I have a 7 month old boy that we just found out has an allergy to milk based formula. My question is that are there any other moms that have a child that has this kind of allergy? The doctor said one in three children tend to have this. By the way he was on breastmilk and he stopped which at the time was fine because I had so much in the deep freezer that I was having my parents help store it in their deep freezer. He has been on straight formula for the last month but we have been dealing with his congestion since the beginning of October. The congestion has lead to an ear infection that we can't seem to get cleared up so this is where the pediatrician has thought that maybe he has a milk allergy. Since he has been on soy he has for the first time ever been able to breath without sounding like they never got all the stuff out of his nose. We started him on it this past Friday and by Friday night he was talking up a storm, my husband said that is the first time he has heard him talk this much. So, I think we have finally figured out what is going on I am just wanting to find out what others have done.
Also, does anyone know if some great websites to go to besides Webmd that can get some good information on all of this.
Thank you to all the responses. The soy seems to be what he needed. He is doing much better.
My 4 month old is allergic to milk based formula. However he is on Alimentum, a hypoalergenic formula. We tried soy formula and it just didnt work for him, but since swithing to Alimentum he is like a whole new baby =)
My nephew and my best friends son both have this allergy. My nephew is severley allergic, but my friends son is only moderatly allergic and will probably outgrow the allergy in the next few years. He also gets very congested just like your son and had been on breathing treatments for months before recognizing the problem. Both of them just keep a close eye on what they eat so that is the only advice I have to offer, but it is a commom allergy so there are quite a few products out there to buy. Try going to your local health food store (Trader Joes) and they have lots more options when your son begins eating more solids.
my adopted son was allergic to the milk based formula. We used the soy until he was three years old.
Now I buy raw milk. Actually I had to buy a cow share because in my state it is illegal to sell raw milk. So I lease a cow and board it at the farmers house where he milks it each day and sells the excess milk to a cheese place. I keep about two gallons a week.
My son has no allergic reaction to the non-pasturized milk.
I was told that the reaction is because the enzymes that allow it to be digested properly are destroyed when the milk is heated and spun.
I know of other people who bought goat's milk for a milk allergic child. There is also rice milk.
My son is 12 now, and he tolerates regular milk pretty well now, but the fresh milk is so much tastier we just continue with it.
My 10 month old son has an allergy to cow milk (in all its forms) which we figured out when he was around 4-6 weeks old. Mucousy, bloody poops, horrible eczema on his face/neck/shoulders, very fussy, couldn't sleep for more than 15 minutes at a time and that had to be in arms or at the breast. Poor guy was *really* uncomfortable, and I breastfeed him, so this meant that I had to cut out all cow's milk products from my diet. As soon as I did that (takes a lot of reading labels). Here's a good link to help you know what to look for, print out the "Hidden Dairy Cheat Sheet" PDF for your wallet, especially as he starts solids: http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/food-sensitivity.html
Your pediatrician was astute to suspect a dairy allergy - many don't think along those lines and recommend tubes, drugs, whatever, when the true solution is to remove the allergen from the diet completely. Did your ped mention that 50% of dairy allergic kids are also soy allergic? Keep an eye on your son - if his allergy symptoms creep back in, it may be necessary for you to switch from soy formula to hypoallergenic formula. I know you're no longer breastfeeding, but for any breastfeeding moms reading this, it's important to know that you might have to remove cow's milk and soy products from your diet if you have an allergic child.
A great book to buy and keep on hand for dealing w/ babies & kids with allergies is "Is This Your Child?" by Dr. Doris Rapp, MD.
Hi A.:
I'm going to recommend something mildly controversial, but I believe in it and I think it's worth a few minutes of your time to check out. So many infants have allergies to milk-based formula nowadays and there's a dramatic increase in lactose intolerance among adults...perhaps it has something to do with the fact that today's milk that is full of antibiotics, hormones and is pasturized by a process that kills much of its nutritional value and makes it difficult for humans to digest. Soy is NOT a better alternative. As someone mentioned here, soy allergies are just as common as milk allergies. For alarming facts about soy-based formula, go to the Weston A Price Foundation website at http://www.westonaprice.org. They offer other alternatives to soy.
My husband and I only drink unpasturized whole milk that we get from a trusted farmer in the area. I know three women who have switched to this real milk and their severe lactose issues were immediately eliminated. In Ohio, you can only get real milk through a herdshare program. It may be something to consider as your son grows older if his dairy allergies are a long-term issue. You can read more about real milk at www.realmilk.com. If you're interested, feel free to send me a personal reply for details. Take care...
My son is 8 months old and we went through almost the same thing, except he's allergic to milk,soy,wheat, and eggs...the only thing he is allowed to have is a formula called elecare..he isn't even allowed to have any solid foods yet...so I've had a little experience with this..I'm here if you have any questions...good luck!!!
