The Jasper Experiment
His Royal Highness, Jasper Amadeus, has a nasty eczema-type rash on his face. The rash has been around for several months. It comes out in full strength on hot sweaty days, on cold damp days and on cold dry days. Hot dry days it goes away. As Tess headed off to Vancouver, Jasper’s rash reached news heights of intensity. (Yes, I hear… he is allergic to his mother being away… aren’t we all!) The rash can also be found on Jasper’s wrists. Other symptoms include: colicky behaviour (much less lately but still has the occasional bad night with gas); crankiness or restlessness, especially when eating; and wheezing that up until now we’ve labelled as asthma. (Those who’ve popped over from Tess’ blog will recall the stories of nebulisers for Jasper.) The only remedy that alleviates the rash is Vaseline. The only remedy that alleviates the crankiness and gas is patting his tummy. I’ve long suspected this had something to do with what Jasper eats.
After Tess left for Vancouver we started an experiment. Operating on the assumption that Jasper had a dairy allergy, we switched him from dairy-based formula to soy-based formula. We also switched yoghurts to a soy-based yoghurt. We poured the first bottle and load of soy-yoghurt down his gullet on Saturday night. Remarkably, after Jasper swallowed the first mouthfuls of soy formula he pulled the bottle out of his mouth, studied the liquid, then popped the bottle back in his mouth and resumed sucking.
Sunday morning the results of The Jasper Experiment revealed themselves… Jasper’s rash on his face decreased by about 50%. For the next few days there was mild improvement each morning. Then, maybe Thursday or Friday there was another marked improvement. Lita reports that Jasper is easier to feed (read: less grumpy) and seems happier overall. I didn’t think he could get much sillier but after his flu shot on Friday I am convinced. We have had few problems with his breathing the last month but part of me even thinks his lungs sound clearer. Finally, in the last week there have been almost NO middle of the night growls… it used to be quite common for Jasper to cry in the middle of the night for 20 – 30 seconds and then drift back to sleep. (At left: Carys, Sela and Jasper enjoy their mid-morning bottles.)
The discouraging thing is the rash… I’d prefer if it had disappeared altogether and his wrists appear no better. I kept asking Lita if she really felt there was a marked improvement. According to Lita, the improvements in rash and Jasper’s spirits are significant enough to continue the soy-based diet.
Yesterday I asked Dr T about our experiment. Upon hearing our results he supported the hypothesis that Jasper may have a dairy allergy. I asked if we needed to supplement Jasper’s diet with anything. Dr T said, “No, all soy based formula’s these days are fully loaded with vitamins to mirror the same nutritional value of regular formula.”
The Internet tells a different story. After doing a quick search on soy formulas, I discovered doctors have mixed soy opinions. For starters, babies allergic to milk protein may also have problems with soy protein. A very small percentage of babies are lactose intolerant, which reportedly develops further into the toddler years. Allergic reactions to milk protein are more common in babies than lactose intolerance. Both conditions have similar symptoms. We might want to try a hydrolysed dairy formula instead of a soy formula. I think we’ll also have to consult with an allergist to determine exactly what is provoking Jasper’s symptoms. At the end of the day His Royal Highness Jasper is a happier kid with less of a rash. Who can argue with that? Anyone have comments?
End Note: as I wrote this blog Sebastian watched his favourite video, “Talking Letters” prior to his bedtime. I noted when “30 minutes” was up (the length of the video) and wondered how long until he showed up next to me. Suspicious that he was playing in the Play Room to avoid going to bed I just checked on him… the picture tells the whole story. Tess (who we are delighted to have back) and I can now easily escape for dinner.
