Milk protein allergy and acid reflux

At our last well visit, the ped diagnosed with a milk protein allergy. We changed his formula and have to check his stool again later this month to see if things are improving.

So far, he is still doing some spitting up and his BMs have been very loose. Is this normal? He's been on the formula a litle over a week. Ped thinks he might have acid reflux as well which could be causing the spitting up... We might try adding cereal to the bottle if the spitting up doesn't improve soon. Other than that he is an extremely happy, easy going baby.

At some point a few months down the road will they try putting him back on a regular formula?

I was looking for anyone else whose DC has this allergy and/or acid reflux and any information you could share about it. TIA!

Message edited 1/6/2009 9:17:13 PM.

Re: Milk protein allergy and acid reflux

My son is allergic to milk and all dairy and had reflux when he was an infant.

What formula did your ped. change to? Is it a soy formula or one of the special formulas like Neocate? DS has problems on all the formulas until he went on the Soy formula and then his symptoms got better. He did need a medication for the reflux but you'd need to check with your doctor or a pediatric gastro. doctor for that.

Your child will have to be monitored yearly to see if he is outgrowing his milk allergy. My son goes to the allergist once a year for blood work and tests to see how his allergy is progressing. You should look into visiting a pediatric allergist that works with children with food allergies. Our doctor is Steven Weiss in Syosset - great doctor.

Start checking out web sites like kidswithfoodallergies.org and www.foodallergy.org to learn how to read food / product labels for the presence of milk and how to avoid reactions - you'd be surprised where you will find milk - shampoos, lotions, craft materials, glue, clothing (milk fibers).

I hope your little one feels better soon.

If you have any questions, please FM me. - Michelle

Re: Milk protein allergy and acid reflux

Re: Milk protein allergy and acid reflux

my ds has reflux, he needed zantac and is much better on that. They also told me to put cereal in his bottle, but I don't really do it often

Re: Milk protein allergy and acid reflux

I was not able to wean Abby off of BFing into formula because we both had thrush. When I put her on regular Similac Advance, she had a reaction. Her face got swollen and red . The pediatrician said that it was a strong possibility that when I was BFing, I had not enough milk in my own diet (which is true - I don't drink milk). So Abby developed an intolerance for the milk protein in the regular Similac. He suggested soy formula for us and so far, so good.

I am hoping it is not an allergy either as I dont want her to be that kid who can't have any milk products. I am going to talk about what we can do. The self-proclaimed CHEESE QUEEN that I am, won't be able to pass down her crown!

As for the reflux, I don't know. Abby spits up, but not enough to consider it reflux and she doesn't seem uncomfortable.

Re: Milk protein allergy and acid reflux

Oh, Jennie, you poor thing.....hope Ryan feel better soon and you get the answers here yoru need!

Re: Milk protein allergy and acid reflux

MINE HAD THAT AND THEY WERE PUT ON neocate-(sorry caps
the one your son is on still has to be broken down.Neocate does not...
downside? if its not covered its ALOOOOOOOOOT OF MONEY
fm me if u have any questions!

Re: Milk protein allergy and acid reflux

My nephew has/had this. It went undiagnosed for a while and as a result the poor baby needed a full month before his esophagus healed and his pain stopped. The milk protein allergy caused the reflux which caused the damage.

Re: Milk protein allergy and acid reflux

You are correct in pointing out that a milk allergy is not really the same as milk protein intolerance in an infant. I think there are crossovers between the 2, but not in every case. It seems that even doctors are very cavalier in their wording when talking about 2 different things. I always said that Dylan had a milk protein allergy. I really should have said that it was an intolerance to milk protein. We believe he has outgrown it. Allergy skin tests do not show a milk allergy. He was diagnosed very quickly and I strongly advocate going right to a GI doctor. Dylan had severe reflux in addition to the allergy. You will probably have to deal with one thing at a time so that you can rule out the possibility that the reflux will go away when you take care of any milk protein issues. The reflux never made Dylan unhappy but he was not holding enough down. He was put on Axid and Mylanta and those helped a lot. He still takes Mylanta from time to time. HTH

Re: Milk protein allergy and acid reflux

My DD also had the milk protein allergy and really bad acid reflux. But she was extremely cranky. Never slept, refused to eat and when she did she would spit up most if not all of the formula. She was put on prescription Neocate formula after trying every other formula on the shelves. She was on various medicines to help with the reflux, which only now do I feel really didn't help but made things worse since we really don't know what the side effects were.
IMHO if your baby spits up a little after the bottle it might be normal. Does DC look like he's in pain after drinking when he spits up. Is he crying in pain? If not then I wouldn't be too concerned. I feel the doctors are very quick to put babies on all these different medicines and they diagnose every baby who spits up with reflux, when it might not be the case.
As for the milk allergy, I wouldn't switch formula in a few months. If the stool comes back without any blood, I wouldn't take the chance and switch. I kept DD on the Neocate for over a year because I was afraid to try regular milk. I also had her tested again after a year to see if she was still allergic.

Message edited 1/7/2009 6:02:14 AM.