Is my 8 month old lactose intolerant

[nicolasmith2512]

So my nearly 8 month old has been weaned since he was 5 months and has always been a sicky baby but I've previously put this down to reflux (older DD had bad reflux). More recently (3-4 weeks) I've introduced more cows milk (i.e. In weetabix etc, had previously used boiled water in baby porridge) and the sickness seems to have increased. He also poohs 4-5 times a day and this is usually during or straight after meals. He also has mild eczema and this also seems to have flared up again after previously disappearing.
Any thoughts? Or is this all just coincidence and not really a sign of anything?

I could have written this myself 5 years ago when my DS was a baby. He was very sicky! We tried putting him on loads of different formula milks, went to the doctors and was given gaviscon, ranitidine and domperidone for reflux tried lactose free milk too and nothing was helping.

Went to see a dietician who said straight away that he wasn't just lactose intolerant he was completely intolerant to cows milk. She gave him soya milk and we cut all cows milk products out of his diet completely and he was like a different little boy altogether!!

Try cutting cows milk out and see if makes a difference.

Apparently it's common for babies to be intolerant to cows milk and 90% of them grow out of it by the time they're 3 and 10% take it through to adulthood.
Luckily my DD grew out of it and he's a happy milk drinker now.

DS I mean not DD

Your baby isn't lactose intolerant, it's very, very rare and babies get very ill pretty much straight away. As pp says it could be cows milk protein intolerance though. What has the gp said?

Well it's unlikely as only 7% of the populations actually are despite the high levels of self diagnosis and "dietitians/nutritionists/quacks".

Don't cut out a food group and make life difficult if it's unecessary HOWEVER it is possible as is milk protein allergy though that would be more serious. Go to a GP and get referred for proper allergy testing.

Oh and lactose is only in significant enough levels to cause on issue in milk,
Once processed into cheese/yoghurt etc there is no issue for those intolerent. For MPA the problem is with all dairy in any form.

I'm not sure they can test for CMPA can they?

OP I'd read up on CMPA, cut out all dairy and book a GP appointment.

My DD tried all sorts of eliminations in her diet with DGC due to severe eczema whilst still fully bf. Got referred to a paediatric allergist and DGC is potentially anaphylactic to egg.

Definitely worth asking for a referral. The local paediatrician didn't want to deal with it as DGC was only a few months old. DGC is now 7 months and weaning, quite refluxy but eczema greatly improved.

Thanks for your advice everyone. I've spoken to the HV who has given me a few ideas as well but next step is GP

What did your HV say sleep?

Keep a diary of foods, increase gaviscon sachets from 1 to 2 per bottle and be mindful of portion size (in case sick from over feeding). We'll see what happens but does seem to be better since stopping 'raw' milk in cereal and no yoghurts

People get incredibly confused about what is intolerance, allergy etc.

Allergic reactions can be divided into 4 types, roughly. Type 1 includes anaphylaxis and the lesser steps on the way to it, wheezing, swelling, hives, eye watering, instant profuse vomiting/diarrhoea etc. Type 4 reactions include less profuse/more delayed diarrhoea, which may be bloody.

Your GP will (should) be able to explain allergy in these terms. CMPA in babies is usually type 1 or type 4. Type 1 usually vomit profusely and fail to thrive until put on formula that contains no cows milk proteins at all. You'd know by now if this were the case. Those kids often stay allergic until toddlerhood and a fair proportion to adulthood. Type 4 is much more nebulous. Classical presentation is green & bloody diarrhoea, internittent, from about 4 weeks. Kid is otherwise fine, and it clears up during the first year with no intervention, though mother is often advised to avoid all dairy or kid put on no cows milk proten formula. There is some evidence that it is better to just ride it out as those kids are less likely to be allergic to dairy later (but there may be self selection there as the really allerfic may be unable to ride it out).

This sounds like a type 4 allergic reaction to (one of many possible) cow's milk proteins.

Typically CMPA starts way earlier than this (4weeks ish) but if your baby has had relatively mild symptoms you may not have known.

Forgot to say that testing can only be done for type 1 allergy, not type 4. So it seems unlikely that if this is allergy that there would be a test for it, so eliminating dairy is likely to be what you need to do. But talk to GP - this is well known territory among paediatric immunologists and paediatricians but less well known by GPs, so a referral may be what you need. Good luck!

also worth noting that about 1/3 kids with type 4 CMPA are also allergic to soy, so if you do cut out dairy and it has no effect (1) it can take 3-6 weeks for it to work and (2) bear in mind he could also be allergic to other things, eg soy.

Both dairy and soy are in all sorts of things, eg nearly all bread...

My 9mo DS had type 4 CMPA and soy allergy up to about 7mo. I drove myself almost mad eliminating foods, and lost a lot of weight.Paed immunologist said eat everything, ride it out, it will clear up: it did. So the prognosis is good if CMPA is the problem here.

Lactose intolerance is extremely rare and a baby would lose weight and be very ill immediately.

Cmpa is more likely. If it cmpa who need to go dairy free. Lactose free products won't be enough as they still contain cows milk proteins.

Thanks everyone
Wow, didn't realize it was such a minefield!