Infant with Allergies

IgE testing shows true allergies and IgG testing shows food sensitivies. Some allergists do not use/agree with IgG testing but for some kids eliminating those foods can make a huge difference for them.

My son's blood tests were all correct. He had the same results two years in a row and got the same results last month on a skin test.

You should definitely eliminate all milk, including milk proteins (whey & casein) from your baby's diet immediately. You should also cut out all wheat products. The allergist may be able to refer you to a nutritionist who can help provide meal ideas. If you're nursing, you may need to also cut milk & wheat out of your diet as well.

Carry benadryl on hand at all time. As your son gets a little older and starts spending time with toddlers, he will likely have a lot of accidental exposures to dairy (so many kids' snacks have cheese - goldfish crackers, etc). Make sure you know the proper dose for his age/weight. Find out if you need any epipen too.

Send me a private message if you have other questions. We found out at 9-10 months that my son was highly allergic to dairy, eggs, peanuts, and tree nuts. We have done 100% elimination since then (he's now 3).

K.
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It can't hurt to avoid the things that tested positive. In my experience allergies can change. For example if you avoid something for awhile you may become less allergic to it, but you may become allergic to something else. That happened to my mother with food allergies. So, just do the best you can by paying as close attention as you can.

I'm a "natural" thinker. So I would do my best to offer the baby organic, remove any possible allergens from the home and avoid exposures to chemicals, new furniture, etc...Clean with non-toxic cleaners. I use great ones! Keep the house dust free. Change A/C filter every month.

Hi J.---Did you know that you can help to balance your baby's immune system with his diet? I work with a Naturopath who has her PhD in Nutrition. We are taught, based on long term research, that our diet should consist primarily of fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, legumes, beans, nuts and seeds. Keep animal protein consumption to a minimun and eliminate cows milk completely. Milk is a highly allergenic substance and is 'formulated' for a baby cow to grow into a big cow as quickly as possible. Some resouces to look at to learn more, The China Study, by T Colin Campbell, www.pcrm.org and www.strongbones.org.

You could also find out some great info at www.AskDrSears.com. Dr Bill and Jim (ABC The Doctors) are pediatricians and have a wealth of material, both in books and on that website. I have the honor of working with them in my Wellness business.

A really easy thing to do is to supplement with a whole food product, one that has dedicated, peer-reviewed independent research that shows immune system support. Dr. Sears and I recommend one that does just that, as well as protecting and repairing DNA, the cardiovascular system, and reduces oxidative stress, the result of free radical damage (which can and does challenge the immune system). Let me know if you would like to know more.

Please understand that I am not suggesting that your diet is bad, but sometimes we are challenged by environmental factors. Combine that with the fact that our food is not as nutritious as it once was, or should be in order to help our body protect and repair itself, we all really need help. We are supposed to eat in excess of 10 servings of fruit and veg each day. Doing so reduces our risk of disease to the lowest levels possible....AND helps our immune system balance so that it is not sensitive to things it doesn't need to be.

Check out some recipes at www.eatingwell.com and www.vegetariantimes.com. Eliminate all processed foods, because milk and wheat products are cheap and are used as fillers in EVERYTHING. You will have to become an expert label reader. Manufacturers actually call things by different names in order to hide them. If you can't pronounce it, you probably shouldn't eat it. No preservatives, artificial colors, MSG and high fructose corn syrup (mostly because it is highly processed and the body doesn't know how to use it as an energy source).

If I can be of any other help, please contact me. I have a ton of files, articles and studies that I can share, if you are interested.

Good luck. D.

I'm so sorry to hear that -- food allergies are a tough diagnosis. My son was diagnosed at six months with milk and soy allergies, and then at 13 months with milk, wheat, egg, peanut, and chicken. I guess he outgrew the soy allergy, and our team of doctors have told us that it's likely he'll outgrow the others as well, except perhaps the peanut one. We strongly suspect that there are other things that he is allergic to as well, since he still has constant diarrhea, painful gas, eczema, and trouble sleeping.

Really the only thing that we can do in the meantime is cut out all the allergenic foods from his diet -- which is incredibly tough, as it seems like dairy, eggs, and wheat (or products derived from them) are in EVERYTHING that a toddler wants to eat. My husband and I are having to change our diets too (at least at home). We are very vigilant about his diet, and we use a special lotion on his skin to help prevent his eczema breakouts (and cortisone cream for flare-ups). He is taking Prevacid (reflux medicine) and cyproheptadine (an antihistamine) daily, but we're not sure they're helping.

He's very picky and eats very little during the day (food has always led to severe intestinal pain for him, it's no wonder he doesn't want to eat). He still wakes twice a night for a bottle, and we give him Bright Beginnings Pediatric Soy Drink because it is dairy free and has a lot of calories, which he's not getting during the day.

Our doctors gave us some very helpful plastic wallet cards for each of his allergies, that list the various forms that those foods can take, for when we are reading ingredient lists at the store. For instance, soy sauce contains wheat, and if something contains "albumin" it means egg.

I'm sorry you're going through this and other than "don't feed him milk and wheat products" I'm not sure I have any helpful advice -- but there are a lot of families dealing with the same thing you are. You're not alone!

my little girl had a milk allergy so she they changed her formula to similac alimentum she stayed on it till she was a year old and we switched her to whole milk....(which she refuses to drink now)..her only symptom was a bloody stool so maybe switching him to a soy based formula would help...

My granddaughter was diagnosed with those allergies as well as to peanuts, eggs and soy when she was a baby. She outgrew all of them except to peanuts and soy and the environmental ones of pollen, mold, dog dander, etc. Her pediatrician initially made the diagnosis of milk, soy, peanuts and pollen. My daughter then took her to a pediatric allergist who did blood tests that diagnosed the rest. He confirmed the blood tests with skin prick tests for some of them. Or vice versa. It's been 9 years. :) He also tests her breath capacity with medical equipment before changing her prescriptions.

We avoided all of the foods that she tested allergic to until she was in school. .Through trial and error we learned that although she could not tolerate milk and cottage cheese she could have cheddar cheese. She had medications for asthma and eczema. The allergist added an antihistamine. We kept a generic Benedryl on hand for when her symptoms worsened. For example she broke out in hives and had difficulty breathing after taking a bath at my house. I gave her generic benedryl and her symptoms subsided. The doctor will talk with you about these sorts of episodes.

She also has eczema and asthma and still sees the allergist regularly. I suggest that a pediatric allergist will be the best way for you to go.

I have not heard that blood tests are very unreliable. I've heard that they can be inaccurate but are quite helpful as a starting point in making a plan for treatment. All allergies require trying things out until you find what works. I'm allergic to many foods, pollen etc. In fact, skin prick tests are usually followed with a blood test these days. It's a combination of information that drives the treatment.

With severe allegic reactions you do need to keep in contact with the doctor and keep with you any medications for treatment of reactions. Because my daughter is allergic to peanuts she has an Epi-pen at school, day care, her house, my house and in the car. Because of the asthma she has the same with her rescue inhaler. At first it feels rather scary but as time goes on everything becomes routine. And as you learn what your child is allergic to and his reactions it gets easier.

I do recommend a pediatric allergist. They have more comprehensive knowledge and equipment. My granddaughter's has helped us to have a better understanding of the allergies and how to treat them.

If your child was tested due to any related symptoms (which are very broad - i.e., congestion, fussiness, abnormal BMs (loose or constipation), reflux, etc.) then the tests are likely correct and you will do best to avoid the foods. I highly recommend you get a HEPA air filter for your home and have one in the child's bedroom. Removing drapes, carpet etc. in the home or at least in the child's room will be extremely helpful for the mold reaction. I am highly sensitive to molds and that along with other food allergies was triggered by my reacting to the mold in our house due to (what appeared to be very minor) water damage in a bathroom and a very small roof leak. Some folks are genetically predisposed to be made very ill upon exposure to even small amounts of mold. If you have had *any* plumbing leaks OR if you moved into a pre-owned home, then I strongly recommend you have your house tested. Also, if your child is in daycare or homecare, you might consider that as a source of mold. You do not have to smell mold for it to be present and make you ill. I learned all of this the hard way and both my sons were also impacted. My sons were also impacted as fetuses as I also had exposure to a moldy cabin while on vacation - that was just a few days. But, I have the worst genetic combination and thus my body is not able to get rid of the toxins produced by the mold. About 25% of the population has the genes that predispose one to be made ill upon exposure to mold.

The most accurate testing is based on the DNA for the mold as you don't have to have any visible mold or current water damage for the test to be active. The big issue with mold is not necessarily visible mold - it's the toxins produced by the mold. The most common illness provoking mold in homes is aspergillus. The mold toxins settle in the dust and in any permeable object in the home - books, upholstered furniture, curtains, clothing, bedding, etc. absorb the most obviously. This company offers the DNA test:
http://www.mycometrics.com/

And, again, some folks are genetically predisposed so not everyone in a family (or in a particular water damaged building) will get ill. This website has some good info on this topic: www.biotoxin.info
Specifically, here's discussion of the test:
http://www.biotoxin.info/MoldTesting

Before you think this couldn't possibly be a problem, you should consider that 2/3 buildings in Texas have had water damage - Texas is one of the worst states in the nation - likely due to the type of rains we get - high volume, high winds and often horizontal.

Another point to consider is that vaccinations all have neurotoxins, which can trigger the same problems. Even with the thimerosol (mercury) removed, the vaccinations still have toxins such as aluminum and formaldehye. This goes back to the genes as well, which is why some folks can get their kids vaccinated and have no problems. At least 5% of the population has the genetic predisposition to become ill upon exposure to any neurotoxins. So, I highly recommend you delay any additional vaccinations until your child's allergies are under control (and resolve actually) because the vaccinations will make the immune reactions to the allergens more severe.

As you can see you are not alone in this. You did not state if you are breast-feeding or if he is on formula. If you are breast-feeding then the best thing is to start eliminating those items from your diet and his. Other things that you can do to help is give him a probiotic or you take it if you are breast-feeding and also adding a multi-vitamin. Most people do not realize how important our intestinal system is to the function of our immune system and for combating allergies. You want to make sure he has good bacteria in his system to combat the bad. Also with the mold and dust issue I would suggest switching to green cleaners and getting an air filter. I know this might seem like a lot of things to do, but you can take it in steps. Email me if you want to know more about what types of products to use.

M.