How old is your child and how old were they when you started this journey?

She is 17 months old and was 3 weeks old when we started the allergy journey.

What were the initial symptoms?

She cried a lot and seemed to be in constant pain. The doctors initially diagnosed her with colic, as if that was a diagnosis and not a symptom. She had a spike of fever when she was 9 days old and we were admitted to hospital but the blood work came back clear of infection, so they dismissed her. At 3 weeks old, we changed paediatritians and this one diagnosed her with the dreaded "failure to thrive" due to a non IgE mediated allergy to cow's milk (FPIES).

What foods did you cut out initially?

I cut all dairy, including foods with "may contains". Later on, she had reactions to soy, so we cut soy too.

How long did it take to clear up?

The change was immediate. She was not in pain any longer and it was noticeable. She still had some skin symptoms and mocus in her stool for a couple of weeks.

What was the winning combo of foods for your child?

We are very fortunate because she loves food and doesn't have multiple allergies. As long as we stay away from cow's milk and soy, she thrives.

What's your favorite allergy friendly brand or food? 

I am in South Africa, so some of these brands may not be available everywhere, but I love Nature's charm. I use their products constantly in my kitchen. Cravings Bakery is also another favourite.

What is one piece of advice you would tell someone who is just starting out?

Being a parent of an allergic baby or child can be very isolating, because some people just don't understand and you have to constantly advocate for your child's health. So, my number one piece of advice would be to reach out. Find a tribe, even if it's online. There are so many of us out there, going through a similar thing, that you don't have to do it alone.

I had a very hard time at the beginning because they just told me to cut dairy or "better yet" give my baby formula. While it is perfectly valid if your choice is to give formula and you should get that support, it wasn't what I wanted and I felt I had to even fight her doctors about it. I had to do the research myself and I was very alone in that road. That's why I started @cmpa_mom, so other parents could find support from a peer.

Where are you right now in your journey?

I am still breastfeeding, so we're both on the exclusion diet now. We are still dairy free, but we have started the soy ladder. She is currently on step 3, having fermented soy (miso, tempeh, soy sauce, and the like). Hopefully, we will be able to pass this one and move up on the ladder.

I don't really plan on incorporating lots of soy in her diet, as it's not something we eat that much, but it does help to know that if she grabs a slice of bread from the supermarket or some chips or cookies, that normally contain soy lecithin or soybean flour, she'll be ok.