle a good few times.

Within 24 hours of her being diagnosed as milk protein intollerant and stopping all dairy in her diet, the nappy rash had 90% disappeared and she began to get better and better each day.