If my DS has a soy intolerance...

[bstandlee]

do we need to completely avoid all soy? As in soy lecithin and soybean oil too?

When DS was first born I heard that the only soy to worry about allergy wise is the protein and soy lecithin and soybean oil has all the protein removed and therefore it wouldn't be a potential allergy hazard.

Once I found out he was intolerant to soy I followed the assumption that soy lecithin and soy oil were ok. I have no idea why, but all of a sudden I feel like an idiot for assuming this. We cannot get my DS to a baseline, and maybe this is why? I feel so stupid!

So, do your soy intolerant lo's stay away from every trace of soy or is any form of it tolerated?

[Chinese Pistache]

Some people are allergic to all soy, including trace amounts. I know some are sensitive to lecithin but not oil or visa versa.

How did you figure out the soy sensitivity?

[Ruthla]

It really depends on the individual, and the exact nature of the allergy or sensitivity.

I'd suggest starting off by completely eliminating soy, then when symptoms are under control, test soy lecithin and soy oil individually to see if he reacts to them.

[bstandlee]

Well, starting today (well, tomorrow I guess) I'll eliminate all soy and see if he improves.

I figured out the soy after I figured out the dairy, which makes him spit up and have a lot of reflux. On some days he still spit up quite a lot like when I would have dairy and once I read that dairy and soy intolerances often go hand in hand that was my first suspect. Sure enough, whenever I would have anything with soy sauce he would start his symptoms.

Are there any hidden sources of soy that might not be obvious on ingredient labels?

[Chinese Pistache]

Originally Posted by bstandlee

Well, starting today (well, tomorrow I guess) I'll eliminate all soy and see if he improves.

I figured out the soy after I figured out the dairy, which makes him spit up and have a lot of reflux. On some days he still spit up quite a lot like when I would have dairy and once I read that dairy and soy intolerances often go hand in hand that was my first suspect. Sure enough, whenever I would have anything with soy sauce he would start his symptoms.

Are there any hidden sources of soy that might not be obvious on ingredient labels?

http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/allergy.htm Scroll down to info on soy. Some vitamin E is derived from soy, too.

I just want to throw something out there (not to depress you!), but I wondered if my dd was allergic to soy because she always reacted after I ate chinese food. Turned out she was allergic to corn and that stuff is swimming in cornstarch. So, if you don't get anywhere with soy, try corn: http://www.cornallergens.com/list/co...ergen-list.php Unfortunately, my dd became allergic to soy months later, so now she can't have that either.

[bstandlee]

Originally Posted by Chinese Pistache

http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/allergy.htm Scroll down to info on soy. Some vitamin E is derived from soy, too.

I just want to throw something out there (not to depress you!), but I wondered if my dd was allergic to soy because she always reacted after I ate chinese food. Turned out she was allergic to corn and that stuff is swimming in cornstarch. So, if you don't get anywhere with soy, try corn: http://www.cornallergens.com/list/co...ergen-list.php Unfortunately, my dd became allergic to soy months later, so now she can't have that either.

Thanks for the links. I'm actually wondering if he reacts to soy and corn. I just can't get him symptom free enough to test him and get a clear reaction (or lack of reaction), that's why I keep thinking it's something I/we are eating on a regular basis without thinking about it. Now I'm wondering if there's corn in our probiotic since it doesn't specifically say it's free of corn.

[Chinese Pistache]

Originally Posted by bstandlee

Thanks for the links. I'm actually wondering if he reacts to soy and corn. I just can't get him symptom free enough to test him and get a clear reaction (or lack of reaction), that's why I keep thinking it's something I/we are eating on a regular basis without thinking about it. Now I'm wondering if there's corn in our probiotic since it doesn't specifically say it's free of corn.

That's exactly how it was with corn for us. It's so hard to figure out. We actually found out about that one through skin prick allergy testing, but once we knew and cut it out, dd's turn around was pretty dramatic (particularly, her skin).

[bstandlee]

Originally Posted by Chinese Pistache

That's exactly how it was with corn for us. It's so hard to figure out. We actually found out about that one through skin prick allergy testing, but once we knew and cut it out, dd's turn around was pretty dramatic (particularly, her skin).

At what age did you do the skin prick testing? We have a referral to a ped GI because his symptoms are mostly digestive related, but I still second guess if we should go that route or an allergist. Then again, it might not be allergies, just intolerance so the allergist wouldn't help then.

I keep going in circles and ending at the point where I decide the best route is to try and figure it out on our own through elimination. Hopefully cutting out all soy and corn will get us somewhere!

[kjbrown92]

If it's an intolerance, an allergist will do no good. In my limited experience, it seems that people with an intolerance are more sensitive to the food, if that makes sense. Someone with a milk allergy reacts to the protein, so they can have ghee (with the proteins removed) or the things with calcium lactate that don't contain the protein, where people with an intolerance react to the entire milk contents, so they can't have ghee, or lactaid, or anything derived from milk. My kids, who are soy intolerant (and milk, among other things) react to even the smallest amount of the trigger food in whatever they're eating. My DS was reacting to a children's vitamin that had "vegetable oil" as it's 10th ingredient. I called the company, and sure enough it was soybean oil, and the company was very nice and looked up their other products to find one that was acceptable, and gave me free coupons, but it was a tiny amount in the vitamin, and it was oil, but DS still reacted. Soy lecithin is in everything. And be careful of Vitamin E, which is often derived from soy, but doesn't always say it on the label. Keep a log with what you're eating and all symptoms, and then be a detective, and look for trends (since the food you eat can exhibit in the child 3-96 hours later when they're breastfeeding).

[bstandlee]

Originally Posted by kjbrown92

If it's an intolerance, an allergist will do no good. In my limited experience, it seems that people with an intolerance are more sensitive to the food, if that makes sense. Someone with a milk allergy reacts to the protein, so they can have ghee (with the proteins removed) or the things with calcium lactate that don't contain the protein, where people with an intolerance react to the entire milk contents, so they can't have ghee, or lactaid, or anything derived from milk.

Wow, that's a very interesting observation. My DS reacts to the teeniest bit of any kind of dairy in something I or he eats. So I'll bet it's the same for soy and/or corn too.

Thanks for the tip on vitamin E...I think that's what was in the cod liver oil capsules he reacted to through me. Please tell me they outgrow intolerances! I suppose it all depends on the individual.