Dairy Free Diet

[pixieme]

Hi
My ds will be starting a dairy free diet this week under the supervision of a dietitian due to his eczema.

We have been given loads of information and leaflets, and will be getting a prescription for his milk replacement called 'Nutramigen'.

I'm just wondering if anyone else out there has any experience and practical tips for me.  My main concern is that he loves his bottles.  He has  3 or 4 8oz bottles of milk each day and won't take it from sippies which I personally don't mind.  But apparently the new milk doesn't exactly taste like milk  so I don't know how he will be with the sudden loss of his precious bottles. 

[Mom to M&M]

Hi there!  A few things - first of all, Nutramigen isn't exactly milk free - it's a "hypoallergenic" formula in which milk proteins are already broken down and predigested. So it's a big help for many babies - but since milk proteins are still present, they can build up and cause problems in as many as 40% of milk allergic babies. But if your LO has an intolerance as opposed to an actual allergy, it could be really good for him. Yes, Nutramigen does taste nasty - you'll likely have to mix it in slowly with his old formula to get him used to the taste. One other option is Alimentum - it's the same as Nutramigen (one is made by Similac, one by Enfamil) and does taste a litle better - especially the Ready to Feed version of it. But at one year, 6 months - why is he doing formula instead of something like soy milk or rice milk? Those taste better and at his age he doesn't need to be on formula...

[pixieme]

But at one year, 6 months - why is he doing formula instead of something like soy milk or rice milk?

Thats just what the dietitian said she would prescribe.    I don't know.  I'm seeing her again in 6 weeks but i also have a support number I can contact her on so if it's really bad and he won't take it then I can presumably try something else. 

Oh actually, I just thought, I'm sure she said something about soy being a possible cause of eczema too and that it is something that could possibly be reintroduced sometime in the future.

to be honest I am on a very steep learning curve here. 

[Mom to M&M]

I might try to get a second opinion... If he's used to the taste of whole milk I highly doubt he'll accept the Nutramigen. And while it's true that some milk allergic babies have issues with soy, about half don't. And there is rice milk too. Can you perhaps see an allergist instead or in addition?

[pixieme]

After months of pestering my GP he has finally agreed to refer us to a paed specializing a allergies    Our appt is 4th Oct but whether they will do testing that day or just an initial meeting I don't know.  I knowq that we have just got to the point where we want to try anything to get rid of his awful eczema. 

[Mom to M&M]

Is excema his only symptom? Excema can be from a food allergy/intolerance, but it can also be from environmental allergies or just sensitive skin too.

[pixieme]

I agree, which is why I've been pushing to have him tested so we will know for sure what to avoid.  But for now we're going to takle the most common cause which is dairy.  All my children have suffered with eczema to some extent, as do I, and I also have asthma, so I'm interested to see how the new diet will benefit us all.  I didn't go this route with my elder girls because theirs became minimal by 12 months, but Bens is just getting worse and worse by the week.

[preston,parker&peytonsmum]

Where are the eczema patches located?  My dd who is allergis to milk used to have red cheeks often when a baby-we didn't diagnose her milk allergy until she was almost 3 as there weren't any issues until right after she turned 2.  My ds who just turned 3 does have eczemza that is TERRIBLE during the winter but hardly exists during the summer . . . we are on the tail end of summer here and the only spots he has are right above his bottom . . . I"m thinking the cause is the pull ups we switched to for night time when he became potty trained around March/April.  I guess my point is that how his eczema is during the different seasons might help clue you in to the cause . . . I would guess that if it never changes, it would be more likely a food allergy.  And just an FYI, my dd's allergist said if she didn't like soy milk to just supplement with TUMS to get her the calcium she needs.  So, if he won't take the formula (which I'm doubting as even my now 5 month old wouldn't drink well at 2 months) you can still get him the needed calcium-just check how many mg/grams he needs and give him that amount in TUMS . . . Another FYI, I've found the purple package (tropical I think) taste the best.  To me, the smooth ones are GROSS!!!

Let us know how it goes!

[pixieme]

Kelly - His eczema remains the same year through, I was hoping it may have improved with the summer but no, if anything it got worse.  He had a nasty patch on his cheek eaerlier in the year which took various different creams and about 4 months before it cleared up, but his worst areas are from his toes up to the nappy area and his hands and forearms.  Dh is convinced that its a contact allergy but I guess we won't know until the testing has been done. 

I just want to feel like I'm actually doing something positive for him because I'm sure you'll understand when I say I've felt pretty useless so far. 

I'll be picking up the prescription for the milk tomorrow so we'll see what he makes of it then, I have to say I'm not looking forward to it!!

[Mom to M&M]

Let us know how it goes. In terms of contact allergy, are you using a "Free and Clear" type detergent only? Any pets in the house?

[pixieme]

Well we got the prescribed milk  vile!!!!  there was no way that Ben would ever drink it so we went and bought some Soya milk from the supermarket and he loves it!!  I'll give the dieticians office a ring tomorrow and see what she thinks about it but i really can't make him drink the Nutramigen.

Apart from that we have followed a totally milk free diet for 3 days now.  i know we have a few patches of eczema to clear up first but then I guess it's a case of wait and see how quickly/if at all it returns.      Does anyone know how long it takes before we should start to see a difference/  (providing of course it will work!)

[Mom to M&M]

If dairy is really the issue, it will likely take 2-3 weeks to really see improvement - it can take a long time for the milk proteins to clear out of his system. I personally think that at his age, the soy milk is a much more practical alternative than Nutramigen. If that doesn't work you may want to try rice milk.