Milk Allergy & Eczema

J.,
I have been dealing with milk allergies for about 14 years now. My oldest was allergic, and ended up being hospitalized due to milk allergies when he was 2 wks old, and I decided to breast feed my 2nd, hoping he would do better w/ allergies. Well the oldest has mostly grown out of his allergy (meaning he can eat cheese, ect, and drink milk sparingly), but the 4yo is not going to grow out of it, he still gets digestive upsets if he drinks any milk. My advise would be to read every label of any thing she is eating, lots of this that you would never think of have milk or milk byproducts in them ( one instance is strained spinach, I found this the hard way). Even if you aren't giving her milk she could be getting it some where else. I do give the boys soy milk, but not alot, and we eat lots of veggies and other foods rich in calcium, and when X. (the 4yo) was smaller I gave him a calcium suppliment. He can now eat some processed dairy, cheese, yogurt (live active cultures only), and I do give the Lactaid pills when he is going to a party and I don't want him to be daprived of cake/ ice cream, etc., but I do monitor how much he eats of any dairy foods and limit it to a max 3 servings/ day of all dairy. It will take some time to get it right and figure out what she can and can't have, but as I assume with the nut allergies you already read labels for things w/ nuts also look for milk, whey, casin,cheese and protiens of any of these. If you need any more help just ask me, I have gotten this down to a science, where I don't even consciencely think about it any more. Good luck and HTH
A.

My daughter, now 11, developed what I believed to be an allergy when she was almost 3. I was told that it could possibly have been due to lactose intolerance. I immediately took her off all cow dairy products and switched to soy and goats milk. It did clear up, but only temporarily.

More tests revealed that she did have a form of eczema and I was told to use only "Dove" soap followed by "Lubriderm" lotion. Every winter it flares up and we just get more aggressive with the lotion.

Last November we were in Barcelona when it flared up. We went to several stores looking for Lubriderm, and found out it's not available there. The pharmacist suggested "Fenistil Gel." That cleared it up in 2 days.

Hi J. ~ we've never had our daughters on cows milk as we are vegan but we had the same issue with soy milk. My oldest daughter had such bad eczema over 75% of her body that it just broke my heart everyday. We switched to almond milk and she's not had a problem since. Even some of her scarring started to heal. I know you mentioned an allergy to peanuts so if you're nervous to try almond milk you might want to start with soy. Eczema is a condition of the body trying to rid itself of a toxin from the inside out... that's why dietary choices are so important! Good luck and I hope you find a remedy soon! Take care.

Hi J.,

Sorry to hear about yoru daughters allergies. Good thing you found out though. Lactaid is milk it's not a milk alternative. This is probably why she broke out. I am lactose intolerant and I have been drinking lactaid for years, however lately I have noticed that I have had alot of intergestion and gas, so I have decided to start drinking rice milk. I am just recently married and my husband has been drinking it for years. He swears by it; I must warn you though, it is very expensive, even more than Lactaid. I hope this helps.

T. B

I had a milk allergy as a small child and I threw it all up. I was given goats milk as a substatute. As for the eczema I would look at enviromental causes, such as fabric softener , or detergant.

i cant give you a lot of advice. my daughter still continues to battle her eczema. she was tested positive for allergies to milk, eggs, peanuts, dog, cat, etc. etc. etc. when she was about nine months old. she has pretty much grown out of the milk and eggs (no facial redness, gagging, or throwing up, etc) but she still battles eczema. Her dermatologist has at one time or another given her every prescription cream but the one thing that seems to help is Hylira lotion. It is this really thin clear gel type lotion that is prescribed by a doctor. It is pretty expensive but comes in a huge bottle. I lube her up all the time. Her dermatologist also told me to occassionally (every other bath) to add 1/4 cup bleach to her bath water. Although I recently had hear prick tested by an allergist to see if we could pin point her issues and it was totally inconclusive. I have to take her for blood work again. Good luck.

My 19 month old daughter gets eczema when she has dairy as well. She drinks soy milk instead of milk. Lactaid milk is still cow milk, so it can cause eczema the same way that regular cow milk will. She can eat a little bit of cheese without a problem, but can't eat a lot of it. Since she loves cheese, we bought some "rice cheese" made out of rice instead of dairy. HTH!

My kids have a milk allergy. We use soy milk. It is a great substitute. You could also use rice milk. Both are in the grocery store.

Thanks.

Hi J.,

I have three kids who were all allergic to milk. I put them all on soy and after 1-2 years they were all able to eat milk products again. When you start looking at ingredients you will be surprised to see how many things contain milk. Good luck.

hi J.
my 4 year old have allergies, they all star when she was a baby, she had eczema all over her body, there is no cure for allergies the best is just to avoid what it make you react if you think is the milk, just stop drinking for a week and see what happens, if you think is the dairy then you also have to avoid yogurt, cheese, read all labels, maybe is not the milk maybe she ate something with eggs or peanuts..
You can also so a skin test...put a couple of drops of milk in a bandage and put it in her back leave it there for 2 a 3 days and see what happend....my daughter after 15 min reacts she was screeming...so we knew for sure dairy is a big no no..
good luck dealing with allergies is very hard, there is no way to know for sure you just have to try and see,
pam

I am sorry that you little darling is suffering with allergies. As a mom I am well aware that it is very hard to watch your children adjust to what the world has to offer, like food allergies. I wanted to ask you if you would like to try soy or rice milk. It might be agreeable with her digestion and she will get the protein and vitamins necessary. I have found these types of milk in the organic/vegetarian section of the supermarket. Good Luck and I hope it resolves itself happily.

It is very hard with kids and allergies. My son has plenty and the doctor said I was lucky if he even had a good day. Until you see the allergist stay away from what you know he is allergic to. He should have the skin test done for allergies and be put on medicine to help. My son is doing better with the right help.

Dear J.,

I know you've received a lot of great advice about changing diet, etc. You may also want to change the products you ise on her skin. I've been making natural and organic skin care products for a while and would be glad to make some soap and also perhaps lotion for you to try on her that should really help with the allergic skin and eczema.

I have two kinds of soap that might be most helpful to start with--my family and friends with eczema and psoriasis have really found them too help. One is called Repair? and I make it with a very gentle and nourishing goats milk and shea butter soap base and then add a number of natural botanical ingredients such as calendula, jojoba, emu oil, tamanu, etc. It's a very rich and gentle soap that is very soothing. The second is even more basic for people with extremely sensitive skin--just a shea butter-glycerin base with ground oatmeal and no fragrances added.

I also have some wonderful lotions and can make them fragrance-free or with a very mild fragrance. The formula is mild enough for a baby. I can also add botanicals to the motions and creams as well.

Go to my web site and see what you think, and know that I am glad to work with you to customize anything you might like.

Best wishes!

P.

____@____.com
http://www.greenberrysoaps.com

Dear J.,

My son had VERY bad eczema when he was baby until he was about 6 months. We literally tried EVERYTHING from changing the diet, to changing detergents,, baby washes, etc. It was only when I changed ALL of the products in my home to safer alternatives did his condition completely disappear. This is a PROVEN way to get rid of eczema and all around help of your family's health. For more information on these products please visit http://www.momsmovingforward.net and request more info!

Make it a great day!
Christine, Proud Motivated Mom

J. - try Rice Milk or Goat Milk. Soy may also cause a reaction.

Eczema and allergies go hand in hand. I'd just switch to soy milk and ask the pediatrician what he/she wants you to do to keep Calcium up.

Hopefully, with time away from the allergens, she'll outgrow the allergies!

I have a 18 month old with the same problem. She has eczema and is lactose intolerant, I just never thought the two were linked. I have a 4 year old who had sensitive skin as an infant and toddler, so I thought that was the reason for my 18 month olds problem. I have to get eucerine cream original formula, and it helps, but does not make it go away completely. It is worse now during the winter and I have to keep a close watch on her diaper rash. I hope she will grow out of it. I do not believe there is anything an allergist can do, the pediatrician said that by the time they are four they should grow out of their lactose intolerance. If not then they will always be lactose intolerant. As far as her eczema, I hope she will grow out of that as well. Let us know what the allergist says.

I know exactly what you are going through. My son just turned 2 in Jan. and has had eczema since he was
born. He also has allergies to milk, eggs, peanuts, and soy. Our allergist said my son was actually allergic to the milk protein so he could not even have lactaid. My son drinks rice milk and does fine. As far as the eczema that has been a huge battle!!!!! I have been through every medicine and cream available. It seems to get a little better with age, but after every bath I put Cera Ve lotion on his skin and it really seems to help. I have only found it at CVS. Hope this helps and good luck!

Hi J.,

It looks like most everything has been covered in previous responses, but I'd like to reiterate how important it is to remove the foods she's allergic to from her diet, and check labels carefully. I would also recommend having her tested for allergies, and if she's allergic to many things, I'd recommend allergy shots. Speaking from experience, they helped me a lot!
I suffered from allergies to just about everything, and I had eczema when I was a child. My allergy symptoms to foods caused me to feel itchy all over, have stomach aches, wheeze, and caused my toes to crack open and bleed. I felt miserable, anything you can do as a parent to eliminate this for your child is worth it, even though it will be a pain for you to do.
I received allergy shots off and on from age 7-16 for animals, grasses and trees. I no longer suffer from allergies to 99% of the things I was once sensitive to. I am still somewhat sensitive to milk, wheat, yeast and eggs and notice I start to wheeze just a little, get stuffed up, develop phlegm in my throat, and have stomach problems when I eat too much, but I don't have to completely avoid these items now. I am still deathly allergic to walnuts and pecans and must avoid them completely though. It's possible your daughter will be able to be reintoduced to the foods she's allergic to later, but for now, remove them from her diet completely. She'll feel better, and be happier, if she doesn't eat them at all. I'm sorry she suffers from allergies, good luck in keeping her healthy and happy.

My daughter is now 4 years old. I found out that she was actually allergic to the protein that is found in cow's milk. As an infant she was on Alimentum formula, it disguises the milk protein so the body does not recognize it. I say all of this to say, we too had eczema problems and concerns. I have found the greatest product on earth, it is called Multistrenght. It has many natural oils and moisturizes within it. You can get it at www.multistrenght.com It has worked miracles on her eczema as well as mine. Also, we recently took a zone two allergen blood test and it confirmed that she is still allergic to milk. We do yogurt and other forms of calcium. The multistrenght has returned her skin to baby smoothe. Hope this helps...

J.,
I don't know about the cause of eczema, but both my 4 year old and my 9 month old have it on their faces. I have always used the 1% hydracoritzone cream on her ( it is over the counter) and with him I have been using vaseline, which was recommended by my pediatrician. THey both work well. Both of my children have it worse during the winter, so I run a cool mist humidifier in their rooms all winter....it also helps if they have any congestion. Hope this helps. J. A.

Hi J.,
I've been reading some of the replies and just wanted to give you a bit more advice on the eczema. I realize you've already gotten a lot of advice on this subject but I suffered with it so much and believe me, it can be unbareable at times. It's been in my family for generations and when I was 16 my mother found a wonderful dermatologist who finally helped me. The first thing he told me (which I did not know before) was that there are over 200 different types of eczema and it's hard to pinpoint which one a person has. That's why you can go through so many different prescriptions and treatments before finding one that works.

One common thread in any eczema is water. The more the skin is exposed to water, the more it can dry out, flake, itch, etc. So if your daughter doesn't get especially dirty and doesn't need a bath every single day, then try bathing her every other day when the eczema is flaring up. You also want to be sure to dry her very well afterwards too. It can help to buy detergents that are fragrance free and dye free and not use bleach in her sheets and towels.

The best advice I can give you is to buy Cetaphil cleanser. It's available over the counter. It's a very mild, fragrance free cleanser that you can rub on and wipe off with a tissue. You don't even have to use water to rinse if the eczema is particularly bad. It also makes a great lotion to help soften the skin when it's dry and flaky. When the eczema was really bad on my hands, I used the Cetaphil in place of soap and water. I only used soap and water when my hands actually got visably dirty. And I used the Cetaphil about a dozen times a day as a lotion too. This was in addition to the prescription cream and pills the doctor gave me. Ask your doctor about it. I highly recommend it in addition to any other treatment and prescriptions your doctor may give her.

Another thing that causes eczema to flare up really badly is acidic foods and juices. Citrus juices and tomatoes bothered me alot, really made the eczema break out and itch like crazy. And be careful about using hydrocortizione creams on her. Baby skin is so sensative and it's not recommended by doctors at a young age as it can cause scarring (white patches) on the skin.

I don't know if milk has anything to do with eczema or not. I've never heard that before. But here's something to think about in regards to the milk allergy........humans are the only animals that continue to drink milk after they've been weaned from their mother AND the only animals that drink ANOTHER animals milk, rather than their own mothers milk. Think about it. Cows milk is made for calves. Goats milk is made for baby goats. Makes a lot of sense to me. My youngest is lactose intolerant and the doctor told me almost everyone has some degree of lactose intolerance because of that very reason. He said most people never make the connection because their reactions aren't severe enough for them to feel they need to see a doctor about it. It's usually put down to a bug/virus or just an upset stomach. Good luck with this.

Well, you have gotten many responses to your question, some of them are good and some are completely wrong. I don't know where you are in this process, but I know how frustrating it can be. Milk can cause an allergic reaction OR your child can be sensitive to it, but eczema definitely CAN be caused by a milk allergy or sensitivity. I would respectfully recommend that you visit hwwshow.com This is a website that has health supplements and they will help you find what is best for treating your child's eczema. Every child's skin responds to differnt things differently. Some children with eczema will NOT respond well to vaseline. Some need zinc creams to help their skin. There are SOOOO many ways to deal with eczema, you need the help of a professional. There are holistic and homeopathic doctors out there who can help with these kinds of systemic reactions. I uggest that you find a good one in your area.

Lactaid milk only helps if your child is having issues with lactose, a sugar in the milk. If she is allergic to the proteins in the milk, it will do no good. It would seem that she needs to be off cow's milk comepletely for now. There are lots of milk alternatives out there such as goats milk, rice milk or almond milk. If you feel the need to continue giving her milk (which is not necessary at all) try a different option. Almond milk you need to be careful of unles you've already given her nuts. Almonds can cause an allergic reaction too.

Dear J.,
My brother-in-law was allergic to cows milk when he was a baby, and adapted to goats milk well. The processes our bodies have to take in order to digest goats milk are much more similar to goats than those of cows. However, some say "raw milk" that hasn't been pasturized, can help with allergies (unprocessed cheeses, yogurts, milk). You may have luck finding some at a local farm or co-op. Most dairy products from Europe haven't been pasturized. I've heard that soy and wheat allergies may be attributed to the many genetically modified crops we are victims of as a society. Wheat is another growing allergy epidemic. There are many support groups and moms who have come up with a variety of remedies and creative alternatives to cows milk. I would love to hear what you've found as a remedy. For winter eczema, I try to limit baths, and put some Apricot oil in the tub, while using some moisturizing lotion or cream to seal her skin after the bath. I know of a mom in Miami who is opening a store focusing on children with food sensitivities and allergies. I hope you find comfort and alternatives in many of the previous posts. Warmly, E.

Hi J.!I have a 19 months old that has always dealt with eczema off and on throughout his life, and I can tell you one thing for sure: it doesn't have a thing to do with milk!!!
Infact my son right after he turned 1 (about a couple of weeks after I had introduced him to regular milk successfully) he refused to drink milk altogether and he still has outbreaks of eczema (especially in Winter - the air at home is dry because of the heat).
What I do to prevent it is treat him with cocoa-butter lotion (the same that I use!) after every bath and it is working magic! Before this, he had a major outbreak that I cured with Elidel for about a week. Elidel alwaus worked really well but i'd rather prevent the eczema so I don't have to use a medicine on him. Try and good luck!

I am allergic to milk and so were my two children when they were young. We went to several allergists and were told by all that there is no "treatment" for food allergies and the best you can do is eliminate the allergen from the diet. Both my children ultimately outgrew their dairy allergy, but I have not. Lactaid is for lactose intolerance individuals. People who are allergic to milk generally are allergic to milk PROTEIN, not the lactose, so lactaid doesn't help. Both my children drank milk substitutes like almond, rice or soy milk and I cook with them even today.
Sometimes cooking a protein will change it enough that there is no allergic reaction, but you have to try it an see if there is a problem. Some people are able to eat cheese, others cannot...it just depends on which milk protein is the culprit.
It is not an easy allergy to deal with, as dairy seems to be in most everything we eat, but it IS possible to eliminate it from the diet, if necessary.
It will be important to make sure your daughter gets enough calcium and you may need to give her a calcium and vit D supplement, but be sure and discuss this with your doctor. Soy and rice milk often have calcium and vit D added, if you buy the right brands.
My daughter was extremely allergic to milk from birth, so she never tasted cows milk until she was a teenager, and she still really doesn't like it. She loves soy milk, however, and that works well.
I know how difficult this change in diet may seem, so take it in "baby steps" if you can. If your daughter is indeed allergic to dairy milk, you may see a LOT of positive changes besides just the eczema once all milk protein is eliminated.
Good luck
S. M