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EAT => Food Allergies => Topic started by: ~inbalance~ on April 06, 2011, 19:39:06 pm

Title: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: ~inbalance~ on April 06, 2011, 19:39:06 pm
F's skin has gotten sort of bad lately.  Well, it doesn't look bad, I mean no one would notice.  But I notice that he is pretty much bumpy all over, like really tiny little bumps.  They are not red at all, like I said you can't see them.  I can feel them and see them when I look really close.  They are pretty much all over, even his face.  The only thing I am wondering is if this is still somehow related to dairy intolerance, or any intolerance for that matter.  I have been eating dairy for about 3mos, and he eats some cheese and occasionally yogurt.  He hasn't had any other indications of intolerance in all the time since I've started eating it, but I've heard some people say that symptoms can change but the intolerance isn't necessarily gone.  He is not gassy, poops are fine.  What do you think?
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: EloysH on April 07, 2011, 01:16:08 am
Where are the bumps exactly Martina?  You said face? Are they red or the same as his skin colour?  Are the mostly on the backs of his arms? 
   

The reason I ask is that I asked the same question a few weeks ago to my naturopath  as K started on yoghurt and goat milk, and she gave me some useful info.
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: ~inbalance~ on April 07, 2011, 01:26:01 am
Thanks Eloise

Pretty much his whole body feels rough and bumpy.  It is definitely worse on his arms and thighs.  The only area where it is a bit red is on his face.  It doesn't look that bad, most people wouldn't notice it, but I do.

DH had something similar awhile ago and his ND said it was called keratosis pilaris.  That does seem to fit the bill.

I can't help but think that something he is eating is contributing in some way.  Thing is I don't necessarily feel like I want to go cutting dairy out when he has been ok on it.  But I am thinking of cutting back, both for him and me.  Maybe we've just been overdoing it, yk?

I've been eating a lot of ice cream lately (craving it like crazy!).  Thinking of trying to stop that habit as it's getting out of hand.  :-[  He himself eats very little dairy.  He is picky to begin with.  But lately he has really started liking cheese, and his diet is so limited that I offer it a lot because I keep running out of options for him.  So I'm wondering if I should stop the cheese for him?

I was thinking of maybe taking him to the ND soon too.
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: MasynSpencerElliotte on April 07, 2011, 01:35:58 am
keratosis pilaris

Masyn has this, on her upper arms and thighs...the ped we saw ages ago for something else had mentioned that people with it are more likely to have ezcema (which she did as a baby, and gets in the winter still) Apparently it can be on any part of the body except your palms and the soles of your feet. 
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: OFIH on April 07, 2011, 02:23:15 am
It is very common for children that show signs of Keratosis Pilaris to have the type of bumps you are describing. The biggest creators of KP are dairy and gluten. So it's very possible it's something she's eating. There are creams you can use, keeping the skin very moisturized, and checking with your doctor are the first steps I would do. KP usually is not a huge deal, often not even itching. But there are kinds that are worse than others, so you want to make the best and most sound decisions. Our younger son has KP and has to be off all gluten, casein, soy, corn, nuts, and most oils due to intolerances, allergies, and processing disorders. If he has a contamination of dairy or gluten, BAM! His cheeks, backs of his bicep area, top of his legs, and his eyebrows flare. He has the more uncommon type of KP.
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: Mama2boys on April 07, 2011, 02:29:10 am
listening in
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: EloysH on April 07, 2011, 02:48:09 am
ok this is direct quote from my naturopath: 

"If its feels and looks a bit like goose pimples that don’t go away on the backs of the top of the arms, sides of thighs, buttocks and sometimes abdomen?) can sometimes be due do a need for more vitamin A and/or essential fatty acids"

I think the foods you need to eat are egg yolks and butter to counteract this.  Mix egg yoolks into his cooked foods or into a smoothy.  Don't be afrriad to fry his steamed veges is butter. Other oils just won't do, they don't have the  nutritional properties that real butter does. 
 

I am not sure if it relates to keratosis pilarus - I have sent her an email to ask about it... will let you know if I get a reply!
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: ~inbalance~ on April 07, 2011, 11:18:08 am
Thanks everyone!  This is all good info that I've already read about so I'm feeling better about it now.  We went out and bought some vitamin E cream, and Elo we had read about needing more EFA's etc so will work on that as well.  It's hard with his eating because I CANNOT feed him anything, he has to do it himself, at atm he's not big on drinking anything out of a cup either.  So I keep trying to get all his vitamins and supplements in him through a smoothie, but he won't drink it!   ::)  He is a tricky one.  :P

Let me know what your ND says....

It's not bothering him.  I think it's been bothering me more because he doesn't have that soft, smooth baby skin anymore!  ;)
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: Chicane on April 07, 2011, 11:24:50 am
I'm listening too...

Martina have you tried a straw?

DS loves them

x
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: ~inbalance~ on April 07, 2011, 11:32:21 am
I have straw cups but not straw sippys.  That is on my list of things to try, was thinking about it as I typed my last post!
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: Roseii on April 07, 2011, 11:57:52 am
listening in...DD1 has had this for months, arms and legs are quite bad but doesn't bother her in the slightest. Dr did prescribe cream but it doesn't help much xx
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: Chicane on April 07, 2011, 11:59:17 am
let us know how you get on...also I found this really deep spoon that DS can use to feed himself with hardly any spillage...I will try to find the brand name for you...if that works you could make a smoothie that is more solid like a yoghurt and maybe he can get it in himself?
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: teilvnav on April 07, 2011, 13:18:48 pm
Also listening in... DS has these exact bumps on the backs of his upper arms. I have been moisturizing them like mad... thought he was dry there! We only use butter and he eats several aggs a week, so I will have to look into other ways to get rid of it. It doesn't seem to bother him one bit, though.
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: EloysH on April 07, 2011, 17:36:48 pm
Anthoer vitamin A food is sweet potato, it contains alot of Vitamin A (like egg yolk) but is absorbed in the prescence of a fatty acid, adn the egg yolk, otherwise the vitamins are too hard to absorb apparantly. So mash the sweetpotato, add butter and egg yolks  and bake in the oven for 15 mins or so, yum!

Will let you know if I hear anything more  :)
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: Roseii on April 07, 2011, 18:24:05 pm
That sounds great Eloise going to try that! X
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: ~inbalance~ on April 07, 2011, 19:21:35 pm
Eloise, so that is pretty much like sweet potato mash then?  Just baked with egg yolk and butter?  How do you feed it to K?  F won't let me feed him, I wonder if he can just shovel it in with his hands.  ;)
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: Mama2boys on April 07, 2011, 19:35:21 pm
Martina, What if you give him aspoon to play with?

With DS2 we gve him a spoon and some food on the table to play/eat while we shovel the rest in his mouth. Veggies he eats himself, everything else I make a cake of, so stuff like porridge i add in some egg/cheese and make a savory porridge cake  whihc he eats himself, wretched messy but wtd?
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: EloysH on April 07, 2011, 21:58:05 pm
yeah Martina, sweet potato mash. I have the same problem with Kai.  it's only when he is super hungry that I can feed him, or else I have to let him practice himself with the spoon and get it everywhere. I have to help him load the spoon then he guides it to his mouth.  It took a while for him to be even interested in spoon feeding himself though, he preferred his hands.   If the mash is baked (after the mash is made, it does form a crust on top and sticks together more, so I guess  you could pick up clumps with your hands.

oooh and those eggs need to be free range or organic.
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: ~inbalance~ on April 07, 2011, 22:12:49 pm
F has no interest in the spoon, he just throws it!   ::)  He has defintely been a challenge with eating.
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: Mom to M&M on April 08, 2011, 10:24:47 am
I'm hoping you get results from upping the Vit A and fats BUT I did want to say that it could definitely also be the dairy. A very good friend of mine just had to take her 6.5 year old off dairy and wheat and is seeing amazing results. When he was an infant he had to be dairy free or he'd projectile vomit but at a year the vomiting stopped so she thought he had outgrown the intolerance. But it merely changed forms - he started getting constant ear infections (so she got tubes for him), asthma (nebulizer) and then adenoid surgery but still had constant congestion. He's been dairy free about 3 weeks now and wheat free about one week and she's starting to see some really good results - though the holistic practitioner told her it might be up to 2 months to fully get out of his system.

We are awaiting the results of the same test she used: http://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/home/eng/food_allergy_igg.asp for my DS, as well as stool testing and "normal" allergy testing in his case.

Good luck!
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: ~inbalance~ on April 12, 2011, 02:03:48 am
Thought I would give you ladies an update.  We've been using a vitamin E ointment on F and now his skin is totally smooth, in fact it's smoother than it's been in months!  He has super soft baby skin again, lol.  I didn't change his or my diet.  Not saying that stuff we're eating didn't contribute, but the ointment seems to really be helping.  :)
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: MasynSpencerElliotte on April 12, 2011, 02:07:55 am
Oh, wow, I'll have to get something like that for Masyn and try it! 
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: EloysH on April 12, 2011, 08:07:05 am
Wow, I might try that.  Is it definantly an ointment as opposed to a cream?
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: Roseii on April 12, 2011, 10:13:50 am
Wow that's brill Martina-vitamin E ointment it is then!

Took DD1 to Dr yest as hers is looking really bad (although still not bothering her) Dr was so quick to dismiss it being anything in her diet ::) That's what they were all like when I was worried about DD2 being intolerant to the dairy in my diet  >:(

Said to keep moisturising with the diprobase. She said it's in the hair follicles whick makes sense as it does look like angry goosebumps! And that water will make it worse so to bathe her as infrequently as poss (shouldn't be an issue  :D) and really hose her down well after swimming. Dr said it cannot be cured and she will grow out of it eventually ::)

I am very keen to try diet options however. We haven't had normal butter in the house for months because of me being dairy free so I must reintroduce that.

x
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: ~inbalance~ on April 12, 2011, 11:47:14 am
Yes, it's definitely an ointment and not a cream.  I'm going to start putting that on everything now, lol.
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: Roseii on April 12, 2011, 11:50:14 am
Heehee.
Well looking online it looks like homeopathy can work-not sure for kids though ???
There's a homeopath near me so think I'll at least enquire. Dr said to apply the cream 6x times a day, yeah like that's gonna be easy ::)
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: EloysH on April 14, 2011, 01:56:38 am
Well  here is the reply from my naturopath:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            "It is indeed keratosis pillaris or hyperkeratosis pillaris (which is the term more commonly used by Australian dermatologists).  It’s almost always due to essential fatty acid or vitamin A deficiency.  It can also be due to thyroid probs if it appears in adults.
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: ~inbalance~ on April 14, 2011, 01:59:29 am
Thanks Eloise!

Which also leads me to make a few other connections.  One is that I've been slacking on my multivitamins and supplements, and two is that I've been slacking on F's omega supplements.   :-[  We've started those up again very recently, so there you have it folks!
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: Roseii on April 14, 2011, 08:08:14 am
Thanks Eloise. Is a naturopath the same as a homeopath do you know??
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: EloysH on April 14, 2011, 10:20:59 am
ha!  completely and utterly different.  :P      A naturopath treats problems with foods and herbs and studies nutrition.  I am unfamiliar with the training that homeopaths get but they treat with homeopathic solutions which are essences of things diluted many many times in water so its just like molecules and water, and these somehow encourage your body to balance itself. I probably have given a bit of a dodgy explanation but you can probably read into it that I have not had much to do with homeopathics.  The few times I have used them for myself and Kai i have  not noticed any improvements, but I do not lots of people that swear by them.
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: Roseii on April 15, 2011, 08:33:51 am
Ah ok! I have never heard of a naturopath over here, will look into it :)
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: Apsof2010 on April 20, 2011, 14:23:27 pm
Hi Martina

What kind/brand of vitamin e ointment did you use?
My DD has the same bumps on her arms, legs and now face, and the doctor said not to worry if it's not bothering her. But i still would like to make it better.

Thanks
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: ~inbalance~ on April 22, 2011, 14:01:05 pm
Sorry it took me so long to reply, I had read it then needed to go check the brand and forgot to come back!  :P  It's called Weber but not sure if it's a Canadian brand or not?  I would look for the most natural kind of vitamin E ointment you can find.

I've only been using it every few days or so and mostly on problem areas.  Although I'm pretty sure re-incorporating EPA back into his diet is what made the biggest difference with his skin.
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: Apsof2010 on April 23, 2011, 06:25:22 am
Thanks Martna. Will look for something similar.. Don't want to use hydrocortisone cream that I was given 
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: Chicane on April 23, 2011, 09:26:54 am
Hey you should be able to get 100% pure Vit E oil from your pharmacy. its quite thick when its pure so almost ointment like. Or you could try a Vit E cream which will probably be cheaper...should be able to get it from pharmacy too...
Title: Re: Do you think bumpy skin is a dairy reaction?
Post by: EloysH on April 23, 2011, 09:55:42 am
That's what I bought Vit E oil - pure, it's really thick.