Baby Sweat Smells like Vinegar...?

I have never experienced the sweat smells like vinegar before. But my daughter too is allergic to all dairy products. I just could not see putting her on soy. A did some research and found out the goats milk is a good alternative to dairy it is less harsh on the stomach. It is easier to digest. Big part was it taste good. I think soy is gross. Since we started her on goats milk at a year old her execema has gone away, she has a better tolerance to all dairy. She eat eggs for the first time at age 3. She is 3 1/2 now and loves to eat ice cream.

You should take your girl to the doctor, if you have any concerns. Sometimes, a weird 'smell' could indicate something or not. Best to check with a professional.

Hi J.,

I know this is from last year, but I wanted to alert you about some very bad advice given to you by one of the moms who responded. That note read:

Hi J. F,

My husband is also allergic to milk products. When she gets older you will be able to try a product called Lactaid whenever she wants something with dairy, like pizza, cheesecake, ice cream etc.
---

Please do not follow this advice again -- it's completely wrong and could have disasterous consequences. There is a big difference between lactose intolerance, which can be remediated by products like lactaid, and allergy, which cannot.

Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest milk sugar (lactose) because the person does not make the enzyme (lactase) necessary for breaking it down. It can cause bloating, cramps and diarrhea. Lactaid replaces that enzyme for a very short amount of time, which is why you need to take it when you eat dairy products. Lactose intolerance can be very unpleasant but rarely, if ever, life threatening.

Allergy (of any kind) is very different. Allergens are proteins that are incorrectly recognized by the immune system as coming from an invading source. In the case of most food allergies, the primary symptoms are very similar to those of lactose intolerance -- gas, cramps and diarrhea--but they are generated differently, specifically through the action of histamine, which is made by cells in the stomach as well as other places, such as in the skin, gut, and respiratory tract (this is why allergies also cause hives and stuffy nose, etc). Giving lactaid for a true milk allergy will not prevent or alleviate symptoms and could be very dangerous for someone who is highly sensitive to the allergen -- especially if they develop angioedema of the throat (swelling to the point of disrupting breathing) or anaphylaxis. Such exposure could actually be fatal.

BTW, we are now learning that antibodies to certain allergens actually recognize some sugars on allergens, which is why you can get cross-reactive allergic and diagnostic responses to related foods in some cases. Lactose, however, is not one of the sugars that is recognized (xylose, galactose, and fucose are the main components). Foods that tend to have cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants, as we call them in the field, are mostly fruits and grasses.

Anyway, you can see the problem here -- you can get the same symptoms from two (or more) very different diseases, and the treatment and prognosis for each can be very different. It is possible that this person's husband had a true milk allergy. It is entirely possible that he out grew it (this is not uncommon), but he is also lactose intolerant, which is why he can now enjoy dairy products with the use of Lactaid. Or, it is possible that his "allergy" was misdiagnosed and that he has, in fact, only been lactose-intolerant all this time, and is now able to get relief with the engineering of new products.

Best regards,

R. Levy, MS
Medical Writer and Scientific Publications Specialist

I have heard really bad things about soy infant formula for babies. NOt sure about the vinegar smell though. Please look into it.
www.mercola.com is a good one, also bodyecology.com

I was wondering if you notice any difference since stopping the dairy products? Also why your Dr said you Daughter was allergic to all dairy product? Was there any testing done?
My mother took me to see an allergy specialist who said I was allergic to all dairy products.... including anything with eggs in it.
Years later after my growth had been stunted I had another Allergy Dr do some more testing and he said if I ever had a allergy it was extremely mild, to non-existant. I would really seek out a second opinion.
From the time I 6yrs old until I was 11 years old, I could have no Dairy, nothing that contained eggs, no cereal with milk....etc. Which also means, no Ice Cream, no Chocolate.
Let me tell you I was not happy at all to find out the first tests were not correct. I hated eating as a kid because I couldn't even have a sandwich with Mayo or Cheese.
I did take calcium daily and vitamins, but the Dr's said I should have been more around 5'6". I am 5'1.
Please, please, please seek a second opinion as nobody shou8ld have to go through what I did.... only to find out the tests were wrong!!!

I would seek medical advice on this. A friend of mine recently found out that her daughter has cystic fibrosis (she's 4) and one of the symptoms is very salty sweat. I don't want to freak you out, but there might be some reason why her sweat is so acidic. ask your pediatrician.

Hi J. F,

My husband is also allergic to milk products. When she gets older you will be able to try a product called Lactaid whenever she wants something with dairy, like pizza, cheesecake, ice cream etc.

Anyway, my daughters sweat smelled like that also and I didn't breastfeed, she was just on regular formula and she isn't allergic to milk. I think it might be just a stage that they go through in their development. My daughter is now 12 and no longer has that issue. I wish I could remember how long it lasted I'm sorry. Of course if you are worried I would go to the Dr. and check it out.

L.

Hi J. F,
Both of my kids have been on soy milk since we took them off Nutramigen due to dairy allergy. I have never noticed a funny sweat smell. One is now 7.5 years (girl) and the other is almost 5 yrs(boy). They are both very active. My boy sweats a lot!

What brand are you using? We have always used Silk Soy Milk. I don't know if this helps, but I thought that I would let you know.
Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions.