Abby's FPIES Allergy

   
Abby has had two reactions to rice and oatmeal cereal so far.  She consumed rice cereal for the first time at the end of July and was disgusted by it. She would turn her head away and spit it out.  We just thought she just wanted breast milk and wasn't ready developmentally for solids yet.  She didn't react to it on that occasion and did not throw up.  Maybe because she hadn't consumed enough to get a reaction?  We decided to wait a little while and try again in August after we had got a good hold on sleep training that we had just started and thought it was too many new things at once. 

Yum or Yuck?

First time eating rice cereal July26, 2014

We tried rice cereal again on Aug 22, she ate it a bit better but had a severe reaction to it.  After putting her down for her nap and 2 hours after eating the cereal she threw up in her crib.  She continued to throw up every 20 minutes. Then around 5 she was able to breast feed again and keep it in her tummy.  It was scary to watch her throw up so much and only be able to comfort her. 

The second reaction was after she ate oatmeal cereal on Sept 1st.  We thought lets just try oatmeal because maybe she just has an intolerance to one cereal (rice) and she'll be fine with oatmeal.  She had the same reaction as the rice cereal and threw everything up that was in her stomach.  It was exactly 2 hours after eating the cereal.  Man did we feel like idiots thinking oatmeal would be fine.  After that episode Kyle began doing some research online and noticed other parents writing the same thing happening to their little ones after eating cereal and being told by their doctors they had FPIES. (Food Induced-Protein Enterocolistis Syndrome)It's a type of food allergy that affects the GI track. 

She loves sitting in her high chair

Last Tuesday night we headed out to Stonewall for dinner at Kyle's parents condo.  Kyle was out in Kelowna B.C. for a work trip.  Claire stayed there for a sleepover and I drove back home with Abby.  Abby had another reaction that night to something she ate.  I fed her pureed cauliflower and hard boiled egg yolk mixed with breast milk.  It was exactly 2 hours after I fed her she threw everything up in her crib.  I called my sister to come and help me.  Abby kept throwing up every 10 minutes until there was nothing left in her stomach.  She would throw up or try to and then lay back down on either my chest or my sisters and fall asleep. She was exhausted from throwing up, the poor thing didn't know what was going on and why she wasn't feeling good.  Eventually she stopped at 11:30 pm or so and I was able to breast feed her a little.  I would feed her a little and then wait and feed her some more and make sure she didn't throw up.  By 1:30 I was able to put her down in her crib and she kept it all in. I was so lucky to have my sister with me, she was able to hold her in-between her episodes so I could go and wash her sheets.  We were both so tired after, Erica went home and I fell right to sleep.  The next morning Abby was back to her old self.  She had eaten egg yolk fine before and the cauliflower I had given to her  4 days before Tuesday so I couldn't understand how those foods could make her sick.  I guess what could have happen is the egg might have been bad or it could have been a stomach bug she picked up from somewhere. She has been fine ever since, fingers crossed.

Poor Abby. This is how she was after throwing up all night.

She has been eating solid food so much better now.  She actually opens her mouth when I bring the spoon up to her mouth.  For a long time she would turn her head away from the food and then spit everything out.  We were worried she would never want to eat any solids.  I was also getting frustrated because I was making all the purees from scratch and it took lots prep and organizing to get them cooked and stored away.  I would end up throwing most of out so it's nice that she likes eating what I make now.  

Claire calls her the green monster 

Yummy Kale

So far Abby has tried hard boiled egg yolk, beef, spinach, kale, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, and apples.  We are hoping to try banana with her tomorrow morning for breakfast. The trigger foods for FPIE's are sweet potato, squash, peas, green beans, poultry, rice cereal, oatmeal cereal, barley cereal, dairy and soy.  So we will be steering clear of those foods for now.  

She eats three times a day now and has roughly 2-3 tablespoons of food.  I still breastfeed her 7-8 times a day but it's usually quick feeds anywhere from 5-10 minutes.  Her longest feeds are first thing in the morning, before bed and one night feed at 1:30 am. these can last anywhere from 15-30 minutes. 

I hope after our appointment with the allergist on Oct 17 we can get some of our questions answered about FPIES.  Such as, when will she out grow FPIES? What can we give her in place of dairy or soy? Will she always have trouble digesting dairy and gluten? 

Spinach fight! That shirt took a lot of scrubbing to get the green out.