26 Mar 2014 | Feeding Tips
So my son cannot have dairy, soy, gluten, egg … what on earth do I feed him!? This is a question faced by many parents who have infant and toddler ‘refluxers’, as food can often be the culprit for a reflux flare and cutting out gluten, dairy, soy, and/or egg from their diet can sometimes help (AND there may be other foods that need to be avoided too!). Food allergies show on allergy tests but there are no skin or blood tests for food intolerance and both can cause symptoms of reflux in susceptible children
26 Mar 2014 | Feeding Tips
Adverse reactions to food can be categorised into IgE mediated reactions and non-IgE mediated reactions. Understanding the difference between the two is important as the approach to treatment is quite different. An IgE-mediated food reaction involves the immune system. The onset is sudden and includes vomiting, abdominal pain, urticaria and angio-edema. An IgE-mediated reaction to food can be diagnosed through a range of validated tests including skin prick testing.
20 May 2013 | Parent's Stories
It has taken me a long time to write my story down on paper, mostly because every time I think too much about it I cry. I don’t know exactly why. I do know I still feel ashamed that I didn’t realise sooner that my baby was in so much pain. I feel angry at myself for listening to doctors instead of listening to my heart. I feel guilty for letting my poor little baby cry so much and for so long because I let people convince me she was just determined or naughty or trying to control me.
20 May 2013 | Book reviews
This book is simply awesome. Get it and read it. Its available from the RISA library but I thoroughly recommend buying it.
In fact, if you’re a reflux parent, I’d be keeping a copy of this, Reflux Reality and Colic Solved on the shelf. And use the regular baby books to prop up the cot!
Read on for information about alternative treatments to reflux medications, appetite stimulation and long term use of laxatives.
19 Sep 2012 | Parent's Stories
I wanted to be a mum more than anything else in the world. So that was the plan… meet a boy, get married and have a baby (or two!). I actually thought I’d be really good at it, but over the last 21 months I have considered myself wrong countless times.
21 Jul 2012 | Advocacy
As of 1 July 2012, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (who administer the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme or PBS), have made changes to the way amino acid-based forumlae like Neocate or Elecare can be prescribed for children under 24 months. Theoretically, now only paediatric gastroenterologists, a specialist allergist or clinical immunologist can now write these prescriptions.
HOWEVER, paediatricians and General Practitioners can still prescribe these formulae “in consultation with” any of the specialists above.
4 Jun 2012 | Parent's Stories
I’ll start with the good news … even though we were told that there was virtually no chance Jordan (now 12 weeks old) wouldn’t have severe reflux and food issues like his sister, I really haven’t seen much evidence of either of them. He reacts a little to a couple of foods (tomato, spicy foods, etc) but that’s pretty common, and while he vomits constantly he doesn’t seem to be in pain, and on the odd bad day, we just use Mylanta. Plus he’s thriving at about 7kg!
Belle’s issues were a little more complex, but she’s a bright, bubbly and very energetic little girl and coming up to 3.5 years. She stopped feeding altogether between about 5 and 7 weeks of age, and was tubed at 7 weeks. We were told it would be for 48 hours, but we ended up tube feeding for 2.5 years. After a year on the NG tube, and lots of admissions, they did a couple ofoperations to set up a PEG and then Mic‐key button [low profile tube].
29 May 2012 | Parent's Stories
Charlotte is now 19 months old and it’s been quite a couple of years. Charlotte was an IVF baby and she didn’t come easily. She was small all the way through the pregnancy (3rd percentile) and eventually stopped growing around 37 weeks so she was induced. She went straight into the Special Care Nursery, had oxygen for a bit, a nasal gastric tube inserted and they started her on formula feeds (cow’s milk formula!). And so it began.
