When my son was a newborn, he had extremely painful gas and we were advised to try all of the types of formula until we found the one that seemed to do the trick. We tried regular, then broken down protien, then lactose free, then finally soy. Since we put him on the soy, his gas had become pain free and he was a much happier baby. He also took some breastmilk a day, but not much due to a supply issue. He continued on soy formula and small amounts of breastmilk for six months and was fine. At 8 months we tried yogurt (which he loved), but about 3 hours after he had the yogurt he was having violent vomiting fits. We have since stooped yogurt and the vomiting stopped. At his 9 month well baby visit, the pediatrician said that we needed to try going straight to regular formula because his gas issue was outgrown. I had mentioned the reaction to yogurt and she said that it was probably because his stomach was not used to WHOLE milk and to try introducing dairy slowly with reduced fat and then increase to whole milk. But she wanted us to go to regular formula first. He drank his first bottle of regular formula today (6 oz) and he started violently throwing up again about 2 hours later. He vomited about 15+ times in 2 hours, but now is fine. I will be scheduling an appointment with the pediatrician when the office opens on Tuesday, and returning to the soy formula right away, but it seems to me that he fits the description of having Cow's Milk Protein Allergy. I was wondering if any of you have had experience with this. Please let me know about the diagnosis process, food restrictions, your experiences, and anything else that you know about this allergy. Thanks!
Edited:
My son is currently 9.5 months and was not previously diagnosed with a Cow's Milk Protein Allergy, but was suspected to just have an extra sensitive tummy.
The day after we gave him the regular formula, he also developed a minor rash on his face and upper back. This is almost all the way gone now.
I took my son to the pediatrician and it was decided that we would wait to get tested when my son is a year old. She said that skin tests do no good at this age and blood tests can show results of a food sensitivity instead of an allergy, even when the allergy is there. The only reason for an immediate test would be difficulty breathing (which he did not get). She also said that it looked like an allergy from the remains of the rash and the description of the symptoms. She suggested changing his diet to completely dairy free and after a year, try to give a small amount. Some children outgrow it by then. If the reaction happens again, we will continue on to the allergist. Thanks for all the responses!
If you suspect an allergy why haven't you been to an allergist yet? Baby would have been tested (they do test this young) and then you'd know.
My now 5 yr. old has a dairy allergy. She has out grown it somewhat but not completely. As an infant she had to be on a special formula because it was so serious. It took the doctors a while to figure out what it is. She landed in the hospital a couple of times due to dehydration from having a bad reaction. We tried dairy again at three and she vomitted immediately. The signs were always GI related like diarrrhea and vomit. She now can tolerate it in baked goods but not drink it straight. thankfully stores have a lot of options these days. Also, her doctors never did a specific skin test. They said those are not reliable for little ones. They diagnosed her based on symptoms with and without dairy. She immediately stopped the GI problems as soon as dairy was out of her system. Whole Foods and Trader Joes are great for folks with food allergies.
My granddaughter was diagnosed with milk protein allergy when she was very young. She outgrew it around age 5 or 6. She was diagnosed after a blood test and then later with a skin prick test. I suggest that the pediatrician should do such a test before deciding he's outgrown it. I suggest that he's too young to have outgrown it. I'm assuming he's still a baby.
I believe that vomiting after drinking milk is not something he would do if he had outgrown the allergy. Sensitivity to whole milk would not result in such a violent outcome. Queasy stomach maybe but not vomiting numerous times. Good for you for going back to soy formula. I'd say keep him on it. There is no reason that he needs to have cow's milk. I don't understand the pediatrician's thinking.
My granddaughter was allergic to other things, such as peanuts, as well. You might consider taking your son to a pediatric allergist for more testing.
My friend is taking her daughter to an experimental program near Dallas where they expose the child to the allergen gradually. There is hope that it cures 80%? of the kids. My daughter did not outgrow the symptoms until she was 5.
My 2 year old daughter still struggles with a milk protien allergy. We were told she would most likely outgrow it by 18 months but no such luck. She does fine with most foods even if they contain small amounts of dairy however can not handle yogurt, ice cream, Milk(of course), cheese unless it has been melted (not sure why this helps but it does, still has to be in small amounts though). It took a long time for me to convince our previous pediatrician to test her for the allergy, but after a trip to the hospital for severe dehydration after they made me give her a bottle of regular formula while sitting in the office to see her reaction they were finally gave in and tested her. Needless to say we changed pediatricans after this. If your child had that severe a reaction to yogurt do not give him any other milk products and if your pediatrician tries to force it get a second opinion.
My daughter has the same reactions as your son to cows milk. She is 11 months old and has been on soy formula since about 6 weeks. I have tried giving her table foods that contain cows milk and she has reactions to even small traces of milk. Her pediatrican just told me to avoid cows milk and she is going to have a blood test in a few weeks to see what she is allergic to, she also seems to have a wheat allergy and a few fruits too. Silk makes a yogurt that my daughter eats all the time. I can only find it at one store though. It is hard finding things she can have, I wish I could give you more advice but this is all still new to me too. I would have your son tested for allergies but my daughters pediatrician wanted to wait until she's a year old because sometimes they outgrow the allergy by that time.
I think you definitely need to take him to an allergist. I nursed my daughter until she was a yr old. I drank milk every night before I nursed her never put two & two together; we thought she was just a colicky baby that screamed for hours on end the same time every night the only comfort she found was being held while she slept which usually only seemed like an hour at a time. My daughter was diagnosed anaphylactic to dairy & dairy derivatives around 7 months thinking back this was after small introductions to dairy it's very scary. My daughter is now 6 1/2 yrs old & is also anaphylactic to eggs & was diagnosed at 12 months w/that allergy. The reactions your are describing w/your son could become increasingly worse the next reaction is usually much more severe. I would definitely eliminate all dairy from his diet & yours as well if you continue to nurse. You can click on my profile if you want to read what I've posted in the past.
My son had this too. He had blood in his stool at 3 months and his ped. said I had to quit breastfeeding because he was allergic to my milk. After looking into this further, it was actually that he was allergic to cow's milk so I had to quit eating dairy while breastfeeding. Then at a year, the same pediatrician told me to start giving him milk. He got violently ill every time I gave it to him (vomiting and diarrhea.) The doc said he'd outgrow it and to keep trying every 6 months. I actually did this until he was two and gave up. He stayed allergic to dairy, milk, butter, EVERYTHING, until he was successfully cleared through acupuncture at age 16. If I had listened to my pediatrician, I would have quit breastfeeding and tried giving him dairy twice a year for 16 years. I had to figure this out on my own. Pediatricians were good at keeping my children sick and coming back regularly so I switched and started taking my kids to our family doctor and natural doctors. hth
My son was Dx w/ milk protein allergy at about 8 weeks. Colicy and gassy (no vomit) but bloody and mucusy stool. Changed to Nutram igen and was fine. Did rice milk after than until he was two. Was able to eat cheese and yogurt at about 18 mos. Sounds different. However, I would go to see a pediatric allergist or gastro specialist to Dx the issue correctly. Good luck.
my son has the same problems & a whole body rash that never went away...until the day after he started nutramigen formula...he couldn't even do soy...he was diagnosed at 4.5 months with the protein allergy after a blood test.
if he couldn't do yogurt, then don't try anything else. yogurt has the protein broken down and was suggested by our wic office to give our son since it's one of the gentlest forms of milk we could do. he was finally cleared of the allergy just short of his 1st birthday. usually by 15 months kids outgrow it...that's what i was told. there's dairy in everything, it seems..foods were limited...good luck & hope you figure it out soon.
