Kate Byrne wrote:
>  I have a patient who :
> has a 10 month old son. Hi weighs in at 8.5 Kgs and is 75cms long.  He
> presented with eczema at 2 weeks which the mother keeps under control
with
> various homeopathic based creams.  The child is exclusively breastfed.
She
> has tries to introduce solids, but the child seems disinterested and
pushes
> food away.  He occassionally eats a few finger foods like rice cakes.
The
> childs rashes seem to have got worse since he started trying a few solid
> foods like oats and banana and some days will not eat any solids at all.

My daughter, Gina, was this way the first year. She absolutely refused
solids -- refused them. Wouldn't open her mouth. If we found a clever way
to get food in, she would cry and cry, and later have odd bowel movements
that caused rashes. I started to feel she was trying to tell me something
in her refusal to take solid foods. At 11 months she began trying some
finger foods (but only cereals), and around 13 months started eating dense,
whole-grain breads as well.

> He sweats excessivley and I have read an article which states that
allergic
> children can sweat a lot.

My daughter has always been this way. When she was younger, her hair would
be soaked after each nursing (in a 68-degree home).

> The main problem is that her other health care professionals are freaking
> out that the child at 10 months is not eating a minimum of 2 solid meals
a
> day.

I was fortunate -- even at my daughter's 1-year checkup, they did not get
bent out of shape about this.

> I cannot remember where, but I read a research article on Allergies and
> Breastfeeding.  The article stated that allergic babies often would
refuse
> solids well into their second year until their system was ready to handle
> the onslaught.  What do you think of this?

I believe Dr. George Wootan's book (Take Charge of Your Child's Health)
addresses this, and he talks about babies in Japan who did well on only
breastmilk for their first two years. (I think they were allergic as well.)
Anyone familiar with this book? Thoughts on it?

My daughter is now almost 17 months old and adopting some solids, but very
slowly. Still mostly cereals and breads, and she has started asking for
bites of pizza (of all things). She also likes crackers and cookies (I
know, I know). No fruits or veggies yet. I'm trying to trust her to know
what she wants, as she is extremely strong-willed, and "forcing" solids
would be to my long-term detriment as well as hers. Her weight is good, as
is her overall health.

I will be watching responses to this thread very closely.

Janice Berry
Editorial Consultant
Columbus, Ohio