Getting worse :-(

Susie - posted on 02/16/2010

I'll add just a tidbit to this--according to my son's allergist, the allergies will actually get WORSE before they get better (if they ever get better). The reason why is because allergies are your immune system reacting to "invaders". When you are born, you pretty much don't have an immune system. Therefore, as she gets older, her immune system gets stronger and will attack those "invaders" much more strongly. My son just turned one and all the stuff (nuts, dairy, soy, egg, and wheat) he mildly reacted to at around 4 months, I have to keep completely away from him otherwise he will literally claw the skin off of his neck and stomach. The allergist did have me try a run on zyrtec for a while and it helped immensly but it constipated my poor little man.
I will wish you the best of luck and I hope that your's (and mine) outgrow these yucky allergies.

Dawn - posted on 02/04/2010

I have a son who is now 7..he's had severe asthma and allergies (we discovered) since birth. He's allergic to dairy, apples, bananas, dogs, cats, dust, etc.
I highly recommend taking your daughter to a naturalpathic doctor and get what's called a biofeedback reading or vegan test. We did the biofeedback..and he just had to sit on my lap..on this rubber mat. Anyway, they gave me a 2 week diet for him to follow because it showed all his sensitivities to different foods, etc. It was unreal! He was a total different little boy. Was always so temperamental..angry....(which they figured was caused from his allergies) and then went to a very agreeable and calm child.
I'm still trying to get him on the same type of diet..even though it was hard. He couldn't have potatoes, rice, pasta, grapes, dairy, soy, (which left all rice milk, soy milk, milks out ) but it really helped. And we are major ingredient checkers....we don't eat alot of hotdogs..but I did find out that if you do....Top Dog all beef...don't contain any milk product....all the rest seem to.
We have him on rice milk...because of all the talk about soy having so much hormones in it. There are alot of non dairy items at healthfood stories that you could look into as well.
I hope this helps somewhat!! Good luck! :)

Dottie - posted on 02/04/2010

Chloe, It sounds like you are getting a lot of support here! I agree with Monica. Cook from scratch as much as you can, You will feel much better knowing exactly what was put into your child's food and she will feel better having less allergic reactions.

My daughter was having problems with eczema, diarrhea & anal fissures, reflux, and asthma from birth until we had her tested for food allergies at about 3 yrs old. It turned up 14 food allergies. I was breastfeeding her and had already suspected allergies. I used an elimination diet mentioned by Dr. Sears in his Fussy Baby Book to cut out some of her allergens, but never realized there were so many.

After the testing, we cut off everything and cooked from scratch. It was strange to begin with, but now it is just the way we live. We have found some foods in the supermarkets that we can buy, but mostly I just cook. She will be 8 this coming May, is very used to telling people what she can and cannot eat. If she isn't sure, she is quick to say, "you'd better call my mom." She carries a list in her lunchbox, but packs her own lunch for school and playdates. To her, this is just the way life is. She also knows that the longer she avoids most of her allergens, the greater the chance that someday she will "outgrow" the allergy.

On the days that you feel that things are hard, remember: you can get through it. When you need to: Ask for help! There are more of us out here than you may realize.

MySherree - posted on 01/26/2010

welll I can pretty much relate. My son's allergy is milk, Nuts, wheat, & a few other things. But, they've gotta eat. A little porchin of it, isn't gonna hurt, but, if you give her a large porchin of then you might have a problem.but, most of all, try to stay away as much as possible

Sarah - posted on 01/26/2010

Both my youngest son and I are allergic to dairy. He is also allergic to wheat. We use a lot of Rice and Almond milk. I would try and find a health store such as Whole Foods or a natural food co-op by you. They will have several product that will be safe for your daughter and take some of the pressure off you when trying to prepare meals. The staff at these stores are usually very helpful and understanding. Make sure you read labels on everything and if you ever have to eat out, be very careful of breaded products like chicken nuggets and the buns. It is a great opportunity to get your daughter eating right at a young age. Fruits and veggies are safe and healthy. The less processed your food is the better shot of it being safe. Living without magazine has some great meal and treat ideas as well. Good luck. I have been dairy free for 10 years and wheat free for three. Things will get easier. Just ask for help, the learning curve can be a rough one.

Sarah - posted on 01/23/2010

I discovered at 17months that my daughter was lactose intolerant after many hard months. She was a very troubled baby. When i discovered what the problem was i completely stripped her diet of dairy and sought alternatives. I used lactose free products made by 'Liddells', such as yogurt and long life milk. I made everything from scratch. All meals at home that were previously cooked with cows milk were substituted with lactose free products. The lactose free products actually taste nice so they did not effect the taste at all. Good luck. I understand that i have only looked at one of the allergies, but i hope this is helpful.

Daniela - posted on 01/21/2010

I do have a son with dairy allergies, I'm treating him with a homeopathic medicine made by bio allers called dairy allergies, works awesome, he is two, and has been able to eat dairy again in small amounts of course, he had a lot of ear infections due to this, i had to put him on goat milk when he was 18 mos. look it up online they also have other allergy medicine for grains, see if that helps good luck

Susan - posted on 01/14/2010

My son is now almost 5 yrs old. He's severely allergic to peanuts and eggs. We also avoid tree nuts. His egg allergy has not improved at all, even though they told us 80% outgrow it eventually. I agree with Monica. Making from scratch is just less stressful (and less expensive) -- plus it usually tastes better!

Jennifer - posted on 01/11/2010

I do a lot from scratch. It's takes a little more time, but the results are better and often cheaper!

Monica - posted on 11/19/2009

I can relate. My 2 yr old started with a dairy allergy that I noticed at 2 months old (he was breastfed). Then it got worse as the months went by. He developed a terrible rash all over, sever diaper rash, everything. He became allergic through time, to egg, soy (which I consumed alot of since he was allergic to dairy), peanut, and the latest since the summer is wheat/barley. I know it is hard. We are very careful about foods he's allergic to that we consume. Everyone who eats with us must wash their hands/mouth after they eat if they want to play with our toddler b/c he reacts instantly. I do think it's best to make food from scratch. Saves you money in the end, although it can be time consuming. I use these 2 books all the time : Sophie Safe Cooking by Emily Hendrix and The Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook by Cybele Pascal. They have both been extremely helpful. Most of the time I make allergy free meals for the whole family and it's good and healthy. I am much more at ease now, after the past year or so. My son's skin looks great (among other things), but only b/c I was on top of things and gained more knowledge. Also, take the time to look at products and their ingredients at most stores. Even toy r us carries a Toddler Rice Cake (no dairy in it) that my son LOVES. If prepared food does not list allergens or warnings, we don't serve it to him.. Good Luck with everything.. Hang in there. Most allergies can be outgrown in time.