Reflux and cows milk allergy / intolerance - a link?
Did you know that a lot of babies/children with reflux also have a cow's milk allergy/intolerance?
Act Against Allergy say that 42% of infants with reflux disease have a cow's milk allergy. You can read more about this link by visiting their website: http://www.actagainstallergy.co.uk/aaa_couk/650-diseases-linked-to-cow-m...
If you are concerned that your childs reflux may not be improving due to a link with milk allergy/intolerance then you could talk to your consultant about trying a special formula (e.g. Neocate), or about trying a dairy-free diet if you are breast-feeding or changing your childs diet if they are weaned.
Before changing your diet or your baby's/childs I'd strongly recommend seeing a dietician as they can help ensure you and your child get the right nutrients - especially things like calcium. Your GP or consultant should be able to help with this. It isn't recommended to alter a baby's diet without medical supervision/advice.
Excluding dairy (and a few other things) from our two sons diets has certainly improved their reflux symptoms.
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my nine month old daughter lily has severe silent gord and it has resulted in her having a feeding tube for the last five months. she has related the pain with feeding and refuses both milk and any solids. has anyone else experienced refusal to this degree?
Hi,
My 4 month old son has had this since two weeks old and was recently hositalized for two weeks and tube fed. The doc's were a bit baffled in the end and we decided to start weaning him onto rice just to put something more solid into his stomach. It was a battle as I went to A&E several times and to my GP and they fobbed me off with colic and nothing they can do, in the end he stopped feeding and started to lose weight and I took him to A&E again and refused to leave till they did something. They have put him on Neocate milk and the highest dose of Omeprazole and domperidome. I have seen a slight improvement in him but still get's pain and screams at the top of his lungs. I have to say it's been the hardest 4 months as at times his screamig has pushed me to my limits and I am disgusted that no-one would listen to me. My 2yr old daughter was prem and has vomiting reflux and still has it so is still on her meds, but that is allot easier to deal with then the silent reflux. I don't have many tips other then I hope our children grow out of it, but I certainly know what you are going through and it makes everyday life so much harder.
Hi,
Have you tried any of the specialist dairy-free milks with yoru baby? or if you are breastfeeding, have you thought about trying a dairy-free diet yourself?
Your babies GORD may be nothing to do with dairy at all but may be you could ask your consultant about this link which is becoming more recognised by the medical profession?
I wish you luck and I hope your baby improves. There is nothing worse than seeing yoru child suffering. My 2 sons suffered a lot and my eldest had both food and drink refusal for a while and suffered from weight loss and dehydration on and off. we now seeing the feeding team at great ormond street.
I hope this helps,
Kitty
Hi
Your story is very much like our own in that when are boys were young we kept going to doctors/A&E and really struggled to get anyone to recognise how much pain they were in. One of our sons had silent reflux and one had severe projectile vomiting with their reflux. We recently found out that their reflux was a symptom of another gut condition called EGID and now their are receiving the right treatment they are improving.
When they scream and cry in pain it is awful - i felt like it was torture. I just wnated to do something to help but couldn't. I am sure your baby will improve with time but if he doesn't then dont' be afraid to keep pushing for another opinion. It took us 4 years to get to great ormond street for another opinion, but thank goodness we did as they gave us the answers we'd been desperately looking for.
good luck,
Kitty