: A couple of months ago I tried to add some milk-based formula (Similac) to her
: buckwheat porridge and the results were terrible - she got red rash all over
: her face, neck and upper chest.  It disappeared after a couple of hours but it
: got me worried.

Alex -

This is EXACTLY how my daughter's milk allergy first appeared.  She was about
6 months old, mixed Similac with her cereal (pumping just couldn't keep up with
the cereal, too!), rash on her face and neck.  She didn't eat enough of that
to have an internal reaction.  I also wondered if it might be some additive,
rather than the milk, but the next episode (putting her face into an ice cream
cone!) showed it was clearly milk.  Her symptoms progressed to vomiting, coughing,
mucuos, and wheezing when ingesting any tiny amount.  And her allergy was
confirmed by skin test.  (and by home-skin-test, I put a drop of Similac on
her tummy - yep, red rash & hives).

Now, she's 4, and can touch dairy without reacting.  And, she can eat a shred
of cheese without vomiting, but does get an excema flare-up the next day.  So,
I have some hope she might outgrow it, but she's still very, very allergic
to dairy.  She is also allergic to eggs, peanuts and walnuts.

I would recommend a visit to a pediatric allergist, or a well-informed pediatrician,
if only to find out what other foods to avoid for a few years.  And, keep in
touch with this list, as many of us are parents dealing with our kids' allergies.

Laurie (and Alyssa, 4yo, allergic to dairy, eggs, peanuts and walnuts)