Sickness bug or food intolerance?

[scarletfingernail]

DD is almost 10 months. Weaning started at 6 months and has been going well, although she only has a small appetite (9th centile).

The last 2 times she's been weighed she lost an ounce each time. I was not too concerned about this as she recently began crawling so out it down to burning off more calories than taking in. HV not concerned at all.

However, during last night she was violently sick. She was sick 7-8 times over a couple of hours until there was nothing left . I automatically thought 'bug' but then started to wonder if it could be something else. She had wholemeal toast yesterday for the first time. I know it's not generally recommended which is why she'd not had it before, but it was all I had in so thought it would be ok as a one off.

She also had cheese (cheddar) for only the second time. She's been having fromage frais though from 6 months and been fine. She was mixed BF and FF fed until 7 months but now all milk intake is formula so I don't think it could be the cheese?

I completed the NHS Direct symptom checked and one of the questions was about weight loss and it suggested Coeliacs. I'm now wondering if the weight loss coincides with her having more bread generally, this has really been her only form of gluten.

I'm scared to try these foods again with her now, I don't want to make her ill, plus I suffer from emetophobia and struggle with anxiety over vomiting. I have a 4 year old DS also and I'm now also worrying about him getting ill if it is just a bug. I'm driving myself mad wondering what's caused DD to be ill when we've not even been anywhere for her to pick anything up!

So after that epic post, my question is has anyone ever heard of a baby having an intolerance or allergy to either bread generally, wholemeal bread or cheese?

TIA

I can't answer your last question but tbh it sounds like a bug to me.

Thanks for answering. That's what I think also too, I just find it hard to think rationally where vomit is involved. I know really that a bug is the better option also, I'm just going to be living on my nerves now over the next few days anticipating DS coming down with it.

I'd still be interested to know if anyone has heard of wholemeal bread cause a baby to be sick?

I also think it sounds like a bug.

As a baby has she been the type who brought up feeds a lot - projectile milk throwing up? Colicky? Generally a grumpy baby? If so it could be an intolerance.
I would avoid as much dairy as you can until she is feeling brighter. It can irritate upset tums.

I didn't know you couldn't give wholemeal bread to weaning children? I fed both mine wholemeal as I rarely have white bread. Though I do have dairy intolerant child.

She's definitely more "sicky" than my DS was as a baby. But it's never concerned me enough to seek medical advice and I wouldn't describe her as colicky or grumpy either. Generally she's been very easy, but the muslins have been put to use with her, whereas DS I can't recall him ever posetting or bringing back a feed.

There's a lot of mixed views on the wholemeal thing. I've not been told anywhere it's a food to be completely avoided like honey, but I found there to be information which suggests children can struggle as a result of it and avoiding it or limiting it until they're a bit older can make a difference in terms of how it affects poo, digestion and nutrition. Because it's so fibrous it can fill up their tummy quickly which apparently means they take in less nutrients from other foods and some believe it contributes to toddler diarrhoea.

But also a lot of people think that's nonsense. It's a minefield along with everything else to do with bringing up children!

what's her skin like ? Rashy? Dry, itchy? Spotty?

I would keep a note in a diary or calendar on when she is ill. We did this with our DS2 and eventually( years later) our GP's did agree it wasn't the longest virus ever.

Her skin is ok, no sign of any rashes or anything.

Not like DS with his rashes, excema and spots but that's a whole other thread...

This is the first time DD has been unwell, except for the odd cold. I'm thinking it must be a bug, or that something just disagreed with her rather than intolerance. I know people really go through it with children who have allergies so I feel a bit silly jumping to that conclusion from one occurrence. It was just the wholemeal thing that got me wondering...

She's managed some formula today and plenty of water but not interested in solids. Fingers crossed she's over the worst of it. I just can't stop worrying now that DS will get it

Out of interest though, how old was your DS2 when he was diagnosed?

DS is 4 and has been tested for Coeliacs because he seems to get virus after virus along with being vey pale and tired looking but thankfully the results were ok.

My DS2 was nearly 2. Ok I was rubbish at picking up the signs but he also had other issues to worry about ( I say in self-defence). My HV rescued us as our GP insisted it was all viral/post viral/just viral. Intolerances never occurred to me.

Last Jan he had an op for something else but took the opportunity to take samples, and they could confirm he is dairy intolerant. It's very do-able.

It does sound like a bug. Could be rotavirus which hits little ones but keep up hygiene etc and it doesn't spread like the dreaded norovirus.

I often found that after illness weaning went back to their favourites and back a stages. But that is a nothing to worry about and normal .

Hope you sleep well tonight and she awakes wanting breakfast.

Sorry l meant to say our HV advised us to assume he was dairy intolerant when he was nearly 2z. But he was 3 before confirmed.

We did a lot of writing what he had eaten and describing poo explosions and time of vomiting and taking pics of dry skin.

Obviously the glamour stage of my life!

Oh dear, it's bloody horrible at times isn't it. I'm so grateful we've not got any major health worries and I do get mad with myself for feeling so dramatic about it when I read what some people have been through with poorly DC, but the worry is just relentless.

Why does no one tell you all this before you have kids?

Can they grow out of dairy intolerance or is it for life?

I'm still up with Velcro baby. She's crying every time I lower her into her cot. Not like her at all

Oh dear, hope she did settle and you have had some sleep. How is she today?

Worry is all relative. I think all parents worry when their child is ill regardless of what is it is.

They can grow out of it. Many do. Some seem to get it as a temporary issue after having a tummy bug which gradually seems to go.

I was told after my son had an op and they did tests that he won't grow out of it. Which means we don't get to play test the child out with dairy products a few times a year to see if they can handle it. I am rather glad about that, because at least we know and we can deal with it.

I don't know how they know that - I didn't ask I was mentally jumping for joy as we'd just been told he didn't have some other far worse health issue. I couldn't have cared less about him being dairy-free.

Some people are intolerant/allergic to Cow Milk Protein (CMP), some are intolerant/allergic to Lactose. Some have issues with both.

We finally got to sleep just after 2am. DD has been much brighter today, thanks for asking. She managed quite a bit of formula and gone back to having baby rice mixed with apple purée. She has kept it all down so a big relief. I'll try and get her back on track more tomorrow.

I'm still worrying about DS coming down with it though and probably won't relax about that until another few days had passed.

I had no idea you could be allergic to different parts of dairy, I just thought milk was milk . I definitely agree that it is always a relief to know what you are battling against. I imagine it must be a worry when you have to allow DS2 eat with others, it must be hard for kids to refuse stuff they can see their friends having.