Soon to Be 6 Month Old Is Wheezing

I agree with the other women when it comes to soy milk? My son started with allergies around 6 weeks old. It started as eczema behind the ears oozing & cracking, his eyes looked like someone had hit him (dark circles all the time), croupy cough, although he was a very happy little boy. It was decided he might be allergic to milk products, so we took him off all milk for 2 weeks. We used goats milk instead of formula and had to really read all of the ingredients since milk is hidden in many, many products even those that say milk free. After 2 weeks we started to reintroduce milk slowly and it did seem to help however, he still had allergies to many other things like tree, grass etc. and later became asthmatic (wheezing) of which he did out grow.

If I had it to do all over again I wouldn't of wasted time with just his pediatrician, but I would of gone directly to a allergist since I think had we gotten the allergies under control we might not of had as much problem with the asthma. I wish you the very best.

I experienced similar reactions when my son was 2 years old. We stopped all dairy and wheat products and the asthma cleared up. I really think that unless you go to a food allergist, regular doctors are not going to have a clue. And I don't think the vegetables or fruits are the culprit. Iris Also learn infant massage from a certified instructor - it is incredible help to move everything through his little body and he will feel so much better.

It sounds like allergies to me. My daughter and I have seasonal allergies that make us break out in rashes that itch like crazy. Sometimes it looks like exzyma and sometimes it is hives. There is alternate testing for allergies. A clinic in Las Vegas that has helped me with my allergies. they found out what I was allergic to when all other traditional methods failed. They have a web site, nevadaclinic.com. If you are too far away they may be able to refer you to a place closer to you. The clinics Doctors are wonderful.

Hello A. -

I am a pediatric nurse and couldn't agree more with Karis - I think you have multiple issues and you have to work from the most serious to the least serious. Wheezing this time of year is VERY serious - even if he doesn't yet have a virus causing it, he could pick one up at the drop of a hat especially because his little system is already compromised. Please take him to be seen TODAY - Banner Desert, Scottsdale Shea and Phoenix Children's all have pediatric ERs that serve only children, so you are more likely to get in quicker and then once you are in, they know kids and aren't just an adult doctor trying to take care of kids. I personally work at Banner and I love our ER.

Second, I would immediately stop the soy formula. If he is unable to do a mild based formula, you can go and buy Nutramigen or Alimentum that are hypo-allergenic formulas. Soy is the number two largest food allergen, second to milk/dairy. Other big allergens are citrus, nuts, shellfish and gluten (wheat). Both of my boys have milk-protein allergy and so we have been through a lot of this. They both have Reactive Airway Disease as well and go through usually 1-2 wheezing episodes per year. My five year old has grown out of it and my two year old has not had any issues yet this year (knock on wood). My older has eczema as well - usually more in the winter and usually gets worse when it is dry. I am also a consultant with Arbonne and couldn't say enough about their baby line - We tried EVERYTHING (including steroid cream) and the baby line cleared it up very quickly and has kept it clear.

It is really hard to weed through all of these issues, but it definitely sounds allergy related - my only caution is that because you don't know for sure, you should be treating the wheezing VERY proactively and if that means going to the ER then you really MUST do that. Hang in there and feel free to email me with any questions.

T.

A.,

You need a new doctor. You doctor probably doesn't know what's wrong and is to prideful to say anything. First get rid of your doctor and find a new one. 2nd take your baby to the ER, There are very good doctors in the ER, especially here in Phoenix. Dont' second guess yourself, you are a mom and most of the times mom's know when there is something wrong. 3rd Don't just take your baby off of food, a good doctor, will do some tests and tell you what the problem is, and if you think it's food allergies, you can tell the Doc that. It could be so many different things, that are causing this. You may have black mold growing in your house, that is one of the symptoms. I had a similar problem when my daugther was collic, and my doctor kept telling me that there is nothing wrong, and it must be somthing I am doing. I changed doctors and found out that she was colic and what was causing some of it. You need a new doctor, Google it and find some pediatricians in your neighborhood, or ask the ER doc when you take you little one in.

G.

Hi Ashely,
You might need to take him back to the dr.'s so they can take some blood (that's how they do an allergy test on babies). My nephew had the same problem...and turns out he's pretty much allergic to everything under the sun!! :( Milk, soy, wheat, dogs, eggs, etc.,
This will be easier than trying to cut back foods and reintroduce. Keep me posted and Good luck :)
xoxoox

I am sorry that you are having such a difficult time. I know how frustrating it can be. You might check and see what kind of soap you are using on him. Many of the soaps have fragrance added and babies sensitive skin can't handle that. Arbonne is a natural, water based product line that is plant derived. There are no fragrances or man made chemicals added. Also the type of laundry soap you are using could have dyes in it causing the all over body breakouts. I would definetly have your son checked for RSV. I have never had a baby allergic to any foods but I am told it will take 24 to 48 hours to get all foods out of the system. I am still nursing and have to be careful what foods I take in. He could be allergic to soy. So you might stick with rice and oatmeal cereals and when you introduce a new food make sure that you give him that and only that for 48 hours before trying another new food. I introduced all of one color group first. So I gave peas for 3 days, then green beans for 3 days and so on.

I hope this helps, let me know how things turn out.

H.

I just read your question and although you seem to have received many good answers I will just quickly add mine. With my first son we had many of the same problems you are having with your son right now at about the same age. We did the soy formula as well and everything else in regards to allergies. I too finally took him off soy and put him on rice milk, he did much better after that. After going through the ringer with him and not knowing much being a first time mom after 2 1/2 years we finally found out he had asthma. All the things you are describing fit pretty well with that diagnosis. Even a little cold will go straight to their lungs and cause the wheezing, where most kids just get the cold symptoms and get over it. Eczema is also an outward display of asthma and that is the same thing my son experienced. I did a lot of research, went to different doctors, including an allergist and a hollistic doctor and had my son on many different meds for his conditions. For me personally I did not like all the medications knowing long term the side effects would probably end up being worse than the asthma and allergies themselves. Since then we have found some amazing products that have changed our son's life. He has been medication free and symptom free for over 4 years now. If you are interested you can email me (____@____.com) and I will let you know what we did. I would definitely keep up on the asthma symptoms, as they will continue and may get worse as he grows. Unfortunately you normally cannot get a child allergy tested until they are around 2 1/2 to 3 years old. Sounds like you are working hard though, keep up the good work.

poor little boy.. i know how you feel mom. My 1 yr old daughter has had similar things happen. She had the wheezing and a young age.. no asthma.. told me humidifier. i searched the internet... and they all said it would eventually go away... and it did. But it took a while. So just keep doing that, clean it every day. Now same thing with the skin. i am still dealing with it!!!!! She is allergic to just about everything. red patches around her face, eczema all over, and then she got a rash.. So this is what i do. First of all go buy Cetaphil liquid cleanser and lotion/cream.... it works!!! Also, buy hypoallergenic laundry soap and softener and wash EVERYTHING in it.. your clothes, blankets, sheets, stuffed animals... this really helped my daughter!! The patches on the face i had to get a prescription cream/ointment called TRIAMCINOLONE ACETONIDE CREAM... so ask the doctor about that.Also when my daughter was a my parents in texas, her eczema got sooooo bad she looked like a leopard because they smoked and it really flared her up. Now as far as food... i nursed until she was 11 months.. she couldn't have milk, so i tried lactose free... gave her diarrhea, so then we tried soy milk... made her rash worse, so now she is on rice milk(suggest by dr.) do not give your child rice milk! you cant give rice milk until they are older and the dr. says its ok. I would evaluate the soy milk and try something knew. Food wise... it takes a week to get out of the system. I stopped everything and only gave her peas and green beans. Then i added applesauce... and for 3 months i only gave her this... applesauce 3 times a day and then alternate peas and green beans. Once a week a give her carrots or sweet potatoes, only because she tends to turn orange pretty easy. Now the reason i give her applesauce at every meal is because to much greens will constipate children and so adding the applesauce and greens together kind of equal them out. However, my children have never taken formula, but i do know that sometimes some formulas along with greens really can constipate a child.(Thats how my nephew was when i baby sat him for a year).

Hope i helped ???

If he is wheezing that bad I would ask about using a nebulizer to see if that helps. You definitely have to be pushy when you are worried about your childs health. When my son was 7 months old we kept going in for a stuffy nose and they kept telling me it was allergies and wouldn't treat it. Long story short we ended up in the ICU for six days because he ended up with a horendous infection that they could have taken care of. My advice would be to do some research, ask a lot of questions, and push the doc to do something about it. The fact that you are going to a new doc is good too and getting a second opinion.

Has the doctor checked him for RSV? (where they stick a long cutip thing up his nose really far) My son got that as an infant and we had to give him breathing treatments with the nebulizer which help so much, it's so hard to see them sick!! And for the red spots if it could be really dry skin spots (my son also had and still gets) there is this little stick that looks like a mini deoderant made by Johnson and Johnson called Soothing naturals -soothe and protect balm. And you can find it at walmart and target by the baby lotions where they have the special stuff for cradle cap. It really helps for dry patches!
I hope your little guy feels better soon, I know how hard it is to see them uncomfortable!

Since he just had a cold, I would have him checked for asthma. If you see his abdomen pull in while he is breathing more than usual, get him to the emergency room. I have two sons that would have cold triggered asthma attacks.

Hi A., It sounds like maybe a combination of food allergies and a viral cold. Most likely, if your son is reacting to something, it is his formula. The ratio of their body weight to the ounces of formula that they drink at that age is so high, that he may be getting a mega dose of something he is allergic to. It is actually quite common for babies to be allergic to soy. If he is not allergic to milk, you could try switching him to a milk based fomula. But he probably is, that's why he is on Soy in the first place.

If he can't do milk-based, there is a hypoallergenic formula, that your doctor can prescribe for him. It is expensive, but it might really help. Second thing I might talk to your doctor about is a nebulizer to give your son some albuterol. This is an anti-inflamatory for the lungs. Athesmatics use it as a daily therapy. A few weeks of it might clear him up.

Third, he may just be topically allergic to something that you are using on his skin. Many of the baby products on the market have high levels of chemical fragrances and preservatives in them that can really irritate babies skin. The only products that I have found that clear up eczema is the Arbonne Baby Care line from Arbonne. I am a consultant, so you can call me if you would like to try it, or there are several consultants that advertize on this site, so you can contact one of them. I will send a personal message to you with my contact info.

You are doing the right thing in seeing another doctor. As a mom, you really have to be an advocate for your son's health. No doctor knows better than you do about your kids health. You have that mother's intuition, and the best thing you can do is listen to it. Just rule things out one at a time and you should have a solution soon. You are doing a great job!

K.

your son is quite probably allergic. absolutely. not all children can tolerate soy. if you started him on soy 2 months ago and the trouble began 2 months ago...i see a pattern right there.

his itchy skin and swelling and redness should be taken very seriously. it's showing outward signs of internal trouble. what if his throat is swelling and that's why he's wheezing?
skin rashes/ezcema is almost always a reaction to food. don't give him medicine for the ezcema/allergy, take away what's making him sick.

seriously, i would reconsider the soy and/or figure out what is making him so ill. why is he on soy? did he have an allergic reaction to regular formula or do you think it's healthier? don''t let the new doctor tell you the same things over and over again. if things don't change/improve obviously it is the wrong diagnosis and you need to explore other reasons.
poor little fellow! my heart goes out to both of you.
please let us know how he is doing!

Years ago when my infant son was in day care he was constantly getting colds. Almost everytime he would develope bronchitis. Once he had pnuemonitis. He did have wheezing,
but I don't remember if it was constant. I remember giving
him a dairy product once and it dripped down the sides of
his month and he got hives around his mouth. My pediatrician
put him on nutramigen (which is for infants with cow's milk
protein allergies). I don't believe he had bronchitis again.
I'm reading notes in his baby book and he was about five or
six months old when I switched to nutramigen. The pediatrician
also had him on asthma medicine, which didn't seem to help.
The nutramigen was a "miracle" formula for him!!! He was on
it until he was about 13 or l4 months old. Also, I didn't mention that he was on soy milk when all this started. He's
now 21yrs old.

I agree with you, that it is a food allergy and probably the formula. Trust your instinct not the doctor. I would also suggest finding a naturopathic physician if there is one in your area. They have a lot more training in nutrition and will get to the cause of the problem not just keep treating symptoms. Good Luck and keep us posted.

I would encourage you to see an allergist. My kids got in at National Jewish Hospital seven months ago. The one lived with severe eczema that has been clear since, and the other has breathing problems. They have doctors who can take care of both. Having someone who really knew what to do has changed my kids lives. The albuterol has been a life saver (literally) for my baby. He does not have asthma. We actually don't have a true diagnosis for him, but he is much healthier using it.
For my older son's eczema, we give him a 10-15 minute bath just before bedtime using Dove or Ivory (unscented) just before he gets out of the tub. Timing is everything with this according to our doctor. We pat him dry and put Vanicream on all over. You can ask for this at the pharmacy without a prescription. Target is the only chain pharmacy I have found that carries it on a regular basis. We can do Vanicream or a second bath whenever he needs it. Since starting this routine, we have had no eczema problems. When life gets busy, one or two nights back on the routine clears the eczema right up. I wish I had this info when he was your son's age. We could have avoided so many steroids, hydrocotizones, and antibiotics.

Hang in there. I think at this point changing doctors is a great next step. Our son was always happy in spite of his allergies and eczema. However, his personality is very different now that he is no longer in pain and uncomfortable. I wonder what he would be like if we had been able to get help sooner.

Ashely-
Hopefully by now you have some answers, but my suggesion would be the soy formula. My daughter is allergic to dairy, casein, gluten, soy, and nuts and a couple other random things. Your sons symptoms sound very much like food allergies. Just my opinion, but most traditional doctors don't really pay a lot of attention to food allergies. Not to knock pediatricians (I LOVE mine), but just my opinion.

Hi A.,
I have done alot of work around food allergies. Usually it takes at least a week if not more to notice any changes. I would definately try switching to a dairy-based formula or even goat's milk. I would suggest taking him to see a naturopath or homeopathic doctor as they have a more wholistic approach to healing the problem, not covering up the symptoms, like most M.D.'s unfortunately do. When I have tested myself for food allergies, I have taken myself off of everything I suspected and then added it back in, one at a time to guage my reactions. The most common allergies are soy, dairy, gluten/wheat, corn, tomatoes, potatoes, sugar, eggs, peanuts and strawberries. At 6 months, his diet should be pretty simple. Orange veggies (sw potato, squash), avocado's, bananas, and simple rice cereal. Good luck!

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this but have you discussed the possibility of some form of Celiac with your doc? This would be related to glutens...

I don't have experience with the symptoms you are describing, but have a bit of advice on introducing foods. Your son's doc should have told you this already, but here it is again... When introducing new foods, always wait 4 days before introducing another new one. The one new food alone should be fed at every meal for at least 4 days -- that way if your son has any allergic reaction to the food it will have time to show up and you'll know exactly what new food caused it. After 4 good days on any new food, you should assume he's fine with it. Then introduce another new food -- again, use 4 day rule. Just helps you to know how his little body is going to react to different things -- aside from allergies, also helps you monitor changes in poop (some foods may cause the runs, some may cause constipation, etc.).

Also, if you wind up needing to use a protolase formula, I would try Alimentum first. I've read many accounts of Nutramigen not working too well with many babies -- including mine. Both brands are expensive, (nearly $30 - 16 oz. can) so if one seems to work well for your son, check out Ebay auctions online. I buy my son's that way and wind up spending about $17 per can.

Good luck!

I cant help but to make some suggestions on what else he could be allergic to. Besides fruits and veggies that have been introduced, you should also take into consideration his skin products. For the eczema (not sure how it's spelled)there are lines of organic products, like calendula which should ease the irritation and dryness. I'm no expert but I think you should look into the products you're using on him as well. I hope he gets better asap.

With sincere regards,
L.

I would call the nurses at National Jewish and see what they think. They are the nation's best for children's food allergies, asthma and eczema. You don't have to be a patient to ask a question. The number is ###-###-#### (24 hrs a day).

They have helped me a lot with my son's eczema and food allergies. I couldn't believe it, but early on, he had a reaction to apples. I called that number and the nurse said she'd seen it before. That was really reassuring with something so unusual. He ended up having a lot of food allergies, eczema and asthma. We see a doctor regularly there now, too. If you don't live in the Denver area, I recommend finding an allergist and getting your son tested. Soy is a common allergy.

It is hard to say how soon the reaction will stop, if you are feeding him something he's allergic to. With us, the reaction was gone by the next day, but we also gave him children's Benedryl (your doctor can tell you the correct dose). Eczema takes longer to clear up. Our doctor at Nat'l Jewish thought it was very important to treat his eczema, so that we could see how his skin was reacting to food. The best way to treat eczema is with the wet pajama treatment, which is complicated, but I'd be happy to email it to you.

There is lots of new information for you right now, but it will get better as you learn what is going on with him and get help! :-) Lots of people will give you advice, but I would trust the experts. Sometimes even pediatricians will give you incorrect advice, because they don't have as much experience as allergists do.

Hey A.,
You poor thing!!! My girls have asthma and I know what you are going through with the wheezing. My one daughter at about 6 months old broke out into hives and a rash all over her body. Turns out she was allergic to eggs and wheat. She could breath fine, but looked really bad. When you start at the new Doc, explain everything to him/her and tell them to let you know if he looks like he is having an allergic reaction. If they say yes, make sure that the wheeze is unrelated to the allergy. As you probably know, an anaphylactic reaction is the last thing you want. If they cannot tell you with 100% certaintity that his wheezing is not allergy related, ask for an Epi-Pen Jr to have in case his throat starts to close up. I don't mean to scare you honey, but you can NEVER be to careful. My daughter out grew her allergy and she is fine now. Most children do out grow them so even if he is allergic, he should be just fine as he gets older.
Best of luck,
L.

Your son sounds like he has the classic symptoms of allergies/asthma. I have three children and all of them have both.

I switched to four doctors before being recommended to Phoenix Children's, the pulminary department. That department has completely changed our lives.

No matter what these pediatricians say, and believe me, I have heard it all from eating disorders to there is no way a 6 month old could have allergies and asthma yet. All of my children were hospitalized due to one breathing issue or another.

Phoenix Children's could not believe the diagnosis we had received. Please, please, please do whatever you can to save yourself heartache, time, and money and get an appointment there.

No matter what they say, it is NOT NORMAL for a child to have these symptoms...there is something wrong more than needing nose drops.

I hope this helps and good luck. This is my first winter without any hospitalizations or doctor's sick visits. It't truly amazing!!

Hi A. ~

Check into vaccines as well, if your kiddo has been getting any...

http://thinktwice.com/risk.htm

Good Luck.
:)

~J

My advice is to see Heide North a homeopathic doc that safely treats and finds the core of the problem.

G. Witty monitrice doula, CBE, LLG founder, and president of The Birth Connection

Hi A.! I know exactly how you're feeling. We had such a tough road at first with my little boy. He is now 16 months and doing great, but the first 9 months of his life were hard. It started with a fever at 3 weeks which got him hospitalized. Then bad rashes on cheeks, elbows legs and would ooze. Then RSV/brochitis at 4 motnhs and horible itching and stuffy nose all the time. My doctor also kinda brushed things off and didn't really help me at all even though I knew there was something else going on. I was breast feeding exclusively at the time so I had no idea it could be food allergies. Finally, I asked him for a blood test, and he was doubtful but decided to do it.

When he got the results, he called me himself because he was so surprised. They were off the charts for allergies to milk, soy, eggs, peanuts, and wheat. All of shich were a big part of my diet and he was exposed to all of them through breast milk. It was scary, but once we knew what was going on things got easier. We went to an allergist where they did the skin test just to confirm and it was the same results. We switched to a hypoallergenic formula called Neocate at 9 months and that helped a lot. It's expensive, but sometimes you can get your insurance to pay for it like I did.

My son wheezes a lot and it gets really bad with any changes to his environment. When he is sick, he lives on the breathing treatments of albueterol. Your situation sounds so similar to mine, but maybe he's just allergic to a couple things. I would certainly ask for a blood test from you doctor, and hopefully get some answers. Good luck!

You might want to take him in to the doctor and have him checked for Hands, Foot and Mouth Disease. It is spread in daycare care from spit and fesis. My son had it this year and he had the same reactions that your son is having. Does he have pimple looking marks on his hands, feet or face or in the mouth. This is another sign

I want to reiterate the comment about the soy - please don't do it- especially to a baby boy. But I don't really know about the goat's milk. It's the best for older kids, but does it have the same nutrition as formula? I don't know that answer really, because I breastfed. I would check into other formulas that maybe are lactose free? Anything is better than soy in my opinion, because it's not only a common allergy issue.

But also look into RSV, and if necessary, giving a nebulizer for a breathing treatment from your pediatrician. I prefer not to give my son pharmaceutical drugs if I can, but wheezing can be serious. Good luck!

A.,
I would recommend adding an essential nutrient to your son's diet in his formula or baby food that will support his Immune function. Check out www.glycostory.com and put in allergies in the search line, and then please contact me and I'll be happy to get you more information on these essential missing nutrients. My experience has been overwhelmingly positive. Look forward to hearing from you,
C.
____@____.com
or contact me at www.cells2skin.com

Hi A.,
Sorry to hear about your son's health issues. My daughter experiences silimar symptoms (stuffy or runny nose, eczema, diaper rash) when I eat certain foods (these allergies all occur through my breastmilk). This all started for her around three weeks old. The rashes and eczema got so bad we had to take her into the doctor who only perscribed two treatments of cetaphil a day, and said little about a change in my diet. I finally found a book that mentioned the interrelationship between hay fever, eczema and asthema, and how often if a parent has one it will manifest in their child as any one of those three. The way I treated it was by obstaining from the 5 major allergens for children; dairy, soy, fish, eggs, and wheat. Lucy's eczema and rash completely dissapeared. I slowly added one food back at a time, waited for a reaction which usually took 1 to three days to emerge, and then went on to the next food. The same thing happend to another friend of mine's little boy. This was through her breastmilk as well. The story is very similar except his symptoms didn't show up until he was about 5 months old. I hope this helped you out. Good luck.
Sue

Hi A.-

My name is A.. I'm from Phoenix, but now live in New Zealand and one of my girlfriends just signing me up to Mamasource. I own a natural health clinic in NZ and thought maybe I could help you.

We see alot of kids with food allergies, eczema, swelling of joints and body parts and a huge array of other ailments. Because you said this all started after a severe cold your son had a bad cold at day care, my advice is to go find a really good classical homeopath. From my exper
ience with Homeopathy, it's very likely that all of the symptoms your son is presenting are related. To the untrained eye, they may appear separate, and conventional doctors will treat them as such. This may be why the remedies you have tried this far are not the correct antedote.

Homeopathy is widely used around the world as natural, safe, effective treatment whose results can be astonishing.

I have two kids, 10 months and two and half years, and we use homeopathics as our first type of remedy if they are not well. The homeopathic medicines have had a huge impact not only on physical problems, but (again from an untrained eye) seemiongly unrelated symptoms and emotional states, ie. acting really need, destructive, pathetic, angry, waking alot in the night, etc.

Sorry I can't recommend someone particular as I am not based in Phoenix anymore. Best of luck on your health journey!

PS...try cutting out the soy foods as they can be linked to alot of problems. Try an organic goats' milk formula instead. You may have to shop around, but it's definitely worth it. Goat's milk is the most similar to breast milk and 8 times more digestable than cow's milk.

Take care and many blessings to you and your son,
A.

My nephew had some problems similar to this when he was a baby and the pediatrician put him on a nebulizer which seemed to help. He is almost six and still has to use a nebulizer whenever his allergies act up or the weather changes and causes cold/sinus problems.
Allergies are a great possibility especially if they run in the family. Not only could the food cause an allergic reaction, but the medicines may have an effect also. Try to find a reputable allergist who can tell you more specifically what is wrong (if there is indeed an allergic reaction). The allergist may also wish to do skin testing if allergies are suspected to be severe. Normally this is not done on such young people because it is not a pleasant test.
Good luck, A.. We'll say a prayer for you.

It could be the soy formula. My son had allergies to milk when I stopped nursing. Ask the doctor what you could substitute. I would also try switching laundry detergent to Arm & Hammer for sensitive skin or All Free. Both are good for anyone who gets skin rashes, or has lung issues that can be made worse by perfumes in regular detergents.

I would only introduce new foods one at a time, trying each one for 3 days. Here's a website with some guidelines: http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/infant/startingsolids.html

And here's one about food allergies in babies:
http://www.babycenter.com/0_food-allergies_12409.bc?artic...

Oh, honey!

Please, please, please take him off the soy. The British government issued a warning against the stuff years ago. It's very, very bad stuff! Especially for little boys--I just read that a baby gets --dose for weight--the equivalent of two birth control pills a day in estrogen from soy formula. I know it sounds strange, but try goat's milk. The doctors will all say that it lacks folic acid, but that's easily fixed with infant vitamin drops, which are a good idea anyway. All four of mine were weaned from me to goats milk, which used to be a common thing back before the formula companies got big and rich and spent millions on advertising. It's so much easier for a baby to digest than cow's milk--which is what other formulas are made out of--and I swear--all of my kids have done great on it! Best wishes and blessings to you.

Hi A.,
It definitely sounds like he is getting an allergic reaction to something. The key is to figure it out right away. It doesn't sound like your doctor is taking your concern too seriously so a different opinion is a great idea. Why is he on soy. I would read up on some of the concerns some parents have about soy. Also I would check everything in your house that is new - laundry detergent, diapers, cleaning products, air freshners. It could be anything that he is getting this reaction to. I would ask the daycare if they've recently introduced something new also.

Best wishes,
C.~
http://www.TotalWellnessInfo.com

Girl, find a new doctor and get a second opinion! I'm a mother of three and your symptoms sound like something that need to be evaluated. My 7 month old had RSV about a month ago... had a cold for about a month, never seemed to get over it, ended up wheezing. Everytime I took him into the doctor, she never seemed to be concerned, then we ended up in the ER in the middle of the night. I would recommend seeing if a flu/RSV nose swab test can be done. Atleast you could rule it out and. If you think it's food, just keep him off of it for awhile. At this age, solids are being used for learning rather than nurishment for the entire bottle. Good Luck and God Bless!

hi A. about the allergies i dont know much but about your soon's wheezing problem, my son was 3 mths when he started wheezing and doctor said it was rsv a virus that attacks the lungs check with your doctor on that cause it might be that virus, my son was given medication and he had to breath on a mask three times daily, good luck take care!

I would ask your doctor for a referal to have your son checked out by a allagery & ashtma specialist. I have a 5 year old that has bad allageries and when they kick in, it causes his ashthma to kick in too (wizzing). It never hurts to have him checked. They can run test to try to figure out what he might be allergic too.

It sounds like an environmental allergy. It almost sounds like a cat is in the house. Both of our babies throats close up around cats - wheezing, red spots, swelling - they can barely breathe. We can't even visit anyone with a cat. I'd get a blood test for allergies. I think there are 2 - one for food and one for environmental allergies (including animals). I also wouldn't rule out cleaners that have ammonia (like Windex). Even if it's in the other room, it will affect people with sensitive skin - red spots and swelling. Good luck!

Hi A.--

I would say definitely allergies. My son had very similar problems as a baby and I know how awful it is!!! First of all, hang in there.

Secondly, we have done everything naturally for my son. I found that western medicine, including National Jewish, did a lot of poking and prodding--blood tests, etc.--that I was not comfortable doing to my son. Also, the vanacream or other products suggested by these doctors have petroleum jelly in them--a product derived from gasoline. The eczema goes away because the pores get clogged so the substance producing the rash on the skin can no longer get out of the child's body. So no more rash, but now you have the toxic stuff still in the body, which to me is worse. Our doctor has a non-invasive diagnostic procedure to test allergies that takes less than an hour and can create a treatment plan based solely on your son's individual symptoms. He can test all products you use on him as well as food. I am about to give birth to our second child, and we are taking her in immediately to have her tested so we do not go through the same problems we experienced with our son.

I could go on and on but have found that some people are simply not interested in going an alternative medicine route. I do not want to push my beliefs on you--therefore, if you are interested I'm happy to explain further and give you the number for our doctor. Incidentally, my son is now 3 1/2 and is problem free and we never had to use any chemicals or prescriptions to treat him. Only natural products with no side effects.

Good luck and I am more than happy to speak with you further. I'd hate for you to have to go through what I did before I found help!

J.

Soy is a common allergen, and food allergies can manifest at any time, even after several months -- or years -- of doing fine with a particular food. Your doctor could order blood work to test for food allergies. (A skin "scratch" test typically is not accurate for "delayed" food allergies.) Or you could switch to a non-soy formula and see if it helps. Dairy is also a common allergen, however. There is an amino-acid based formula called Neocate. It is very expensive (insurance probably won't cover all the cost even if your doctor prescribes it) but it solved the problem when my son was an infant. (His allergies manifested as blood in the stool.)
You might want to reserve your plan of action for another week to give the fruits/veggies in his system sufficient time to clear, and then reintroduce one at a time and give it at least four days for each new one.
A blood test is the easiest way to go in the long run, although as a mom I'm sure you wouldn't be keen on a needle stick for your little guy. Don't settle for the "pediatric food allergy panel," which usually tests for about 6 foods. Go for the one that tests for 60-100 foods (depending on what's offered by that particular lab).
Note: I have no medical credentials, just experience with food allergies. Good luck!===============
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I take back part of my response. The pediatric panel would have to do for now, since foods your child hasn't yet eaten would simply show up as nonreactive (because of no antibodies in his blood). The pediatric panel would be a good jumping-off point and you'll just have to introduce new foods extra slowly and carefully. Get a wider foods panel done when he's older if he starts to show allergy syptoms and it's not immediately clear why. Keep in my allergy symptoms can include irritability/hyper emotionality and "brain fog," such as that would be for a child (difficult to tell, obviously), and reactions can be delayed for up to several days after eating a problem food.

you can ask your new doctor to refer you to a specialist who will test for a wide variety of food allergies. he may have become allergic to milk. i have several friends whose baby's became allergic to milk aroung 4-6 months old. also for the the excema, it's unfortunately just part of lving in colorado for the most part. my two kids get pretty bad excema every winter. what you can do for the skin is use a humidifier of course, also switch to an allergen free detergent like ALL free, i think it's called. also you can dress him in breatheable cotton clothing that is soft and won't irritate the rash, especially at night. eucerin cream works really well as far as lotions go. baby lotions are really bad for exema because of all the perfume and alcohol in them. giving oatmeal baths help releive the ithching as well. good luck with everything. i hope your new doctor is more helpful.

Hi A.!
In Denver we have a great resource called the National Jewish Medical Center--they are number one in the nation for treating respiratory and allergy problems. If you don't live in the area (and even if you do) you can call their "Lung Line" and speak to one of their nurses about his wheezing and allergy symptoms, etc. It's a free call, the nurses have tons of experience, and the number is 1-800-222-LUNG (5864).
Warm wishes to you both!!

Hi A.,

It seems more and more children are developing food sensitivity and food allergy. I'm hoping your little guy doesn't get consitpated with the loss of fiber, but it's always best to avoid the food/s that cause the rashes or symptoms. It may be an environmental allergy - do you have dogs or mold in the home? Babies are especially sensitive to mold, and you may not be aware of it in the house. Look under your sink, behind the washing machine etc.

There are a number of good allergy tests available to help you identify the foods or environmental allergy. The SW Rast (Sonora Quest, likely to be covered by your insurance) can rule out allergies to cat, dog, and grasses/trees that are native to our state. There are a host of food allergy tests: ImmunoLabs, Meridian Valley, Great Plains, etc. There are different immunoglobulins that these labs are testing for - IgE and IgG food reactions. The IgE are the most severe - like when you eat a piece of shrimp and you can't breathe. IgG reactions are delayed, and can be subtle or noticable like a rash. There is much debate among immunologists and allergists regarding these tests...however, I have found them to be invaluable to parents and children. Your insurance company may cover these tests...it just depends on the type of doctor that orders them, the lab, and your insurance. The tests can vary in price, some moms with autistic kids will use specialty tests that can cost $1000. I am personally very happy with ImmunoLabs, but they are a little pricy as well. An adult panel can cost $465, but I think the pediatric panel is less. Again, Immuno contracts directly with BlueCross, so you might get this paid for. You might try to find an integrative physician who is open to this type of testing. For example, Dr. Susan Wilder is an MD in Scottsdale who incorporates alternative medicine and theory into her practice. I'm not sure of other MD's in the West Valley.

Of course, it would be very important to have your child seen by a physician - wheezing can be from a number of different things, including valley fever, RSV, bronchitis, asthma, etc. A good work-up can put your mind to ease and have your son feeling a lot better!

I hope he starts feeling better soon!

R.

A., I am a mother of a 7 year old girl. I have done extentive research on allergies, due to my girls issues. It seems to me that your little one definately has some sort of allergies. I have two great practitioners I can recommend for those problems. First one is a Naturopath, her name is Anya Walewska, Tel. ###-###-####, or a Nutrionist, Kaaren Chinello, Tel. ###-###-####. They helped me and my daughter a lot. Good luck, B.

i have known many infants who have been allergic to soy. it is worth checking into. as far as skin issues, is your son hydrated? the best "medicine" for eczema is sesame seed oil, if you don't have any you can use olive oil. i have had eczema since i was a kid, baby oils don't seem to work, they clog pores and seem to leave skin dryer then before. sesame seed and/olive oil do work almost immediately. my kids have both inherited dry skin, i am constantly reinforcing them to drink and put oil on before bedtime. good luck!

A., i'M SORRY TO HEAR THIS ABOUT YOUR BABY, IT IS REALLY HARD WHEN THEY CAN'T TELL YOU THEMSELVES AND WE RELY SO MUCH ON DR'S THAT AS A MOTHER OUR GUT INSTINCT IS SAYING THINGS THAT DON'T ADD UP TO WHAT THEY SAY.ANYWAY I WENT THROUGH SIMILAR THINGS W/MY SON NOW 16YRS OLD HE WOULD THROW UP FORMULA SO THEY PUT US ON SOY IT WORKED FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS THEN HE DID IT ALL OVER AGAIN, HE THEN WAS TESTED FOR ASTHMA AFTER ALL THE TESTS WE DID, HE STILL HAS IT AND WE'VE GONE THROUGH MORE THAN I CAN TYPE TO YOU BUT WHAT I WOULD DO IS ASK FOR AN ALERGY TEST TO BE DONE AND WHY DID YOU PUT HIM ON SOY? DID THEY TELL YOU? JUST CUZ SOME POWDER FORMULA HAS THINGS IN IT THAT CAN REACT IN THEIR BODY, I WAS ALWAYS TOLD TO BUY PREMAID FORMULA IN BOTTLES, I THINK YOU CAN GET IT BBY'S R US A LITTLE MORE EXSPENSIVE BUT WORTH IT.. AND DON'T HESITATE TO KEEP ON THESE DR'S OR YOU WILL NEVER GET ANYWHERE IT TOOK 6 MO JUST TO GET US TO A SPECIALIST. HOPE THIS HELPS M.(BUCKEYE,AZ)

It is probobly not the fruits and veggies but the dairy and/ or soy he is getting via formula. It can take a few months before their bodies begin to reject it. And often a cold or illness will bring out the initial reaction such as the wheezing or cough. My son and daughter had a similar reactions but his was a horrible croup couph cough at 4 months which turned out to be an anaphalactic reaction to the dairy he got through my breast milk. You need to find a formula with predigested proteins in in like alimentum. The doctor can help you find one. It takes at least a couple of weeks for all the symptoms to go away maybe more. The excema will disappear last. Be diligent. It is well worth it in the end. You will save your sweet boy a lot of illnesses later.

Hang in there,

Mom of three with similar issues
____@____.com

It sounds like allergies...however he might have what is call reactive airway diesea that is when ofcourse your airway reacts to allergens, eg. pollen, food, dust, etc. sometimes initiated by a virus. Other possibilities are Bronchiolitis, and now the flu season has hit our community late and it's crowding Peds ER with sick children being diagnosed with Bronchiolitis and RSV positive.
If he is truly weezing I would take my child to the Peds ER today, specially if he is using his abdominal muscles to breath and you can see very clearly his rib cage and he looks tired when breathing.
Regarding his eczema that may also be caused by allergies.
Once a pediatrician told me that eczema, nose bleeds, allergies and asthma go hand by hand are all related.
I'm glad you have a coming appt with your PCP. Again I don't know how long you have been battling this problem but also I would look into his formula. Some children may be allergic to a component in the soy formula/milk. Remember that soy formula is given to infants who sometimes can't tolerate the lactose from the regular formula, but there are more formulas that do not contain lactose and are not from soy.

My ped just told me eczema is a sign of allergies. My pediatricians are awesome if you live in Henderson.

Dr. Carrie Wijesinghe and Dr. Jim McGhee
www.sienapediatrics.com

2779 Sundridge Heights Pkwy
Henderson, NV 89052

###-###-#### (PEDS)

I hope your son gets some relief soon!

Dear A.,

You sound like a wonderful mom and you are doing all of the right things. I agree that it is time for a new doctor. Keep getting opinions until you get an answer. You are the doing the right thing by advocating for your son.

I don't want this to sound like a sales-pitch, but I work with moms, doctors and lactation nurses all the time addressing the issue of eczema. We are having outstanding results with the Arbonne product line. I've seen so many children go from suffering (and harsh medicinal/steriod creams) to gorgeous, healthy skin that it astounds me. If you know someone who carries the line go and get it from them. You are more than welcome to contact me directly and purchase it through a wholesale account. I don't need to make money on selling this, I'm just very passionate about kids not suffering with this any more.

Hang in there, keep searching for an answer to the other symptoms - your son is very blessed to have such caring mom!

____@____.com

Get him allergy-tested. If nothing turns up, then keep up your doctor's advice of the humidifier and nose drops. Also check the air filter of the heater where you live. If you rent, chances are that your landlord never changes it. You can get an allergy filter at Home Depot or Lowe's for about $30, about three times the cost of a regular filter, but well worth it. You'll feel better too.

My son just grew out of it after a couple of months, at around the same age as yours. Try not to worry too much. They're much tougher than we first-time moms think.

My advice to you would be to take her to the dever childrens urgent care centers when you have a question that your pediatrician isnt answering for you. there are a bunch of them all around the area. it depends on where you are at, but the childrens hospital in aurora has an urgent care center too and is open 24hrs. otherwise, when you call your pediatricians after hours they will tell you where the closest one to you is. they are wonderful and fast and give great care to babies!

I would get him to the doctor immediately! Any type of swelling or rash should be looked at (especially when it's accompanied by breathing problems). Good luck!

A.,
My son who is 3 has been diagnosed with asthma only when he gets the cold virus. He also would wheeze whenever he would catch a cold. At first my doctor told me the same thing: humidifier,drops, etc. A couple of colds later, his wheezing got so bad that we had to hospitalize him overnight with oxygen. Once that happened my doctor knew for sure that he had "asthma" only when he had a cold. My doctor has now recommended a preventive treatment with pulmicort breathing treatments daily along with singulair granules mixed in with applesauce. These medicines are to prevent the wheezing should he get a cold. Also, upon the first sign of a cold I am supposed to boost the pulmicort breathing treatments to 2x a day with xopenex(once at night/once morning), give him the singulair at night. The xopenex helps his lungs say open so he can breath during his cold without the wheezing. This has worked so well. Also, at times if he still wheezes my doctor has given him an oral steroid for 5 days to reduce inflamation. This, too, has helped him. I am told that my son will most likely outgrow his asthma during colds. My husband had asthma as a child and he no longer has it. My son also had bad exzema as a baby but has outgrown it with only an occasional patch on his hand or foot. I hope this information helps you!

Hi,
So hard to isolate these things, but the first alarm for me went off when you mentioned soy. Soy is linked to allergies, eczema, asthma, thyroid malfunction, and cancer. I know the media champions soy, and I believed it was great but now I think it is poison. My boys still have problems and I wish I could backtrack but the damage is done. Soy can be disastrous. Here's a couple articles to consider:
http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/infant.html
http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/index.html
http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/phytoestrogens.html
The last one is particularly sobering. You're messing with their hormones for the rest of their life.
I definitely urge caution - don't want to scare you but I hope you consider this. Technology is beautiful, but it cannot be our food. Feed your baby REAL food!
-B. McMorran
Denver WAPF Chapter,
www.nourishingconnections.org
RMAC Administrator,
www.rawmilkcolorado.org

A.,

It does sound like allergies. My son (who is now 15 months old) is allergic to both dairy and soy proteins. He also couldn't tolerate eggs until he was over a year old. They have hypoallergenic formulas. Similac Alimentum or Enfamil Nutramigen are the two you can find in the grocery store. If your son still reacts to those there is a "more" hypoallergenic formula that is special order. It is Neocate or Elecare. You can find it easily on the internet. You may also want to look around and see what else he may be reacting to. Do you have pets? Carpet? It could be anything, even mold in the walls of your house. In my experience, pediatricians are a horrible source of information when it comes to allergies in babies. My son even has a pediatric GI doctor and even he wasn't much help. I got most of the info and support I've had from other moms.

My son was/is breastfed so we've both been dairy and soy free for a very long time. This is a good list of foods that are likely to cause allergic reactions http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/t083301.asp It is mainly a breastfeeding resource but the list would be the same for a formula fed baby starting solids.

In my experience, most babies who react to dairy will also react to soy. The proteins are very similar. In my case my son also reacts to goats milk (lots of folks told me to try it and I did but the proteins in it are still really similar to cow's milk). So hypoallergenic formula is really our only option. We are in the process of weaning from breastfeeding and the formula is a convenient source of nutrition for him. He's old enough to eat plenty of solids but it is hard to get enough fat and calories without some "milk" source.

If I can help or you want more info, contact me directly. ____@____.com

T.