Does DS really need a pint a day?

[Bellared]

He's 21m and I stopped giving him dairy 2 weeks ago when he was really ill with an upper respiratory tract infection and ear infection as he was getting really mucousy with it. I've tried to give him milk and disguised it in milkshakes, on Weetabix but he just down right refuses it. If I give him yoghurt it gets rubbed all over himself and the table and is not a big fan of cheese either. I've started him on multivits with Calcium and probiotics to help top him up from the lack of food he was eating when ill and to give him a boost(ill from beginning of Jan to 2 weeks ago as he started Nursery and caught allsorts) and the 2 rounds of antibiotics.

Can he get away with not having milk? When we were in hospital with him I asked the Pediatrician if he needed that much and was told no but then I get the HV telling me he does.

Please help!

from 1 year the minimum recommended is the equivalent of 350mls (approx 12oz). Would he take milky puddings e.g. custard, ice cream, rice pudding, etc. The vegetarian society has info about other non-dairy sources of calcium.

I've not tried him with rice pudd for a bit as he did not like the texture but I'll give it another go and if he doesn't like it I'll eat it . Thanks for the vegetarian society link too, he's not a fan of most meat either. Thank you again