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Allergies and intolerances

Confirmation that 6mo is allergic to CMP, nuts and egg - feeling a bit overwhelmed.

12 replies

gretagrape · 27/09/2013 17:04

Hi. Background is as follows:

Our son was diagnosed with suspected CMPI at 8 weeks while being BF - I cut out dairy and we started to see improvements but ended up moving to Neocate after 10 weeks because there seemed to be reactions to other (unknown) substances.

We had our 1st appt at the allergy clinic today and it's been confirmed that he is allergic to CMP, peanut and egg - the amount of substances tested was limited due to the size of his arms so there may be other allergens found later down the line.

To be honest I think I've spent the last 4 months deluding myself that the improvement in his symptoms might just be down to him maturing rather than there being any definite allergies, and today has knocked me for six.

I really don't know how I'm going to cope - I am pretty disorganised at the best of times (going out without his changing bag and having to wrap a flannel round his legs until we got home, looking up from a nappy change to find him stuffing a cotton wool ball in his mouth - I could go on) and I know I'm going to have to somehow become Little Miss Efficient to keep on top of things now. I'm also not a great cook - I do cook from scratch every night and things are passable but I'm feeling a lot of pressure now that I'm going to have to pretty much make sure that everything he eats is home made (especially treats/snacks, and it's baking that I'm worst at) and not contaminated by anything that's going to make him ill.

I'm not sure if I'm looking for advice or what really - how have you coped? Have you found any cookbooks with good, simple recipes that have been invaluable to you? How did you become super-organised if you were previously a scatterbrain?

Sorry to ramble on. Also, he's positive for cat fur (which has caused mild eczema) and we have a cat - I can't get rid of her as I know this sounds stupid but she was pretty much my lifeline when I had a serious health problem a couple of years ago and couldn't leave the house, and I feel like if I get super-organised and super-clean then I can convince my husband that it's ok to keep her.

Thanks
x

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freefrommum · 27/09/2013 19:45

Hello gretagrape and welcome to the not-so-wonderful world of allergies Grin. I remember very well being in your position over 5years ago and I too felt totally overwhelmed especially being the worst cook in the world and prefering to live on ready meals or eating out. I know it's a cliche but it really will get better and you will adapt. It's amazing what you can get used to. People always say to me "I don't know how you do it" but the simple fact is I have no choice. My DD was also diagnosed as coeliac just over 2 years ago so that was something else to get my head around. I was floored to start with but now it's just part of everyday life. DS is allergic to milk wheat eggs and nuts so I can offer some advice on foods etc, just give me a shout. For now just try not to get too stressed with it all and give yourself chance to get your around it all x

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gretagrape · 28/09/2013 12:29

Hi - thank you for your post. I know there are others dealing with a lot worse, but I guess what's scary is knowing that being dozy and forgetful and a bit slap-dash about things isn't an option anymore - when you're not naturally organised it's unbelievably hard work to do things properly every single day, and there's always something happening that I can't believe I was stupid enough to do!

I guess yesterday was pretty full on, and while our son is still on the puree stage I've got a bit of time to work out the best way of organising myself.

Were there any cookbooks/sites that you found really helpful, or did you just pick out things from various books and then just learn to adapt recipes as time went on?

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eragon · 28/09/2013 14:18

take a deep breathe this is a lot of new information to process. Take one day at a time, and things will get easier in some ways.
I am so pleased that you have got some decent medical help so far when your baby is so young.

most of us parents on this page have been there and struggled with something new to add to increasing allergy lists.

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gretagrape · 28/09/2013 15:17

Thanks - I've seen on here how long some people have to wait for referrals/diagnosis etc, so I am grateful that we have been able to get this far already because it means we have the information we need at the very beginning of weaning.

I've already booked my Mum for some baking lessons over the next few weeks so being able to make an edible cake that doesn't weigh us down like a breeze block will be a good start!

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JohFlow · 28/09/2013 15:25

Hi OP - my son (now 10 years) was diagnosed at 18 months with milk, egg and house dust mite allergies after a very difficult start to feeding. I understand every stage of what you are going through and about products, cookery and social stuff around handling allergies. I am here for longer-term support should you need it. Just shout out...

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JohFlow · 28/09/2013 15:27

oh and son has eczema too

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superoz · 29/09/2013 23:34

Hi gretagrape. Your situation sounds very familiar to mine 5 years ago with dd, she is allergic to dairy, egg, nuts, fish and has eczema - trust me, it might not seem like it at the moment but it will eventually get easier.
At home I cooked meals from scratch, I found a few really good recipes in Annabel Karmel's Baby and Toddler Meal Planner. Another book I have is How To Cook for Food Allergies by Lucinda Bruce Gardyne, it has some very helpful advice on substituting ingredients in recipes. Generally I replace butter and milk with dairy free alternatives.

As far as treats go, I found a lot of the stuff for dd in the baby aisle section of the supermarkets. At first it involves a lot of standing around label reading but it soon becomes part of the shopping routine. I only really do baking when I have the time so if you are busy don't stress about it.
If you keep your dc's room a fur free zone and ensure the cat doesn't go into it that might help. Make sure your vacuum cleaner is one that picks up pet hairs.

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gretagrape · 30/09/2013 10:27

Thank you all of you for your support and for confirming that normal people can cope with all the complications that allergies bring!

I am feeling much better about things now, partly because we started our son on solids yesterday and it was so exciting to see him loving a bit of pureed carrot. It really helped to put things in perspective - yes it's going to take effort but seeing him eat for the first time made me feel much more positive about the journey he is now on.
x

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freefrommum · 30/09/2013 16:17

That's great to hear gretagrape. It's all too easy for food to seem like the enemy when there are allergies involved but we must try to remember that food can be a joy, even for those with multiple allergies. It's about striking the right balance between keeping your child safe while letting them explore different foods and learning to love new flavours and textures. Oh the joy of finding a new 'safe' food that your LO can eat :)

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babybarrister · 01/10/2013 21:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Tournesol · 04/10/2013 13:34

Hi greta I could have written your post 3 years ago (well apart from the stuff about not being organised as I am a bit of a list-writing freak!).

My DS (now 3.5) is allergic to dairy, egg, nuts and sesame and cats! At the time we were told we had two much-loved cats. Ever since he was born my son had a runny nose and it was down to the cat allergy so we took the heart-breaking decision to re-home our cats.

Luckily we found a really great happy family for them and it was the right thing to do because DS's runny nose cleared up right away and my eldest sons eczema also got so much better without the cats.

Fast forward to six months ago and we also have had an asthma diagnosis for DS and I feel so glad we got rid of the cats when we did because I am sure it would have made his asthma so much worse.

I guess the point I am trying to make is to not rule out getting rid of the cat. I know it is so hard (especially as you said about the cat really helping you through tough times) but if it is detrimental to your son's health then I think you've got to do it. (sorry if this sounds harsh but this was what the allergy doctor said to us and much as it hurt, it was the right thing to do).

Good luck, you really will surprise yourself how soon it all becomes second nature.

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gretagrape · 04/10/2013 15:01

Hi Tournesol - thanks for your post. It is something that is in the back of our minds all the time and if it came down to it then obviously our son would be the priority in terms of bed space!

I am feeling a lot more positive about things after last week - weaning is going brilliantly, although I think he is turning into a right little piggy already, so that's helping us to focus on the positives of him exploring the world of food.

We have an appointment at the hospital again next week so we are going to try and get more info - I think part of the problem is that we have no idea how serious the allergies are or even what we should do if he does come into contact with anything that causes a reaction. We were basically just told to avoid them and come back in May for more tests. Much as doctors hate having the internet quoted at them, my experience so far is that they skimp as much as they can because they know you'll go away and do half their work for them with the help of google!

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