I need some help. I have a 19 month old son that is allergic to dairy. I am becoming extremely frustrated over the situation becasue I feel that he isn't getting enough to eat. If there are any moms out there that have gone through or are going through this can you please tell me what you are doing and how you are handling this:)) Thanks!!
I'm son is 14 months old and we have been using soy products since he was about 5 months old. In January we swtich from formula to regular soy milk. I have not had a problem with my son not eating and he likes the soy milk. There is soy peanut butter out there that can help with snack time. Just don't forget to watch the label.
Happy eating.
Hi T.,
We're not allergic to dairy, but we eat almost none. Your post doesn't say where you live, but if you live in Tampa try going to Wild Oats for ideas -- they sell a lot of dairy alternatives. Try putting 8 oz of soy milk, two tablespoons of silken tofu and a bunch of frozen berries or a banana in the blender for an extremely health breakfast smoothie that tastes great. Epicurious.com is a recipe website, and when you search for recipes you can check a "dairy free" box -- that should be good for a lot of ideas, too.
J.
Hi T.!
Once you get going it's really not hard to come up with great dairy alternatives. We are not allergic and still don't eat dairy. To get a good kick start I would recommend Marilu Hennar's book Healthy Kids. You can order it online for $3 or pick up a copy at your library.
It is really easy once you know what to look for and honestly a WHOLE lot healthier for everyone! We eat everything a normal person would eat just without dairy...pizza, soy yogurt, rice dream ice cream...and the list could go on.....
Good luck and take care!
My daughter is almost nineteen months and has a mild dairy allergy. She seems to tolerate yogurt okay and a small amount of cheese every once in a while. She drinks 18-24 ounces of rice milk per day ($2.60/ 1/2 gallon at Super Walmart)and is eating pretty much what we eat daily along with a few jars of organic baby food. I asked the pediatrician about her getting enough fats (important for brain development). She didn't seem too concerned. I cook her scrambled eggs and vegetables in butter and give her peanut butter on toast, apples and mixed with her yogurt. She has seemed less sensitive to dairy as she has gotten older, so I am hoping she will outgrow it eventually. Hope this helps.
Publix had a "milk" that is lactose free (can't remember the name right now - but I do remember it's kind of expensive). My daughter is also allergic to milk. Take heart, it's a rather common problem. Lots of veggies and meats. You can give calcium suppliments.
Hi T., we do not do dairy right now either, and Rachel is doing great. In fact, the more I've learned the happier I am not to have any dairy at all. It's not that great for you, and neither is soy. Eat more whole foods, here's some that have calcium. Remember milk is good for it's vitamins: calcium, magnesium, and vitamin B12. These can be found in multiple other food sources.
beans and peas - and these are great finger foods, my daughter loves kidney, garbanzo, black beans...
eat broccoli and other dark green veggies, I love fresh spinach warmed in olive oil, add a little coconut or seseme oil for pizaz
drink calcium fortified OJ
Search the internet for dairy alternatives, but try to limit soy. I believe this is a great choice for us, we are learning about lots of foods and developing healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime.
L.
My daughter is 17 months and allergic to cow's milk. Unfortunately, I am in the same boat as you are. I've found a few things in the greenwise section of Publix that are dairy free and also at Nutrition Smart. i.e. Van's waffles, animal crackers, cheese, yogurt. My baby is however extremely picky and refuses to eat most of the things listed. I'm not sure if that is the same allergy your son has, but they are supposed to grow out of it by 2 years. I'm holding out for that. It will definitely make life easier and open up her food options. I hope I've shed some new light on the situation. Good Luck!
Join http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/community.html
This group was so helpful to me. Wild Oats on Dale Mabry sells all kinds of dairy free products that you can substitute. I'd try and give him broccoli, calcium oj, and beans (black, lentil etc)
Food allergies can be very difficult! I have a 19-month-old daughter who is allergic to milk, soy, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts. She went from the 97th percentile at birth to below the third at her 15-month check-up. She's seen allergists and nutritionists, and we found out a couple months ago that she was nearing the failure to thrive category and desperately needed fat added to her diet. That basically scared me half to death so I started adding olive oil to everything I could, veggies, rice, pasta, grits... and then adding a dairy- and soy-free margarine (Fleischmann's Light Margarine) on top of that. I also found a balogna lunchmeat that has a ton of fat and calories, and she'll eat two or three slices a day. (I know it doesn't sound healthy, but with these kids you have to go against the "normal" dietary concerns.) I just took her for a weight check yesterday and she's jumped back up to the tenth percentile! I don't know if your son is also allergic to soy, but if he's not, there are plenty of soy products out there that he can eat, although you'll want to check labels carefully because some of them contain milk proteins. Go to Whole Foods or Good Earth and look for dairy-free products. They have a fairly decent variety of cookie and cake mixes as well as pastas and some other things. If you haven't seen an allergist, go to one because they can really tell you if your son's situation is urgent or right on track. Hope this helps!
