16 Month Old with Dairy & Egg Allergies

I will only add: DON'T DO SOY. It will create more problems in the future. (check out Dr. Mercola's info)
I agree w/Hemp, Coconut, Almond, Rice milks.

Good luck!
J.

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Hi E., read your message with interest. have you thought about goats' milk? I'm 60 yrs old and when i was born, i couldn't drink cows' milk. our dr. told my parents to try me on goats milk. back when i was born, no one had heard of lactose intolerence. after being put on goats milk my body straightened out. no more vomiting, diarrhea,etc. it might not work for your child, but it would be something to bring up to your pediatrician. but please don't start it without your peditricians' approval. hope everything works out for you and your little one.
sincerely,
R. k

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Hi E.,

My husband is lactose intolerant, so we've been using soy for awhile now. However, we've since switched over to using Lactaid milk, which is, I believe, regular milk in which the lactose is neutralized or taken out so someone who's sensitive to dairy can drink it. He has no problems whatsoever drinking it. I don't know, though, if the same will work for your daughter, as I know there is also an allergy to milk protein, which my daughter had when she was little. Thank goodness, she outgrew it when she was a little over a year old.

Another suggestion would be to try rice milk. We've been experimenting with different types of milk substitutes, just because it's nice to have different options. We found we really liked rice milk. We also tried almond milk but found we didn't like that one at all (too bland. Although some people absolutely love it, so it's mainly taste).

If you live near a health food or organic store, I urge you to go and see what different options there are for milk replacement. You'll be surprised at the variety. I know I was!

A.

I also wanted to add that my daughter had to have soy formula as a baby; we were not told of any other options, like rice milk, almond milk, etc. I am convinced the soy is responsible for her abnormal growth. At 8 years, she's over 4.5 feet tall, weighs over 120 pounds, has a 33 inch chest, wears a woman's size 8 shoe...and just is, overall, the biggest child in her 3rd grade class. She is often mistaken for being 10 or 12 years old. I'm worried that she'll start puberty way, way too early, as she already is showing breasts. If I could do it over again, I'd definitely not do soy formula (I had no choice; I couldn't produce milk).

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I'm in a similar boat. My 19 month old son was just diagnosed (by me) with a milk allergy/intolerance, and he has also had a lot of problems with growth (he's not even on the chart). I, too worry about the milk fat, and have done some research on it. His pedi recommended we add once scoop of formula powder to each 4 oz of rice milk (I also just bought some soy for him to try), but so far he is refusing to drink that. The fatty acids DHA and EPA are some of the building blocks for myelin in the brain. These are the fats that are so important in whole milk. Today I started him on a DHA and EPA fish oil supplement (a friend of mine did a ton of research on this, and found an ultra pure, good tasting fish oil supplement by Nordic Naturals). He is eating a ton better now that he is off the milk, but he is actually gaining weight more poorly now than before, because almost everything he eats is low fat. So I'm probably not much help, but know you're not alone in your boat.
L.

Hi, we use hemp milk...regular and chocolate. I buy it by the case at Whole foods. I special order it so I can get the discount since it is kind of spendy. I think it has 3g fat and maybe 4g protein plus omega 3. My girls love it! Good luck!

If you don't already, start shopping at Trader Joes or Whole Foods. You will find that they have a huge selection of everything your daughter will need/want. It will be so much easier and less stressful shopping. My daughter is also dairy free and milk/whey is in EVERYTHING! Lots more choices at these locations.

I don't know about soy milk buy I know that organic cocount milk has 12 grams of healthy fat per 1/4 c. serving. And it tastes really good. It doesn't matter that the fat is saturated because its Omega 3's, or medium chain fatty acids. It doesn't supply any calcium, though. Good luck, I have lots of allergies myself and have to always find new food combos.

E. - soy is a similar protein to cow milk protein, which is what causes the allergy. So just watch out for reactions - similar to dairy - if allergy doesn' seem to be clearing up.

There is a product (powder) called Vance's Dairi-freee, which is made from potato, as I recall it has similar nutrients as cow milk because they can add in to powder. Might be an option to compare.
You could also add in good fats like Omegas by flax seed oil or cod Liver oil supplements to soy milk or her diet elsewhere.

My children don't have allergies, but I do :) I choose to go with rice milk and then supplement my diet with flaxseed oil and omega 3 capsules. There is a lot of options out there for you, it will just take some time to get it all down. The people who already responded gave some very good advice :)

My son had these allergies as well--he outgrew them, yeah!!! Anyway, I was concerned about the fat content of soymilk as well and added coconut milk to it--it tastes great and gave him the extra fat he needed. Be careful with some of the "soy" products out there, though, like cheeses. Many of them still contain casein. Almond cheese went over pretty well with my son.

Good luck!
J.

Hi E.,

First off, I just want to offer you some support on your dairy- and egg-free journey. My husband has a dairy sensitivity, and I think our son might, too. He is on the cusp of being ready to get whole milk (9 months). We tried it once, and it did not sit well with him.

There are lots of options out there, but you're not going to necessarily see them at Cub and Rainbow. For example, there is soy-based yogurt and cheese, so your daughter could continue to eat her favorites.

I see you are north of the Twin Cities, but I would recommend that you go the The Wedge Co-op in Minneapolis. If you were able to go on a weekday morning or afternoon, you won't have to deal with traffic, there won't be very many other shoppers, and the staff will be able to anwer your questions. Everyone who works there is quite knowledgable and happy to help. There are other co-ops in the TC area, but I think the Wedge is the best in terms of Customer Service, and I make a special trip out there once/month.

With the awareness of allergies and sensitivities, coupled with the vegan diet (people who don't eat ANY animal products as a lifestyle choice), there is so much on the market now. The Wedge even has an extensive vegan bake case, so your little girl can still have her dairy- and egg-free cake, and eat it, too. ;-)

You've received some good advice on supplements, and I also think that is something you should look into. If you are overwhelmed by what's out there for information, a one-time visit to a Naturopathy Doctor might be money well spent. My family has seen Dr. Amy Johnson-Grass before, and we loved her. She could help you set up a diet and supplement plan for your little girl. Unfortunately in MN, visits to an ND are not covered by medical insurance, but you *can* pay for the visit with HSA or Flex Plan dollars, if you have either. I felt her fees were reasonable ($150), considering she met with us for a full 90 minutes and we walked away with more information that I ever could have found on my own.

Good luck to you!

Hi E.,
I feel your pain. My 15 month old son is allergic to dairy and eggs too (as well as peanuts). I guess I have some advantage as I am still breastfeeding, so he only gets so much soy milk. No, I haven't found anything fattier than 3.5 g of fat (Roundys organic enriched soymilk), but I do find other ways to get in fats...like avocados, some meat, etc, and taking omega-3's for kids (Dr. Sears has a great one and Carson's cod liver oil for kids is good too) It hasn't been easy. There is also a supplement called Ultracare for kids by a company called Metagenics. You mix it with water and it makes a thick drink (but still only 2.5 g of fat per serving). It is made for kids with allergies and food sensitivities and comes in cherry-banana and vanilla. I got it from my chiropractor. There is also some good soy yogurt and coconut milk yogurt out there that might help her with the transition (silk and so delicious. I'm not sure how severe your daughter's allergy is, but I have to avoid everything....lots of label reading. I've gotten a lot of help from the allergy clinic at Children's Hospital. And just be mindful that there are egg proteins in certain vaccines (MMR and flu) that you might want to talk to your doc about. Oh, and ground flax (soaked in water) makes an awesome egg substitute in recipes. My husband baked bread with it over the weekend...totally vegan and perfect! I find that lots of vegan recipes are great for my son.
good luck!
A.

There are a lot more alternatives than you may realize. My son was allergic to dairy and sensitive to soy. We opted for Rice milk, which he still prefers now that he's six. Goat's milk may work for you too. You will be able to find soy yogurts and rice cheeses. A good health food co-op or natual food section at your regular store should be a good help. She might not even notice the difference.

Hey E.,
My son is dairy and citrus "sensitive".... He couldn't take soy either, so we are using rice milk now. He does love peanut butter, so I give him a spoonful of it for a snack here and there for the fat. Also, he gets 2 tums with his lunch to get his calcium (easier to take and way cheaper than other calcium supplements). I have found it sort-of frustrating because most breading and some breads usually have milk and one of his favorites was chicken nuggets. It has been super interesting! Good luck, we have known for alittle over a year but I am still in the stages of denile - haha.. I'm still mad I think. Good luck. (Oh, I used to but flax oil in his bottle too)

I have had a daycare child who had the same allergies. It was a little hard at first, but we ended up making all her meals very healthy with grilled meats, vegetables and fruits. She was able to have cakes and breads that I made with egg substitute. Just think basic foods and you will be fine.

My husband has been adding one fish oil (omega 3) capsule to our children's milk since they were first born. (I was unable to nurse) It adds good fat, and did wonders for their mental development. He just adds one per 8 ounces of milk when he is heating it up, stirs it around to mix it in. He said that it actually gives the milk a sweeter taste. The only thing to watch for is that the omega 3's that you use are purely sourced to avoid heavy metals being in the pills. My husband researched this and if you live near a Costco the Kirkland brand are terrific, and very cost effective.

Best of luck to you!

My little guy was diagnosed with an allergy to diary and egg when he was 8 months old (he is now 20 months old). It's been hard but a few things I've found that help. Next Step, Prosobee formula (we buy enfamil) is great. My son loves it, and won't put it down until he's finished it. It has 4.4 grams of fat per 5 ounces. He can't get enough of it, and it is full of vitamins. The other suggestion I had for you was to stock your diaper bag with non perishable foods she can eat. You won't believe how many times I'm at play groups or at relatives and they don't have foods he can eat, or they decided to go out to eat and it's just easier to use those food then try to find something on the menu that works with his diet. Hope this helps, if you need any good recipes please post a request for them, and I'll respond.

Has anyone suggested avacados for healthy fats intake? We did that for a while when my son was refusing milk. When she can eat them safely, olives are another good source of healthy fats. (you can mash them or cut them if you don't want to wait until she can eat them whole).

Hi E.-
Food issues- a big topic with kids.
Allergies- some kids do outgrow them.
I am just at meetings talking about kids nutrition. I'm a wellness coach and agree with you about the soy- there is soy and then there is soy isolate and many are SAFE.
I can tell you about some great alternatives to perfect healthy breakfasts/meals for kids- that might also help with allergies.
If you want to know more, email me at ____@____.com.
I'll be back in town on Columbus Day and will try to respond to your email as soon as I'm able.
About me: 48 yo med. prof, mom to 7 yo twin girls.
B. J

Hi! I am a married mom of three ages 8, 3, and 2. My youngest had a dairy allergy until recently. I grew up on a dairy farm and was freaking out at the possibility that she would never eat a bowl of cottage cheese. There are wonderful soy products out there. It ranges from all different types of cheese, both sliced and shredded. The brand that I bought was Veggie Slices. There is sour cream and cream cheese. You could go to a natural health food store. They usually carry food for special diets. You could also talk to the produce buyer for what they can order for you. Most of the time the veggie cheese is in the produce section at your local store. I don't know what to tell you about the fat content that she will be lacking. I was told by my pediatrician to give my daughter Tums or Rolaids for calcium. There are also a lot of veggies that contain calcium. Good luck! My daughter is still sensitive to dairy but she doesn't have near the reaction that she did when she was a newborn.

Hi E.,
There is a natural way to improve or even eliminate allergies. Message me if you'd like more information.
L.

Hi E.! I agree with the others that it does get MUCH easier as time goes on to do egg and dairy free.
Have you ever heard of cooking with cashew milk? You buy raw cashews (usually refridgerated in the health food store) and blend them with water to make a "milk". It is excellent in soups, pasta dishes, and my favorite baked hashbrown recipe. If you want a couple of recipes let me know but you could probably google it and find some wonderful suggestions.
There is an egg replacer made by EnerG. I use it in baking and apparently you can make scrambled "eggs" out of it. I wouldn't know because I don't care for eggs but my mom says it's pretty good.
For fat intake I would recommend avocados, coconut oil and fish oils. Wonderful sources of good fats! Almond cheese is pretty good. My daughter loves it!
I just want to encourage you. It's hard but it's worth it. I have had to do these diets in the past and it's hard but I don't have those sensitivities anymore! The difference that your body feels when you are no longer battling a food allergy is amazing. I hope it goes well for you!

My son is five and has been allergic to dairy and egg most of his life. We use Silk Brand yogurt - our whole family eats it. My kids also drink soy and rice milk. They eat mostly fresh fruits and vegetables, lots of meat for protein (because my son also is allergic to nuts).

The best cookbook I've found is one called "What to Eat?" by Marion Coss (I think that's her name). It's a focus on peanut, dairy, and egg allergies.

We shop at the Wedge in Mpls - my kids love to go there! They have lots of vegan cheeses, non-dairy ice cream products, etc....you will learn to read labels; it gets easier with time.

The Food Allergy Network is very helpful as well.

Good luck!

Everyone treats and believes and works with food allergies in different ways. So, please people out there, do not send me a msg telling me my ways are wrong, blah blah blah. It's happened before. After all that, let me tell you what worked for us (and only us, sorry--but you wouldn't believe the responses I get from people on allergies..) I have 3 boys: 13, 11 and 6. All 3 have dairy, egg, beef, nut, peanut, shellfish allergies. They did have a soy allergy, but outgrew that at age 4. What we did was avoid all that they were allergic to, since I read studies supporting that the more you avoid, the better your chance of outgrowing. I went online and ordered terrific allergen-free cookbooks. Just go to FAAN (food allergy and anaphylaxis network.) awesome. You can even email questions in and you get a monthly newsletter, and food allergy alerts. I read all labels and check ingredients carefully. I carry epipen and benadryl everywhere. I used soy infant formula rather than soy milk, because it contained more vitamins, minerals, fats. I flavored it with vanilla extract, banana extract, etc. My kids loved it in baking, and in smoothies. You can contact me for more info. You can learn all sorts of tricks...don't despair. I remember finding out this info. with my first child, and how overwhelmed and unprepared I felt. But, you adjust, you become smarter, and it just becomes your life. You just have to be prepared, and be vigilant, and always have snacks in the car in case something ever comes up. Good luck, the key is knowledge, it removes the fear. GO to FAAN. You'll be amazed at the resources that exist. On a positive note, 80% of children outgrow their childhood allergies.

She may be able to have goats milk. I know several children who are allergic to cows milk and not goats milk. You should be able to buy full-fat goats milk, which I think is similar to cows fat content.

Also your child will not starve, even if you have to eliminate her favorite foods. Just keep offering foods she can eat. Hopefully she will out grow these allergies.

E. - I know first hand how tough food allergies, especially with young ones that are particular about their food. My daughter cannot process any dairy on her own, so could not have it for years (she can now have with medication) and also has problems with eggs and soy, plus some other food allergies as well. I tried both soy and rice based products, and we actually liked some of the rice products better, especially the cheese and ice cream. At the time, our doc also recommended that we use meat with a little higher fat content (dark meat chicken instead of white meat, beef with more "marbling", dark meat turkey, etc.) to make up for the lower fat content in the dairy substitute products. Luckily, our daughter likes spinach and broccoli, which are calcium sources, too. We use an olive oil based margarine, too, which is tasty and better for our food issues, plus has "healthy" fats. You could also check online with the food allergy network - they are a great resource! Good luck to you!

K. B

We just took our 12 month old in on Friday and found out the same thing, allergies to Milk and Eggs. The Doctor told us not to worry about taking her off milk, she doesn't have any type of reaction. She breaks out in hyves from Eggs and cheese, so those we will not be giving her any more. One thing I would suggest, if you haven't thought aobut it, can she have dry milk? That is what my sister did with her daughter when they found out she was allergic to milk, that seemed to work for them. Did your doctor test to see if she was allergic to Dry Milk? Ours did that test, and my baby is not allergic to the dry only cows milk.

Anyway, good luck! The good news, our doctor told us they will grow out of this.
K.

E., I wanted to add that depending on what kind of reaction your child is having, should dictate what changes you are making. We have children allergic to milk, wheat and eggs, but the reaction is purely skin deep, literally! They get exczema rash that gets better and worse. I always know when they've had too much of something, as their rash gets worse! We use Gold Bond Ultimate lotion to help the rash stay under control, and have found that too much sugar will exacerbate the rash also. We simply cut back on everything. Our allergist said that most of these allergies will be outgrown by 4 or 5, and that cutting everything out could delay that, as the reintroduction to those foods could re-trigger, if you will, the allergy. We also noticed that the rash is much better in the summer with the sun and humidity. Our 2 yr old just broke out in a massive rash, and we realized that it was time to cut back on these things again, go back to every other day bathing, unless really necessary every day, and lotioning immediately after the bath. Best wishes with yours!

My son is on soy milk as well, though he isn't actually allergic to dairy. He was on soy formula as it was the most gentle on his stomach after breast milk. When he was 1 we put him on the whole milk until he developed a series of ear infections. We put him back on soy milk after that and have only had 1 ear infection in almost 2 years. We compared labels at the grocery store and found that the Soy Silk Very Vanilla was the closest to the whole milk and actually was a little healthier than whole milk, with more of some of the vitamins than the whole milk.