Holy Cow Milk Allergy Blog

It is very important to get your definition down.  You will be repeating it for the next 20 years.   I prefer to keep it short and to the point.  This is my definition as I have explained it to friends, family and basically anyone that comes into contact with Robert.

“Robert is allergic to milk and all milk proteins.   He has an IMMUNE SYSTEM response and his body thinks milk and milk proteins are poisons.  To protect itself, his body starts making huge amounts of chemicals.  These chemicals can cause him to stop breathing or even die.  He can react to an amount as small as a ink pin dot.”

This usually gets their attention.  It is usually followed up with this:

“In the past, when he has come in to contact with something containing milk, he has developed itchy lips, an itchy tongue, a cough, and a rash on his face.   If he has any of these symptoms, we give him Benadryl immediately because it could be the first signs of anaphylaxis. “

*Remember to follow your doctor’s instructions.  Benadryl as the first response has worked for us, however, the first line of defense is normally the Epipen.

I was not a “Granola Mom” but I was still nursing Robert  at 9 months.  Nursing was easy and being a human milk wagon lightens the diaper bag load.  No need to carry bottles, nipples and formula. 

Like many babies at this age, Robert was eating baby food.  I had only introduced bananas, peaches, pears and sweet potatoes.  We would finish each meal with a bowl of rice cereal and then I would nurse him to top him off. 

I had given Robert a milk based formula only twice.  The first time, he was four weeks old and the second time he was six weeks old.   Both times, he projectile vomited the entire bottle up, almost in a violent fashion.    I figured his stomach was sensitive to formula because I had breast fed him exclusively.   The thought never crossed my mind that he could be allergic but this was my first indication.

It was 1992 and a beautiful crisp fall day in Tampa, Florida.   Robert loved  the fresh air so we went for a stroll around Hyde Park, our neighborhood open air shopping center.   It was lunch time and I found a quiet corner, wrapped a blanket around us and discreetly hooked him up to lunch.   The fresh air must have given him an appetite as he finished both side rapidly and was restless for more.  We were close to the yogurt store so we walked over and bought a small plain vanilla yogurt.

I put a very small amount on the spoon and wet his lips with it.  He made a face, similar to one tasting something for the first time.  He frowned as if it may not have been as sweet as the flavors he was accustomed to.

I waited a few seconds and tried again.  As I was putting the spoon back in the yogurt to scoop at more, I looked up to see his face disfigured before my eyes.   His cheeks were red, his lips had swelled and his eyes were almost swollen shut.  He had started to cough and was gasping for air.  To this day, I will never forget the feeling that something was severely wrong and my baby might be suffocating to death, before my eyes.

Our pediatrician was only 2 blocks away.  I ran to the car with Robert under my arm and drove to the Pediatrician.  I hate to even admit that I didn’t even put him in his car seat.  I held him in my arms and drove.

As we entered the office, we were rushed in to see doctor and he knew immediately that Robert was having an allergic reaction.  They gave him liquid Benadryl and his symptoms subsided in minutes. 

Again, it was 1992 and food allergies were not as recognized as they are today.  Our pediatrician explained that it was very rare but Robert, most likely, had an allergy to milk and to eliminate dairy from his diet.   He reminded me that lactose was a milk ingredient, handed me some information packets and sent us home.