Author Topic: MSPI baby + possible chemical sensitivities - please help!  (Read 1847 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Elencalota

  • New & Learning The Ropes!
  • *
  • Showing Appreciation 0
  • Posts: 1
  • Location:
First of all, hi to all of you! I've been reading this forum for over 3 days and already I feel like I learned a lot :)

I'd like to ask your opinion on our current situation:

We have a beautiful 6 month-old baby boy. The first couple of month,s things were going on really smoothly - I was even wondering why people complain so much about babies being hard work  :P Little did I know..

At about 5 weeks old he started spitting up during BF, at first not so much, but after a few days the spit up increased and the he began projectile vomiting (it was so terrifying to see the milk come up his nose  ???) He didn't seemed bothered by it so at first I thought it was normal (first time mom). Gradually he started to get really fussy at the breast - pull back, cry, arch his back. The solution I came up with (not sure if it was the best one) was to pump and give the BM to him in a bottle. Things seemed to be ok for another couple of weeks but then he started refusing the bottle, arching his back, crying - all reflux symptoms. Also by now the spit up and vomiting had increased a lot. He also developed eczema on his face and mucus appeared in his poop (He was sleeping really well though - has STTN since 7 weeks. I guess we're really lucky here)

I got really scared and immediately went to the paed, who told me that it was most likely MSPI and advised me to cut out  dairy and soy. Also he was put on Nexium 5mg x2/day
Immediately the vomiting stopped but he still wasn't to excited about his bottles. I then cut out all the major 8 allergens but he still had days when he would refuse his bottles (other days he would eat just fine). It was obvious that he was still reacting to something in my milk which was so frustrating because I felt that there was nothing else to cut from my diet. In the end - after two months of ED that seemed to work only some days - we switched to formula at 4 and a half months: Aptamil Pepti(similar with Nutramigen - we don't have that in Romania).

Things started to get better after that, we were able to stop the reflux meds, he was eating fine, no arching of back or other reflux symptoms. After 3 or 4 weeks the mucus disappeared from the stool also. I thought we were out of the woods.

However, at 6 months we tried to introduce solids. Gave him a few tsp of pureed carrots at first - after 3 days of them he puked (something that hadn't happened once after I excluded dairy from my diet) so we stopped. We waited another couple of days and tryed sweet potato - he cryed - we stopped. Last try was the worst however - avocado. After 2 or 3 tsp of this his reflux came back in full force, the mucus is back in his poop and he started refusing his bottles again  :'( (only after that I discovered that these are all high in sals - didn't even know about sal intolerance until a few days ago - sigh)

Feeding is much harder now that he's older and stronger. I'm also really worried about a bottle aversion developing so in an effort not to force feed him we started giving him his bottle in his sleep. He has 4 meals/day + the DF and usually drinks about 900-1000ml formula/day. We also started Nexium again 10mgx2/day. It's been 9 days since the damn avocado incident and still he won't eat. I'm at my wits end!

I really don't know what to do next. What solids should we try next? I'm thinking of taking a break from solids for a month or so, until things get back on track with his bottle feeding. The paed says we should push solids harder but I'm afraid that's only going to make matters worse. (also doesn't believe in such a thing as "salicylates intolerance"  ???) I'm thinking about ordering the infant probiotics from Klaire Labs and slowly starting giving them to him (in the past he was on Protectis but that didn't seem to make much of a difference). I was also looking at the GAPS diet - maybe that would help his gut heal?

He was always big for his age - was born with 3.700kg at 41 weeks (naturally) and now at 6 months and a half is 8.700kg. (that's why nobody believes us that he's having so many feeding issues - uughh!) He's really happy and smiley otherwise, still sleeps ok, although I see him sometimes arching his back in his sleep and has reached all his developmental milestones on time or earlier.

What do you think? Has anybody else been through this? Any opinion or advice is more than welcomed!

Thanks a lot!
« Last Edit: May 31, 2013, 05:40:54 am by Elencalota »

Offline ENMS

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 63
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 5189
  • Location: Quebec, Canada
Re: MSPI baby + possible chemical sensitivities - please help!
« Reply #1 on: May 31, 2013, 00:12:14 am »
Hi there :)

This sounds a whole lot like my DS at this age. We had a really hard time with solids.

In my own personal experience and opinion, I would not push solids until I get back to a baseline. Once he is well again then you could try something new and see how he does. He is obviously still healing from his avocado experience and you also don't want him to do a negative association to eating.

He sounds like a very sensitive LO and it may be that his gut is just immature and he will get better. But I think a probiotic is definitely THE best thing you can do right now to help his gut heal. I swear it has made a world of difference to my DS.

I have read the GAPS book and I loosely apply the diet (because my DS has a particular intolerance that makes it difficult for us to fully follow it). But in terms of healing, if you adhere to the GAPS phiolosophy, starting him on broth would definitely be helpful. If you want to explore the GAPS possibility further there is a facebook group with tons of info on this:

https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/287476548014138/

Amongst other things, I know avocado is high in sorbitol and some people with fructose malabsorption will react to avocado. I know my son does not have fructose malabsorption but for some reason he cannot tolerate avocado either.

(((hugs)))
Elise



Offline ZacsMumme

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 425
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 23962
  • You complete me
  • Location: NZ
    • Tomi & Roo Boutique
Re: MSPI baby + possible chemical sensitivities - please help!
« Reply #2 on: May 31, 2013, 03:07:19 am »
Hugs honey. Similar baby here ::)
ITA re probiotics. Slippery elm could also help http://www.livestrong.com/slippery-elm/ I didn't notice any major improvement but our biomedical pead said it slowly helps reduce inflammation, line and strengthen the mucus membrane in the gut.

T can only tolerate 2 constant foods right now...these, for us are safe. Pumpkin (butternut, buttercup or crown), and homemade chicken broth http://www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com/feeding-a-baby-with-a-cold.html
I would consider waiting till your LO is happy for a good week before trying another food. And offer a small amount in the morning.

Our pead and dr both pushed solids .. And T ended up an absolute mess. Constipated, waking every 20-45 mins all.night.long in pain and refusing to feed, his reflux went bezerk too. I would consider going private if you can, or getting a refferal to a gi specialist, or biomed pead. A dietitian may also help :-*

Hugs, it's sooooooo hard!
***Sara***
https://www.facebook.com/tomiandroo


DS1 - Our sensitive soul. Silent reflux.

DS2 Our cheeky chipmunk. Reflux, MSPI.