2 Sons With Food Allergies?

[rysmom]

Hi everyone! I first want to thank everyone who has helped me throughout the years with my first celiac son. Your info has been a true lifesaver! He has been gluten free for 3 years now and I feel confident in the gluten free lifestyle or at least I thought I did :-) until son #2 came along....DS2 is now 1 year and I think I am having food allergies with him as well. I am not so sure that they are gluten issues but b/c you have all been so helpful & knowledgable in the past I was hoping for the same this time around....TIA and thanks for listening!

When ds2 was newborn, he was diagnosed with having milk protein and soy protein allergies and had to be put on Similac Alimentum formula. Once he started that formula it was like I had a new baby, no more crying...just a happy happy baby. At about ten months old, we started to wean him off the Alimentum and onto Similac Sensitive. The doctor said he should have outgrown his "sensitivities" and will be fine. Before this, we were beginning to feed him solid foods, of course. However, with solids we were trying to avoid gluten just to be on the safe side but were not perfect.

I was noticing that glutenfree foods are not always softer foods so I began to get a little bit relaxed with ds2 about glutenfree and gave him more gluten. (ritz crackers, gerber graduates puffs, etc...)

Now, all of a sudden, we are noticing a horrible diaper rash. Not really more poopy diapers like w/ ds1. But, we immediately have taken ds2 off of all gluten. He has been gluten free for about 2 weeks now. The diaper rash is getting better but it is not gone. I am still worried. I am really thinking that it is the formula and he has a different allergy than ds1. I think maybe he is still sensitive/allergic to milk or soy or both.

I really do not know and that is why I am posting here. I wanted to get some advice and do some research before I bring him to the doctors. I always like to have my own knowledge on my side before blindly asking the doctors.....

Thank you for reading my post!

:-) Ry'sMom

[nmlove]

I'd go back to what you were feeding him before the problems started. He's a year so he really doesn't need formula, right? I breastfeed so I don't know how long formula goes for. Though I do know it's the main nutrition for the first year. What if you weaned him entirely off formula now or just go back to the original brand?

Then, slowly make changes. Add one type of food, not multiple that'll confuse results. Ritz crackers obviously have wheat but I'm sure they contain dairy or soy. Seems like any processed food contains one or the other! (I'm currently dairy/soy free because of breastfed dd.) For gluten, try Cheerios or some cream of wheat or something. Then after a few weeks (yes, I'd wait that long because I'd hate to start the process over!) try some soy or dairy. Keep it simple. Just a sippy cup of milk or soymilk (keep it plain so nothing else is interfering). If allergic, he won't need a large amount to bother him.

Good luck! By the way, 10 months isn't a magical number to outgrow a sensitivity. From what I understand it can take up to three years. And if it still bothers them at 3 chances are it's with them for life.