9 month old with diarrhoea for 3 weeks - intollerance?

[barbiebostock]

My 9 month old DS has had diarrhoea for 3 weeks now. We're averaging 8 dirty nappies a day and he's been really lethargic and grumpy (as you would expect) and is losing a a bit of weight. We went to the doctors and his sample came back clear so were advised to switch from dairy to soya, which we followed for a week as the doctor felt that the dairy could be aggrevating the upset tummy, and possibly causingit due to an intollerance. After two days of switching to soya DS got a very mucusy cough and terrible tummy ache from wind during the night. The HV suggested he was soya intolerant and recommended we revisit the doctor and get a non dairy/non soya formula and referred to a dietrician. We revisited the Doctor and she wants us to continue with soya products for 7 - 10 days but i'm very reluctant to do so if it's causing his cough and tummy pain, which is so severe that he's barely sleeping. I'm very tempted to put him back on regular formula, as i'm not sure he's really got a problem with dairy (I know its best to avoid it with a tummy bug, but i'm not liking the alternative!) Has anyone had a similar experience? Is the HV overreacting with the intollerance to dairy and soya theory?

I think you might reasonably ask for a referral to a paediatrician of he has had diarrhoea for 3 weeks.
My nephew had cows milk intolerance causing diarrhoea when weaned but settled well onto soya milk.
In the meantime have you tried giving him just plain rehydration fluids for a day to see if his tummy will settle down.

Hi, one alternative would be to try using Goats' milk. Although it does containt lactose the make up of the protiens found in the milk is different to those of Cow's milk. It is definatelty worth a try you can find it in Asda, Morrissons etc.