How We Discovered J's Milk Sensitivity

This past week was rough.

And it took me a solid week to figure out why.

We started J on whole milk on his first birthday.  He had eaten yogurt and cheese with no problems, and formula was milk based.  We thought we were good to go.

The first few weeks, were fine.  J had some small pink dots around his mouth and chin, but I assumed those were from lots of drool because he was a teething monster.  He was also super gassy, but I didn't really think anything of it.  And he had his first ever diaper rash, but it was the most mild thing ever (like three bumps, max).  So again, I didn't think anything of it.

Then, on Monday, everything exploded.  J was super whiny and clingy all day.  I, again, thought it was because he was teething.  But then that night, J threw up all over D.  I immediately assumed stomach flu.  So, the next morning we started pedialyte and the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast).  Tuesday, he did fine.  Wednesday, we started milk again.  And the vomiting started again.  Thursday we went back to pedialyte and the BRAT diet and J was fine.  Friday*, we went back to milk.  And the vomiting started again!  Thursday and Friday, J was even refusing food (that's when I really started to worry - J never refuses food!).  

*It's worth noting here that on Friday while we were giving J a bath after he threw up all, D noticed the red dots had spread all over his chest and back.  In fact, D asked if J had chicken-pocks.

All he wanted was snuggles from D

Finally, it all clicked.  Instead of trying to explain each symptom separately, I started looking at them all together:

• Gassy
• Diaper Rash
• Rash on mouth, chin, chest and back
•  Refusing food
• Throwing up when he has milk

Duh, kid's allergic to milk.

Or, at least has a dairy intolerance.

After a weekend of pedialyte, J is back on his Enfamil AR formula and is happy as can be.  Today, he was talking, laughing and playing, totally showing off to anyone who would watch, even the dog.  To him, it's like the whole thing never happened!  Isn't it amazing how resilient kids are?  I swear, they're made of magic.  

Me though?  I'm beating myself up that it took me so long to figure out what was going on.  Seriously, this motherhood thing is hard.