Toby,
You wrote that, " The parents reported that
when the mom was on the elimination diet the baby got
worse...so they are reluctant to continue in this vein. It
is strange but this baby only sleeps fairly well when she
is hospitalized"

I don't have all your letters, but I think you said you only did a dairy
elimination.  Often when a baby gets worse on a single food elimination diet
the first question to ask is, "What have you increased to replace the
eliminated food?"  Also, babies can be worse during the first couple days of
an elimination diet before they get better.

You also stated that baby slept much better in the hospital and were
wondering why.  A question that comes to my mind is, "Did mom's diet change
while she was in the hospital with the baby?"  I'll just bet it did!
  Comparing the differences here may give some clues.

Please let us know if you learn anything new.

  I have been working with a mom and baby with a similar, though less severe
problem. (baby nursing constantly or needing to be held,  sometimes causing
mom N pain, gassy, screaming sometimes, nasal congestion with snoring type
noise at night, slight facial rash)  Mom noticed minimal change with milk
elimination.  With a multiple elimination diet we are finally seeing
improvement.  Mom is in process of confirming baby's rxn to dairy, peanuts,
chocolate, and citrus.  When this mom eliminated milk, she increased citrus
and so we saw no major improvement.  This mom used the multiple elimination
diet recommended in the book, _Is This Your Child?_ , to help track down the
culprits.

Much wisdom to you in your support of  mom and baby,

Natalie Shenk BS(dietetics) IBCLC
private practice LC in Ohio