Could my son have food allergies??

Question

he's 2 1/2 months old and i gave him Similac Concentrate in the begining. it gave him severe diareah. i switched to the wal-mart brand powder (b/c its cheaper) the diareah went away. He cries a LOT when he's on that brand though...like he has gas or cramps. i switched him back to Similac Powder (only b/c we can get it for free through the WIC program - we cant get the wal-mart brand b/c they dont have a contract with WIC). the diareah came back. i dont know what to do.

i have talked to my doctor about this, but they say just to keep buying him different formulas until i find one that suits him....I CANT DO THAT! my husband lost his job and its been hard even buying groceries for us and our other son (he's 15 months)

do i let him cry and be in pain or do i give him the stuff that gives him diareah?? i just dont know what to do.

Any suggestions? and PLEASE dont be rude....i have tried everything....

Answer 1

There should be an Isomil that is similar to the Similac one you're using. (It'd be like switching from Sprite to 7Up for the most part.) That should also be covered by WIC. If not, see if your doctor can write a prescription for the Wal-Mart brand stating it's medically necessary. (Because, if the Isomil doesn't help, it will be medically necessary!) The other thing is - Isomil and Similac have sales reps that call on the pediatric offices and give samples - ask for a recommendation of one to try (my advice would be Isomil Gentlease or Nutramigin) to try to alleviate your son's misery. If you find one that works, your pedaitrician can ask the rep to send you a case of it, along with coupons - or they can set you up for several cases, if there's a finanical need.

www.ross.com www.similac.com <--- links to the formula people to try to get an idea of which formula might help with your son.

To fix the gassy problem - over the counter drops call Mylicon usually help. Give it up to 3 times a day with feedings.

Good luck!!

Answer 2

WIC has a form that you can have doctors fill out for a prescribed formula....can be just about any brand including Carnation, Enfamil, and some that are not as popular....so if your doctor wants you to try different ones then he needs to fill this paper out for you.

Food allergies are kind of hard to diagnose in such a little one....my youngest daughter(now 2 1/2) is allergic to milk....BUT before we came to this diagnosis we went through several different kinds of formula before we ended up on Similac Alimentum and now she is on Neocate Junior...both available through WIC with a prescription.

Until you can get a prescription from the doctor I would give him the one that gives him diarrhea as it is obviously better than your little one being in soo much pain.

Answer 3

I had WIC for my children. I would ask the doctor about writing a prescription for WIC asking them to give your baby Isomil instead of Similac. The letter just needs to say that he is intollerant to the Milk-based formula. I needed to do this for all three of my children. He needs a different formula that is not milk based.

Answer 4

If your hubby lost his job, maybe you could qualify for food stamps..that way you could buy him the type of formula that will work for him. I would not give him the kind that gives him the runs, and I don't think you should give him the kind that gives him a stomach ache either. Go to your local human services office and apply for help. Even if you only qualified for a small amount, it would be enough to buy his formula. I am sure there is a kind out there that will agree with him. Also, try a Catholic outreach, maybe they could help you with some money for some formula until your food stamp benefits were approved. It is ok to ask for help when you need it, and know it is only temporary. That is what these programs are for.

Answer 5

I'm not quite sure what the "WIC" is, but could you contact them and inform them of your doctor suggestion you try different formulas? Maybe they could cover if they know it's medically necessary?.
Lot's of babies can be allergic to formula. Most of them are cows-milk based and this is where the major tummy upset can derive from. You might have more luck with a soy-based or Nutrimigen type.
I would also search online and see what coupons and free trials you can come across.

I'm not trying to be rude here either, but maybe you could try to breastfeed. I know of Moms who have never even had a baby and nursed an adopted one. If you begin to pump and follow some basic guidelines you could possibly do it and save your family thousands of dollars for the next 10mo or so...at least until your babycan have regular milk. if you're interested in trying, call you local La Leche League, they offer FREE telephone support and can offer you lots of helpful suggestions.
It really makes me upset, especially in your case of being in an income assisted situation, that you wouldn't have received more help to start breastfeeding. I guess our government makes too much money off of formula companies to jeopardize that, IMO.

Answer 6

I have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, I am now 27. I had these same symptoms as a baby. I wasn't diagnosed until I was 24. I have provided the link to read about this condition. I was diagnosed with a blood test followed by a colonoscopy. It is a treatable condition however, it is not curable. Good luck to you and your son.

Answer 7

One thing to consider, and I'm not sure it's possible, is breastfeeding. I'm not sure if you could still get your milk supply back, but it could be worth trying. It doesn't cost anything and it's great for the baby...if you have questions, try contacting your local la leche league. They want everyone to breastfeed, so they know a lot about it. Their website is lalecheleague.org