Joining the club

Hi ladies. Just thought I'd pop in and introduce myself (well, really my DD I guess!).

I have a six month old daughter who was recently diagnosed with a cows milk protein allergy. She is breastfed, but we want to have a formula 'option' for the occassional bottle. Before the ped could give us a script for pepti-junior, the rules said we had to try soy formula first. So, I tried using 3TBSPs of soy formula in her farex this morning. Bad idea. Full on allergic reaction with masses of hives everywhere, eczema flaring up hugely, and a very sore and distressed daughter, necessitating a trip to the emergency doctors where she was given a script for oral steroids and anti-histimine. So I guess we'll now 'qualify' for pepti-junior. It just sucks so much that DD had to go through a reaction before getting permission to try the safer option .

I also think she's allergic to carrots, and peaches. Welts came up on her hands with carrots, and hives with peaches.

I'm feeling quite lost with knowing what to feed her, and what foods to introduce. At the moment the only 'safe' foods I know I can give her are farex, avocado, kumara, apple, pear, banana, and mango.

The ped is referring us to a immunologist, but in the mean time, has anyone been through similar, and have any suggestions as to how we proceed whilst we wait? I'm so nervous about introducing new foods now .

If she reacts to soy like that, also be very wary of chickpeas as well.

TBH, I wouldn't look at introducing any more foods at this stage until you've got her settled on the pepti-junior.

Then I'd look at introducing lamb as it's the most tolerated meat, can't remember why. That is the one my boy eats no probs. Also if & when you introduce chicken, wash it first to remove the bleaching chemicals in case she reacts to them.

Thanks A&Csmum! Good advice. We have a paed appointment next Monday, a skin prick test happening Tuesday, and an immunologist appointment in the very near future too. I've actually taken A right back to pears and baby rice in the mean time, as she even reacted to mango the other day. And have now had to up the steroid content of her eczema cream as it's totally out of control, despite full body fatty E cream moisterising at every nappy change, acqueous as a soap alternative, sensitive washing powder, etc etc.

Our GP is pretty concerned about weight issues (she's dropped a standard deviation on the weight charts, but she was on the 75th to start with, so had a bit of wriggle room, fortunately) and I just can't wait to get to the bottom of this.

wriggly, they recently changed the funding rules on pepti-junior/neocate (I think the funding for neocate was changed to funding for pepti-junior which is meant to be essentially the same product) which means you *have* to try soy formula first.

If I was you I wouldn't be using the aqueous soap either, My son has allergies and reacted to aqueous cream. We mostly just use plain water to wash him in.

good luck at the pead :)

Welcome Ceres.

I have a question about the skin pric test. What exactly do they do?

DD had to have tests the other day for food allergies. One was meant to be a finger prick and one was a full on blood test. They just did the blood test and said they would use the blood from that rather than do finger prick, oh and she also had a feces sample done. Waiting on results.

Are blood tests really good for picking things up? I have heard they only pick up full allergies, but not intolerances. I would like to get her tested for intolerances as well.

Thanks heaps for that AandCsmum. Think I will definitely ask her Pediatrician for the skin prick test.

Thanks AandCsmum.