CMPA Diagnosis - Why Are Doctors SO Stubborn?!

DISCLAIMER: contains bad language to convey anger and upset; avoid if you’re sensitive to profanity.

This blog is written based on my experience, stories sent to me from other CMPA mums, & information from my sons dietitian and paediatrician and is therefore NOT meant to be taken as a medical resource. It’s a collective experience & opinion piece, yours may differ.

Cows Milk Allergy… Should be renamed ‘A Fucking Nightmare’.

As Content Editor for Bump, Baby & You, I’ve often spoken at length about my sons ordeal with CMPA (Cows Milk Protein Allergy) which also led to temporary Lactose Intolerance (fairly common with CMPA), and the absolute nightmare we had getting our GP to get his head out of his arse and listen to me. Max was a vomiting, pooping, sneezing, wheezing, rashy & screaming little baby, but I was apparently just ‘paranoid’…

I thought I was alone. I thought I was just supremely unlucky, that my doctor was a bad egg out of a bunch of good’uns… well, fuck me sideways, it turns out my story is pretty much identical to the experience of SO MANY of us mummies!

So, I beg the question… why are so many doctors SO resistant to the idea of babies being allergic or intolerant to cows milk?

Well, first and foremost, MONEY is the biggest contributing factor to the shit show, in my eyes. It costs a GP part of their budget to refer a child to a paediatrician, and it costs to prescribe hypoallergenic formula. Very often, the ‘hypoallergenic’ formula sold relatively cheaply in the shops just isn’t suitable.

However… the initial costs of dealing with milk allergy are dwarfed by the later life costs of a damaged digestive system and mental trauma for both baby AND parents, because as dramatic as this may sound, it really is fucking horrifying seeing your child suffering so badly. You feel helpless, seeing your innocent baby not screaming but SHRIEKING in obvious agony, plus all the other symptoms they may also suffer with, and none of the typical colic or reflux medicines even touch it.

Doctors, sod your budget. Look at the bigger picture.

Secondly, I think apathy is a huge issue.

The symptoms of milk allergy aren’t always constant, they can be intermittent, and often worse at night as the excess gas builds up throughout the day leading to an evening of shrieking. Most doctors appointments are standard 8am – 6pm, unless you’re lucky. So, you’ll turn up at your appointment with a baby who seems fine, sounds like they’re suffering with colic and/or reflux, and you’ll be looked at like you’re chatting shite when you emphasise that Gavison DOES NOT WORK, that gripe water DOES NOT WORK, that Infacol DOES NOT WORK, nothing bloody works otherwise you wouldn’t be sat in their office in floods of tears!!!!!!

‘And even if it is a milk allergy, if it that was bad they’d be in hospital, right? Aren’t allergies meant to cause an anaphylactic reaction? What’s a non IgE allergy? You’ve been reading too much Google. You’re just over-worrying and paranoid… maybe you have PND?’ (A Dr said this to a CMPA mum I know…)

Another shitty attitude I’ve encountered went something along the lines of … ‘meh, they’ll grow out of it so no point bothering looking into an allergy… I mean, sod their digestive systems and the damage the associated symptoms can cause, right?’ Leading me onto the third factor…

IGNORANCE.

Don’t get me wrong, GP’s are a clever bunch, they’ve trained long and hard, and I have the utmost respect for them.

What they ARE NOT, is a qualified paediatrician or paediatric dietitian.

They should be referring babies with colic & reflux symptoms that aren’t helped by remedies, and have left them at a loss, to a paediatrician without fail instead of brushing it under the carpet. This isn’t happening because too few GP’s are familiar with CMPA, or allergies in general.

Babies with milk allergy, contrary to false illusions, can absolutely gain weight. They don’t have to be a shrinking, shrivelled, pale and weak little mite on the knife edge to be unwell. Their weight gain may be slow though, but still a gain.

Too many mums are told ‘well, baby has gained weight so I’m not concerned’ when their child is covered in weeping eczema, screams like a banshee in agony, projectile vomits, and has horrendous nappies… and even then, these symptoms are NOT one size fits all, some have a few and some have all, hence why an expert (paediatrician) should be consulted.

If your GP is refusing to refer you, guess what?

Under the NICE guidelines, you have the right to request to be referred to a paediatrician, in fact suspected cases SHOULD be referred under these guidelines! You can also file a formal complaint with your practice manager. Don’t give up the fight, don’t be fobbed off, don’t be afraid to tell your GP they’re talking out of their arse if your child is showing signs of CMPA and they brush you off as ‘paranoid’.

It’s really important to be under a paediatrician if your child has an allergy for many reasons such as correct milk and medication, but also for weaning.

Even if your GP has relented and prescribed a hypoallergenic formula, what good is that when your child starts to wean at 6 months and you’re left without guidance?  Your GP isn’t trained in the ins and outs of the Milk Ladder, and won’t be able to give you tailored guidance specific to your child in a tiny 10 minute appointment slot… a paediatrician will be able to refer you to their dietitian team, who will supervise and guide you through the Milk Ladder to ensure your little one can be safely weaned back onto dairy without any ill effects, and they’ll be able to help if your baby’s allergy persists.

 So, back to my original question… why are GP’s so resistant when it comes to milk allergies in babies?

Costs, time, apathy and ignorance. Shameful, as these babies are future tax payers, and the future of our country. Investing in their health now will pay dividends for their future health, and dealing with a milk allergy early improves the chances of your child building up a resistance through paediatrician guidance.

 You can do this symptom checklist on the official Neocate website and print it off; it’s always handy to have some backup to show you know your stuff! It will also help increase your GP’s understanding and potentially save future parents a long battle.

I hope that my rant has helped other struggling parents to dig their heels in. Tell me about your experiences in the comments!

Love from Katie. Xx

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