How do you know the difference between allergies and reflux?

[Maddy's Mum]

Hi Ladies,

Josh has been diagnosed with Reflux, but his symptoms are getting worse and I am wondering if he is allergic to some of the things I am eating also. (Mads had a lactose intolerance when she was younger and will still get lactose intolerant if she is ill)

So how do you tell the difference between really bad reflux and reflux and a food allergy?

His symptoms are:

Spitting up when being fed and after feeds (sometimes up to 45 mins after)  - sometimes cottage cheese, sometimes clear
Spitting up when he burps
Bobbing on and off the breast whilst feeding - in discomfort
Bad wind on and off all day and particularly worse in the evenings
Unable to sleep for long without spitting up/swallowing

Some days he is much better than others and he will manage to sleep and eat just fine and other days its a different story - which is why I am wondering if it is an allergy to something as well?

Any help or guidance would be very much appreciated

Many thanks
Dee
x

[Mom to M&M]

Hi Dee. Often, reflux can be a symptom of a food allergy. In our case, DD had a strong milk intolerance - and her reflux got MUCH better when we addressed the MSPI issue first.

Have you tried the elimination diet for 2 weeks to see if he improves? It's really tough but can make a huge difference and then you can slowly start to add foods back in... I can provide more links if you are interested.

[Maddy's Mum]

Thanks for the info - i would be willing to give anything a go at the moment, so any links/info on the elimination diet would be great!

Dee
x

[Mom to M&M]

BTW - with your DD are you sure it was lactose intolerance and not an intolerance/allergy to the cow's milk itself? I only ask because it's actually quite rare for Caucasian babies to have lactose intolerance - but many have cow's milk intolerance (which most outgrow by age 2).

Anyway - here is my favorite link about the elimination diet - from Dr. Sears. I think if you check out the MSPI sticky at the top of this forum that GracekelleysMom also has a ton of information about the elimination diet and foods allowed, etc. http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T041200.asp

As you probably know, one of the best things you can do if he DOES have allergy issues is continue to breastfeed. And that's coming from a formula mom (not by choice though - had serious supply issues).

Best of luck and keep us posted. If the elimination diet doesn't help you may want to look more into the reflux issue and see a GI doc if he's in pain or severe discomfort.

[nattyc]

hi
this is similar to my lo but i am not breast feeding, he is bottle fed. i find it interesting that lactose intolerance is rare and that cows milk isnt quite so. my lo is on sma lactose free but im not convinced, any suggestions to a formula to use? ive tried omnio comfort but found it difficult to get wind up, which made problem worse
any suggestions most welcomed as lo currently waking every 2 hours for 2 ounce feed!!

[Mom to M&M]

In the US we use Alimentum and/or Nutramigen a lot. For severe cases of milk allergy, Neocate or Elecare. Not sure if you have those in UK though...

[LMN]

My 3 and a half month old daughter was diagnosed with Reflux when 2 weeks old, despite not vomiting much, she screams in pain when fed, she is bottle fed on Aptimil and on Domperidone and Gavisocon, though improved, she still often refuses the bottle during her day feeds and cries when I try and force her.  She is extremely windy and cries when passing wind.  If I give her gripe water in a bottle she takes it no problem, it's just the milk she hates and splutters back up.  It sometimes takes me an hour to feed her, I persevere and so she is gaining weight.  The doctor has said I am unlucky and just have to wait till she outgrows it!  It's awful to know your child is in pain every time you feed them.  Is there any other medication they can give?  As she is putting on weight they refuse to change her formula, as I thought it was worth trying Pepti Junior or some other hydolysed one.

Help!

[Fenella]

Hi all of you.  Luke was diagnosed with reflux at 5wks old.  spitting up loads and in pain.  We are now under consultant care.  He believes lukes reflux is allergy related  even though on nutramigen milk he improved it wasn't perfect at all so has prescribed neocate.  i tried for a couple of weeks and no difference but he has now asked us to do for 4 weeks as it can take that long for the body to recover.  he said because luke was spitting up 3hrs plus after the feed (solid & milk) he thinks it is allergy as it should have cleared out of the gut by that point and in many cases of allergy the stomach stops working properly or something.  hope that helps.  by the way we are in the uk.  Nutramigen is available over the counter but very expensive (find a sympathetic gp) i am not sure about neocate.