Milk protein allergy moms... transitioning to milk from specialized formula

DS was diagnosed with milk protein allergy at 6 months. He has been on Nnutramigen since then. He is now 12 months and the ped. told me to gradually try to introduce dairy starting with yogurt and then gradually adding milk to the formula (i.e. whole milk at an ounce a time). He does fine with the yogurt and milk in terms of the crying. There is no more gas, screaming, etc. like there was before. However, I am noticing a rash on his stomach and he is pooping more and it's much more soft and stinkier. (However, i thought this was a good thing because on the Nutramigenh, his poops were very hard and dark.)

He drinks about 5-6 oz. a feeding and I've been afraid to give him more than 3 oz. of milk to the bottle because of the rash and he was getting a really bad diaper rash because of all the poop... it seems like it is more acidic or sometihng because his bum is so red.

thoughts? experiences? would you go back to ped. or just gradually keep adding milk until we're at a full bottle and see what happens? he doesn't seem to be in any pain... just small rash and poo.

Re: Milk protein allergy moms... transitioning to milk from specialized formula

My two boys have a milk protein allergy, one 23 months the other 3 months. My older one gets a rash around his mouth when he has a reaction to a food but it's weird because he can eat cheese and not get a reaction but he will have cream cheese or yogurt and have the rash. They are like red dots around his mouth and chin. At a year, instead of trying milk since I knew the allergy was still there from other foods we did a trial and error on and from going to the pediatric allergist to confirm the allergy, we went with almond milk at the advice of a pediatric nutritionist we saw. I just wanted to make sure how to make sure he got all the things he needed since he can't have milk as well as eggs and certain nuts. For a milk substitute she suggested either Elecare, soy milk or almond milk. We tried Elecare and he wouldn't touch it not even with chocolate in it. I didn't want to do soy with all the hormone hoopla surrounding it so we went with almond milk.

My 3 month old hasn't been tested by our ped allergist for the allergy yet because testing can be inconclusive before a year but I had to stop nursing for 2 weeks when I was in the hospital in May and my husband gave him regular Enfamil. He instantly developed a terrible diaper rash, almost bleeding it seemed. DH tried everything on it and it wouldn't budge. He didn't mention it to me at first because I was really sick and not home and he just thought it was a regular rash but when he did bring it up I kind of thought that maybe it was the formula, it being milk based and all and seeing that DS#1 has a milk allergy, DS#2 could as well. DH called the ped and he agreed and told him to try alimentum and the rash went away instantly.

My point is.... for my boys with the milk protein allergy... diaper rash and rashes on the skin were all reactions to the milk and it sounds like your DS is experiencing the same thing. I would think he is still allergic and maybe see what your other options are instead of the milk and I would stop giving the milk and see what happens. I don't know if you see a ped allergist already or not but mine is WONDERFUL and he was recommended on here over and over again that is how we found him. He is in Commack and we are in Amityville, far but def worth it and we don't go often at all so it's not a big deal. The nutritionist we saw at Good Sam and she was amazing as well. I must have asked her a million questions, was there for a whole hour just talking about food choices for my DS and making sure he got all the nutrients that he needed and I was never rushed or made to feel stupid. She had materials printed out for and wrote everything down that we discussed which was great because we talked about so much there was no way I would have remembered it all. I didn't even ask her to do that, she just did it.

Re: Milk protein allergy moms... transitioning to milk from specialized formula

thank you so much!!!!!

would you mind FMing or posting the name of allergist?

Re: Milk protein allergy moms... transitioning to milk from specialized formula

bump... anyone else?

Re: Milk protein allergy moms... transitioning to milk from specialized formula

I personally wouldn't add the milk. Diahrrea, vomiting or rash suggests the allergy. My DS has the milk protein allergy and I think the soy too still.

I am reposting this from a similar topic I responded to---We are still questioning if he outgrew it. He was diagnosed at about 3 weeks with the milk allergy (blood in stool). Didn't respond to Nutramigen (the enfamil line of Alimentum). Then went on Neocate (the amino acid formula). It still took another month to get the blood out and because the ped expected better results from him (quicker), we ended up at a GI. He cried A LOT during the first 3 months.

The GI suggested trying yogurt at 10M because many grow out of it...he vomited.

We just had an allergy skin test at 12M (DR. SHAH in Shirley). Nothing came back positive, so the allergist suggested that he may be lactose intolerant--which he said can cause blood in stool and vomiting. Well we tried Lactaid and he vomited!!! (Suggesting the milk allergy is still there and it's not a lactose intolerance). We tried a blood test (the allergist told us it was more accurate)...but they couldn't get enough blood out of him.

So...then we tried soy milk. 2oz. on 4 diffferent days (we did 2 days, waited a few days, then did another 2 days). And both times he ended up with red bumps under his mouth, which suggests he is allergic.

The ped suggested we just say on Neocate for now. Gave a prescription for the todder version.

Good luck!!

Re: Milk protein allergy moms... transitioning to milk from specialized formula

Thank you everyone! Went to ped. back to nutramigen and am going to try rice milk until blood work comes back! Thanks!