[capsgirl08]

Quick backstory: DS is just shy of 1yr. I am nursing and have been Dairy-/Egg-/Gluten-/Soy-/Corn-Free. We visited family last week, and I pack all my own food and DS's and made our own food, too.

DH's aunt is a pediatric GI --- she's very smart and I know she loves DS and wouldn't want to do anything to harm him. She said that since his reactions to milk were GI-related (blood in stool, projectile) -- that they could not also be causing the eczema. (*Not* how I understood it).

She said I should try adding dairy back to my diet so that DS could have it himself by 14 months or so.

So I had some dairy----DS had eczema and a bad red rash on his bum, but then, we had also been to the beach for the first time and applied CA Baby sunscreen for the first time. We were also using new diapers and sleeping on sheets DH's Grandma had washed with regular Tide.

It's been a week, and I've been eating everything I worked so hard to eliminate. Partly to see if DS would react, partly because it was so hard to resist it all after having a taste of it.

And now I just don't even know if DS really has allergies or if I was making out his symptoms to be food allergies. His facial eczema seems better, his bum rash went away, the eczema on his body seems better, he's napping 2hrs a day (more than normal). He is now having at least 1 BM/day, as opposed to before, when he'd go 5-7 days without one, and they are formed, but not too hard.

The "off" things I have noticed: He spit up for the first time in months once I reintroduced the dairy. He does wake up screaming at night once or twice --- but then, he has 8 teeth and I think his molars are coming in. Possibly dairy-induced reflux? Don't know...

So have his symptoms changed? I really do want to get back to the ED because I feel so sluggish eating dairy, wheat, etc. Or did he "outgrow" whatever allergies he may have had?

I don't know enough about salicylates, sulfites, detoxing, metals, etc...it's all so overwhelming ---anyway, I'm wondering if his eczema is related to that because there just doesn't seem to be any link between his flare ups and the foods I consume.

Which direction should I start as far as researching? So lost, though so hopeful that maybe DS is getting better. I know this is such a long and rambling post, but that's where I am right now. I appreciate all the advice you experienced moms offer, as always. I've learned a lot already...

 

[kjbrown92]

Quote:

Originally Posted by capsgirl08 Quick backstory: DS is just shy of 1yr. I am nursing and have been Dairy-/Egg-/Gluten-/Soy-/Corn-Free. We visited family last week, and I pack all my own food and DS's and made our own food, too. DH's aunt is a pediatric GI --- she's very smart and I know she loves DS and wouldn't want to do anything to harm him. She said that since his reactions to milk were GI-related (blood in stool, projectile) -- that they could not also be causing the eczema. (*Not* how I understood it).

Sorry, but I'd like to contradict that. Not that she's necessarily "wrong", but there may be a few exceptions to this (like most of the kids on this board). My DD1 gets both eczema and screaming at night (GI) from corn. A lot of GIs also seem to think that milk and soy cause everything, and the solution is to give them a corn-based formula. So they're definitely not infallible.

Quote:

She said I should try adding dairy back to my diet so that DS could have it himself by 14 months or so.

Why does he NEED to have dairy? Why do doctors push dairy on us like we're all going to die without it? Argh. So frustrating.

Quote:

So I had some dairy----DS had eczema and a bad red rash on his bum, but then, we had also been to the beach for the first time and applied CA Baby sunscreen for the first time. We were also using new diapers and sleeping on sheets DH's Grandma had washed with regular Tide.

That definitely muddies the water.

Quote:

The "off" things I have noticed: He spit up for the first time in months once I reintroduced the dairy. He does wake up screaming at night once or twice --- but then, he has 8 teeth and I think his molars are coming in. Possibly dairy-induced reflux? Don't know... So have his symptoms changed? I really do want to get back to the ED because I feel so sluggish eating dairy, wheat, etc. Or did he "outgrow" whatever allergies he may have had?

You could always go off it again and see if the screaming disappears. And if YOU feel better off it, don't you think that's indicative of something? Like he's not the only one reacting to it? Even if he's not reacting now (jury is still out), you sound like you are.

 

[capsgirl08]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjbrown92 Sorry, but I'd like to contradict that. Not that she's necessarily "wrong", but there may be a few exceptions to this (like most of the kids on this board). My DD1 gets both eczema and screaming at night (GI) from corn. A lot of GIs also seem to think that milk and soy cause everything, and the solution is to give them a corn-based formula. So they're definitely not infallible. Right. I definitely hear what you're saying. I think our aunt is giving us the best information she has, but I also thought for certain that DS was having both the eczema and the GI issues with milk, eggs, and soy. Nice to have confirmation that I'm not the only one who thinks both are possible simultaneously. Why does he NEED to have dairy? Why do doctors push dairy on us like we're all going to die without it? Argh. So frustrating. Haha. My SIL was also a dairy farmer, so we get extra pushing. Anyway, I asked her that, and she said for the fat, the B12 and the folate. I know that there are substitutes for all of these, but I just don't know *what* makes good substitutes. Coconut milk for fat? Hemp milk for B-12 (I just noticed the "with B-12" on the packaging today)? What about folate?

Anyway, thanks for your time and the help. Really do appreciate it!

 

[capsgirl08]

Just saw the "Food Sources for Folate" thread...

 

[Theloose]

That's funny, I don't think dairy is even a particularly good source of B12, unless you're vegetarian. The B12 in hemp milk would be supplemented, so you could just do a B12 supp. Meat is the 'normal' food source of B12.

Since it seems there's not an obvious food trigger, nutrient deficiencies seem like a great place to look next. That would involve figuring out your own deficiencies, cause they're likely the ones passed on to ds.

 

[Chinese Pistache]

I guess I'd try a reintroduction of each thing, very slowly. Of course, you're going to have to find your self control again

I agree with Kathy about dairy though. It's the last one to worry about, imo. Dairy is easy to substitute and frankly, I don't think it's that good for anyone (ducking tomatoes from the TF people). I'd much rather get wheat, corn and egg back.

 

[capsgirl08]

Thanks for the replies. Still the screaming despite no dairy, though it's only been a week or so and I remember it taking nearly 2 months for the dairy to clear out the first time.

CP---I'm fine without tomatoes too, ha, (they make my joints achy and "poppy").

WhoMe---What kind of deficiencies would manifest in the eczema, GI, diaper rash? All I could think of was EFAs...Anything obvious I am missing? (There's likely lots...)

 

[WC_hapamama]

Back when my oldest DS was a baby and had terrible eczema, his pediatrician mentioned that Zinc deficiency could be a cause, and actually had his zinc levels tested.

I'm totally not on the "kids need milk" boat. My daughter is 6 1/2, and has never purposely been given cows milk (she's had some accidental exposures). She's very dainty, but that's more of a hereditary thing (DH's mother and grandmother are teeny, tiny women). DD eats a healthy, varied diet and is very healthy outside of the allergies and eczema.

 

[Theloose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by capsgirl08 WhoMe---What kind of deficiencies would manifest in the eczema, GI, diaper rash? All I could think of was EFAs...Anything obvious I am missing? (There's likely lots...)

It sounds like deficiencies in the detox system. The two that I think of first would be methyl groups (methyl folate/B12) and/or sulfoxidation (molybdenum/B6), just because they seem commonly linked to eczema. The actual specifics really depend on your genes and what you have been eating.

www.detoxpuzzle.com and www.eatingcultures.com might give you a place to start, but I'll warn you, this is a very complicated puzzle (with great potential rewards). You can also check out some of the detox threads around here, and read my story in the link in my sig to get a feel for what I'm talking about.