In my last post I mentioned credibility of the profession. And now I'm
going to return to the serious issue of "chicken hair."

For those of you who weren't on Lactnet last year, there is growing
observation that babies' hair sticking up all over is a sign of allergy. We
had quite a thread on the topic. You could search the Archives for chicken
hair.

Well, since that time, I have been observing babies' hair.  I have seen
evidence to give some credence to the claim.  A couple of weeks ago I was
working with a newborn, whose dark hair was a cute little cap snuggly
covering her head.  A week later, after she had weaned to cow abm, I
returned to get my sling that I had loaned her, and guess what!  Baby's
hair was sticking up all over.  Each hair was a separate entity and not one
was lying on her head. It was the most remarkable change that I have seen.
Of course most babies that I see are breastfed and any allergy is through
breastmilk.  The feeding of breastmilk lessens the effect of the allergy.

I want you to know that I didn't scream, "Your baby has chicken hair!"  I
just asked how the baby was doing and mom said that she is colicky just
like her first baby was, but when she does sleep she sleeps very deeply and
it is such a relief.

I have seen several babies' hair "relax" and lie on the head after mother
eliminates an offending food.  Not all babies have shown the hair symptom,
but when I do see it, it is another piece of the puzzle.

Interesting stuff, huh? I am not staking my credibility on this premise...yet.

Patricia Gima, IBCLC
Milwaukee
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