Cow's Milk Protein Allergy in 10 week old

[Witchypoo]

Has anyone else been in my situation? My 10 week old DS has a suspected allergy to cows milk protein. He is fully formula fed and failing to thrive. We are struggling to get him to take any of his formula. He has reflux and horrible colic. Due to the time of the year we are also struggling to get him some help and are expected to wait a month to see a Paed!!! We may take him to the Children's Hospital tonight. We are at our wits end. He is in so much pain all the time. I feel so sh*t that I have inflicted this on him by not being able to breastfeed.

[cindye]

My DD2 and newborn DS are both cows milk and soy protein intolerant. My DS is 6 weeks old and since before he was born I vigilantly eliminated all dairy and soy protein from my diet so I could breastfeed. He still needed to go onto reflux medication at just a week old and is now on 2 different reflux medications to try and get it under control. It's really hard work having a reflux baby. Is your little one on reflux medication? Have Dr's prescribed neocate?

[cindye]

And GBH- you haven't inflicted ANYTHING on him, so stop thinking that for even a minute!

[Witchypoo]

Thanks for the reply. He is on nexium for the reflux and has been for 9 days now but I'm seeing no improvement. In fact he is getting worse. I went to the GP today and all she wanted to do was prescribe me anti-depressants! I said that I thought I had a legitimate reason for being depressed and wanted help with that but she wouldn't help. After ringing my MCHN crying she rang around and spoke to a Paed at the local hospital and he said he thinks it sounds like Cows milk allergy and he has given me his pager number and even though he is booked solid attending caesars tomorrow he will fit me in somehow. What a great guy! I'm praying a prescription formula will help.

[cindye]

Good luck tomorrow- the prescription formula will help if it's an intolerance and allow his gut to heal. It should also help with the refluxing.
Does he have mucus at all in his poo? If he has, mention that at your appointment, as it is a symptom of intolerance.
My 2yr old DD had terrible cows milk and soy protein intolerance (which is why I eliminated them BEFORE my DS was born) and reflux and it took us 4 months of 6+hrs screaming everyday before we got her reflux under control. At around 3 months she was losing weight, refusing to feed and pooing blood. Her poo was always bright green and mucousy too. Have a read of this and I'm sure you'll be nodding along. http://home.vicnet.net.au/~disa/GOR%20Baby.html
You're not alone, I promise this time will pass. But the key is getting some good medical support- don't accept no for an answer! Let us know how you get on tomorrow, and if you need any help feel free to pick my brain!

[insanity]

DS was exactly the same!! I could of written your post word for word! The paed put him on Neocate formula and i have had a new baby ever since! Your gp could give you a script for it.. it doesn't have to be from a paed. It's definitely worth a try!

[Cue]

I know exactly what you're going through. At 11 weeks old we went to Westmead children's hospital and refused to leave without answers. We saw a great pead, got a diagnosis and script for Neocate, changed her reflux meds to losec and within a week we had the happy baby we knew was in there.

DD was breast fed and I had to wean her which was traumatic at the time, but so worth it to get a happy baby. Her reflux is gone now (and she's off the meds) and she's gaining weight.

Don't hesitate to push hard. Go to the hospital if you need to.

I think Neocate does need to be prescribed by a paed though - it's on the PBS and they have to get a special authority for it so you can get it subsidized. Our paed just has a script aside for us so I don't need an appt to get it next time.

ETA - the pead at the hospital had to get his script pad out of his car for the Neocate, apparently they can't prescribe it in the ED. So frustrating that it's so hard to get!

[lovelymum]

My DS had a dairy protein intolerence when he was a bub. For the first 6 months of his life he cried, he fused with his feeds, eventually refusing bottles alltogether and also had chronic constipation. We were referred to a specialist at the childrens in Melbourne (Katie Allen I am sure her name was) and she gave me a script for Neocate - the change was instant and my miserable baby went on to be a very happy little man. He eventually outgrew the intolerence but even now at nearly 8 he is not keen on dairy food as it still upsets his tummy. We kept him on neocate until he was around 2 yrs old. Dont beat yourself up about not being able to breastfeed, the specialist advised me that babies with dairy protein intolerence do not tolerate breast milk either as human breast milk has the same type of proteins as cows milk, neocate has no dairy or soy component.

Good luck with the Pead, hope he is able to help - what a champ!!

[Alimia]

Has anyone else been in my situation? My 10 week old DS has a suspected allergy to cows milk protein. He is fully formula fed and failing to thrive. We are struggling to get him to take any of his formula. He has reflux and horrible colic. Due to the time of the year we are also struggling to get him some help and are expected to wait a month to see a Paed!!! We may take him to the Children's Hospital tonight. We are at our wits end. He is in so much pain all the time. I feel so sh*t that I have inflicted this on him by not being able to breastfeed.

I was in the same situation with my ds when he was about 5 weeks. Don't hestitate, take him up to the hospital and get the medication started as soon as possible. Make sure the Paed prescribes him neocate and Losec. Don't take no for an answer. I feel your pain, it's absolute hell to go through for everyone.

[mummyjac]

Hi there,
I am going down the same road for the third time. Both my other boys did well on neocate, I am currently BF and avoiding dairy,soy and wheat. I feel for you. I think with the neocate you should notice a big difference.
Good Luck!