Author Topic: confused over advice re family history of allergy and dairy products  (Read 1258 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline tanya001

  • New & Learning The Ropes
  • *
  • Showing Appreciation 1
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 36
  • Location:
Hi, i am currently weaning my 7mth old and both myself and her dad have slight eczema, very minor, her dad also has mild hayfever and allergy do cats and dogs.  Does this mean i should not use dairy products in cooking for my baby? She is not showing any sign of allergies and has been fed a mixture of breast milk and ordinary infant formula. All i can find is if there is a histoy of allergies do not use dairy, wheat etc. Should i avoid gluten?  I cant find any detailed information out there and am totally confused. There is no allergy to food or intolerances in the family.  If anyone can point me in the right direction i would be grateful.  :)

Offline campbellchick

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 17
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 833
  • Australia
  • Location: Perth, Australia
Hi Tanya001.  I have a book called Immunity Foods for Healthy Kids and have just looked up the section about Eczema.  It basically states that early exposure to foods increases the likelihood of allergic reactions owing to the baby's undeveloped digestive system and to avoid cow's milk, egg, wheat, tomato and citrus fruits until after the age of 1.  It doesn't say anything about gluten (and it is a pretty detailed book).  I'm not sure if this is much more information than what you have already read anyway, but if you are worried about it, it may be worth seeing a qualified nutritionist about it.  I know my husband had really really bad eczema as a kid and MIL thinks it is because she got a craving for tomatoes when she was pregnant with him and ate them by the bucketload.  I am worried about my children, ds reacts to some things, but my poor dd can't even use wipes and reacts to most brands of diapers & babywash.  I didn't really think too much about it when feeding ds before he was 1, but I may need to this time around.  Anyway, I hope someone can help you out with somewhere to find out more info. 
Kerrie


Offline Sunshine's Mommy

  • BW Devotee
  • ****
  • Showing Appreciation 3
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 429
  • Location: Ontario, Canada
I can't answer your questions directly, but I just took my DD (she's 27 mths) to pediatric allergy doctor and he said that allergies are NOT hereditary.  She reacted to strawberries and raspberries.  He said that she is very sensitive and to avoid the them for the next 6 months.  I'm allergic to cats and dustmites and DH has a really bad hayfever and DR said it does not mean that she'll have that as well.
Anna
  

Offline Mydreamcametrue

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 59
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 3216
  • Location: United States
I have always been told the opposite, that allergies do run in the family.  All doctors believe different things though.  I have been told that if your child has a sibling or a parent with a food allergy, it is best to avoid that food until 1 years of age (to be safe).

Example:  DS1 could not handle milk products (not even cooked in foods) until 18 months old.  I am avoiding ALL dairy, even cooking until DS2 is 1 years old and then I will try it very slowly.

If there is no real known allergy (sibling, mother, father) to milk and wheat, then I think you would be okay.

When you cook with whole cows milk, it does break down the protein, so I think you would be okay.

Also wheat is in many of the teething biscuits and those Gerber puffs for finger foods. 

All you can do is try and it you notice any type of reaction, then I would stop and try again at age 1. 
Just watch for gas and stomach cramps also, not just eczema, hives, etc. 

Hope this helps, Wendy
Wendy -

Zach - 3 1/2 yrs old. My sweet, loving, gentle boy that loves playing in the dirt!

Tyler - 17 months.  My very very spirited little boy.  Can't turn your back for a minute.  He is doing the cutest things now!  Loves to eat and climb!

Offline tanya001

  • New & Learning The Ropes
  • *
  • Showing Appreciation 1
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 36
  • Location:
hi, thanks for your replies, from what i can gather, if she does not show any signs of allergies it is ok to use dairy and wheat to cook with. Will continue cooking and see how it goes. Thanks again.  :)

Offline campbellchick

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 17
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 833
  • Australia
  • Location: Perth, Australia
Hi Tanya001, it is totally up to you of course, but personally I would still be a little careful with dairy and wheat because an allergy may not show up straight away.  E.g. Eczema may not appear until her later years, but may still be related to the foods she ate prior to 1 year of age.  It really depends on how worried you are about it I guess, if your's and your dh's eczema isn't that bad, a small exposure may not affect her too much??  I know I would find it difficult not to give wheat prior to 1 because it seems to be in everything these days...  Good luck with it though, I will be also facing these same problems in a few months time.
Kerrie


Offline Jimbob

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 59
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 2703
  • Location: UK
I totally agree with Wendy (mydreamcametrue) on this.

Kelly



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