14 Month Old with Stomach Issues

hi B.,
I am a mom of twin girls (2.5 years old). I have the same issue. the problem was that they are alergic to the milk protein. I breastfeed till about 14 months and while I was breasfeeding I had to stop eating anything that had milk in it. Today it is a little better, but till this day they will get sick if they eat cheese or anything with cream. I am very interested in what the other mom's have to say. If you would like to hear more about my experience send me an email and I will give you my phone #.

She could be lactose intolerant all my children were and had the same conditions, try using soy milk.

ask the dr to have her tested for a gluten intolerance and Quick! I work in a preschool and its normal for that age to get sick alot, but that more than normal. Call Call Call the Dr if you dont get help from them find another Dr. YOu are your childs only advocate do whatever you need to do!

sounds like it could be a food allergy...my son has them and he too is a very picky eater. Milk could be the culprit, but get her tested for the common allergens, avoid them in her diet and see if she improves.

Hi B.!
I would definitely take the whole milk out of her diet and see what happens. It can cause both the diarhea and vomiting. Switch her to an enriched rice milk and I'll bet you'll see the symptoms disappear. Also watch for other dairy products that she's eating. My youngest son is allergic to dairy and had the same symptoms. Once I switched him to non dairy products he was like a new kid!

It could also be a wheat allergy. I've been doing some reading recently about the body actually craving things that it's allergic to and since your daughter seems to eat alot of wheat products that could also be the problem. Again, there are some very good substitutions out there so you don't have to deprive her. Tinkyada brand is a great rice pasta that comes in all kinds of shapes. You have to cook rice pasta a little differently that regular pasta but if you follow the directions on their packaging you'll have perfect pasta. The only downside to rice pastas are that because they have no gluten they don't make very good leftovers. Trying to reheat it just makes it break apart into an unappealing mush so just cook what can be eaten at one time. Food For Life and Kinnickinnick brands have some wonderful rice breads too. They are usually kept in the frozen sections of health food stores or health food sections of regular grocery stores. FFL breads are sweetened with fruit juice so tend to be a little sweeter but she may like that.

Good luck! Feel free to email me directly if you have any more questions. ____@____.com

Good Luck!

Hi B.,
This must be very distressing for you! Often when a body vomits or creates diarrhea it is trying to get offending substances out of the body. Babies do it quickly and efficiently. She may have food sensitivities or allergies. I would suggest you have her tested by an alternative MD. You can find good alternative MD's at the Marino Center in Wellesley or Cambridge, at Whole Health New England in Arlington, and at Darcy Wellness in Natick. I had undiagnosed food sensitivities as a baby and had health problems most of my life. I only recently had tests done and found out I was sensitive to milk, eggs, soy and gluten! When I cut out those foods my health improved exponentially. Unfortunately, though, my digestive system and immune system were very stressed from so many years of eating things that hurt my body. It's taken me a long time to recover but I have searched and experimented and found ways to repair my digestive and immune system. I now teach this information to adults ready to repair their bodily systems.
You, yourself, may have food sensitivities but your body may be compensating so the symptoms may not be readily obvious. Your daughter's body, a young healthy body with large stores of reserves and resilience, however, is letting you know that something is not right, loud and clear.
I wish you and your daughter the best in sorting this out.

S. A. Kane
Food As Medicine
www.sanctuary-healing.com

She could have some sort of allergy. It could be a reaction to something in the environment. I think eliminating the juice is a good idea - it doesn't have a lot of nutrients so it's no great loss. If she is "fine" right after throwing up, then I'd guess she isn't sick but rather reacting to something in her diet, or some inability of her digestive system to handle what's in her diet. Diarrhea for several days or several weeks is definitely NOT normal!

Have you looked into Reliv nutritional products? They are patented high quality nutrition, developed and formulated by Dr. Carl Hastings, who is the genius scientist behind ProSoBee and Enfamil formulas which of course are trusted by millions. Reliv has a kids' product which can be added to a lot of things, including water and milk, even yogurt and applesauce. They have fantastic results with digestive issues - you can contact any distributor or go to the website (www.reliv.com) and ask for a distributor to call you. Many of us are stay-at-home-moms who want to help others get healthy. I am a distributor but I'm not telling you this so I can make money - feel free to contact the company for an independent referral. The company has been highly rated as one of the top 100 small companies - you can consult Forbes, Fortune, Business Week or even the most recent issue of Success from Home magazine. Also highly rated by DeMarche and the Direct Selling Association. Of the 13 or so patented food products in the country, 6 are Reliv! A 7th was on the list but patents expire after 18 years so that's why it's no longer listed. Reliv will put you in touch with lots of other parents who have had great results, either themselves or with their kids. There are conference calls you can listen to - all so you hear testimonials from people who have had their lives change dramatically just by giving their bodies the right nutrition and letting their bodies do the work. No matter what you or your child eat, today's foods just don't have all the best nutrition. Don't feel badly that your child isn't eating more than she is. Even those of us who THINK we are healthy just aren't. 3/4 of the U.S. population is on some sort of nutritional supplement, so 3/4 of us think we aren't fully healthy. But are 3/4 of us all better? No! So it stands to reason that the supplements (vitamins, herbs, whatever) that we are eating are not doing the job. Reliv takes the guesswork out of it, and also keeps you from spending lots of money on a whole range of other products. Please look into it. If you have more questions, feel free to let me know.

Good luck!

Definately talk with a pediatric GI specialist. As the other moms have pointed out, it is likely a food allergy. She is probably a picky eater because of the allergies. The good news is that if you work on cleaning up her gut & keeping her on an approved diet, she may outgrow many of her current insensitivites. If the GI doc does not recommend it, you may want to consider seeing a pediatric nutritionist. I suspect that the doctor will have you go through an elimination diet. Even if the doc draws blood for celiac, you will need to rule out all intolerances (many of them run together). The only confounding factor is the breastfeeding - there is no doubt it is good for her gut, but you may have to follow the same elimination diet. Good luck & let us know what happens.

Hi B.,
My son (who is now 21 months) had awful diarrhea from about 3 months old. After numerous trips to our pedi we got a referal to a pediatric gastroeneterologist who diagnosed milk allergy (I was breastfeeding but drinking lots of milk). I know it's frustrating as pedi's often brush-off diarrhea in toddlers but I think it's worth persuing as well for your own piece of mind (I was miserable with worry).

If you want details of our gastroenterologist I'd be happy to pass them on to you - he has offices at both MGH and NSMC in Salem...he has a great manner about him, is fantastic with toddlers and is well renowned in this field.

Good luck,
S.

have you considered a milk allergy or intolerance? my son had a sesitivity to milk when he was breastfeeding as a newborn, i had to eliminate it from my diet, slowly reintroduced it and he was fine by 1 year old.
good luck

I don't think that it is "normal" for her to have this issue so frequently. I would take her for a doctor visit and talk to the doctor about it, not the nurses if they are just putting you off. My nephew had a similar issue and after some testing, they found out that he could not eat processed sugars, his body just couldn't handle them. That seems to go along with the fact that juice makes her situation so much worse. If you don't get satisfaction at the doctor, I would ask for a referral to a pediatric GI doc and check it out. Perhaps her good/bad bacteria ratio is off in her digestive tract. Good luck and I hope you find out what is up.

Have the doctor's recommended eliminating milk for a trial period? Have you tried keeping a food diary (both what she eats and what you eat) to see if there is a connection to a particular food? I'd worry if she threw up several times a week - but maybe not if it's only a few times a month. Personally, I would keep the breast milk as long as possible - my 3 year old son has all sorts of GI problems and many days I wish he still got breast milk (he weaned himself at 16 months). His GI doctor explained that often a child with milk allergies (not lactose intolerance) is also allergic to soy - so try fortified rice milk, not soy, if you remove milk as a trial.

Have her tested for Celiac disease. Its an intestinal problem with gluten. They can do a blood test for the gene and antibodies. If she has the gene but not the antibodies eliminate gluten from her diet. Sometimes the antibodies can show up in other areas then the blood, like the stool and cause alot of discomfort and many problems down the road. If you want to contact me I can give you the name of my natropath who is wonderful. Continue breastfeeding, my son would get sick and not want to eat or drink but I could always get him to breastfeed and get nutrients that way.

B.,

Every kid get an upset stomach or diarrhea once in a while but having them all the time isn't normal. Follow your maternal instincts and get her really checked out. I would find a new pediatrician if they won't take your concerns seriously. I've done some research on Celiac Disease (allergy to gluten which is in pretty much everything)because my son has some allergy issues and chronic diarrhea is a symptom. You can read up on it at www.celiac.org. You said that she eats a lot of bread and pasta so it's a possibility. I think they can determine if she has Celiac from a simple bloodtest. I hope you get to the bottom of it. Best Wishes.

Jen

Do not stop nursing her! If your diet has stayed the same and she has just developed the vomiting and diarrhea, it shouldn't be your breast milk. It sounds like she has a dairy or gluten intolerence which would cause both. Try eliminating dairy 1st from both of your diets while still breast feeding and then all gluten (wheat, oats, barley, rye) corn, rice and potato are fine. You could give her gluten free bread, pasta and waffles which you can get at Whole Foods Markets and some health food stores and give her rice milk, which you can also find there. Lastly, seek out a gastroenterologist to have her tested (you should get tested). Good luck!

Have you tried taking her off dairy products? She might be lactose intolerant or have a milk allergy. My daughter developed a milk allergy when she was a newborn and the doctors told me it was nearly impossible for a newborn, especially one that was was breast feed, to be allergic to milk. After 3 1/2 weeks in the hospital with severe dehydration and diarrhea, they diagnosed her with a milk allergy and I had to keep her off dairy products for a year. She is 8 years old now and is fine. Listen to your gut. I totally beleive in Mother's Intuition.

From what she eats, it sounds like she is addicted to carbs (fruits and "white foods"). This is common in children with food intolerances, like gluten intolerance. You may need to research/try some elimination diets.

Have you thought about a milk allergy? Try eliminating all milk products from your diet, give it two weeks and see if there is a difference.

HI B.. You are right to suspect something is not right. Always trust your instinct w/ your child you know them the best. I have learned that. even well meaning husbands, grandparents and friends do not know what you sense so please I encourage you to go to the pediatircian. I would hope they would do an ultrasound, xray etc... she could have reflux, ulscer, celiac, food allergies, or maybe she is ingesting something from dayvare or somewhere you are unaware of. How about a blood test. Please see her pedi asap especially since it seems to be getting worse and more frequent. Good luck

Take her to another pediatrician!! or make an appointment to see her pediatrician. Having a nurse diagnose it over the phone is not the same thing as seeing a doctor.

This sounds like it could be serious and diagnosing it over the internet could only delay the discovery of a more serious condition. You need a professional diagnosis and solution, not just a bunch of advice from other moms. If you haven't been able to get a solution from your current pediatrician, seek out a second opinion, maybe from a specialist.

it could be something in your diet or maybe you should call a pediatric gastroenterologist.. it could be a milk thing or something else..

It sounds like it could be allergies to food or drink..

You should make an appt to Talk to your Pedi tell him your concerns and ask for some tests and /or a referral to an allergist. This does not sound 'normal' in anyway..and may because of her being a picky eater..it could be causing her pain after she eats!

its not normal, and definately sounds like a digestive problem. My daughter had alot of very acidy diahrea starting at about 6 or 7 months, we tested her stools and found that she had giardia! it took 2 tries to get rid of it, but she was much better afterward. Make them refer you to a gastrointestinal doctor, and if they wont switch pediatricians! Good luck!

My 2 years old had stomach bug and was in trouble but when I started giving him Toddler magic tea he turned to be a happy baby!

I would stop breast feeding and see if that helps. She doesn't need breast milk if she is drinking whole milk and eats regularly. It could be something that you are eating that is not agreeing with her. Then if it doesn't stop after that then maybe try to eliminate one thing at a time that she eats. I am surprised that the doctor is not worried about this. I would get a second opionion. I don't think it is normal for a child to have diarrhea that often, and not for 3 weeks at a time. She also should not be throwing up on a regular basis. Good luck. There is nothing worse than your child being sick and you can't help her.

As a single-mom, working full time with a two year old daughter who also has stomach issues I am a little disheartened by your Dr's offices response. Clearly what is going on with your daughter is not "normal" and your daughter's Dr's office should follow your intuition and suggest you bring her in just to be sure. The good news is that it sounds like your daughter is not put off by or upset with her diarrhea and vomiting (or at least you didn't mention any crying fits during/after, if she is - all the more reason to bring her to the Dr's STAT!) Have you ever jotted down things like the time of day that your daughter has these episodes and what she had eaten that day just to see if there is a pattern at all? I would say, in the meantime, just make sure that your daughter gets plenty of fluids (stays hydrated) especially when she is having diarrhea often and I would seriously consider calling the pediatrician and sitting down with him/her to talk about your concerns.

Hope this helps! And keep up the good work... I know how hard it can be to be a single mom - but the reward totally outweighs the occasional bumps in the road :) Take Care!

p.s. after a simple blood test, it turns out my daughter is allergic (not intolerant) to all dairy and we were referred to a FANTASTIC pediatric gastroentologist (Dr. Qian Yuan @ Newton-Wellesley Hosp.) who has been following her progress ever since. Best of luck!

I wanted to write in support of you and your daughter. You have a "sense" that something is not quite right, trust in it. I would encourage you to get a second opinion from another pediatrician. Most insurance covers 2nd opinion appointments. Maybe even a 3rd opinion.
I believe breast milk may be the best nutrition source your child is getting right now. It may even be the one thing that is keeping her "healthy" in spite of the intestinal upsets. The first two items listed as "what she eats" are wheat products(and waffles too). Some people are highly sensitive to wheat/gluten procts. Try eliminating wheat from her diet, replacing it with brown rice or other alternative grains. Wheat alternative products are fairly numerous these days. Asking for help from your local health food store about where these products are, is one way to start learning about the choices available. If you decide to continue to breastfeed, I would say, eliminate wheat from your diet as well and see if this helps. The third item is grapes, much like juice, raisins, & prunes can make digestion swift and soft. Lastly, is whole milk. Some people are not able to break down the lactose in dairy products and it really irritates their system. The available alternatives? Goats milk may be one. Also, soy milks can be found, fortified with calcium, Vitamins A & D. If you decide to try the nutrition angle first, I encourage you to eliminate one item at a time. The first I would choose to eliminate is wheat. Try this for two weeks and see if you notice any changes. Make sure the childcare is on board with this too, so they are not feeding her snacks with wheat or letting kids "share" their food with your daughter. It may mean you will need to provide the wheat free snacks and lunches but it's worth it to figure out the mystery.
Let me reiterate the need for 2nd and 3rd physician opinions. This may not be a food allergy. It may be something physical/internal that needs medical attention. You can choose a different pediatrician. Listen and believe in your intuition that "something is not quite right". Your child depends on you, the mother, advocate for her and make the best possible decisions concerning her health, care and safety, until she is able to make these educated decisions herself. I have felt like the "nagging", "worrisome", or "over-protective" parent, but I had to put those self judgements to the side to seek what was best for my children.
I wish you the best and hope some of this was helpful.
M. P.

Hi B.,
I am a mom of 6, soon to be 7, and this doesn't sound normal to me either. When did your daughter start on cow's milk? If it were an allergy issue, that would be my first guess, since you said your diet hasn't really changed. If this issue didn't start until she was 6 months old, I imagine she was probably on solids starting around that time, too? Considering her diet, I would suspect either a dairy allergy or a wheat allergy, both common allergenic foods. You could try eliminating one at a time and see if it improves, though you usually have to give her a couple weeks after cutting out the food to get it all out of her system. But I would also definitely consider getting a second opinion. You, as her mom, know better than a doctor what is normal for your child, so trust your instincts, and don't let them bully you! We went through the diarrhea thing with a foster child we had, and we eliminated dairy from her diet. She did much better on rice milk. She could tolerate some dairy products, but not straight milk. Stomach issues are so tough, because they can have so many causes, but with persistence, you'll get to the bottom of it.

I would say get her in to see the pediatrician. She could have something as benign as food intolerance to a more serious issue or reflux or partial obstruction. Telephone triage by the nurse does not replace a hands on exam by the pediatrician. Good luck!

Dear B.,

My son had the same thing when he was little.... Have you tried soy milk? Or even Rice milk. My son was just couldnt handle the dairy, not even in my breatmilk. All the things she eats wouldnt cause that to happen. First of all Dont think of this as something you are doing wrong!!! Tell the Dr. that you feel strongly this is NOT Normal. You are the parent and they are just the Dr.s.

Hi B.,

My son had diarrea for 3 yrs and none of my pediatricians ever even had him tested for celiac disease ( we had 4 because we moved alot). It's a long story and we suffered alot before he was finally diagnosed at age 4.

The thing is, celiac is probably the most common yet underdiagnosed GI related disease there is. A simple blood draw can usually tell. Not fun for a child but considering we did many other blood tests, skin allergy tests, sweat tests and others..... it isn't so bad if it gets you on the path to better health. We use the pediGI's at CCMC.

The vomitting sounds exactly like what my son did. He would be fine, then projectile vomit, then jump up and play. It was like his body had a reject response when he ate gluten. While there can also be alot of discomfort, it isn't always so and sometimes there may be no symptoms at all.

Please continue to breastfeed, and get your child tested. Especially if any of your Docs want to do allergy blood work, it's just another tube and it may just have your answer.

Good luck, please feel free to contact me.
-L.

B.,

Sounds like a wheat intolerence. Try going wheat free for 2 weeks. This is harder than you would think, but I have found that I feel much beeter and my 17 month old has a much happier tummy.

C. N.

36 year old 1st time mom and SpEd Teacher.

I suggest you get a second opinion or push your pediatrician to refer you to a pediatric gastroentirologist. My daughter struggled with random vomiting and weight loss from about 6 months and nobody could diagnose it. The pediatrician kept telling me it was a virus, but there were no other symptoms. The gastro doctors were a big help. This could be something small or it could be something big, but random vomiting and frequent diarrhea are not normal. Absolutely follow your instincts.

Also, continue to nurse her, especially through this sick time. It will offer her comfort as I'm sure this is equally distressing to her and offer her valuable antibodies. It is the best thing for her and even if she is lactose intolerant, your breastmilk will not upset that.

Blessings to you and your daughter
~Liza
Single mom of 4.5 year old girl

Hi
I am in my mid 50's with grown children 3 boys. My youngest son about the same age as your little girl developed and allergy to milk products with the same symtoms. Has she been checked for milk allergys??
D Andrea Hunt