8 Month Old Spit Up

Updated on May 14, 2012
M.S. asks from McPherson, KS
5 answers

Has anyone else had a baby with a milk allergy? This is totally based off of internet research (I know - totally not reliable all the time) but it's the weekend and I'm at my breaking point! My little guy spits up 3 or 4 times after each feeding and in puddles each time (not just a little drool out the side of his mouth). He's had a red/bumpy rash all over his face for two months (we were told to use hydrocortizone cream and vaseline - neither of which have made it go away) and now a diaper rash that he's had for a few days now that is not being helped by even maximum strength Desitin. I know spit up is common and some kids just do it more than others, but after 8 months of multiple clothes changes at least 5 days a week (both for him and I) I need a solution. Has anyone used the Similac Alimentum formula or similar in the Enfamil? Does it work? I've tried all of the "standard" solutions - sitting up for a period of time after eating, burping (which he doesn't do easily), not laying him on his tummy after eating, etc. That only helps occasionally - he's 8 months old after all! What 8 month old wants to sit still for 30 minutes after eating especially when there's an older brother and two dogs running around?

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So What Happened?

We have an appointment to see our Ped tomorrow. Of course, the response from the nurse was the typical "spitting up isn't uncommon and using the formula formulated for spit up isn't going to make it go away entirely" blah blah blah. I work in the medical field and I make an effort to only call the doctor when necessary - this conversation thought just instantly made me hot! I'm sure there are some people out there that get annoyed by a little bit of spit, but this is more than a little spit- up and I would have appreciated more of at least a fake concerned response than that! Geesh! Sorry for the rant! Hoping tomorrow goes well!

More Answers

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T.H.

answers from Kansas City on

My son had a bad milk intolerance when he was an infant but (thankfully!) grew out of by a year. The kicker to knowing I think is the gas issue...does he have wickedly horrible gas? If so, then it's probably a milk issue. My son was only a few weeks old and would literally clear a room with one toot! He also had a full body rash. It was everywhere, and the cradle cap didn't really go away either. I figured it out when he was probably 2 months old, just from looking at the symptoms and talking with a friend who's daughter had a milk allergy. I called my pediatrician and immediately put him on soy formula. He actually had been on a lower lactose formula, Enfamil of some kind, but once I put him on soy I started noticing changes very quickly.

If you aren't noticing the smelly gas issues I'd probably say it might be GERD. Make sure his doctor knows how often and how much he's been spitting up, perhaps putting him on a prescription might help.

Good luck!

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C.W.

answers from Washington DC on

I used to call my 2 older kids the spit up king and queen. they would leave puddles everywhere they went and it got worse around 8 months because they were crawling, or trying to, and the extra pressure on their stomach made it worse. Both suffered from reflux, so the spit up was partly due to that. We had our daughter on Alimentum, and maybe it helped at tad, but not with the spit up, and it was expensive. It wasn't until I had my third, now 7 months, that I can see the difference. With the first 2, they would eat and eat without any stopping. I could put a 20 ounce bottle in front of them and they would probably have slurped it down in record speed with no stopping. They they would spit up the extra amount that their tummy shouldn't have had. It was like they couldn't recognize that they were full. My 7 month old has a shut off valve. After 5 or 6 ounces she abruptly stops. She also takes a lot longer to eat. And, she rarely spits up. So looking back I wonder if the first 2 just ate more than they should have in addition to the reflux. We had all 3 of them on reflux medications. My 7 month old has done the best with Target brand gentle-ease and sensitive formula.

They all have had rashes from where the spit up pools. I would use hydrocortisone and aquafor on the face, Aquafor and butt cream on the butt. And as for sitting still after eating, that was never going to happen. I just accepted that they would be wearing a bib at all times and multiple clothes changes. It got better when they started walking.

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D.B.

answers from Dallas on

Yes, my son was allergic to dairy products. He would get a rash around his mouth wherever yogurt touched his skin. When he turned 1 we started giving him whole milk, but he got a mean diaper rash that wouldn't respond to any topical diaper rash cream. I nursed though, so I don't have any input regarding formula. He was also sensitive to citrus drinks and apple juice, so you may want to do elimination testing to see if it's something else also. I'd also like to offer hope that usually when kids have a sensitivity when they're younger, they grow out of it. My son is just about 3 now and drinks regular milk and happily eats yogurt again. However, he's still sensitive to citrus and apple juices. Best wishes!

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H.M.

answers from Dallas on

My boys were. I gave my oldest soy formula. My youngest did not get any formula. He went on soy milk when he was a year. Now they drink rice or almond. For the rash it could be a yeast infection. But I would try budroes butt paiste. It works for them when nothing else did.

Good luck and God bless

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S.C.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi,
Yep. Been there. My son had a milk allergy. switched to alimentum.I think it made a difference, but we soon after discovered he had gerd. The Dr. ( pediatric Gastroenterologist) put him on maalox ( really ) and on gas ex liquid drops for babies.

Between the formula switch, and his meds he did better, much poor guy. Oh, i forgot doc also prescribed him something else that i think was like acid reducer.

He finally outgrew the milk allergy, and all the others but unfortunately kept his severe anaphylactic allergy to tree nuts and peanut butter.

a suggestion once you get this calmed down, go see pediatric allergist or even have your pediatrician run the RAST test to detect all allergies..

good luck and hang in there

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