Question about solids and hives

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Joybelle - 22 Jun 2006 15:29 GMT

Hello! I know many of you from mkp, and I've been a longtime lurker and
occasional poster here. My fourth baby Grant was born 9/29/05 with spina
bifida and associated problems. I was worried about establishing a good
breastfeeding relationship, but I had nothing to worry about. He was an
absolute pro despite his beginning (back closure and shunt placement for
hydrocephalus). He was in the NICU for only 7 days, and despite other
hospital stays and surgeries, the breastfeeding relationship hasn't been
compromised.

Grant is almost 9 months and last week I decided to introduce solids. He
hasn't shown much interest, and he has a strong gag reflex. I fed him
oatmeal cereal (rather than rice cereal) mixed with breastmilk. I was
worried that the rice cereal would be too constipating since he has a
neurogenic bowel. He gagged that down. He seemed to want to eat it, but
with each bite he gagged. At the end, he threw most of it up. The next day
I gave him a little green beans with the oatmeal cereal mixed in, and he
only took in two bites. I decided to not feed him anymore because he
stopped pooping, and I got nervous. I nursed him a full day without
solids, and he pooped just a little but not significantly. I was worried he
was going to need help, so I decided to try prunes to get him to go. He
took a couple of bites and then refused. He didn't poop from Thursday to
Monday. Now, I know that the digestion changes after solids, but I was so
nervous because of the neurogenic bowel and not knowing what to expect. I
haven't fed him solids since.

So, would it be okay to not feed him solids at this point or is this
something I should be encouraging? He is not 9 months yet, and he's over 25
pounds, so he's not suffering any. But if I do continue to delay will it be
harder for him? Will it cause him problems? My other kids really didn't do
the baby food thing either, but I'm not so sure of what to try on him. I
tell you, I feel like a first time parent all over again!

He also started popping out with hives last week. I figured it could have
been the food, since it happened around the same time, but he's still
popping out with them. One of the things with kids with spina bifida is the
potential for latex allergy. We've tried to keep him from exposure to
latex, and I think we've done a fairly good job (boy, is it hard, though!!
Latex here, latex there-graduations with balloons, weddings with balloons,
toys, bandaids). Last week, though, he did get a hold of one of my
flipflops(thong sandals), and I assume they are made out of rubber. Shortly
afterward he popped out in the hives. I'm just not sure what's causing
them! The food? Exposure to latex? Something else? He sits on the floor
and I've also been taking him outside to sit in the grass. He loves, loves
to pull up the grass! After sitting outside, I often notice the hives
popping out. he gets them on his legs and arms, mostly, but he has had a
couple on his face.

A description of the hives: The first one to appear looked like a welt. I
thought maybe he had scratched his leg because it was raised. The outside
was flat and red, but the inside was raised and whitish. The ones that have
been popping out since look like a bug bite (they look the same but more
round rather than long)but they disappear and reappear in different places.
He has since popped out with the longish welt ones, and it seems to occur
after he's been sitting on the floor and playing for awhile. So, I really
just don't know what's causing them. Any ideas? It doesn't seem like a
heat rash. Bug bites crossed my mind, but I don't think so.

Thank you for any help!

Signature

Joy

Rose 1-99
Iris 2-01
Spencer 3-03
Grant 9-05 www.caringbridge.org/visit/grantphilip

Reply to this Message

PK - 22 Jun 2006 16:30 GMT

> A description of the hives: The first one to appear looked like a welt. I
> thought maybe he had scratched his leg because it was raised. The outside
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> He has since popped out with the longish welt ones, and it seems to occur
> after he's been sitting on the floor and playing for awhile.

This is probably way way off the mark, but do you think he could be
allergic to whatever floor cleaner you use ? (I know a couple of kids
allergic to cleaners/ cleaning liquids)

> So, I really
> just don't know what's causing them. Any ideas? It doesn't seem like a
> heat rash. Bug bites crossed my mind, but I don't think so.
>
> Thank you for any help!

Could it be that he has spring allergies ? I use to puff up and break
out in very itchy hives as a child, so I truly sympathize.

PK

Reply to this Message

Joybelle - 22 Jun 2006 17:13 GMT

> > A description of the hives: The first one to appear looked like a welt. I
> > thought maybe he had scratched his leg because it was raised. The outside
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> allergic to whatever floor cleaner you use ? (I know a couple of kids
> allergic to cleaners/ cleaning liquids)

Hmmm...this is not as far off the mark as you might think!! Here's my dirty
little secret... I don't scrub my floors very often, and since he's been
born I haven't hardly at all. This past week, on a particularly hot day, I
got ambitious and scrubbed that dirty floor (I do spot clean now and then).
That is a really good thought, and I wonder if that could be it. It was
Murphy's oil I used, and for the spot cleaning I usually use just soap and
water. Thanks for that thought!!

> > So, I really
> > just don't know what's causing them. Any ideas? It doesn't seem like a
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> Could it be that he has spring allergies ? I use to puff up and break
> out in very itchy hives as a child, so I truly sympathize.

I wonder if that is a possibility, too. It's a tricky thing, isn't it?! I
am having a terrible time with itchy eyes, nose, and swelling lips, so I
think I'm having a problem this spring. It's been very dry and windy.

Thank you!!

Signature

Joy

Rose 1-99
Iris 2-01
Spencer 3-03
Grant 9-05 www.caringbridge.org/visit/grantphilip

Reply to this Message

Engram - 23 Jun 2006 13:22 GMT

>> A description of the hives: The first one to appear looked like a welt.
>> I
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> allergic to whatever floor cleaner you use ? (I know a couple of kids
> allergic to cleaners/ cleaning liquids)

Have you also considered that he may be allergic to grass? A friend in high
school used to be allergic to some types of grass (not all) and she'd break
out in spots after touching certain types of grass, particularly freshly
mowed.

Also, if he's just about exclusively breast fed, have you looked at what YOU
have been eating? A friend's son showed milk allergy around 6 months old and
she had to cut all dairy products out of her diet, which helped. So he could
be reacting to something that you ate and not necessarily to something in
his environment. Although those hives after touching grass make me think
"grass allergy"...

Reply to this Message

Joybelle - 23 Jun 2006 16:04 GMT

> Have you also considered that he may be allergic to grass? A friend in high
> school used to be allergic to some types of grass (not all) and she'd break
> out in spots after touching certain types of grass, particularly freshly
> mowed.

I have wondered if it could be the grass. We also have a lot of pine
needles in the yard, and they get tracked in.

> Also, if he's just about exclusively breast fed, have you looked at what YOU
> have been eating? A friend's son showed milk allergy around 6 months old and
> she had to cut all dairy products out of her diet, which helped. So he could
> be reacting to something that you ate and not necessarily to something in
> his environment. Although those hives after touching grass make me think
> "grass allergy"...

That's a good point, too. I'm leaning more toward the grass/cleaner allergy
mainly because I've noticed I see the hives pop out when he has had shorts
on. I guess I'll be taking notes and keeping a journal on appearances.

Thank you!!

Signature

Joy

Rose 1-99
Iris 2-01
Spencer 3-03
Grant 9-05 www.caringbridge.org/visit/grantphilip

Reply to this Message

Anne Rogers - 22 Jun 2006 18:17 GMT

about the hives, I know nothing!

as for the solids, my understanding is that is roughly until 12 months that
breastmilk is totally sufficient except possibly for iron where it seems
that some, but by no means all babies exclusively fed breastmilk to 12
months have low iron, there is one way to find that out, a blood test.

the other side to the coin is the learning to consume solids and my insinct
here is that you need to be talking to his doctors and some kind of
specialist in infant feeding and special needs.

My own instict would be to not try and spoon feed him, but to offer suitable
finger foods, let him teach himself what to do with his mouth and swollowing
and then investigate methods of getting a winder variety of things into his
mouth

I know this isn't much help, but I thought it was worth putting fingers to
keyboard anyway

Anne

Reply to this Message

Joybelle - 22 Jun 2006 21:30 GMT

> about the hives, I know nothing!
>
> as for the solids, my understanding is that is roughly until 12 months that
> breastmilk is totally sufficient except possibly for iron where it seems
> that some, but by no means all babies exclusively fed breastmilk to 12
> months have low iron, there is one way to find that out, a blood test.

Hi, Anne!

Iron is something he needs to keep up, esp if he has to have another
surgery. Hmmm... I don't think his iron has been low yet, though. Perhaps
I'll see about a blood test if we don't get going with any solids.

> the other side to the coin is the learning to consume solids and my insinct
> here is that you need to be talking to his doctors and some kind of
> specialist in infant feeding and special needs.

I think you are right. I did call yesterday, and it's just waiting (and
waiting) for them to call back with the appointment. I'll be seeing a
pediatrician at the sb clinic he goes to. I hope!

> My own instict would be to not try and spoon feed him, but to offer suitable
> finger foods, let him teach himself what to do with his mouth and swollowing
> and then investigate methods of getting a winder variety of things into his
> mouth

Thanks for the suggestion! I'll offer him more finger foods when I give it
a go again.

> I know this isn't much help, but I thought it was worth putting fingers to
> keyboard anyway

A lot of help. Thanks, Anne!

Signature

Joy

Rose 1-99
Iris 2-01
Spencer 3-03
Grant 9-05 www.caringbridge.org/visit/grantphilip

Reply to this Message

Cheri Stryker - 23 Jun 2006 02:02 GMT

For the gagging issue, maybe something like a teething feeder would be
good? Then he'd get the taste and a little bit of the texture, but
mostly the food would go down like his own spit? (I mean those things
that have a net on a handle, and you can put food like melon in there
for them to mash to death, without getting any big pieces...)

Here:

http://www.kidsurplus.com/sas342.html

and I saw this one at Target:

http://www.kidsurplus.com/bsf01.html

Signature

Cheri Stryker

mom to DS1 - 7 yrs, and DS2 - 3.5 months

Check out my new breastfeeding T-shirts on CafePress!
http://www.cafepress.com/dancingbones

Reply to this Message

Joybelle - 23 Jun 2006 15:54 GMT

> For the gagging issue, maybe something like a teething feeder would be
> good? Then he'd get the taste and a little bit of the texture, but
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> http://www.kidsurplus.com/bsf01.html

Thanks, Cheri, for the suggestion! I'll try it out and see how it works.

Signature

Joy

Rose 1-99
Iris 2-01
Spencer 3-03
Grant 9-05 www.caringbridge.org/visit/grantphilip

Reply to this Message

PattyMomVA - 26 Jun 2006 21:41 GMT

"Anne Rogers" wrote and I snipped:

> as for the solids, my understanding is that is roughly until 12 months
> that breastmilk is totally sufficient except possibly for iron where it
> seems that some, but by no means all babies exclusively fed breastmilk to
> 12 months have low iron, there is one way to find that out, a blood test.

I 2nd what Anne has written here. My DS was a chubby guy, about 26 lbs at
10 months, so equivalent to Grant. He just wasn't interested in solids
until 10 1/2 months, but he was very healthy on breastmilk alone. The one
exception was a slightly low blood count; when he did begin solids, we went
for foods with a good iron content.

Unlike what you've done so far and what some other posters have suggested,
I'd be very careful about introducing solids due to possible allergy. Offer
a new food only every 3 or 4 days, and make sure to avoid potentially
allergenic foods. Cheerios, for example, are great as a first table food
and have a good quantity of iron, but they also have wheat which you may
want to avoid for a while. I think there are oat-ios available without
wheat.

> the other side to the coin is the learning to consume solids and my
> instinct here is that you need to be talking to his doctors and some kind
> of specialist in infant feeding and special needs.

We had a poster here years ago (sorry, can't remember her name...) who had a
child with oral issues. They went to a special feeding clinic at the
University of Virginia to help her DD learn to eat. I think she was about 4
yo at the time. I'm not saying you need something like that, but there may
be info on the web about how to feed a child with some physical issues who
gags on solids. Something like a list of recommendations.

Good luck, Joy!

-Patty, mom of 1+2

Reply to this Message

Joybelle - 28 Jun 2006 05:33 GMT

> "Anne Rogers" wrote and I snipped:
> > as for the solids, my understanding is that is roughly until 12 months
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> exception was a slightly low blood count; when he did begin solids, we went
> for foods with a good iron content.

Hi, Patty!

That's good to hear. I think I'm just going to leave him be for the time
being and not try any foods.

> Unlike what you've done so far and what some other posters have suggested,
> I'd be very careful about introducing solids due to possible allergy. Offer
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> want to avoid for a while. I think there are oat-ios available without
> wheat.

I did do the new food intro for two days, except for the prunes and the
cheerio. Once he wasn't pooping I gave him the prunes to hopefully get him
to go. I'm holding off, though, on food until we see the doctor in July.
I'm just too nervous! I will look for the oatios, too.

> > the other side to the coin is the learning to consume solids and my
> > instinct here is that you need to be talking to his doctors and some kind
> > of specialist in infant feeding and special needs.

Yep, I think so, too. I was basically told to try and see, well, I tried
and saw. I feel like a first time parent again in so many ways. Questions,
questions!

> We had a poster here years ago (sorry, can't remember her name...) who had a
> child with oral issues. They went to a special feeding clinic at the
> University of Virginia to help her DD learn to eat. I think she was about 4
> yo at the time. I'm not saying you need something like that, but there may
> be info on the web about how to feed a child with some physical issues who
> gags on solids. Something like a list of recommendations.

Angela, maybe? I remember her, I think. I should do a google on gag
reflex/oral issues. Why not? I google everything else. :) I did put in a
call to see a pediatrician at the specialty healthcare hospital Grant goes
to, so it's just a matter of 2-4 more calls and a couple of months before
the appointment is set up. LOL I'm exaggerating a bit, but it seems these
things take forever! Well, really, I'm not exaggerating all too much but
paperwork, papertrails, referrals, all that fun stuff, take time.

> Good luck, Joy!

thank you, Patty! I appreciate it. :)

Signature

Joy

Rose 1-99
Iris 2-01
Spencer 3-03
Grant 9-05 www.caringbridge.org/visit/grantphilip

Reply to this Message

Pologirl - 23 Jun 2006 21:21 GMT

Joy,

Re eating solids, from your description it sounds like Grant vomited
simply as an extension of his gag reflex, not due to a food intolerance
or allergy. Can you try him on something a little more solid, like
Cheerios or flakes? He might be stimulated to chew. Or give him a big
wedge of fruit and let him suck and chew on it. But supervise
carefully to prevent a major choke. Mushy, semi-liquid "solids" might
encourage him to try swallowing as if it were breastmilk.

Re not pooping, it is alarming when a normally regular baby becomes
irregular, but if when he does poop it is normal (ie, not hard pellets
and not soiling), then there is nothing wrong.

Re the hives, by their distribution (bare arms, bare legs, and face)
they are almost certainly due to direct skin contact with something in
his environment, not in his food nor in his clothes. Murphy's Oil Soap
probably isn't the culprit; I react to a lot of cleaning solutions but
that product is one I can use. There is one exception to not in his
food: if his diet (or yours) includes something that causes
photosensitization, then the hives could be due to food *plus* the UV
component of direct sunlight.

Reply to this Message

Joybelle - 28 Jun 2006 05:22 GMT

> Joy,
>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> carefully to prevent a major choke. Mushy, semi-liquid "solids" might
> encourage him to try swallowing as if it were breastmilk.

Hi, Pologirl,
I agree, I think it had more to do with the gag refles. I did buy one of
those mesh thingies, but I haven't tried it yet. I've decided until we see
his regular doctor, I'm not trying anything new. Thanks for the
suggestions-I'll be sure to try them. I did try a cheerio one day, and he
just spit it back out. Quite offended, really. :)

> Re not pooping, it is alarming when a normally regular baby becomes
> irregular, but if when he does poop it is normal (ie, not hard pellets
> and not soiling), then there is nothing wrong.

I do think I panicked a bit! He's not pooping right, though, still. He
poops, but I'm a bit concerned as he isn't seeming to have large amounts
despite just being on breastmilk now.

> Re the hives, by their distribution (bare arms, bare legs, and face)
> they are almost certainly due to direct skin contact with something in
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> photosensitization, then the hives could be due to food *plus* the UV
> component of direct sunlight.

This week, he has a bit around his mouth but nowhere else (which makes me
think food again). I'm tempted to scrub my floor again and see if he breaks
out. I sat him in the grass today, and no hives. Your photosensitivity
idea is a good one, I'll have to think about what I've been eating.

Thanks for your help!!

Signature

Joy

Rose 1-99
Iris 2-01
Spencer 3-03
Grant 9-05 www.caringbridge.org/visit/grantphilip

Reply to this Message

Family Forum / Pregnancy / Breastfeeding / June 2006

Question about solids and hives