Cow's Milk Experience

We had always known that our 2 year old daughter had some food sensitivities if not full blown allergies.  Cow's milk had been a problem since about 7 months of age.  She had reacted to milk based formula in powder form but not premixed.  Same brand, same type.  Baffled that she could react to one and not the other we closely examined the ingredients.  Horrified to find out that high fructose corn syrup was the first ingredient in the powder formula, we quickly switched back to premixed and assumed that was the issue.  Maybe she had a sensitivity to the corn syrup?  After talking to our doctor he said that we should step way back and try one food at a time again and maybe corn would come up on the radar.  Needless to say we chose to keep her on the premixed formula until 12 months.

At about 9 months we were at a friend's house and I gave her a small taste of ice cream.  I know, I know, you are saying, "How could you?", but keep in mind she was doing fine and had no reaction to the premixed milk based formula.  AND, our doctor told us that no food was off limits with the exception of honey.  Well, lesson learned, after letting her taste the ice cream, her face immediately broke out into a strange rash.  We couldn't tell if it was hives so I immediately placed a call to our doctor's office while my friends went to the pharmacy to grab infant Benadryl.  The nurse told us to give her the Benadryl and take her to the nearest emergency room.  The emergency room doctors gave her a steroid and sent us home to monitor her.  She bounced back and had no issues in the days following.  No more ice cream, no more issues.  For now.

Once trying good old cow's milk from the carton at 12 months, she would react but only after having a bowel movement.  Her rashes would be so bad that they would leave welts (later believed to be hives) on her bottom and cause her extreme pain.  It was then that we decided to stop all milk.  But new to the allergy game, we were slow to cut off ALL milk, including any products made with milk.  We started checking labels and it became our obsession to keep her from anything dairy.  Sadly her favorite yogurt was out of the question.  We were successful for the most part but neglected to check the items we were SURE would never contain milk.  One of those items being Ramen (my son's favorite unhealthy snack).  Who knew?

Obviously we are way better about it now, but it was not easy coming.