Allergy/Intolerance Testing

[Bubbaloo13]

Hi 👋🏼 has anyone looked into or undergone food allergy/intolerance testing for baby? If so, would you please share your experience/any information that might assist us in deciding whether to look into this. I am in South Yorkshire.

Hope this post is allowed admin please delete if not. Sincerely, a very stressed, tired, anxious Mummy 😢

Allergy testing is pretty unreliable and generally not done til after 2. How old is your DC and what are their symptoms?

MY son is 7.5 months old and we have just been referred for allergy testing. He’s CMPA and was diagnosed at 9 weeks of age but since starting weaning it seems he’s reacting to other things, hence the referral.

The only downside is that can only test for allergies that cause immediate reactions, rashes, hives, eczema flare ups etc following eating, and not for any foods that only cause gastrointestinal issues like abdominal pain, D&V etc.

Can you say more about what’s going on and what your worries are?

Thanks for the replies. Sorry this is long winded but here is our story....

DS is 6 weeks old and ebf on demand. From around 1 week old he has been extremely unsettled, he holds his breath, grunts, squirms, writhes and I could hear him gulping, often gagging when I put him down after a feed. He is very windy (both ends) burps are loud and sometimes accompanied with sick of varying amounts and poops are loud and explosive and have varied in colour and consistency over the weeks from the yellow with white seeds that you would expect from ebf baby to greenish - he often struggles to poop and empty his bowels. He has hiccups and sneezes a few times a day as well as rubbing his nose/face and I also noticed that his 'voice' seems snuffly.

My DD (now 3yo) was also ebf and suffered with reflux which was successfully managed with omeprazole and she also had cmpa which I managed by cutting out dairy from my diet. I recognised some of the same symptoms in DS so have stopped all dairy again in the hope that it would help him (this was 4 weeks ago but still no improvement).

He is feeding lots but often upset and fractious when on my breast. Despite this he is clapping weight on (11lb 11oz) and remains on the 91st centile on his growth chart). However, he is still unhappy and obvs uncomfortable and becomes upset when I try to put him down - this has got worse over the weeks and I am struggling to stay on top of things as I can't get anything done for nursing/comforting him. My mood has deteriorated and I spend a lot of time crying these days, beginning to resent baby and I am ashamed to say that I have held him at arms length and shouted at him to shut up.

I have done as much as I can in terms of seeking medical help. I have taken him to GP and after prescribing gaviscon then omeprazole and still no improvement even he is at a loss as to what to suggest and on two visits he has sent us with a letter straight up to hospital where we have spent agonising hours waiting around to be told that he is 'not poorly' and sent home. On one occasion we saw a Paediatric Registrar who told me that I'm feeding him too often and overfilling his 'golf ball sized' stomach which is causing the acid reflux. Quote "I don't want you to feel like I'm fobbing you off but babies have immature tummies and he will be like this for at least 6 months".

I have also taken him straight to a children's a&e after one episode where he was screaming so much I thought he might pass out. This resulted in an overnight stay and he was prescribed ranitidine and a formula (Aptamil Pepti) to use as a top up to give me a break if required!! I do need a break but also want to continue breastfeeding. During this visit to hospital I was also advised to cut out soya from my diet. Done a week now and still no difference.

I have spoken to HV about all of this and have also had the breastfeeding support worker come visit to check that I'm not making any catastrophic errors that are contributing to his discomfort - I'm not!!

I've tried warmer baths, tummy massage, 'cycling' legs, infacol, gripe water, dentinox colic relief, bought wedgehog reflux pillows. I keep him upright for 30 minutes as much as possible after a feed but nothing makes a difference.

The only thing I can think of is that he's intolerant to something else in my diet but honestly if I cut any other common allergens I may as well not bother eating myself!

Sorry for the lengthy post and thank you if you've read on to this point xx

Oh OP, it sounds so difficult.

I had huge problems feeding my baby at first and a tongue tie was detected at 9 days of age and was snipped. As the weeks progressed I went to have him assessed by another practitioner because he was constantly upset at the breast, crying, fractious, stiff and rigid, coming on and off etc and she told me she thought it wasn’t a tongue/latch issue but that it was a physical problem with his neck which was making feeding painful for him and she advised I see a cranial osteopath who specialises in babies. I don’t know how your baby was born but she said it’s commin amongst big babies and also babies who are born via c-sections, especially emergency ones (which my son was).

I was a bit dubious about it but I was desperate and so after seeking out recommendations I went to see one. She assessed him and told me there were issues with the left side of his neck and she started doing gentle things on his scalp. I will admit, I did think it was a bit ‘woo’ but no word of a lie his feeding improves immediately. Some of the specific problems I’d been having never happened again. She also did some work with his abdomen to help with his reflux. I had three sessions with her and the difference in his feeding and his demeanour was amazing - even now I have no idea how it worked but she had healing hands of some sort. It was intriguing to watch.

She said she sees so many babies with feeding problems, reflux, colic, generally unsettled babies and that as a practice it’s becoming much more accepted.

Based on my experience I would recommend it to anyone, especially if all other avenues have been exhausted.

Different people will have different opinions on it, I admit that initially I was very sceptical and we spoke about it at our first appointment but like I said, the difference in my son was immediate.

Just something you might like to think about.

Thank you QueenofmyPrinces,

DS was a normal birth but it was very fast (3 hours from first contraction to delivery).

I had heard of babies having this treatment with remarkable results and had (during many hours of googling) found a chiropractor in Sheffield that specialises in treating babies - I shall go ahead and make a call tomorrow. I'm prepared to give anything a go if it helps our situation!

Thanks again for taking the time to reply xx

No problem, I really hope it works out for you.

I think my first appointment was for an hour and was about £38 and then my two subsequent appointments were about £25.

I was seen 5 days after I first phoned up and then was seen for 3 consecutive weeks.

It was all just so relaxing - it was like the equivalent of the baby having a massage I think

When she used to cup her hands around his abdomen ans touch his pressure points he would instantly relax, his whole body would go still and he’d stare intently at her...it was like she’d put him in a peaceful trance or something. It was a bit mind boggling really!!

Ps) a cranial osteopath is different to a chiropractor.

It is generally recommended that babies are seen by osteopaths as opppsed to chiropractors, just something to consider, but of course it’s your choice.

And it was actually the lactation consultant I saw that handed me contact details of cranial osteopaths so it may be that your local team also have contact details of recommended ones.

I was also told to ensure it was a cranial osteopath I saw and not just a general osteopath. Just something else to consider.

Ah yes thanks sorry I was getting mixed up, the one I'd found via Dr Google is an osteopath. My confusion is attributable to sleep deprivation - I've started calling the kids each other's names, even the dogs name! I'm wishing today away now so I can call them at 8am tomorrow xx

Hi,
I’m not an expert but have been doing some reading around this as my 11 week old is suspected cmpa and I have seen an improvement since cutting dairy and soya 6 weeks ago and starting ranitidine.

Have you considered a total elimination diet of major allergens? For example: eggs, gluten, nuts? It will be a massive pain for you but would probably be the most effective way of testing if there is something irritating him at the moment.

I’m in Sheffield, hi!