Normanton mum launches petition after doctors ignored baby’s milk allergy

But when little Nathan Hudson stopped breathing after a choking episode and had to be taken to hospital by ambulance, a paediatrician at Pinderfields Hospital finally diagnosed him with the allergy, as well as reflux.

Miss Edwards has now launched an online petition to review the system adopted by GPs and health visitors when dealing with babies who could be suffering with allergies or reflux. The petition has already received almost 2,000 signatures.

The 31-year-old first took Nathan, now 16 weeks, to see a doctor when he was just three weeks old. She recognised his symptoms as she also suffers from an allergy to cow’s milk but the doctor said he had baby acne and that Miss Edwards should try another brand of formula.

Miss Edwards said: “Nathan was covered in a rash and he had swollen, watery eyes and he was really congested. He was moaning and squirming in pain all the time and I knew something wasn’t right. He was like a little mini me when I have milk so I knew what was wrong but nobody would listen.”
She visited her GP on two further occasions and saw two paediatricians at the A&E department when the rash spread across his body and he started to suffer from the choking episodes. But she was told Nathan had a viral infection, colic and, on one occasion, that she was anxious and nervous, which was stressing Nathan and making him restless.

Miss Edwards said; “We couldn’t stop watching him for a minute because he couldn’t breathe and he was too little to sit up or stop it happening. We had to get him on his side so he could breathe again but during one episode we just couldn’t stop him choking and we had to call am ambulance.”

Nathan was taken to Pinderfields, where he finally received the correct diagnosis on July 3. He was started on a different milk-free formula and medication for reflux and his symptoms improved dramatically within 72 hours.

Miss Edwards “I just don’t want another mum to have to go through what I did. He is a much happier baby now - he isn’t in pain anymore.”

Go to http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/68614 to sign the petition.