Is Pediasure safe for a dairy allergic toddler?

[Blessed_Mom]

Please help. I am unable to get answers. My daughter's ped recommended we give our LO some Pediasure to put some weight on her because she is in the 3rd percentile for weight and is very very picky about eating. She has multiple allergies (dairy, wheat, egg, nuts, soy) that make putting fat in her difficult (she is either allergic to the fats like butter, cheese, nut butters OR she doesn't like the taste like olives, avocado, fish).

But when I read the ingredient list of Pediasure it says milk derivated solids. Shouldn't that be bad for her considering her dairy allergy? Her ped said that maybe she will do fine on it as some kids who are allergic to dairy can tolerate Pediasure - he said.

Any real life experiences?

Thanks.

[tabrizia]

I won't do it.  DD has a dairy issue, and is under the 5th percentile for weight, I don't think giving her something that is a known problem, milk protein, is a good idea at all.  I would try to find other fats that work, maybe cooking with coconut oil, using beans (DD loves black beans) and trying to find other high fat foods that she likes instead would be a much better idea.  Heck if nothing else what about a coconut milk yogurt smoothie with extra fats in it of some sort or another?

[IngaAnne]

It looks like Pediasure is lactose-free, so if she was lactose intolerant, rather than allergic it would be ok. With an actual dairy allergy, I'd avoid it.

Can she do coconut? My son is allergic to multiple nuts, but tolerates So Delicious coconut milk. He won't drink it straight, but I blend it into a smoothie with banana and frozen blueberries, which he thinks is devine. You could also try sunflower butter for a high calorie/fat concentration. I like Sunbutter, but some soy allergic people can't do it due to a soy oil-derived ingredient. I've heard Trader Joe's has a soy free sunflower butter. 

If those don't work, you may want to look into a hypoallergenic formula (Alimentum or Nutramigen). They have dairy derived protein, but it's altered in a way that most dairy allergic kids' bodies don't recognize as diary protein. It's also an infant formula, but since your daughter needs the extra fat/calories I don't think it would be a bad thing. There are also childrens' elemental formulas like Neocate and Elecare, but they require a prescription and are expensive.