Author Topic: worried about introducing known allergens back into diet  (Read 2628 times)

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Offline jesie

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worried about introducing known allergens back into diet
« on: January 17, 2011, 11:24:39 am »
Hello everyone.

I haven't been on here for a ling time so thought I'd introduce my self.

My DS is 12months old, (was 1 yesterday)
He is currently on a dairy, wheat and egg free diet.
Dairy made him really ill. Bad skin, eyes, nose. Bad breathing. Bad tummy and nasty runny, mucus stools. Projectile vomiting.  
Wheat gave him a really bad tummy. Up all night with tummy pains and then 10 solid poos the next day.
Egg gave him a terrible rash and made him sick.

After a long fight that there was something wrong, at 11 weeks I put my foot down and got stroppily, he was having 40-45oz of EBM a day and losing weight! I was expressing so much I felt awful and put him on formula 2 feeds a day to try and attend him up a bit. He just got worse! So after my temper tantrums,  DS was given SMA LF.
this made a difference but he still want right. A few more fights later he was put on nutramigen 1 and then a few weeks later nutramigen aa, and that made such a difference! A different child!

Weaning was a worrying time, and I put it off until he was 6 months old. Finding out about the egg and gluten at 7/8 months.

Plum and cucumber are the only other foods we've had a problem with, bringing him out in a rash.

We have had a couple of accidents in the last couple of months, where I gave him gluten by mistake, and we were up all night, then following day had lots of hard poos. And he also stole my nephews cheesespread sandwich and he sucked a bit of cheesespread. It was only a tiny bit as we got it off him straight away, yet the whole of one side of his face reacted with bad skin straight away and he got upset and cuddled down for a sleep.

We have our next appointment with the dietitian on Wednesday, and her plan (along with the pead) is to introduce dairy to see what happens.
Now i'm worried that its too soon as we have already had an accident. Am I over reacting? Should I let him have some? I just think his poor little body has been through so much and I don't want to see him in pain or anything.

I have asked them to test him through skin or blood but they won't.

My two angels will always live on in my heart June11, March12, sweet dreams xxx
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Offline MasynSpencerElliotte

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Re: worried about introducing known allergens back into diet
« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2011, 14:37:29 pm »
I'm not sure how it works where you are, but here I just went to my family doctor for a referral to an allergist.  If it were me I really wouldn't play around with it, esp. from what happened with a tiny bit of the cheese spread.  Spencer doesn't react nearly as badly to eggs & milk, but we are off them until our allergist can do a food challenge in his office, where he has the ability to deal with any reaction that may happen.  Will they do a food challenge at the Dr's or do they expect you to do it at home?  That would really worry me. Can you find a new Dr. easily for a second opinion?
Heidi




Offline jesie

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Re: worried about introducing known allergens back into diet
« Reply #2 on: January 17, 2011, 22:55:59 pm »
No its to be done at home.

It took a long time to get the dietitian and pead, as it was, so when I originally read your reply I thought no that's not an option, but thinking about it, we are entitled to a second opinion aren't we. So it shouldn't take so long.

I have fallen out with a couple of drs over the past months already LOL


My two angels will always live on in my heart June11, March12, sweet dreams xxx
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Offline MasynSpencerElliotte

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Re: worried about introducing known allergens back into diet
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2011, 00:58:24 am »
we are entitled to a second opinion aren't we.

for sure! do you live in a bigger centre where you could easily get help if you did try a food at home and he had a bad reaction? I live in a very rural area, so doing it here scares me.  We did try baked in egg at home, but only because my sister was here with her sons two epi-pens (plus she's a nurse).
Heidi




Offline ~ Vik ~

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Re: worried about introducing known allergens back into diet
« Reply #4 on: January 18, 2011, 03:28:59 am »
Eeek to doing a food trial at home :o  Dylan was diagnosed with multiple food allergies (dairy/egg/peanut/mustard) at 16mo by skin/blood tests.  At our follow up appointment, our allergist said that he wants to see Dylan again at 3 years old to repeat the blood tests and *possibly* do an in-office food challenge.  I cannot even begin to imagine doing a food challenge at home, especially if symptoms include breathing difficulties.  (FWIW, he said that he never does food challenges before 3yo; until then children generally aren't verbal enough to describe reactions that you may not be able to see).

Although it's great that you've seen a paed and a dietitian, I would definitely recommend seeing an allergist if you can.  With multiple food allergies it's best to see a specialist - paeds are great but are not specialists, and dietitian can help you manage your diet while avoiding allergens, but I really would see an allergist before you consider reintroducing anything.
D ~ dairy, egg, peanut/nut and mustard allergies
Proud to have breastfed for over 24 months!


Offline jesie

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Re: worried about introducing known allergens back into diet
« Reply #5 on: January 18, 2011, 10:24:16 am »
No one has ever mentioned an allergist. We are in England, not sure where you ladies are. But I will def ask. I have said I don't want him to try gluten again until he's old enough to tell me if it hurts etc, but as you said I think he should be able to speak before them all, cos how do I know how the poor little man is feeling. I also feel with the accidents we have had it proves he isn't ready.

You two have made me feel more positive in saying no.

I live a good 20 mins from local community hospital, which is only for minor injuries and out of hours gp appointments. I live about an hour away from closest main hospital.

My two angels will always live on in my heart June11, March12, sweet dreams xxx
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Offline MasynSpencerElliotte

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Re: worried about introducing known allergens back into diet
« Reply #6 on: January 18, 2011, 14:14:02 pm »
(FWIW, he said that he never does food challenges before 3yo; until then children generally aren't verbal enough to describe reactions that you may not be able to see).


Yeah, our allergist wanted us to do it ages ago, I just never bothered to make the appt, plus Spencer is definitely not verbal enough even now and may not be at 3 either. Even now when she obviously has a reaction you would never know if you didn't see it on her skin or the resulting diapers. 

I'm not sure how it works in the UK, we are both in Canada, and for Spencer our regular Dr. referred her right away, didn't really do anything other than tell us to keep her off the offending foods until we figrued it out with the allergist.  She tests negative though, hence him wanting to do a food challenge in office to see her react for himself. 

Heidi




Offline ~ Vik ~

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Re: worried about introducing known allergens back into diet
« Reply #7 on: January 18, 2011, 14:25:03 pm »
We knew that Dylan was allergic to milk at 5.5mo because of his reaction to rice cereal with skim milk powder. The paed in the ER just told us to stay away from dairy. It was when Dylan started reacting to other things that our GP referred us to our allergist. Same as Heidi, our GP just told us to stay away from anything we thought was causing a reaction until we could test. He reacted quite strongly, so that's why the retest at 3.
D ~ dairy, egg, peanut/nut and mustard allergies
Proud to have breastfed for over 24 months!


Offline jesie

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Re: worried about introducing known allergens back into diet
« Reply #8 on: January 19, 2011, 18:28:13 pm »
Thanks for your help ladies.

We saw dietitian this morning, she said she wants us to try egg now. Then in 3 months try gluten.

We discussed everything and talked through concerns, and she gave me information on different levels of testing etc, and said I had to stop being scared and just do it!

So I got home, started to read the info, got to the 3rd line.... if the child has ashtma egg testing should be done in hospital, not at home" DS has ashtma!

So i'm going to make appointment with GP, to see what he says, and dietitian also mentioned an allergist, so will speak to GP about that too.

The dietitian also didn't sound too keen on my pead, which has worried me a little... more reasons to speak to GP.

Thanks again ladies.

My two angels will always live on in my heart June11, March12, sweet dreams xxx
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Offline MasynSpencerElliotte

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Re: worried about introducing known allergens back into diet
« Reply #9 on: January 19, 2011, 18:33:43 pm »
said I had to stop being scared and just do it!

Wow, really? that's totally insensitive...being scared of something that could be potentially life threatening to your child is not something you can/should just stop!  Plus the fact that he has athsma, well that would make me push for any food challenge to be done with an allergist, not just willy nilly at home with no hospital nearby.  Hope the GP helps out and refers you to an allergist and you get some answers.
Heidi




Offline Jimbob

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Re: worried about introducing known allergens back into diet
« Reply #10 on: January 20, 2011, 12:26:24 pm »
Where in England do you live? We see an allergist at Central Manchester Children's Hospital. My ds was referred there by his community nurse.

If you can't get to see an allergist or not able to get a second opinion then I would do the trial in the hospital car park instead of at home. If your ds the has a major reaction you are already at the hospital and can be dealt with straight away.



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

Offline afeswick

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Re: worried about introducing known allergens back into diet
« Reply #11 on: January 20, 2011, 13:06:35 pm »
Ok, I read your posts and was alarmed! My DS had Multiple Protein Intolerance (i.e. he was allergic to EVERYTHING) and was on neocate (an elemental formula) because no matter what I ate he reacted to with bloody loose stools.  After neocate (at 6 months) he did so much better.  My pediatrician recommended a milk trial at 9 months, but I told her no.  I was not ready.  Sometimes babies can grow out of allergies, but I was not about to needlessly expose him to milk just " to see".  Anyways, all of our other food trials were going well (indicating he was indeed growing out of them) and so finally after he was a year old I tried milk-but not how you think.  I started with cooked butter (in baked goods and therefore denatured).  He was ok.  I then tried yoghurt.  He was ok.  Then I tried butter on break.  Ok.  Then milk denatured (cooked).  He was ok.  Finally, I gave him milk straight up.  It was nervewracking.  But he's fine. 

My advice to you: go with your gut.  If you're not ready to introduce something, DON'T.  We live in an age where we have access to almost unlimited nutritional sources, so he won't suffer if he doesn't eat gluten, eggs or dairy for another week, month, year or however long you decide.

This is YOUR CHILD.  Don't let the healthcare system bully you into doing something you don't feel is right.  And definitely see an allergist!  I wish you and your LO the best of luck-he might still grow out of these allergies, but if not, its not the end of the world.  Here's giving you a dose of courage and a big hug!!!  :)

Offline MasynSpencerElliotte

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Re: worried about introducing known allergens back into diet
« Reply #12 on: January 20, 2011, 13:08:30 pm »
I would do the trial in the hospital car park instead of at home

Good idea! That's exactly what I intend to do if the allergist won't trial peanuts in office. (he will only test for things we know she has ingested and had a reaction to)
Heidi




Offline jesie

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Re: worried about introducing known allergens back into diet
« Reply #13 on: January 20, 2011, 20:28:50 pm »
Thanks for your words ladies. I have made appointment with GP next week, so will talk things through with him then and see whether he thinks.

I'm in the south west, so nowhere near Manchester.

Car park sounds a very good idea

My two angels will always live on in my heart June11, March12, sweet dreams xxx
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