Author Topic: May need to do a dairy-free trial with DS, help needed  (Read 6922 times)

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Offline Tweakster

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May need to do a dairy-free trial with DS, help needed
« on: June 02, 2010, 19:20:58 pm »
A bit of background on Finn, 14.5 mths

Early days:
He was born 1 week early although that's really debatable, I suspect more like on time
We tried BFing in hospital, and had lactation support, but he had a bad latch and was not a very patient eater, he wasn't getting enough so they supplemented
He started out on Enfamil A+ in hospital and we continued this at home
In the second week, he started showing signs of reflux/discomfort
MPI suspected, we switched to Nutramigen hypoallergenic formula
At 4 weeks we started a Zantac trial for reflux
At 8 weeks reflux was confirmed and we moved to a PPI, Prevacid fast tabs

At 5.5 mths, his silent reflux became spit up so it was recommended to try thickening with rice cereal...this would mean that an MPI would be ruled out because rice cereal has the milk proteins.  He had no problems with the rice cereal and in fact ate better than he ever had...we weaned him off Nutramigen and put him on Good Start.  Again no issues.

We made the switch to whole milk in the past couple of months, pretty much fully on whole milk by 13 mths.  He has not shown any signs other than much more solid bowel movements - but he still goes usually after meals and doesn't seem to be bothered by them.

His nose started running at around 6 mths, we equated this with teething and in fact he now has all teeth with exception of the second molars so he was teething literally the entire time.  But the nose continues to run.  It's both nostrils, and mainly clear fluid.  When he's got a cold he may get some yellow discharge, but mainly clear.

He started daycare at 12 mths in March and subsequently has been sick a lot:
February 12 - gastroenteritis
March 26 - gastroenteritis but also had a runny nose
April 8 - acute hives??  Paed said from tummy bug
April 13 - double ear infection detected, Cefzil prescribed, 10 day course
April 28 - pulling on ear at daycare, ear infection back (or still there), Cefprozil (better/stronger than Cefzil) prescribed, 10 day course
May 13 - had to pick up from daycare, fever, general malaise - reaction to MMR - this lasted about 4 or so days, doc detected fluid still in ears but no infection
May 20 or so - pulling ear again, spoke to doc, said if no fever not an infection - he has to ride it out, blah blah blah
May 31 - the start of whatever this is...high fever for 2 days, enlarged lymph nodes, runny nose, etc.

He has what appears to be a chronic cough, mostly at night and very mucous-y.

Medical care:
We have a very good paed and they are really hard pressed at the clinic to buy into a milk protein intolerance/allergy mainly because he has no other symptoms, correction, he has no real gastro symptoms.  All of his illness and runny nose they attribute to his catching viruses, especially with the start of daycare.  They consider it all very normal.  They did concede it could be seasonal allergies and have provided a trial of Claritin for us.  We did start the trial and he had about 2 dry nose days, but then about 2 days ago he got a high fever and started the eye watering, running nose business again and that was that.

I want my kid's nose to stop running!  Is it likely that this could be a dairy intolerance and/or milk protein intolerance?  Or is that one and the same?  If we do a dairy-free trial should we cut out every last bit of dairy or just try stopping milk for a while i.e. switching to soy?
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Offline Mashi

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Re: May need to do a dairy-free trial with DS, help needed
« Reply #1 on: June 02, 2010, 19:33:41 pm »
I know this is not the question you asked, but I would agree with the paed that it does not really sound "typical" of a dairy intolerance when the only real symptom is his runny nose.  I would be more inclined to think that is connected to the ears somehow and he has something going on in his sinuses/ear drums etc and I would ask for a referral to an ENT.

BUT to answer the questions you did ask - yes dairy and milk protein intolerace would be the same. The problem is with an inability of the digestive system to break down and process the proteins in milk and other dairy products.  (This differs from a milk allergy where it is an immune system reaction not a digestive problem but the "cure" is the same).  If you do decide to go dairy free then yes start with cutting out ALL dairy including hidden dairy (ie/ skim milk powder as an ingredient in biscuits, and forms of casein and whey on ingredients lists, and so on - there should be a list in the forum that lists all products that are milk, if there is not I am sure I must have brought my booklet with me when we moved to G and can write it out for you).  I would not expect results right away as it takes a while for the body to clear out what dairy is in his body and then for the body to "heal" from the damage done, and then symptoms would improve.   While there are a lot of people who have both dairy and soy problems I would try just dairy free for a while, and if there is no improvement after about 3 months then look at other possibilities besides dairy (soy, wheat, etc).


Offline Tweakster

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Re: May need to do a dairy-free trial with DS, help needed
« Reply #2 on: June 02, 2010, 20:02:02 pm »
I did too mashi, but then I was doing some reading and apparently runny nose can be a symptom, also aggravates the Eustachian tubes.  Several people have claimed that their LO was constantly congested and mucous-y and a dairy-free diet has cleared it up. 

I'm not really keen and I do think it's likely more seasonal allergies if anything, but I am willing to give it a go if anyone can confirm that runny nose was a symptom...

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Offline Mashi

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Re: May need to do a dairy-free trial with DS, help needed
« Reply #3 on: June 02, 2010, 20:28:18 pm »
Yes, congestion and mucousy is definitely a symptom, it was one of the first we noticed in DS in fact at about 6 weeks old. But I would be wary if it is the onlysymptom, iykwim.   I also think that it would be more congestion than runny...but that's just my "thought" rather than something I can say I KNOW.

Offline MasynSpencerElliotte

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Re: May need to do a dairy-free trial with DS, help needed
« Reply #4 on: June 02, 2010, 20:44:12 pm »
But I would be wary if it is the onlysymptom, iykwim.   

This is what I was thinking...Spencer gets congestion and a snotty nose with milk, but also red cheeks, wheezing, and either severe constipation or diarrhea. If it was just her nose I don't think I would be blaming the milk right off. What about other environmental allergies (mold, dust mites, pet dander) or asthma? The coughing at night makes me wonder, as Spencer does this and our GP wonders if she has inherited DH's asthma.
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Offline deb

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Re: May need to do a dairy-free trial with DS, help needed
« Reply #5 on: June 02, 2010, 20:54:43 pm »
You really don't have much to lose by trying a dairy-free diet. We aren't totally dairy-free, still eat yogurt and there's incidental dairy, but we find we're a LOT healthier for not having cows' milk or lots of cheese. Yeah, we miss pizza, and sometimes we indulge, and we pay for it afterward, altho it usually is all gastro for us. :-\

But why not try it, set a limit of 2-3 weeks. If it works, you know you were on to something, and if not, then no harm done from 2-3 weeks of no dairy. The calcium and protein in milk are available in other foods, and from quality supplements.

I would be wary of replacing dairy with soy, though; it's another common allergen, and there are differing reports of its effects on hormones that I don't feel comfortable using it if I can avoid it unless it's fermented (like tamari sauce). When the girls have had soy milk, the effects have been more noticeable than dairy. :(

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Re: May need to do a dairy-free trial with DS, help needed
« Reply #6 on: June 02, 2010, 20:56:52 pm »
My older sister has a dairy intolerance and I believe her only symptom is mucous/sinus congestion stuff.  It didn't start until she was older (19), but it does seem to be MPI and not just lactose intolerance as many adults experience as even trace amounts of milk in baked goods, etc, can set it off.  Should ask her about the digestive issues . . .

A tough thing about an intolerance in LO is that sometimes it's hard for them to report their symptoms.  DS has a dairy intolerance and we had allowed trace dairy back into his diet and it took us months to put together a bunch of little symptoms to realize that he was having ongoing tummy/intestinal discomfort.  An older child could have told us, but even at 2.5, he didn't really have the words/understanding to clearly communicate it.  To be fair, he did have weird poop, so if we'd been more on the ball we could have put it all together sooner, but his poop got weirder and werider gradually, not all at once.  

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Re: May need to do a dairy-free trial with DS, help needed
« Reply #7 on: June 07, 2010, 18:01:11 pm »
Well his nose is STILL running, even after Claritin and Nasonex, and his cough sounds like he's a chronic smoker complete with mucous. The paed says there is no way to test him for allergies at this age.  So we would have to do a dairy-free trial.

But now I wonder, does it sound more like an animal allergy?  I have not even been thinking about that but I wonder...we have 2 cats :-(
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Offline firsttimemummy

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Re: May need to do a dairy-free trial with DS, help needed
« Reply #8 on: June 07, 2010, 18:31:15 pm »
no time to read so just putting a message so I can come back to it - DS awaiting appointment with paeds to hopefully do some food tests ...
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Offline MasynSpencerElliotte

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Re: May need to do a dairy-free trial with DS, help needed
« Reply #9 on: June 08, 2010, 01:43:30 am »
The paed says there is no way to test him for allergies at this age. 


Why not?  I know results aren't supposed to be as accurate for the under 2 set...but it is possible to do them anyways. Spencer had hers done a few months ago, both scratch tests and blood tests. Not fun, but doable.


Heidi




Offline deb

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Re: May need to do a dairy-free trial with DS, help needed
« Reply #10 on: June 08, 2010, 01:49:14 am »
My friend didn't have to wait till her DD was 2 to find out she was allergic to dairy, eggs, nuts, sesame seeds, and a few other incidental seasonal allergies. I don't think it was that long, anyway. ??? That really doesn't sound right, not being able to test?

When you're out and about away from the cats, like when he's at daycare, do the symptoms lessen, and then start up again once you're home?

Offline MasynSpencerElliotte

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Re: May need to do a dairy-free trial with DS, help needed
« Reply #11 on: June 08, 2010, 01:51:37 am »
No it doesn't Deb...will your paed not refer you to an allergist at all Wendy? I went to another Dr. to get a referral and have now switched to yet another one to try and get Spencer's many issues looked after.
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Offline ~ Vik ~

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Re: May need to do a dairy-free trial with DS, help needed
« Reply #12 on: June 08, 2010, 02:09:14 am »
Dylan had his scratch and blood tests done around 16mo, so I don't know why they would make you wait :(  Our GP referred us to an allergist shortly after Dylan had a nasty reaction Christmas day.  We did a scratch test, and did blood tests to confirm the positive scratch results.  The allergist DID say that the results of the scratch test were more unreliable (reason for the blood tests), but that was more due to Dylan's eczema than his age.  Like Heidi said, the tests certainly aren't fun, but we did them and got the results that we needed.  The blood test was actually far less stressful than the scratch test, TBH.

It could definitely be the animals too though - Dylan has a severe allergy to dog dander/saliva (runny nose, sneezing, hives, eye swelling)...  I wonder if you could request a blood test just to the couple things that you are considering?  The blood test isn't covered by OHIP ::) but wasn't that expensive and was so much less traumatic than the scratch test for Dylan.
D ~ dairy, egg, peanut/nut and mustard allergies
Proud to have breastfed for over 24 months!


Offline MasynSpencerElliotte

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Re: May need to do a dairy-free trial with DS, help needed
« Reply #13 on: June 08, 2010, 02:14:16 am »

 The blood test isn't covered by OHIP ::) but wasn't that expensive and was so much less traumatic than the scratch test for Dylan.

Really? ours was in Sask...no less traumatic, but alot quicker!
Heidi




Offline ~ Vik ~

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Re: May need to do a dairy-free trial with DS, help needed
« Reply #14 on: June 08, 2010, 02:24:43 am »

 The blood test isn't covered by OHIP ::) but wasn't that expensive and was so much less traumatic than the scratch test for Dylan.

Really? ours was in Sask...no less traumatic, but alot quicker!
Nope, had to pay cash at the lab. I can't remember how much, but we had 4 things tested and it was less than $100. And you're right, definitely still traumatic but over so much faster!
D ~ dairy, egg, peanut/nut and mustard allergies
Proud to have breastfed for over 24 months!