Author Topic: UK - how do I get Dr to investigate poss allergy?  (Read 1109 times)

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Offline bethbradley

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UK - how do I get Dr to investigate poss allergy?
« on: January 21, 2008, 17:13:03 pm »
Hi,
I've searched through lots of other posts here, but can't quite find the info I'm looking for, so...
I'm up in Scotland and have a BF 4 month old.  I'll try to give a brief history -
Induced delivery at 2 weeks post dates - strong antibiotics when he was 2 weeks old due to virus - real struggle getting him to BF, always pulling off and on as if he was uncomfortable but still wanted to drink - load of sicking/pulling up legs/green poos - thought he had reflux but Gaviscon didn't seem to help at all, just constipated him - after I cut out cheese/milk/ice-cream he seemed to get better after a couple of weeks and whenever I have a wee dairy fix (like on Christmas day) he seems to be in severe discomfort around 12-24 hours later - poos still green and runny pretty much all the time - has had 2 ear infections - and has had a constant stuffy nose since the night he was born. 
All the above has led me to think he MAY have an intolerance/allergy to dairy but whenever I have raised it with GP or Health Visitor then they dismiss it as he looks healthy (rosy cheeks and gaining weight) but they have never seen him screaming in what seems to be gastro-type discomfort!
Does anyone out there know who/what to ask for to try and investigate whether he has allergy/intolerance? 
Also, I've read a lot about elimination diets - I've cut out the big dairy culprits, but I guess there are traces in a lot of other stuff?  Does anyone have a list/link?
Any help very much appreciated as I feel no-one is taking me seriously!
Beth

Offline Jimbob

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Re: UK - how do I get Dr to investigate poss allergy?
« Reply #1 on: January 21, 2008, 17:35:06 pm »
It is sometimes hard to get the medical profession to take food allergies seriously especially in a young baby. If your ds is putting on weight nicely and looks healthy then it will be even harder to make them listen. It might be a good idea to have a video camera set up so that next time your ds is so upset you can record it so they can see it for themselves. You could also take pictures of his dirty nappies aswell.

You could take a look at the milk allergy diet thread on this board to give you some information.

Here is a guide that I use as a reference for eliminating dairy from my sons diet.

The following ingredients found on a label indicate the presence of milk protein. All labels should be read carefully before consuming a product, even if it has been eaten safely in the past.

Butters: artificial butter, artificial butter flavor, butter, butter extract, butter fat, butter flavored oil, butter solids, dairy butter, natural butter, natural butter flavor, whipped butter

Casein & caseinates: ammonium caseinate, calcium caseinate, magnesium caseinate, potassium caseinate, sodium caseinate, hydrolyzed casein, iron caseinate, zinc caseinate

Cheese: cheese (all types), cheese flavor (artificial and natural), cheese food, cottage cheese, cream cheese, imitation cheese, vegetarian cheeses with casein

Cream, whipped cream
Curds
Custard
Dairy product solids
Galactose
Ghee
Half & Half

Hydrolysates: casein hydrolysate, milk protein hydrolysate, protein hydrolysate, whey hydrolysate, whey protein hydrolysate

Ice cream, ice milk, sherbet
Lactalbumin, lactalbumin phosphate
Lactate solids
Lactyc yeast
Lactitol monohydrate
Lactoglobulin
Lactose
Lactulose

Milk: Acidophilus milk, buttermilk, buttermilk blend, buttermilk solids, cultured milk, condensed milk, dried milk, dry milk solids (DMS), evaporated milk, fat-free milk, fully cream milk powder, goat’s milk, low-fat milk, malted milk, milk derivative, milk powder, milk protein, milk solids, milk solid pastes, non-fat dry milk, non-fat milk, non-fat milk solids, pasteurized milk, powdered milk, sheep’s milk, skim milk, skim milk powder, sour milk, sour milk solids, sweet cream buttermilk powder, sweetened condensed milk, sweetened condensed skim milk, whole milk, 1% milk, 2% milk.

Milk fat, anhydrous milk fat

Nisin preparation
Nougat
Pudding
Quark
Recaldent
Renned, rennet casein
Simplesse (fat replacer)
Sour cream, sour cream solids, imitation sour cream

Whey: Acid whey, cured whey, delactosed whey, demineralized whey, hydrolyzed whey, powdered whey, reduced mineral whey, sweet dairy whey, whey, whey protein, whey protein concentrate, whey powder, whey solids

Yogurt (regular or frozen), yogurt powder

Possible sources of milk:

Natural flavoring
Flavoring
Caramel flavoring
High protein flour
Lactic acid (usually not a problem)
Lactic acid starter culture
“Non-dairy” products may contain casein.
Rice cheese
Soy cheese

Milk derivatives that should be safe for most individuals with milk allergy, but check with your doctor before using:

Lactoferrin
Tagatose (Naturlose)

I hope this information helps.

Kelly



James has atopic eczema, multiple food allergies, asthma and late talker