CMP allergy in 18 month old

[CokeFan]

DD has a milk allergy that we found out about when she was 6 months old. I gave her some cheese and her face and lips swelled up. They monitored her in A&E for a couple of hours and then sent us away, telling us not to give her any more cheese for a few months and that she'd probably be allergic to other things

DD is now 18 months old and was eventually diagnosed with milk and egg allergy (skin prick tests) at about 10 months old. I'd no idea she was allergic to egg previously but she'd had quite a bit of eczema, which has now cleared up with various creams etc.

We were prescribed (at the insistence of the paed) some Nutramigen. She's had about 2 teaspoons of it to check that she didn't react to it (she was fine) but it tastes disgusting and I don't think I could get her to drink it.

She's not due for another appointment until June but I'd really like to give up BF. Until recently she's been fed morning and evening, this week it's just been mornings and I'd like to phase it out completely. She has soya milk on cereal and will drink it and she also likes soya yogurts. What are my options if I give up BF?

The soya milk cartons suggest that it's suitable for over 2s as a main drink. I doubt I could get her to drink the Nutramigen. Since she's ok with soya, should I give her soya formula?

She has a reasonable diet (I think) - really likes fish, fruit, some vegetables etc.

i would phone your consultant for a chat tbh.

dd4 has CMP allergy, and wont touch nutrimigen. alongside breatsmilk she can have soya milk, but not as a main drink as not suitable.

My DS was diagnosed with a very slight CMP and sensitive to eggs, he is now 17 months - I'm pregnant again and so decided to give up BF. DS has soya formula for am and pm drink and soya on his cereal. I found it a real wrench to give up the BF but DS was not concerned at all and apart from the occasional tug at my top, usually when he was v tired, he's been absolutely fine with the weaning.

Good luck.

I gave up breastfeeding my CMP allergic DD at 20 months, and, on a dieticians advice, she went straight on to Oatly fortified milk. The reason being, at 18 months her diet was varied enough to get calcium from other sources. She couldn't tollerate any hypoallergenic formula, and it was recommended that we avoid soya formula.

She does got higher fat meals than your aerage 3 year old now, we add extra olive oil and pure to he meals purely to add extra calories. And at three and a half, I'm happy to report she's a very healthy little girl.

Ask your GP for an appointment with a dietician, ours has been really helpful and seems to understand more about DD's allergies than most HCPs we've come accross. Seriously though, at 18 months you have given your DD such a brilliant start with breatfeeding, I'm sure she will be fine. Well done you, I know from experience what a slog it can be!

they should be retesting her soon as children can outgrow milk allergy at around 1.5/2 yrs so you may find, after your appointment in June, that you don't have to worry about it

dd was on nutramigen from 4 months (had to be as I went back to work full time so evil me had to just stop breastfeeding and put her on it as there was no way she would take it and breastfeed together!) and when she got to about 1.5 I think she just stopped wanting to have it.

A lot of children don't have milk/bottles from about that age and make up what they need in calcium in their diet. I would agree with the dietician appointment but if you can, I'd see if you can hang on till June as then you will know, if she continues to be allergic you can see the dietician and if not, then you don't have to worry.

Thanks for the replies misdee, spidershavearrived, nellymoo and foxinsocks.

I'll be over the moon if she's grown out of her allergies.

We did see a dietician when she was about 11.5 months old because of her allergies. DD's always been between 9th and 25th centile for both weight and height and has tiny feet (size 3) and hands and we've always had comments about how petite she is (HV reported her weight as "a bit static" so it's always been a bit of an issue). DH and I were both small when young but now I'm 5' 9" and he's 5' 11" so I think people look at us and at her and think we don't "match".

When we saw the dietician, DD wasn't eating particularly well - much more interested in BF - but since then she's had a much more balanced diet and seems to eat plenty. Definitely has lots of energy .

DH is going to try to get some soya formula today and I'll contact the dietician to check it's ok. It kind of seemed like a backward step to be using formula after BF for so long but it's probably better for her than just soya milk.

I would definitely consult a dietician about it. We were advised not to use soy as a main drink because of concerns about the phyto-oestrogens, although this may be more of a problem for boys than girls.

I wouldn't see formula as a backwards step, as it will have more nutrients than other milks, which I think allergic children have more need of.

Just a point about the Nutramigen - I know all these milks taste disgusting, but with perseverance we did manage to get DS1 onto Neocate at 18 months and DS2 onto Pepti Junior at 15 months. We mixed it with rice milk for DS1 (starting with a tiny amount and gradually upping the quantity), and with DS2 I think we just kept trying to give it. Other people suggested mixing it with expressed breastmilk but I found that a huge hassle, and heartbreaking each time he rejected it and I had to throw away my precious milk! It may be worth persevering a little longer... I think it took a few weeks for us each time.

Good luck and I hope for your sake that she may have grown out of it anyway!

Coke, I felt exactly the same re the formula - I wanted to use soya milk as the main source, however when I spoke to dietician she recommended that we use the formula until 2 years of age. Not ideal. One day soon I'll take the plunge and see if there is any reaction to the full fat variety!!