Tammy wrote:
>> Do food allergies run in families ??  And does Hyperactivity run in
families
??  We also have a little boy who is almost 8 weeks old .... can we expect
him to have allergies too ??  And can we reasonably expect our 15mo daughter
to be hyperactive (she is very busy, but not hyper so far) as well as our 8
week old ??  And if allergies and/or Hyperactivity DO run in families, are
they usually SIMILAR allergies and/or Triggers ??

Thank you soooo much in advance .... this is all SOOOOO confusing sometimes
and a bit overwhelming ..... but I keep working at it hoping that someday we
will have HEALTHY HAPPY children. <<

Hi Tammy,
The very best thing you can do to prevent and minimize allergies is to
breastfeed! Soy formula is not the answer, as soy is allergenic too. This
was a real concern for us, because allergies, food allergies and asthma
run in our families and we didn't want our baby to suffer needlessly.
Breastfeeding as long as possible (2 years minimum is ideal) and
postponing solids (breastmilk is the ideal food for the first 12 months -
not much else, if anything, is needed in most cases) should be basics
whenever a tendency to be allergic is suspected. And even when it's
not, because you never know, and the children are the ones who pay
the price. Even if your baby started out formula-fed, it is not too late!
You can relactate (even women who have never given birth are often
able to breastfeed their adopted babies). Contact La Leche League or
a lactation consultant for help with this.

Our pediatrician also advised us to be careful with vaccines - there are
more and more studies showing that the current vaccine schedule in
the US can overload the immune system and make allergies more likely.
So we are delaying immunizations, choosing them carefully (not giving
some), and giving them singly (e.g. just D, instead of DPT all at once).

Hope this helps,
Laura
------
Laura Marple, SAH Mommy to Pippa (27 Nov 96)
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