Can a dairy allergy be anaphylactic?

[Panserbjorne]

Just curious. I have never read this before, but it seems like we're on the fast track to finding out if it's the case. Ds2 is reacting severely to dairy. His throat isn't swelling or anything like that, but the last time he was exposed it was via clarified butter. He was vomitting, stopped pooping, was hacking up mucous and was miserable for days. And this was through bm. Then I made yogurt with a non dairy starter using coconut milk. I tried a tiny bit (off my finger) after 10 hours of fermentation. He reacted again. I assumed it would be fine, but the starter culture was started in dairy (this is still considered to be dairy free because there isn't a milk powder or anything in it.) I am shocked at how sensitive he is. These are the only bits he has gotten and it's been awful. Should I be worried about it getting much worse? Like I said, now it's just mucous in the throat and nose, lack of pooping for days and when he does it's green, full of mucous and liquid, vomitting and tons of gas.

I worry because dd has an allergy to shellfish and the first couple of times there was an obvious reaction and the doc said that it can be progressive. I have read that this could be the case, but never specifically about dairy. Any thoughts?

[stik]

I know people with anaphylactic dairy allergies.

[Wolfmeis]

any igE allergy can be anap.

sorry

back. It is an unfortunate fallacy that things like ghee and yogurt are dairy-free. They simply are not free of milk protein, despite whatever process they have undergone.

I know you and I have discussed a wee bit about diet-writers and erroneous statements, and this is one of them. Many times I have clicked on "dairy free" recipes, (to bake for a friend of mine's dairy-allergic child) and found things with lots of dairy in the recipes, because they've been "cleansed" or whatnot. : Drives me batty.

Good luck with your sweet baby.

[Panserbjorne]

Guess I should think about testing... My other kids both have IgG reactions to dairy, clearly because I have some issue with it. Man. This stinks. I was hoping that I could at least use butter with digestive enzymes. That isn't looking all that hopeful...Argh.

[Mrs.PhD]

Hugs, that is a pretty severe reaction to dairy and pretty scary. My understanding is MOST dairy allergies are not life threatening and many who develop it as a child outgrow them by age 5. Still there are a number of cases where dairy can be anaphylactic or become anaphylactic. I know a number of kids who have successfully out grown them. My doc feels my DD SHOULD outgrow it (90% chance) and she does seem much less sensitive to milk then when she was a baby. (she is 2 now.) The thing with babies and allergies is they can't tell you just what they are feeling either (like mommy my throat feels tingly.)

Breast feeding is great for your son so good for you. It isn't easy adjusting your diet for an allergic child because you can eat something and not know it has it isn't the food and not find out until the next day. We learned the hard way most soy cheese has Casein in it. I haven't found any vegan cheese that I like at all.

I would look into the testing. It give you a better idea of what you are dealing with (and if there is anything else he is allergic to instead of guessing.)

We have an eppi pen, just in case, but the Doc felt we should never need it. Still better to have one you don't need then be with out one if you do.

Best of luck with this. It sounds like you are used to going mostly dairy free, but any adjustment can be hard until you get used to it.

Even if she does outgrow the allergy I know it is going to be hard for to stop thinking of milk and eggs as the enemy. :

[Missy]

My son's first anaphylactic reaction was to a kiss on his forehead from his older brother who had just eaten yogurt. It never reached his mouth. He's four now; we carry an epi everywhere with us and there is no dairy in our house anymore.

[Panserbjorne]

WOW Missy. wow. That is incredible.

Thanks Mrs.PhD. It is frustrating. All my kiddos have allergies and I have celiac disease as well. We are soy, egg, gluten and dairy free. IT is a pain, but you do get used to it. I used to be able to eat clarified butter, but no more. Have you tried Follow Your Heart cheese? It's vegan and totally yummy. I can't do it, but if you can it's worth it. No casein and it's actually melty.

Thanks for the answers. I guess I should get on this.

[wendy1221]

My nephew is ana to milk and eggs. Egg anaphylaxis is more common than dairy, but that is nothing but anecdotal. Like Lory said, and IgE allergy has the potential to be anaphylactic. I'd get an epi-pen for him, just in case.

[Panserbjorne]

I don't know at this point that it IS an IgE reaction....but considering the fact that it isn't delayed at all it's probably a good bet that it is. Hmm.

[Missy]

Was the vomiting immediate? That's a sign of an anaphylactic reaction.

[Panserbjorne]

Yes, it's immediate (within an hour) and lasts for 2-3 days. The spit up is watery and full of mucous. often at the tail end of spitting up he chokes a bit because there's just so much goop.

[Mrs.PhD]

Wow firefaery, that is an complex eating system at your house! It isn't easy sometimes! :

Missy, I know you know a lot about this. I have kind of a strange question. When I 1st found out my DD was allergic I found a recipe book and a web site from a women who's son had the same story. It was very helpful to me and reading the web site really encouraged me to know I was doing the right thing in continuing to nurse her and go dairy free (as I loved my DD more then any dairy product no mater how yummy.) It helped so much to know I wasn't alone (I had not found this web site yet.)

That wasn't you was it?????????? If not, I might have the website still marked. If you want I can post it, it is a great one.

Follow Your Heart cheese, I have seen it at Whole foods, but am so sick of buying things we just throw out because we don't like (can't stand) the taste off. I will give it a try! We make our own pizza, but I am getting pretty sick of mine and Lily's being cheeseless.

[Panserbjorne]

I've never liked "fake" stuff, but the cheese is really quite good. Let me know what you think!

[Missy]

Mary, it wasn't me and I'd be really interested in taking a look at the site. I've done a few free-lance pieces and have written up an outline to a book specifically for mamas who are nursing children with food allergies, but I haven't been able to really work on it the way I need to. Somehow with three kids, it's easier to focus on articles and essays. : MDC was an incredible resource for me four years ago (see the date I joined?) when we first started dealing with allergies and trying to stand up to doctors who thought they were gods. Some of the mamas were really blunt, I thought, but that bluntness was able to penetrate my shock and fear. I had a very sick baby and incompetent doctors, and my backbone needed a major realignment.

[Mrs.PhD]

I found it! I am glad I did because I want to look it over again. Her story is very similar to yours (kiss on the forehead by an older brother.)

http://www.dairyfreeeggfreekidpleasingcookbook.com/


I have really enjoyed this site (MDC), especially the breast feeding and allergy forums. I am not really crunchy and not all AP (but the more I read about it the more AP seems to fit me with out know that was AP.) I wish I would of found it sooner. I really was the only person I knew that had done something like this (radically changed my own diet in order to continue to breast feed a baby who was a year old.) So I see that isn't so different at all.

Lily was never really that sick, that is why it puzzled Dr.'s so. However my Doc was very good about taking my lead with it and getting tested. Even my allergist says Lily is one of the healthiest babies she has ever seen with food allergies (no other comorbid problems.)

firefaery, Thanks. I will let you know what we think of the cheese. What flavor is your favorite?

[Missy]

Thanks for the link! I glanced through it a little, but really want to go back and study it more when my kids have settled in.

That's great that you had a supportive and competent dr. from the beginning; we've really struggled with it. I love our allergist. He took care of my husband when he was a child and very ill with asthma, and is just a calm, open-minded, gentle man and he helped us wade through all the misinformation that was thrown at us by other doctors.

[Panserbjorne]

We liked the cheddar and the mozzerella. Gluten free pizza with pesto, tomato slices and follow your heart cheese...Mmmmmm.

[Mrs.PhD]

Originally Posted by firefaery

We liked the cheddar and the mozzerella. Gluten free pizza with pesto, tomato slices and follow your heart cheese...Mmmmmm.

Next trip to whole foods I am picking up some. yum pizza I miss it. Even when I don't personally need to be dairy free (our nursing days are fadding fast. I keep thinking every day might be out last, but she keeps coming back for a least a drop of milk.) I have been lactose intolerant since my college days so alternatives has been good for me. Still I have been increasing my probiotic intake (thanks to threads on MDC.) and I hope that helps too. Lily loves the little probiotic chewables I got her at whole foods. I haven't noticed much of a change in her since starting them though.

Missy, my own Ped wasn't so much compitent as he was willing to take action right away and follow my lead. He did tell me that dairy allergies are never anaphylaxis (wrong, but not Lily's case) and she could have eggs as long as they were cooked. He did however get us to the right help and suggested testing before I had to demand it. He did take action right away when I wanted it. That was the right thing to do and I am grateful for that.