Advice on where to start/who to see

Hello! I’m hoping to get some advice on where I should take things from here. My babies have so many things going on.

First, they both have reflux. They are on Zantac 2x a day and started Prevacid last Tuesday. Friday I asked the pediatrician to up their dose and start them on it twice a day, to which she agreed. I’m thinking of asking to move to Zegerid this Tuesday so they can get their full dose and it’s easier to manage in regard to meal time and Zantac dose.

They’re also having problems with bowel movements and their skin. Their skin is thickened and blotchy all over their faces and they have tiny bumps that have spread to their necks, down the chest, and some on the arms and legs. One pediatrician said it was eczema, another said it was milia. Danielle clearly has seborrheic dermatitis on her ears (thick, crusty, yellowed plaques). I’m so frustrated because the skin problem doesn’t seem to be responding to anything and their skin on their faces is starting to crack. I can only imagine how painful that is! I”m moisturizing with Eucerin Lotion about 5 times a day and it seems to slow, but not halt, the progress.

They have also had problems with bowel movements. Two weeks ago, Joshua got diarrhea and refused food for a day. The pediatrician said it was probably a virus and to just ride it out. He began eating the next day and the diarrhea went away in a week. He had normal bowel movements again for a few days and then they became clay-like in consistency. They’ve been like this ever since. Joshua strains, cramps and cries for a little over an hour every day in order to get out this bowel movement. Friday I decided to discontinue his multivitamin with iron, thinking the iron could be binding him. But, it has continued and we’ve seen no improvement. To add, he is eating Neosure, fortified to make it 24 calories because he’s still small (he was a preemie who came out due to IUGR). Who would you recommend I bring him to – an allergist, dermatologist, gastrointerologist, all of them, none? I think everything must be connected.

Danielle got diarrhea one day after Joshua. Again, the doc said it was a virus and she would get over it. Well, she’s had it for over two weeks and it keeps going. Poor thing just had an explosive diarrhea that blew out her diaper and all over everything nearby. She had been on the Neosure also, but I was convinced she had a milk protein allergy, so moved her to Isomil Advance the day before she got the diarrhea. She was on that for two weeks and her general fussiness decreased and the painful gas seems to have gone away. But, she still has diarrhea that is so wet it soaks into her diaper as if it’s urine. So, we moved her to Alimentum on Friday. The number of bowel movements have decreased, but not the excessive wetness of the diarrhea. Finally, though, her bum is starting to heal. With her, I’m wondering she may not have an MSPI allergy and I jumped the gun by changing formula, especially since the Alimentum doesn’t seem to have fixed the diarrhea. Or, maybe it’s so severe that she needs Neocate? Same question as with Joshua – who should I bring her to see – a GI, dermatologist, allergist?? I’m so lost!! I just want to help my babies get better, and nothing seems to make a difference for them

Last – a little family history contributing to why I jumped to the assumption their problems were related to milk protein allergy. I had a milk protein allergy as an infant. I apparently spit up tons of formula, huge projectile vomiting, so I was called the “cheese factory” by my family. My mother said that this stopped when I was moved to a soy formula (not so easy to get in 72!) but I remained “colicky.” Now I’m wondering if those “colicky” symptoms were just a less severe soy protein allergy and they just didn’t know so much back then. So, my thought is that family history, in addition to the presumed eczema would suggest a potentially significant allergy.

Ladies, you seem to know so much and have been through so much. I’d really appreciate your thoughts and suggestions as to where you would go from here. So many of you seem to have dealt with it all, I’m hoping to gain from your wisdom and experience. Thanks in advance for any words of wisdom you may share!!!