But I wouldn’t give a glass to my eldest, if I did I would know about it.
Well it all started nearly a year ago what I thought was nerves or just habit that she her mood would suddenly change, she would go pale, complain of being hot and needing to use the toilet.
There were many time where me and the Mr would tell her there’s nothing wrong with you. Or that it was a phase and she was just worrying about things. We would get frustrated at the fact she would just suddenly say she needed the toilet or felt unwell anywhere and sometimes had to hunt down a toilet.
After a while I took her to see the Dr and get some advice. They couldn’t tell me what was wrong so they referred me to see the paediatrician.
Who told us that she seemed to have an over active bowel meaning that when she ate her brain would tell her bowel to ‘clear out’ there’s more coming and her bowel would go into spasm. Leaving her in quite a bit of pain and upset. We were sent away and told to increase roughage in her diet and that yogurts could help her gut with it having good bacteria and that she may just grow out of it but it could be a few years. In my mind I was screaming a few years??? I cant cope and neither can she!
It was only when we had done as we were told that we noticed a pattern in the pain and sickness and moods.
Every time she had cereal and milk she would complain and it made it hard getting ready for the school run and getting out on time. There were tears and frustration nearly every morning. So I kind of thought that it could be the milk that is upsetting her tummy and I did that thing that you aren’t supposed to do… Yup I googled. I swapped milk of almond milk and yogurts for soya ones to see what would happens and if there was any differences.
We did notice a change in her, her tummy didn’t seem as upset and she seemed happier. So almond milk is now a staple in my shopping basket along with soya yogurts, milk free chocolate and cheese.
There were slight hiccups as we can’t control what is in food when we eat out. Which often led to tears at the table. She was scared to ask for things with out ice cream or cream etc. There have been times when we just haven’t realised that things could have milk in its only she she starts to feel unwell that we’d realise. Now we check packaging when doing the food shop to make sure the food she has are milk free.
I went back to see our Dr with the knowledge that we had gained of swapping things around. I also wanted to know if she has an allergy. So again we were referred back to see the paediatrician which we saw this week. He is very nice and asked lots of questions and we told him what had been going on and how we had noticed a pattern.
He said he didn’t think that it was a lactose issue but maybe a milk protein issue. But he was unsure as she wasn’t showing some of the main ‘symptoms.’
I asked if there was a way he could test to see if there is an allergy and he said yes it’s called a RAST TEST. Which involves taking a blood test. L looked at me a little worried as she’s never had a blood test before and coped with it well, telling me that it tickled yes she says the stingiest of things haha. The paediatrician then went on to tell me the results will either come back positive or negative and we will then take it from there.
We will have to wait a few weeks for the results. I asked what if it comes back negative?
Then he said we could maybe try and give her milk or I can just keep her dairy free for a few years then try again to introduce milk back into her diet and see how her body deals with it. They would also put us in touch with a dietitian so we can get some advice on still giving her a good healthy diet.
What if the results come back positive?
Nothing different really they would put us in touch with a dietitian so we can get some advice in still giving her a good healthy diet.
So now we play the waiting game hopefully we will get some answers.
I do think that no matter what the result is, it will be best to keep her dairy free as she seems better/happier that way. We just want to know so we can make it easier on L.
Is there anyone else out there who has been through the same thing?