Happy Thanksgiving!  This month, my colleagues Sarah, Mallory, Christine and I decided to do a series of “Why I’m Thankful” blogs.  I hope my post finds you in good health and enjoying the long, holiday weekend!    

To start off, I am thankful for my family and friends — without them I would not be the person I am today.  They bring support, happiness and laughter into my life.    

Like Mallory, I am also thankful for the improvements in science and how far we’ve come.  When I was a little girl, I suffered from milk allergies and was very underweight.  My family did everything they could to ensure I gained weight properly and I was able to thrive without milk in my diet. Still, it was quite a struggle, as I’m sure you know firsthand from your experiences with your little ones!  Like so many allergy kids, as time passed I finally outgrew my allergies and eventually I even outgrew my nickname “Spaghetti Legs”.  This came as a huge relief to both me (after years of being unable to do so, I could finally eat ice cream!) and my family.

Neocate formulas and Duocal would have been optimal for my growth; however, they were not available when I needed it.  Both Neocate and Duocal provide families with options I did not have when growing up with a milk allergy and underweight.  Families can rely on our hypoallergenic, amino acid-based formulas and not have to worry that their child isn’t getting the proper nutrition they need to grow properly.  Although I wasn’t able to benefit from Neocate or EO28 Splash, I am so thankful the families I talk to everyday are able to feed their children these formulas which are able to alleviate some of the stress of parenting a child with food allergies. 

Lastly, I’m thankful for you!  Since starting here at Nutricia, I have learned more about your families, and been able to provide resources and assistance to make your lives easier.  It has been a joy getting to know you and helping your little ones!    

What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

- Nita

When Zoe was just a week old she began extreme vomiting, and started having bloody diarrhea, gas pains and eczema. She was dehydrated, refused to eat and suffering from severe weight loss.

“She was so sick we thought we were going to lose her at any moment,” says Amanda, Zoe’s mom.

When Zoe was 3 weeks old, she was rushed to the emergency room for severe dehydration. From there she was admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital.

Zoe before Neocate

Zoe stayed at the hospital for a week as doctors performed numerous tests including, blood work, cultures, CT scans and x-rays. She was also treated with antibiotics.

By process of elimination, the doctors finally diagnosed Zoe with a severe milk protein allergy and told Amanda that her reaction was 1 in a million.

To treat the milk protein allergy, at four weeks old Zoe was put on Pregestimil, a hydrolysate formula. While the Pregestimil made her symptoms milder so that she was able to eat, Zoe still suffered from diarrhea, vomiting and gas pains which made her extremely colicky.

Finally, at 4 months old, Zoe’s GI Specialist  recommended she try Neocate Infant — a  hypoallergenic formula, made up of individual amino acids (the building blocks of protein) that Zoe could digest, instead of the partial protein chains found in hydrolysate formulas like the Pregistimil that cause her to have an allergic reaction.

By the time she was five months old Zoe had made a complete turnaround. “She was a totally different baby,” says Amanda.

Zoe (right) with her big sister after Neocate

Since starting on Neocate, Zoe is a happy, healthy normal baby girl. Her parents no longer have to worry about her survival.

“She is now 11 months old and finally happy and starting to get caught up in her weight. She does nothing but laugh and smile,” says Amanda.

These mashed potatoes are great to serve to your food allergic little ones during the holidays.  

Nutra Mashed Potatoes

• 4 scoops (18.5 g) Neocate Nutra powder

• 1 medium potato, cooked

• ¼ cup chicken broth

Mash potato with chicken broth. Add Neocate Nutra powder and mix well.

Yields 1 serving

Calories  230

Protein  5 g

Carbohydrate  46 g

Fat  3.5 g

Calcium  139 mg

Vitamin D 1 mcg

Question:

Since starting on Neocate a week ago for her milk protein allergy, my 7 month old daughter seems like she might be constipated. She is having less frequent bowel movements (sometimes she goes a whole day without pooping!) and I am worried. Is this normal or could it be a sign of something else?

Answer:

We get a lot of questions from Neocate parents about constipation. Amino acid-based formulas like Neocate Infant do not technically cause constipation, but instead slow down the frequency of the bowel movements in babies.

Neocate is a low residue formula, meaning that it has very little waste to excrete which causes less frequent bowel movements – everything in the formula is getting absorbed! Also, some babies on Neocate may have already been prone to constipation because of the GI issues caused by allergies or other conditions and it may have been overlooked. Keep in mind all babies have different stool patterns, but typical stool frequency can be around 1 stool per day.

One telling sign of actual constipation (not just the effect of a low residue formula) is bowel movements that are hard or pellet-like. You might also notice that your baby is grunting, straining or seems like he or she is relieved right after having a bowel movement.

If this sounds like your little one, don’t worry! There are a few tricks that can help relieve their discomfort. Try moving their legs around to get things moving through their digestive system, or gently massage their tummy. Check with your doctor about giving your child some water or prune juice to hydrate them.  In extreme cases, your doctor can also give you some alternative solutions which can stimulate a bowel movement as well.

Good news for our Neocate Junior and Neocate One+ kids ― mealtimes just got a little more fun with new dairy-free Flavor Straws. Moms, Dads and other caregivers know that keeping kids on the special diets that require Neocate can be tough, especially as they grow and see other children enjoying more of a variety at the dinner table. 

These three new flavors ― strawberry, banana and cookies and cream ― are designed to give Neocate kids a few more options and help fight the “flavor fatigue.” Other options for flavor variety include Neocate Junior Chocolate and E028 Splash, which is available in orange-pineapple, tropical and grape.

If you’re interested in trying out the straws, check out www.Nutricia-NA.com/flavorstraws. Nutricia is offering 20 Flavor Straws free for every case of Neocate Junior or Neocate One+ that you purchase.

Also, check with your healthcare provider for samples.