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eczema and formulas
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Author Topic: eczema and formulas
mena
Junior Member posted 02-11-2001 10:11 AM
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I'm posting this message for my daughter, who will join as soon as she gets a modem hooked up. She was unable to breastfeed. He started on Similac. He developed cradle cap at about two months, which began to spread, and the pediatricians advised a series of over-the-counter lotions and creams, for example Eucerin, each of which made it worse. As the rash worsened and spread he was switched to a soy formula. A pediatric derm advised hydrocortisone cream and Vaseline. The rash is now under control in most places as long as she keeps using hydrocortisone, but still bad where she can't use it: in his ears and on his face, especially around his eyes. The conventional medical community's response thus far has been entirely about treating the symptoms. Conventional pediatricians, at least the ones we have talked to, are apparently unaware, if not scornful, of nutrition issues(one pediatrician told her not to worry, there is no great difference between formula and breast milk - !). While frantically looking without success for a pediatric nutritionist, my daughter has been reading everything she can find on infant nutrition, and I have been looking on the internet for an organic formula that is not based on cow's milk or soy. Nothing except Baby's Own, which was wonderful to find, but is based on organic cow's milk, which means it probably will not work for us. The baby is now temporarily on a homemade organic rice milk formula based on the "Wright-Loffler formula," rice milk fortified with rice protein, organic flaxseed oil, spirulina, and vitamins (I will post the recipe tomorrow). Of course everywhere you are advised not to use a homemade formula, which, in a country in which you cannot find organic infant formula, seems to leave you with no options but breastfeeding. If that's not an option, what do people do? There is no organic infant formula per se available in this country; there are several in the U.K. but the FDA prevents them from being imported. In this country cow's milk formulas are, as far as I can tell, not prevented from containing antibiotics and hormones; Greenpeace posts a fifty-page list of foods containing genetically modified ingredients, and all the soy-based infant formulas and I believe also the milk-based formulas made the list. There is a website called truthinlabeling.com that gives very specific information on formulas that contain MSG and aspartame; all the big-name formulas are said to contain these neurotoxins, according to this website, and the worst offenders are the "hypoallergenic" formulas, apparently because they taste terrible. I'm wondering if infant allergies in bottle-fed infants could be caused or at least aggravated by additives and/or nutritional deficiencies associated with the commercial formulas. Anyway, here are my questions: Is anyone familiar with the truthinlabeling website, and is it considered credible? Does anyone know of an infant formula that does not contain cow's milk, soy, antibiotics, hormones, MSG, aspartame, fillers, or genetically modified ingredients? Does anyone know of a recipe for organic infant formula, and is anyone familiar with the "Wright-Loffler formula"? Does anyone know of a pediatric nutritionist - or a pediatrician who knows and respects nutrition? Has anyone any information on whether organic spirulina is safe and appropriate for an infant? Any advice on dealing with eczema/atopic dermatitis? He is in organic cotton clothing, no perfumes, pure castile laundry soap, multiple rinses. He will get allergy tests, but they tell my daughter these will probably be inaccurate in such a young child. Basically the medical community's response to childhood allergies seems to be tough luck, maybe he will outgrow it, but nutrition is for obsessives and quacks, and if the FDA approves it it must be safe. I know there must be pediatricians out there who are aware and informed of infant nutrition, and moms out there who have tried things that worked for eczema. Help! and thanks for reading to the end of this!
Momtwice
Member posted 02-11-2001 10:50 AM
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Wow! My son had similar problems after I weaned him to formula.
Did you know that there is such a thing as "relactation?" Some moms in this situation can start their milk supply up again, or do so partially. Most pediatricians are NOT trained in this, but a lactation consultant can help. I know there are moms who cannot do this (such as a friend of mine undergoing chemotherapy )
but it IS possible to pump and get some breast milk that might help the child.
Hearing more about WHY she could not breastfeed would be helpful, but if that is too personal I totally understand. A lot of pediatricians are ignorant about breastfeeding, (and discourage new moms too quickly) and they admitted that fact in a study a few years ago in Pediatrics.
If you go to
http://www.breastfeeding.com there is a discussion at the message boards about relactation of a one month old.
I wonder if donor milk from a milk bank might also be helpful. It requires a prescription I believe. From my research about the science of food allergies, ANY food or drink other than human milk given to new babies can cause allergies. Sadly, the human immune system of a newborn (up to about six months)is designed to attack anything that is NOT human milk as a foreign substance or an "enemy" if you will, with the allergic symptoms as a result.
[This message has been edited by Momtwice (edited 02-11-2001).]
Iguanavere
unregistered posted 02-11-2001 12:49 PM
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I met a woman whose son has similar, if not more severe, reactions to a lot of foods in her breastmilk. Ultimately she breastfed her son exclusively for 18 months andhad to also give up all dairy, soy, all nuts, fresh fruit, wheat, shellfish and other varieties etc...most detergents would also cause severe problems.
My questions for you is: Is the rash so severe that it is bleeding - is the child going into shock? Breastmilk is your best bet, but even then, if the donor mother has eaten the Allergen (e.g. dairy) you grandchild may still experience the skin rashes. My son is dairy intolerant, so even when I eat the dairy, he breaks out in eczema. There is a clinic in Denver that does work with children whose immune systems are overly active like this. I don't know the name of it, but that is where this woman ended up taking her son. Luckily because she exclusively breastfed her son, he wasn't developmentally delayed. It will be more helpful if you can get breastmilk from a woman who doesn't eat the allergens. Perhaps you can find a mother who is willing to "wet nurse" and you can pay her what you would pay the formula companies?
mena
Junior Member posted 02-11-2001 04:19 PM
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Thanks so much for your replies. My daughter breastfed her two daughters, aged 7 and 4. She had postpartum depression, so severe that both times we wondered if we would ever get her back; it took courage deciding to get pregnant again. She worked with an LC both times, gave up both times after a game effort lasting, if I remember correctly, a couple of months. I breastfed all four of my kids and I know it can be very hard sometimes, but I never had the problems she had with it. Both times I remember feeling that she really needed to quit. I think the heart of the problem was probably the depression, which finally lifted after eight or nine months. Both girls are healthy, bright (the seven-year-old is reading at sixth-grade level and the four-year-old has been reading for almost a year; at the moment reading Charlotte's Web), no allergies. This time her pediatrician advised her to put the baby on formula after the first couple of days since she had had so much trouble before, saying there was no great difference; she didn't realize what abysmal advice that was until she started doing research. She seemed to get along better this time, until the baby got sick, and since then she has really tanked. We learned a few days ago that she could relactate. That was good news, but the problem is that right now she is depressed, really pretty bad, not sleeping, underweight, very stressed, and I'm almost as worried about her as about the baby. I didn't know you could get a prescription for donor milk; that would provide relief for the baby and allow her time to get in better physical and emotional shape. I didn't know that, as you said, an infant immune system is designed to "attack" anything that is not mother's milk! Sounds like that is the only option. Again, thanks. Now we have to find a pediatrician who has some respect for breast milk. Do you know whether breast milk, after all this time, may help normalize his immune system? Seems like it might, it certainly would help. Do you know can we can find out more about this? Again, thank you for your help.
Momtwice
Member posted 02-11-2001 04:34 PM
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Hi again,
What an awful pediatrician! That is terrible
that he told her not to nurse!
I know moms who take antidepressants who also nurse. Apparently
some antidepressants are safer for nursing moms than others.
And the hormones that a nursing mom has...actually help some of them feel LESS depressed. No guarantee of course...
I really believe that ANY amount of mother's milk would help, even if she could pump just a little.
I had PPD myself, no fun and I know all about not being able to sleep, losing weight etc. so I certainly understand that part of the story.
Maybe she needs a better lactation consultant? Did the LC have the initials IBCLC after her name? They have the most training. Did you check out that post at breastfeeding.com? There was a link there to a LONG list of suggestions for relactating.
[This message has been edited by Momtwice (edited 02-11-2001).]
Momtwice
Member posted 02-11-2001 04:39 PM
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Milk banks:
http://www.dietitian.com/milkbank.html
One article I read said that the demand for donor milk outweighed the supply, so they give preference to babies with life-threatening allergies or medical conditions.
(Near the bottom of this page is a list of milk banks.)
[This message has been edited by Momtwice (edited 02-11-2001).]
Peacemama
Member posted 02-11-2001 06:42 PM
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My heart goes out to you and your daughter and her child. I know a few people whose children had immediate health problems after weaning to formula. Would maybe a pediatric dermatologist or allergist have more in depth experience about the causes and solutions of eczema? Your intuition that even a little breastmilk might help sounds good to me, if it is possible for your daughter. I too have always heard that the prolactin released when nursing is helpful with ppd.... Good luck, I hope they are better soon!
marymom
Member posted 02-11-2001 09:53 PM
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my sis and I both had to stop nursing for medical reasons( me only temporary thankgoodness) and we both used goats milk, My sis found a local place where she bought the milk fresh from the goats, (maybe you could look around?)She lives on an island out in WA and there are alot of organics out there, I believe you can purchase organic goats milk in health food stores,you might want to post on people with experience using goats milk?, the goats milk I used was the crap you buy in the grocery and was not organic, but my baby was ok with it for 5 days, Her baby weaned onto it she had to completely wean right away because of an emergency medical condition :-( 1+ year later mom and baby are fine
the goats milk makes them smell like lil goats, its very endearing!
Momtwice
Member posted 02-12-2001 07:37 AM
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Here is an article that explains more about the science of an allergic baby's immune system attacking foods other than mother's milk:
http://www.breastfeeding.com/all_abo...allergies.html
Here are links about relactation:
(I want to emphasize that I don't want to put ANY pressure on your daughter,and I'm so sorry she's having such a hard time, with her own health (depression) and her child's health. I simply want to offer information if it helps...and wish her the best.)
Links about relactation:
http://www.parentsoup.com/experts/leche/DMay8.html
http://parentsplace.com/health/newbo...5,8824,00.html
http://breastfeed.com/resources/arti...elactation.htm
[This message has been edited by Momtwice (edited 02-12-2001).]
Rainyday
Member posted 02-12-2001 09:46 AM
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Oh, what a complex situation! Just wanted to say that I posted my story about my baby's eczema/alleries in this forum (experience with eczema) and there is a discussion about it called 'hello from bc' in welcome forum, and more that I don't know about.
I am not as anti-cortisone as many here are but of course it is something you don't want to use regularly, long-term. Which means you have to get to the bottom of it.
Maybe you can find a good doctor or nutritionist to consult with regarding your homemade formula....are formula companies using questionable ingredients trustworthy? Is it really so bad to make it yourself, backed up by expert advice?
MotherNature
Member posted 02-20-2001 12:42 AM
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My son is allergic to all dairy products and eggs. He has also skin sensitivity to vinegar. He is now 2 years old and I am still nursing him. Of course he is eating a regular diet too without any of the food that cause allergies to him. He had bad cradle cap for a long time which finally totally cleared after his first birthday. He also had very bad eczema which was under control with hydrocortizone ointments (sparingly)and Cetaphil lotion. Later I found out that all cortizone does is suprese the symptoms while the real problem still exists. 4 months ago we decided that we will not use any more cortizone on his little tender body. As a result his skin broke out with bad eczema starting from his face, to his arms and finally legs. Eczema seems now to make a kind of cycle. I seems to me as if it comes out of his systme (in a way) after being supressed for so long. We use a prescription homeopathic remendy and he is doing much better. I put a soak with oats in the bathtub when I bath him. I also use a mild cream from rolled oats (from France) which helps quite a bit (no medication in it). I think that we are on the right track here and I truly regret for using so much cortizone on him. We should have gone with the homeopathic remendy all along. It is very hard to see your children and grandchildren go through discomfort and I truly send you my best wishes.
Laura Dwight
Member posted 03-01-2001 07:00 PM
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Mena, Would you let me know about that homemade formula that you were using (or were going to use) with your grandson? I am very interested because my daughter (8 mos., adopted from Vietnam at 4 mos.) has severe gastroesophageal reflux and intolerance to the proteins in cow's milk. She just started on a soy formula and is sleeping comfortably for the first time since we got her. However, I am very concerned about the ingredients in the formula. Someone has let me know that it is 60% sugar (corn syrup solids and sucrose) because it is necessary for formula to be sweet, as is breastmilk. So that part is fine except corn is highly allergenic. Not to mention the genetically engineered soy that is in soy formula. Also, where did you find out about this alternative formula? Thanks. Laura
greenmom
Member posted 03-14-2001 11:24 AM
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My son had eczema that started when he was 8 years old, the day after Halloween trick or treating. He had it for 5 years. We tried different things. I didn't want to use cortisone because of side affects. We went to a Natural Doctor (an N.D.) when he was 13 because we didn't want him to start high school with spots all over him, and his hair was starting to fall out. It took ten days of flax capsules and evening primrose oil to get rid of most of his rashes, which were everywhere all over his body. There are a few spots still on his lowest extremities. The bottom of his legs still have
some rashes. Almond oil seems to help with his legs. Does anyone have any idea why his skin should look so beautiful on the rest of his body, but the eczema stays on his calves?
Less wheat, soy, dairy and sugar also were part of the changes we had to make. Also, when he was a baby (1 year old) he had very thick cradle cap, which now I think may have been the beginning of the eczema. When he began his flax oil capsules and the liquid evening primrose oil, he also took acidolphilus pills for a while.