Dairy Allergies take 2

My son is allergic to cows milk. We have had him tested by a dermatologist as well as a natural health practitioner and results were conclusive both ways. Symptoms as a baby were excma (not apparent until 6 months) Reflux, Diarrea and unsettled sleep. I was breast feeding until 6 months and what I ate still affected him. REGARDLESS of all the opinions out there about that, you know what works after a while. If anyone wants to know anything about our experiences, please ask as I know how difficult it was for me and my son Daniel.

He is now 2 1/2 and we feel alot better about it all now we know what to feed him, and what signs to look for as to what doesnt agree with him.

He is also intolerent of most additives and colourings to packaged foods.

Hi,

I have only today been able to confirm my 17 month old son has diary alergies and wheat and yeast intollerances. I would be extremely grateful for any recipes and tips you have on what to feed him now. It seems that everything he used to eat is out!!!

hi Darlene

Understand how you feel. It is a dramatic lifestyle change, but you get used to it if it is any consolation.

What we use

Cheese Substitute
- king land soy products soy cream cheese - my son will eat this almost daily, HOWEVER he has never tried real cheese so had nothing to compare it to. There are also some tofu and soy cheese blocks you can melt on toast - tried them a year ago, havent gotten around to seeing if he will eat it now - can purchase all these at Coles or safeway - if not on shelves - website for king land www.kingintl.com.au

Butter substitute
We use nuttelex - they also have a good cookbook which they offer - see inside pack for some dairy and wheat free recepies - especially some cakes & biscuits.

Crackers - rice crackers - fantastic original are the only ones he tolerates - dont think there is wheat. Plus corn thins - only corn & salt. He can also have rice Crusketts for some reason - they contain 5% milk powder but it does not upset him.

Also - dont know if it will be the same for your son - the only dairy Daniel can have is yoghurt - plain natural yoghurt - if not, you can get some soy yoghurts which are reasonable, plus we have found he can have Ski Devine & D'Lite yoghurt drinks which are quite tasty. I dont know if its the same for all kids with a dairy intolerence, but thats what works for us.

I have found a few different recepies, what are you looking for - sweet stuff or meal ideas??

Let me know and I can be more specific.

Hi Louisez,
I can also relate to you my son who is 18 months old is dairy and lactose intolerant as to any other allergies to other foods im not sure.
Jessie was born with bowel probs but as yet it is still undiagnosed the paediatrician still does not know what is wrong despite having a biopsy done.
He can not poo by himself as never has been able to since birth in the beginning they thaught he was dairy intolerant but then he came right so he was taken off soy formula and put back on cows milk based formua but the bowel probs continued, he has only been diagnosed as dairy and lactose intolerant in the past month after seing the diatician.
He is on so good soy milk and we go through a one litre carton a day and its quite expensive but has helped his bowel probs and i have seen a huge improvement since he has been on the soy milk although he still cant poo by himself, im sick of seing my baby in pain because he cant poo but i guess i have to just wait until they finally diagnose something but i would love to hear about your experiences as im a first time solo mum and finding it hard with jessies medical probs and diet alterations. His father does not want to know him which is sad and unfortunately jessie got the bowel and dairy/ lactose intolerances from his father. Who also has probs like jessie.
well enough ramblings on for now and i hope to hear from you soon and anyone else who can offer support, ideas or anything really

Hi Loopysue!!

Can understand the distress you would be feeling. The only thing worst than having a child sick and upset is not having answers or knowing if it will end.
My husband is from Hawkes Bay (Hastings) and he has told me Feilding is near Palmerston - only reason I was enquiring is because more than any other medical expert - our chiropractor has helped us with alot of my sons allergies or intolerances - and there is one who works like him in Napier. Bit far to go I believe. Anyway, as an alternativeI would seek out some alternative practitioners for your son, like a naturopath. We found the medical experts limited with explainations - who knows, maybe we didnt find the right ones in the early months, although, now after almost 3 years we feel we have a grip on it. However, as we try new foods, we still sometimes get more suprises with new intolerances.BUT the good news is, as daniel has gotten older, reactions are less severe.
Does your son have Excma?? We found our basic information that he was allergic to cats & dairy products by a prick test by a dermatologist. They test for those things plus nuts and dust mites, grasses etc. Interestingly enough, however, that test did not pick up he cannot have peanuts - we found that out later. Did your dietician do a prick test for allergies? It is so hard to work it all out. Has your dietician suggested you do a journal of foods he eats etc?? Or maybe an elimination diet??
One thing we started doing at approx 6 months old was writing everything down that Daniel ate. It is so hard to pick up what they are allergic to unless you go straight back to basics and start fresh. We found if something upset Daniel it would be almost straight back to basic foods for 3 days until it was out of his system like rice, fruit & veges. ( although he has never really eaten veges.

All I can really suggest is to keep at it until you find a practitioner who can help - ring your Plunkett group and see if they can refer you somewhere or to someone who might be a local reference. I know if we hadnt had a trusted source of information when Daniel was growing as a baby , we would have been in alot worst shape than we were.

None of my husbands family in NZ have had any dietary problems like us, so I cannot refer you to anyone over there.

Let me know if Jessie has any other symptoms and I will see what I can offer - one thing with Daniel was that we usually got the reverse affect of diarrea but also vomiting and excma ( this was even while I was breastfeeding!