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First Signs of Dairy Allergy

personal experience

Date Posted: 4 May 2023

Child's age in this post: 2-6 months old

The events in this post took place in: late 2020 - early 2021


Hey there! Today, I'd like to share with you our experience when we first realised our child had a dairy allergy. Looking back, it was pretty much a "trial and error" approach, guided and supported by our paediatrician.

TLDR:

  1. The first detection of potential issues was through the baby’s stool, which had traces of blood and mucus.
  2. The diet of breastfeeding mothers may contribute to allergy-related issues in the baby.
  3. Go slow when introducing new foods. I recommend introducing one new food at a time over a couple of days for ease of monitoring.
  4. Contact your paediatrician or see a doctor immediately if there are any serious reactions!

First Signs - Baby's Stool

Around the time my child was 2-3 months old, I noticed mucus and traces of blood in her stool. She was exclusively on a breastmilk diet at that point. This was the first sign that something might not be right with her health. If you ever see something unusual like this, don't ignore it - it's always better to be cautious and consult a paediatrician as soon as possible.

Adjusting Mother's Diet

After discussing my baby's symptoms with the paediatrician, it was suggested that the issue could possibly be due to food-related allergies.

The doctor advised that my wife, who was breastfeeding, should eliminate a few common food allergens from her diet, such as dairy, eggs, and soy. It was a "trial and error" and very sad (for the mother) process, as the paediatrician wanted to wait until my baby was at least 12 months old before administering a skin prick test to determine the specific allergy.

During this "trial and error" period, it was crucial to pay close attention to any changes in my baby's health.

First Obvious Dairy Reaction - Yoghurt

After my child turned 6 months old and was ready for solids, I started introducing new foods to her diet. When it came to introducing yoghurt, she broke out in rashes, and her face swelled up minutes after her first spoonful.

This was my first clear indication that she had a severe dairy allergy. It was a frightening moment, but it made me realise the seriousness of the situation. I was advised to give her a dose of antihistamine to ease the swelling and rashes. The swelling and rashes subsided after 2-3 days.

From that point onwards, we had to keep her away from dairy until we could learn more about her condition.

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