I have a 2.5 year old boy that was breastfed for about 9mo and then formula for 3 mo before starting Vitamin D Whole Milk, which he drank from 1 year til almost 2 years. He now gets calcium from other sources since he does not care for milk. My daughter just turned 1 year last week. She was breatfed at first then went to an organic Earth's Best formula which she is still taking along with all table foods. She has had all of the blood and skin allergy test due to failure to thrive for several months and they all came back negative, so we know she does not have milk of lactose allergy (these are also in the formula). However, she does not take the milk well and has gotten terrible diarrhea shortly after taking the milk. She is still having health problems. At 10months old she began having up to 12 seizures a day every day and now even on 3 antiepileptic anticonvulsant meds she still has about 6 a day. She was over 9lbs at birth and now at a year is about 17.5 lbs. She has been taking 50-100 oz of formula a day plus lots of table food for the last few months, ped wants us to get her down to about 24-30oz a day and transition to milk. I got her under60oz for the last few days but she acts like she is starving all the time. Though we know she is not technically allergic, it does seem that dairly like yogurt and milk upset her stomach. Do any of you have ideas or suggestions?
It could be a "food sensitivity" not an allergy. I test negative for allergies but I have some food sensitivities. If I eat certain things I get very sick, headache, achy, stuffed up, and throw up. I would try giving her another type of milk (soy, almond, rice, etc) and no dairy for a while and see how she does.
Oh honey,
I'm sorry for all this. Both my children have lots of food allergies/sensitivities, so unfortunately I'm a bit of an expert in this area. The blood tests aren't always accurate for allergies. Also, testing for allergies means testing for a histamine reaction. A food sensitivity (which causes digestive distress) will not show up on an allergy test. From what you are saying it sounds to me like a food sensitivity to dairy (probably the protein casein). I would remove ALL dairy from her system for two weeks and see how she does. It takes 7 days for all dairy proteins to leave the body, so two weeks should give you a good idea on whether it is helping. Also, try giving her probiotics (make sure they are dairy free) to help with digestion. You'll have to read all labels. Avoid anything that says whey, dairy, casein (including things like caseinate). I also wouldn't put her on soy, as the phyto-estrogens in soy can really mess up a child's hormones. I am an expert at at finding meals that will work (between my two kids we do no dairy, no gluten, no peanuts, no soy, and a few other random things like cinammon) so I can help you further if you'd like. I've helped lots of others in similar situations. My oldest was really sick like your daughter when he was a baby. It wasn't until I left the pediatrician and went to a natural doc instead that he got better. Now he's a totally healthy 6 year old. So please, if you feel like I can give you more information or help you in any way, don't hesitate to ask!
Good luck!
J.
Have you tried giving her a sippy with water or flavored water? Sometimes my son acts hungry, but really he is just thirsty!
I'm wondering if she could have a problem with the milk protien. I wonder, since she is having diarrhea after milk, if rice milk would be a good alternative? Maybe if she keeps having digestive problems, a pediatric gastroenterologist could help? Good Luck :)
Hi J.---Your daughter is trying to tell you something. Cows milk is not good for her...or anyone else's...body. Cows milk is designed very specifically for a baby cow to grow into a huge animal very quickly. A mammal's milk is designed specifically for that species.
I am a reformed cows milk drinker. Several years ago I started taking classes, taught by a Naturopath who has her PhD in Nutrition. I've learned some very interesting things, many of which run counter to commonly accepted 'medical' advice. One of them is the dairy issue.
But don't take my word for it. Please go to www.pcrm.org and put dairy in the search box. Some additional info can be found at www.notmilk.com and at www.thechinastudy.com. Keep in mind, our dietary advice/food pyramid comes from the USDA, a gov't entity set up to PROMOTE US agriculture. They are NOT a health organization. As such, they are very heavily influenced by industry trade groups. Just something to keep in mind as you make decisions that are best for your family. Plant milks are a great option for your daughter, although it is best for her to just drink water and use the milks 'in' things, like her cereal, smoothies, etc. BTW, I have a great smoothie recipe that is super healthy and super yummy.
It is true, as another posted stated, that there are really very few true food allergies. Most are food sensitivities and the answer for that is a balanced diet that will help the body heal itself. But there lies the problem. How do we get her to eat a wide variety of foods without them causing her distress? I think I can help.
I have some great ideas that I can share with you, that I've learned from the Naturopath and from docs like Bill and Jim Sears (ABC's The Doctors, www.askDrSears.com). Please feel free to contact me and pick my brain. Let's see if we can get your little one moving in a forward and positive direction. Good luck with your search to help your baby. D.
Stop all dairy. Try soy, almond, and/or rice milk.
I would contact a nutritionist that could give you all the info you need about other sources of calcium. Calcium can be found in alot of other ways than cow's milk. Keep in mind, cow's milk is for baby cows, not baby humans. Just because she tested negative for the lactose issue doesn't mean she should drink milk or that her little system should be able to handle it. There are probably alot of carbs in the formula too. Carbs make you hungry. 60 oz of formula sounds like alot to me. Go to www.ahccenter.com This is a group of chiopractor/clinical nutritionists who deal with food allergies and get to the bottom of these types of things and solve them naturally. They are incredible! They are located in Grosse Pointe, MI....I don't know where Hastings is, but it might be worth the drive.
all of my kisd started 1-2% by8mos and were fine...if I get whole milk w/wic i will "simmer" it down some with water.
if dary and milk upset her then maybe try soy, wheet, or goats milk.
good luck :)
It sounds like dairy is an issue with both your kids.
There are alternatives. Longer breastfeeding might've helped them both and I'd sure consider it if you have more children. Can you continue to see the allergy specialist? They are wonderful with stuff like this and can work with your pediatrician.
