how do i get dairy testing done????

[Rogue]

he all my son is 8 years old has behaviour problems and difficulty in learning ie reading and writing, ive been to child mental health and a peadiatrician who then sent me on to a dietitian who said dairy free for 6 months. i have had my son on a dairy free before and introduced it one at a time and he was just the same this is going back about 3 years!. he has been dairy free for 8 weeks now and although it costs a bomb to do i can finally see a little boy who i love very much. where can get the tests to see if he is intolorent or do i really have to do the trial and error thing putting him through hell!!! my mother forgot and gave him a normal cookie when i was out shopping and i returned to find her sitting on him as he smashed things up and beat up his sibblings, my mum has said never again will she babysit i have to take him with me!. when he does have something i can see how upset he is getting but he just cannot control it the rage flies and it breaks my heart to see him. school have noticed that he finally sits down for the whole lesson and instead of launching his work across the class and walking out of school he goes and asks for help.
i dont know if i can add things back i cant sit a watch the anger rage in him and his eyes say i dont know what im doing and the upset.
please can anyone help with advice on it the drs have discharged him all but the dietitian.

[pinkfairy]

Hello and welcome to the dairyfreeuk site. You will find everybody a friendly bunch. So don't be afraid to ask for advice.

First of all you need to go to your doctor and ask for your son to be sent for lactose intolerance testing. They should send you to see a specialst and get the test done. The family have had our tests done in Cardiff. It was a genetic test so it was really easy for the kids. I don't know if there is genetic testing anywhere else in the UK, you will have to ask your doctor.

My son was really hyperactive and is bright enough but has trouble writing things down. Since he has been dairy free he is definatly alot calmer. I also have an 8 year old daughter and she is also alot calmer and now doing really well at school. Both my children recognise how bad dairy makes them feel, so they are really good with sticking to the diet.

Jane

[Pen]

Hi Rogue--welcome to the site.

Sorry to hear you are having such a tough time-especially without the helping hand of your mother. I hope your fellow members on this site can offer you some support.

I don't have any personal experience of having a child with behavioural or learning difficulties, but it does seem from what you wrote that your son does have a reaction to milk. If you feel it is milk (and maybe other dairy products) that is bringing about the problem, then it seems a good idea to keep it out of the diet altogether. It is all very well for the so-called 'experts' to suggest you reintroduce milk (they aren't the ones picking up the pieces when the problems return), but if I were in your shoes, I would be inclined to just stick with a milk-free diet all the time. I do agree with Jane about getting the problem confirmed with tests, as at least then YOU will know where the problem stems from, and hopefully get some peace of mind.

[Nic]

Welcome to the site - I hope things get better for you and your son.

You said that going dairy free cost a bomb - it doesn't have to. For example, Sainsburys does an economy soya milk (though it doesn't have any of the vitamins etc that the posh ones have, but perhaps you can get those on prescription if your son needs them). And if you avoid the special 'free from' ranges and just read labels, you'll find that many of the economy / value ranges are non-dairy where the normal versions aren't. For instance, lots of economy mince pies were dairy free this Xmas, where the 'normal' ones weren't. So hopefully you'll be able to find some cheaper options - I'm sure everyone here would be glad to help with their tips.

Nic

[Rogue]

thank you all so much for your help.
i have battled with dr's for near on 7 years with this as when i stopped breast feeding and he had cows milk he was really sick, and i put him on goats milk against dr's advice and he was fine, i've begged the dr's to test him for intolerances and they wont test him for anything as its not like a nut allergy where they can put the oils on, i know in my heart of hearts he is intolorable to all dairy but eggs my hour shopping trip has gone into 3 hours where i read everything if im not sure i dont get it, i get things labled vegans and i dont buy sweeties anymore as i can not be sure what is in there, they hide so many things with weird and wonderfull names i stick to fresh produce and meats and soya milks and butters.
i just wish the gp's had of listened to me when i said years ago there is something wrong my son is now constantly saying sorry for being naughty i try to tell him it was not him being naughty but the things he ate.
im so glad i found this site knowing that if i have a doubt i have people who i can turn to for advice
thank you all so much

Tina

[Pen]

If your son is okay on goat milk, but not on cow milk, it might well be he has a problem with the protein casein. I understand there is no casein in goat milk. Casein is a protein that I am sensitive to and I am fine with goat milk products. My sensitivities were determined using hair analysis, but that is not a particularly conventional method. But cutting out the foods I am shown to be sensitive to has certainly turned my health and well-being around, and I feel like a human being again!!

[matt]

welcome.

right to be as helpfullas i can. you have already done all a dietician can do.
eliminate the product and see if that makes an improvement. then see if the bad things return when the product is reintroduced. further test will either be a wste of time or money.
if your doctor is not helping then change to another.
get a referal to a good dietician.

it is a pain but like has been said you can find bargains in the value ranges that are dairy free. plus keep visiting the site as we are always posting new things we find. and can suggest some others from the past.

it's a pain but the result will be a calm happy little boy. worth all the effort!:lol2:

[Pam]

Hi Rogue, welcome to the site.

My daughter is intolerant to milk protein and I've never been offered any tests either. I think that if you have found that milk exclusion makes a difference then you have to stick with it, you don't need tests to prove it.

As others have said, milk free food doesn't need to be expensive. Vitalite or Pure spread don't cost any more than normal spreads, alternative milks will probably be your main cost and they aren't that expensive. If there are particular foods that you have been buying from the free from section we might be able to suggest alternatives. Free from biscuits are ridiculously expensive yet there are quite a few dairy free options available on the normal biscuit shelves. Swedish glace ice cream is very nice and at £1.59 for 750ml it isn't that expensive. Watch out for special offers at Holland and Barrett, they often do BOGOF on Alpro products. Keep asking questions, someone is bound to know the answer.

[tigerlily]

I'm very surprised that your son has not been offered the R.A.S.T. test by your/his GP. It's free on the NHS. I would push for it. Or, if you preferred, you could consider having the YORK TESTS (private) done.

Good Luck.
Vanessa.