Depressed about weaning - allergic but not sure what?

[Igglybuff]

Hi

I've been weaning my 8 month DS for a couple o months now but it's going slowly and in the last week or so things have taken a turn for the worse.

I know he's intolerant to cows milk (he has reflux) - I've given tiny amounts and it's made him windy and causes ezcema. I also have cut out dairy from my diet as I'm still BF.

in the last week or so DS has developed a rash on his face and when eating, he rubs his nose as if itches. We've only just twigged that it's something he's eating but no idea what. It could be onions, tomatoes, carrots,salmon or soya. The thing is he's had all of these things before with no reaction - it's only in the last few days that something he's had has bothered him.

The second time he'd had salmon, tomato and squash, he was up every hour in the night with bad wind and a rash had developed. He'd also had soya earlier in the day. After that I only gave him baby porridge with EBM for a day. Today he had turkey burgers with carrot and apple and he was rubbing his nose and his rash seemed worse.

This is a long ramble but it reflects my panic and misery - dramatic I know, but I dont know what to do.

Do I stop weaning and see a dietician? Do I start again very slowly? I'm worried that I'm depriving DS of food as he's very hungry but I'm nervous about giving solids!!

Any help/insight would be much appreciated.

Seeing a doictor or dietician depends on how extreme the rash is IMO.
My ds2 gets an excema flare up every now and again but gp says it isn't serious enough to change his diet.
I think ds2's comes from baby tomatoes (all others seem fine) and kiwi.

As you're still BF, I'd suggest that you cut out high risk foods and keep a feeding diary. Give new food every 3 days so you have time to see if any reaction comes.
If he's hungry, I'd personally stick to something pretty safe and lots of extra milk

hI SILVERY the rash appeared suddenly a few days ago and hasn't cleared up. It's over his cheeks, eyelids and chin. I would have thought it was a drool rash but becausae it's around the eyes, I don't think it is. Also it wont clear up with washing/sudacrem as his drool rashes usually do.

I'm going to cut out the culprits (although I didn't think carrot was high risk) and try and introduce again as you say.

I'm trying to get as much milk in him as possible but he doesn't feed properly unless sleepy or at night!

We have a drop in session with a dietician at a local clinic so I might pop along, but as it's first come first served I'm not sure I'll get seen.

Iggly Maybe you should just pop along to your gp? See what they say, can't do any harm, or call your hv?

Sorry - I put your name in caps by accident! Yes, I'm going to book an appointment with the GP but worried she'll just think I'm worrying for nothing - it took four visits to get meds for DS's reflux.

of the foods you mention soya is the more likely cause of a problem. Orange flavourings/colourings can be a problem for some children. So I'd drop any orange squash and soya. Carrot is rarely allergenic - was there soya in the turkey burgers as that wouldn't be unusual?

Lamb, rice, sweet potato are rarely allergenic, pear is safer than apple. Someone posted a helpful list not long ago if you look back through older posts in this section.

You often hear something is "rarely allergenic" and that is actually a bit misleading. Sure certain things are more likely to be allergenic than others (in populations!) but in reality, anything can cause a reaction to a particular child. It is useful to start with things that are low allergenic while remembering this.

The only sure way to find out what is causing the reaction is to get your little one symptom free (even if that means cutting out all solids) and re-introduce solids one by one (1 per week). It is slow and painful but otherwise may be difficult to get to the bottom of things and it's easier to do now than later. Babies can start to react to things they have tolerated before (although this is the less likely option, maybe there were 'hidden' things in the food if you used something ready?). Most common allergens are dairy, soya, egg. Wheat can also be the problem, but like said, it could by any individual thing too.

I agree, thorough food diary for baby and you is crucial!

Do you know all the hidden sources of dairy/soya protein?

Oh I forgot: The rubbing of the nose/face can be from reflux (which can again be made worse by 'baddy' foods). It is worth listing all such symptoms in the food diary so you can start to find patterns.

Thanks tatt I'll hunt the list. DS doesn't have orange and I'm dropping the soya. Turkey burgers were homemade - so no soya.

Emily yep I know the hidden sources - they have funny names. I rarely eat readymade stuff (even bread is homemade) - same for DS. Also DS rubs his face a lot when eating so maybe it's triggering his (silent) reflux. Ive started a diary now. I have thought about cutting out solids altogether and starting again.

On carrots I had read somewhere that people allergic to birch tree pollen can be allergic to carrots too. I have hayfever and DS does sneeze when I do when we're out... It's a minefield.

Funnily enough - today the rash has cleared up but I gave DS tea of squash and sweet potato mixed with EBM and gluten free baby porridge and he did the nose rubbing again!! Afterwards the rash flared up again under his eye I'm at a loss.

Emily is right about being allergic to anything but it would be a shame to restart completely if you didn't have to. When I weaned it was one new food at a tie but for 3 days, then move on to the next if no problem.

The relationship between birch allergy and carrot is part of oral allergy syndrome and that's more of a problem with raw veg than cooked. Many doctors would tell you children don't get pollen allergies until at least their second year and usually after that.

You've mentioned squash twice so maybe try dropping that one too. Other foods that rarely cause problems include quinoa avocado and oats. Quinoa is a nutrionally good food but I find it a pain to cook. avocado would be good for a hungry baby. Porrridge is easy and filling.

there is some research suggesting wheat should be introduced by your baby's age.

Thanks.

DS has had wheat already as well as eggs and has been fine. The gluten free porridge is just stuff left over I'm trying to use up!

This morning DS' face looks much better now. I'll try quinoa - I've cooked it once but it's a right faff as you say! Avocado goes down well as do oats thank goodness!

Thanks again for your help.

Hi, im in the same boat as you , DS is 7 months and allergic to milk egg and peanut and weaning is VERY slow going. First of all does the baby porridge you are using contain milk as any baby porridge i have seen does and for that reason i cannot give it as DS will react to it - so check that first.

Secondly, keep a detailed food diary, i would recommend you start weaning all over again introducing one food at a time and waiting for 3-4 days to see if there is any reaction, then if not add that food to the safe list.

Thirdly, a baby may not react to a food the first time he gets it - i was told by the dietician that he will react the SECOND time, which is why its important to intro foods one at a time and wait the 3-4 days- this could be why he was up all night after you gave salmon/tomatoes and squash the second time.

I agree with the poster that said low allergenic foods is misleading, I was told pear is a good low allergenic food and poor DS was in a terrible start for over a week after i gave it (he only reacted on the second day) up every hour with wind and reflux type symptoms - arching back and screaming.

HTH

lima no the porridge is milk free (you add milk yourself) which is good. I have been caught out with ready made food once so never giving again.
How did you find out about peanuts? I'd like to get DS tested (not just nuts) as I don't fancy taking a chance! I'm seeing the gp to get a referral to a dietician (hopefully) this week.

That's awful about the pear. I gave DS something (unknowingly) with dairy in and stomach acid came back out of his nose. Horrible

Ah your poor little boy, isnt it terrible what they go through.

My DS started getting eczema at 3 months old - i was BF and he was getting dairy egg and nuts through my milk. He was very unsettled after a bout of gastro and went from sleeping 7 hrs straight to waking every 1-2 hrs. After about 2-3 weeks of this and when his eczema got infected i went to docs and he confirmed the eczema. Over the next month i was back in docs 3 times with infected eczema, the fourth time it was so bad he sent us to A&E and it was from that that he was referred to the dermatology dept.In the meantime i brought him to a private allergy testing place (it was a proper private hospital) and i was told he had a nut allergy after a skin prick test was done.
However when i had first appt with derm dept they ordered RAST - blood testing and it came back positive for cows milk, egg and peanut. They then did a skin prick test to confirm the milk and egg allergy as i already had the nut one done - this also came back positive.
He was only 4 months old at the time so not too young for the tests as most people are told.

Thanks Lima I'll ask for the RAST test then. I don't want to get hung up about food and pass that on to DS but at the moment I can't just relax and feed him.

Sorry to hear all youre going through Lima.

My DD is on neocate for cmpi and likely other allergies and although over 6 mnths old weaning hasnt really got off ground as she reacts to everything (reflux, rashes etc)- she s back to baby rice for third time. Just thought id post bc she had rast testing and allergy testing which were all normal but we were told at her age alot of it is T cell mediated (diff part of immune system) rather than IgE (detected by RAST) so wouldnt necessarliy show up. and she def reacts to stuff and is better on neocate than my dairy free BF. so although rast will be helpful if positive, doesnt exclude things if neg. and allergy testing doesnt show up intolerances - just allergies.

It took ages for me to be referred to paeds and dietician but i would recommend this as it is a struggle and you need some support.

Best of luck xx

I can really recommend this book by a dietician:

what should I feed my baby

It explains everything you need to know, even things like why they shouldn't have cows milk before 1 etc.

I found it very reassuring and useful.

JPK123 - just to let you know, i couldnt give DS baby rice - it was just plain organic rice but it also gave him reflux type symptoms. Again the dietician was very surprised as she hadnt heard of anyone reacting to it either.
I do think the pear and baby rice are foods DS cannot tolerate as opposed to being allergic to so like you said testing is useless in this area.

My nephew could not tolerate potato, fish, peas or avacodo and my sister only found this out by trial and error. Thats why intro foods one at a time is so important otherwise you havent a clue what caused the reaction and may have to give it again causing upset for the baby.