Re introducing dairy

[Cluelessfirstimer]

DS is 10 mnths. Been dairy free since 5 months due to horrific Eczema. No other symptoms but it seems to have helped.

We Have been referred to a dermatologist but it's been 3 months and counting so I give up with that. He's pretty much outgrowing it now anyway.

Been given the milk ladder and so far cookies (first step) have been tolerated. Well, his eczema has come up in one or two small patches but that was already coming up before we started.

I know I need to ask the doctor again but honestly we just get told to Google it... so wondering...anyone who has done this... how long did you leave it before Going to the next step? Was thinking a week?

I've not done the milk ladder but do have CMPA. My understanding was if any if the symptoms increased, you stopped straightaway?

Personally I wouldn't be doing the Milk Ladder under one without the supervision of a Paediatric Dietician.

The thing is the GP told us ro start now because his only symptom was eczema. They said they aren't referring him to a dietician because he's gaining weight, not being sick or having any other kind of allergies allergic reaction - literally just trying to do what they say but that's where their advice ends!

I'll see how he is the next few days and maybe speak to them (or try to) again.

I'd give Allergy UK a call. They will be able to advise you and are they are very well regarded.

Both my children had/have CMPA so have done the milk ladder twice, both had eczema as a symptom. I would keep with the amount you are giving if eczema is flaring & see if you can control it before moving on to the next stage. Depending on how bad the eczema is your GP can expedite your dermatology appointment. We saw a derm pretty quick with both children & also a private derm who was really helpful.

My son has CMPA - you've started the biscuit step, so just continue giving him that every day for 1-2 weeks and then go up to the next step of the ladder. You need to make sure it's well tolerated before you go higher, so don't go too fast. If his eczema becomes unmanageable, drop back to the previously managed step, and stay there for a couple of months.

It's so hard to get allergy appointments, and as you say unless your baby is not gaining weight etc, GPs are particularly dismissive.

There are a couple of good CMPA groups on Facebook which may help too - I've found the advice from other parents generally more helpful than medics tbh, as they live it every day

Usually you need to be dairy free for at least 6 months. Then when they are not unwell in any way you do three days in a row on step one, wait a few days and then go onto the next step. An symptoms at all and you go back to the step before they developed symptoms and stay there for a few months before starting again.

Nobody needs dairy. Why bother?

Well that's exactly how I deal with my CMPA

We were referred by gp to a dietician to do milk ladder. But basically we started milk ladder at 12 month. You do stage 1, if baby is ok with that you go on to stage 2. If they fail stage 2 you go back to stage 1 and do stage 1 for a few weeks then retry stage 2. So you don't stop but if they fail you go back to previous stage

Babies and children try to eat things they find on the floor, share food, etc. It's useful to know how to respond to a dairy exposure and how strict to be about diet - eg if a child is following a vegan diet at home but ends up eating something containing dairy at a party. For a year, if my DC had any dairy exposure at all, we'd end up in A&E - we had to be really, really vigilant.

Social inclusion matters too, eg at playdates and birthday parties. Being the only child at a party who can't have any birthday cake isn't fun. Neither is being the child who has to have toys wiped down and sanitised before playing with them because other children drank milk while playing and got milk on the toys.

CMPA also needs to be considered when thinking about non-food items, eg some creams. There are several products which I couldn't use at all during that year, and even now I'm careful with them.

We have been given the go ahead to re introduce to our nearly 11 month old ( oldest son was CMPA too ). We do the 12 step ladder .

Basically stop if any of the symptoms occur which made you go DF to start with . You said his skin was flaring - I would keep an eye on this and stick with step 1 a while longer see if it settles down before moving onto step2 . If it gets worse I would stop and try again in a few weeks .