Should I go back to doctor about paediatrician's course of action???

[hopper84]

Hi all

I posted on here the other day about my 15 week old DD refusing feeds and being completely out of routine.
I took her to the doctor yesterday as she was so miserable. not eating and seeming in pain...She also has a rash across her tummy and very dry skin on her legs. She also gets a intermittent rash on her face. The Dr agreed that she wasn't right and sent us up to the hospital to see the paediatirican.

At the hospital they concluded that Amelie either has reflux or a milk protein allergy. Dr thought more likely to be an allergy due to dry skin and rash and the fact that both myself and DH suffer with allergies, yet they sent us away with gaviscon to try for a week to help reflux!

It seems like a strange course of action when they thought allergy more likely. She does show some symptoms of reflux (arching back, fussiness during feeding etc) but is rarely sick, is happy lying on her back after feeding and is relieved by burping rather than being caused pain by it. She does however cry excessively when she passes wind and seems to be in abdominal discomfort a while after feeding.

Should i go back to my dr and say that i'm not happy with the course of action or just try the gaviscon for a week?
Many thanks Laura x

[Roseii]

I'm really not an expert but if your LO has tummy troubles anyway I'd be v reluctant to give gaviscon All it did was constipate my dd more which was awful...
Was there any mention of trying a hypoallergenic formula?

[hopper84]

They did mention other formulas but for some reason decided to treat as reflux first. I am very reluctant to give gaviscon for that exact reason. Dont want her to be more uncomfortable than she already is!!

[Shiv52]

I imagined they suggested the gaviscon as they think it will be easier to rule out reflux than MPI.  It sounds to me like is most likely the MPI that is the issue (my DD2 is MPI) especially given the skin issues.   Its not really advisable to try two big changes at once as you don't know what is making the difference.  

I think though I would push for a trial of a HPA (?) formula and see how that helps.  It does seem more likely its the allergy than reflux.

She does however cry excessively when she passes wind and seems to be in abdominal discomfort a while after feeding.

This for us was the main symptom of my DD2's MPI and she had no reflux.  I BF and once I cut dairy way down the symptoms went way down too

[Hedgehog17]

Hi Laura,

Yes, it sounds exactly like Milk Protein Intolerance   My DS has this, and we got a prescription formula called Aptamil Pepti 1 to give him. Since he was on that his skin cleared up and his digestive problems went and he finally started putting on weight  

Reflux doesn't cause eczema, MPI does. Go back to your GP and ask for a trial of Pepti 1.

If she's still suffering after 2-4 weeks on Pepti, she needs an elemental formula such as Neocate which contains no milk protein at all. (Pepti does but the proteins are broken down so baby's gut doesn't recognise them as allergens).

MPI is not at all uncommon, many of us here have experience of having a child with it. DS also had reflux (associated with his MPI) but Gaviscon didn't help, it just constipated him. Instead we dosed him with Ranitidine until he outgrew his reflux at 13mo once he was taking more solids.

Good luck with the GP, and do keep pushing for proper help because gut damage will cause your LO unneccessary pain and there is a standard course of action to follow to sort it out (as explained above).  

[hopper84]

Thankyou for your replies

I am convinced she doesn't have reflux as know babies that have it and her symptoms just don't seem the same (although i know all babies react differently to things). Have asked my GP to call me today to discuss what to do. I understand not changing more that one thing at a time just so frustrating that they have chosen to go with gaviscon first. Surely the gaviscon is just used to stop them bringing up feeds which she doesn't do anyway!!

[Shiv52]

I find it strange they pushed the gaviscon firs too.  I guess you can just say to your doctor that having had time to think about it all you really think the MPI is the issue and would like to try the HPA formula first.

[hopper84]

are there any other symptoms of MPI that i should look out for that i haven't mentioned already?

[Hedgehog17]

Watery and / or mucousy poop

'Colic' symptoms - crying due to digestive discomfort

Excessive wind

Not gaining weight

Feeding difficulties - not wanting to eat for long, arching back, twisting away

Sleeping problems due to discomfort

Reflux / silent reflux

[hopper84]

thankyou Hendehog17.

I am going to be a pushy parent and get this sorted one way or another!!

[Lolly]

I agree with everyone, go back and see if they will try a hypoallergenic formula ( Shiv - its HAF Hypo - Allergenic Formula )

I will move this onto a more appropriate board too.

Laura

[hopper84]

I just managed to get Amelie to feed after five hours and noticed that the rash on her tummy looked immediately worse....thoughts?

[Shiv52]

( Shiv - its HAF Hypo - Allergenic Formula  )

LOL!!!  I knew that wasn't right.  I was HyPo Allergenic....duh!!

I just managed to get Amelie to feed after five hours and noticed that the rash on her tummy looked immediately worse....thoughts?

It could be her reacting to the dairy proteins. My DD2 would react within the hour if she got dairy with sore tummy cramps and really bad wind. 

[hopper84]

that's what i thought. Still waiting to hear back from Dr. Looks like I will have to wait until tomorrow

[hopper84]

DD has also had three poos today (usually only has one) and they've been getting progressively runny. Is is possible the gaviscon is having the opposite effect to what i expected (e.g constipation?) even though she's only has four feeds with gaviscon in or just another sign of allergy to add to the list for my Dr tomorrow??