Hi
My 16 month old daughter was diagnosed with coeliac disease based on blood test results about 3 months ago and is doing well on her gluten-free diet and finally - at long last - gaining weight although she is still off the bottom of the growth charts. She's too young for the endoscopy at the moment but will have it done to confirm diagnosis when the time comes.
She has also had frequent flare-ups of what the GP now reckons is eczema triggered by dairy, on her face (around the mouth), bottom and most recently hands. We've been prescribed aqueous cream for the face and hydrocortisone 1% for her hands. The GP thinks it looks like a classic reaction to milk, but says that because of the coeliac, he doesn't recommend excluding dairy and says we should just manage the symptoms and she will grow out of the milk allergy. He reckons that nutritionally she really needs to stick with dairy.
I can understand this of course, because she does need all the calories she can get and the reaction is mild in comparison with some eczema and clears up almost completely between bouts. However she does spend about half the time looking as if she's been eating jam sandwiches and smeared the jam all over her face, and her hands have been quite swollen and itchy.
I know my MIL will argue in favour of going dairy as well as gluten free, so I want to be sure we're doing the right thing in following the GP's advice. Has anyone had a similar experience? Are some dairy foods worse triggers than others (I wondered if it might be mostly cheese)?
Thanks in advance for any thoughts!