DS allergic to dairy but now I'm really worried about soya formula

[SamJohnsMum]

I'm also posting this in allergies, because I didn't know the best place to go.

My 7mo DS is allergic to dairy - he comes out in a red, bumpy rash. Although I am currently BFing, I'd wanted to start fading that out soon, so I wanted to start using some formula in his diet. My doctor advised me to try soya formula so I have been using this in his morning cereal and he seems to like it.

However, I have now read about some concerns with soya formula. First of all, this was just about further allergies. I asked my doctor again about this and they said, no current studies show soya is fine. I went away happy but someone mentioned soya formula can have a hormonal effect on boys and when I read up on this, all kinds of really horrible things are supposedly linked with soya formula.

Now, I'm scared witless about what I'm giving to my gorgeous boy and how on earth to deal with his dairy allergy without soya. What should I do?!

could you bf for longer as is the ideal really

Yes but I hate expressing and I also want to include other things in his diet, like yoghurt and creamy sauces - without soya products I don't know what to do.

I really wanted to stop BFing soon, but obv the health of DS is most important - I just wish everything was a little bit easier.

My son was weaned onto soya milk formula at around 6 months- he is now a strapping 22 yr old with no hormone problems apart from too much testosterone as far as I know!

my ds 2.5 is allergic to dairy and intollerant to soya and was ut on goats milk at 3 months old...no health probs and bang on 'average' for weight/height. you can do everything with it that you can with cow. there is a nanny goat formula for up to 1 year and then a follow on for 1-3 but i put him on whole goats milk delamere from supermarket at age 1 ecause its so much cheaper. ds 2 is 8 weeks and heading on same path, 2mo seeing pead andhe'l be on nanny goat aswell because we've tried all the 'special' ones from paed

what are the sources of the articles you've read?
You need tiktok - bumping!

my gp wouldnt prescribe pure soya formula (at the beginning) because it as too much oestragen (thats what she told me)

I was always told that soya was fine once baby was over 6mths......under that and there is a risk of triggering a soya allergy.

the only real probs with soya formula that has effected me and my children is that the sugar can cause a problem, as obviously they cannot use milk sugars (which are less harmful on childrens teeth) and so use other ways of sweetening which can cause harm.

I have had three dairy allergic children......two went on to soya formula at 8/9mths old (when they stopped breastfeeding), but DS2 had to be weaned from BF between the ages of 2 to 4ths due to FTT and so went onto hypoallergenic formula (pregomin), because of the soya allergy risk.

my friend is a nutritionist & she avoids soya like the plague (due in the main, to the hormonal effects)

Apart from the bf as long as possible - could you get to a year ? you could try goats milk. I think there is a formula called Nanny ?

My DD2 has been off dairy for the last 8 weeks & has rice milk on her cereal.

DD had dairy allergy and our GP told us she couldn't have soya til after 1 year old.

She prescribed nutramigen formula which we had for over a year - did you doc not mention this as a possibility?

You can get specialist formulas on prescription Nutramigen or Neocate which are suitable for babies with a dairy allergy. These are preferable to soya formula which isn't generally recommended.

Thanks so much for your comments everyone. I'm going back to the doctors on wednesday and I'm really going to push for a referral to an allergy specialist.

I think I may well BF for up to a year, but although I totally support and understand mums who want to BF after a year, it really isn't for me. After a year, if he's still allergic, is there a way to ensure he gets the right nutrients if he has things like rice milk?

DD is just being treated for potential lactose intolerance, although she's quite a bit older (just over 3).

In terms of soya substitutes, the consultant gastro-enterologist advised that there was no problem using in terms of the hormone concerns which (only) one medical study has shown up. It may be a concern in children under 6 months old but even then, there is scant medical evidence to support these concerns (which I think related to a theoretical impact on testosterone levels).

In any event, saw an advert on TV last night for something called Lactofree which we're going to try - soya milk is fine to drink but not very nice is sauces or porridge. Have a look at the website - it appears to be normal milk from which the lactose has been removed. Don't know anything more about it but we'll probably give it a go when we find where we can get some!