milk allergies

[veggiemom22]

I was wondering if anyone here has kids who are allergic to milk. I've read that allergic reactions to milk can be the cause of things like excessive runny noses, excema, ear infection, constipation, and respiratory infections. My son, who's almost three, had/has alot of these problems and I'm wondering if they could have possible been related to milk. Up until about a month ago, he drank whole milk and that was all he drank, no juice or anything, so he was consuming alot of it. He always gets sick in the winter with colds, ear infections, and croup. I always thought it was just because he was around other kids at daycare but, now I'm not so sure....he also was diagnosed as having mild excema, which has been getting alot better but, that might just be due to the warmer weather, not necessarily the recent lack of dairy products.

Anyway, does anyone know if there are any medical tests to prove one way or the other if he has a milk allergy? One reason I ask is because he's going to be going to a new daycare (as a vegan) next month and they say they only provide "special" meals to kids with a doctor's note saying it's absolutely necessary.

I'm kinda worried about having to deal with people's reaction's to what I do/don't feed him. Obviously, this is all pretty new to me so any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

[PikkuMyy]

I was allergic to milk - mine manifested as horrible eczema. I know others who have reacted in ways that you mentioned. You can have a blood and skin test done to show allergies. But you could also cut it out and see if it helps. Do you have a Ped who would be willing to write such a note for daycare food based on your experimenting?

[Christa]

My kids don't have any dairy allergies that I am aware of, but my older one has mild allergies to lentils, peas & almonds. When she was a baby, her eyes would swell up & she would get red spots on her skin whenever she ate them. We had skin allergy testing done b/c I wasn't sure what was causing the problem, but it was pretty traumatic for her. They had to poke her all over her back with potential allergens to get them under her skin. She was laying on my lap with blood running down her back screaming.

Fortunately her allergies seem to have become more mild as she has gotten older & the aforementioned foods only cause her lips to itch now. We do still avoid them for the most part, though b/c who wants itchy lips?! Anyway, I'd only do the skin tests if you really have to so that you don't traumatize the little guy.

I do have a rather severe milk protein allergy myself. My entire intestinal tract swells up & hemorhages if I eat anything with casein in it. Being vegan, that isn't too hard to avoid, but I am pretty careful. I had RAST tests done to pinpoint the allergy for me. That is a blood test which determines your IgE response to particular (food) allergens. It wasn't too traumatic for me, but your son may not have a protein allergy, maybe just an intolerance & that would not show up in a blood allergy test.

I'd go the route of seeing if your pediatrician would write a note based on your observations that dairy causes health ails for your son. Reassure the ped that you are going to be replacing calcium, etc. in his diet & give him/her specific examples & maybe s/he'll be cooperative.

Is the daycare going to give you a problem about no meat w/out a note that he is "allergic" to meat?

[alexis]

I'm allergic to milk protein. If I eat or drink anything with caesin in it, my nose will get all runny and blocked at the same time, I'll be coughing up phlegm or I'll get a really, really bad stomach-ache and diahorrea. Sometimes, caesin will cause rashes or eczema in me, like that one time in high school when a friend gave me sour cream potato chips, I ended up with huge, lumpy rashes all over my legs for a couple of months. I have not needed to see a doctor for my allergy, mainly because no one wants me to be cursing at them when the rashes break out after they've forced milk down my throat. But won't your son's day care have some sort of form for you to sign and fill in informing them about what your child can and cannot eat WITHOUT a doctor's slip? When my cousins go to nursery school, my aunt always has those forms and they never required a doctor's note. But I think any doctor would be happy to write a note for you if you'll let them know about it.

[vegma]

My son is allergic to milk protein. We began noticing blood in his stools when he was about a month old. He was exclusively breastfed, so I cut all dairy out of my diet (took a while to educate myself and find the "hidden" dairy!!). We went to a specialist at a children's hospital when he was a few months old, and the doctor took one look at him, and said "keep on doing what you're doing!". In any case, ds is 4 1/2 now and his dairy allergy prompted my family's conversion to veganism:)

[veggiemom22]

Thanks for the replies everybody:)

I'm gonna be meeting with the daycare manager soon and will see what happens with it then. They did have a form where they asked for the foods that he's not allowed to eat but, on a different form it said that the child would not be given "special" meals by the center unless they are medically necessary. So, I'm thinking I'll just be stuck having to pack a luch everyday for him and they should be pretty accepting of that. The manager and my son's pat. grandma are friends so I shouldn't get too much flack from the daycare workers about his "alternative" diet/lifestyle. I was just getting a little worried from reading everyone's bad experiences with schools, family members, etc. regarding raising a kid vegan. Luckily I don't have any problems with family members, his dad and pat. grandmother are veg and my family is very open minded when it comes to veganism. However, I'm REALLY NOT looking forward to have to go over what he does/doesn't eat and why with all his future teachers, not to mention other kid's parents, and wonder whether or not they're going to judge me or call CPS on me. Am I being irrational or is this something I should get used to and just be prepared for??

[Erin Pavlina]

Get Raising Vegan Children in a Non-Vegan World if you don't have it already. All of your worries are addressed in the book.

Here's a link for info on the book.

Click here (http://www.vegfamily.com/raising-vegan-children/index.php?src=vfforums)