Can you give Rice milk to under 5's?

I was planning on trying to get DS off dairy - mostly milk, cheese and yoghurt, because he has always been a little brat, doesn't hardly sleep, doesn't really eat, complains that his belly hurts - and OMG - the poos. Its enough to make me vomit really.

I was looking at getting him some rice milk - but it said on the packages I looked at that it is not recommended for under 5 year olds?

So what do you use instead?? I thought soy was bad for boys? So I'm a little clueless...

(I thought I would try it cos his sister is actually doing a lot better now she is on soy formula)

Hi there,

Just checked my packet - it says not for under 2 years.

DS#1 has been having it since he was 2 because he is not great on a lot of dairy either - still has natural biodynamic yogurt though.

I know another mums who gave it to her son from 2 years of age because he couldn't have dairy or soy. I believe it was on the advice of a paed. Not sure what other advice she was given.

A lot of kids who can't tolerate cow's milk can't tolerate soy.

Good luck,
TICKLISH

Mel, what's the issues with his poos? Could it be this?

Sare-bear :p

Nah they aren't watery - they aren't formed - just a whole lot of crap!!! Got the bits of food in them though - but there is just so much of it!! and it not like a nice little lump you just roll off the nappy - its clumpy and just gross - and the smell...:o :sick:

Yep, rice milk is OK after 12 months I think. My DS has a suspected dairy intolerance and we tried him on it but he hated it so we switched him to soy which he loves.

**ETA: Sorry, made a typo, we actually gave it to DS after 12 months and his paed said that was fine :dunno: In any event, he didn't like it so only had it once or twice (and didn't drink it on those occasions anyway).

I gave rice milk from about 1.5 years :)

I too have heard it's ok after 2. I wouldn't give it to them if they're under 2 though. My friends' DS is dairy intolerant, and that's the advice she got from her dr.

Yeah I thought it was ok over 2 - thats why I was surprised when all the labels said not under 5!!!

it says not under 5??? Gees my dr and then the specialist told me to change over when Jaidan was 16 months old!! He was getting a shocking rash and he said it was the healthier switch between soy and rice.

Someone told me that when they say 'not suitable as a whole milk food under 2 years' means that it's OK on cereal, in cooking, in a cup here and there but not if that's their only food ie like breastmilk or formula - she was a pead nurse so I'd assume she'd know what she was talking about :dunno:

My paed did tell us not to give DS soy until he was over 12 months. He's 14 months now, has been having it on cereal since about 13 months and drinking it from a cup once or twice a day for probably 2 weeks and we haven't had any issues.

Hopefully someone can pop in and give us a straight answer!

FAR OUT I've tried to reply 3 times!! ARGH!

Okay start over....

The issue is that babies are unable to absorb the calcium that the rice milk says it has. So you can't count on 1 cup rice milk = 1 cup cows milk in the calcium stakes. It also is low fat, and children need more fat in their diets. If they aren't getting it from other sources, they generally get it in the milk.

Jovie has been on rice milk since 18 months. She is intolerant to soy and goats milk and is allergic to dairy. So our options are limited. I was on an elimination diet while breastfeeding, and then when she weaned... we gave her rice milk. She has 2 large cups of rice milk a day, and has other foods to increase her calcium and other foods to increase her fat intake. Things like avocado and hummous, etc etc.... We got help from a dietician when planning her solids diet & her weaning diet.

Thanks Christy.

Maybe I should take both kids to a paed then?

Hun every paediatrician I've seen have been more work than its worth!!! If you have a good paed already, go for it!

We saw 4 paeds with Matilda before I saw the allergist (who the paed told me not to see :rolleyes:) and found out she was seriously allergic to cows milk. They gave me diagnosis like :difficult child, problem behaviour, "reflux", and the last one was failure to thrive... but none were willing to do anything about it. I went to an allergist and dietician who helped me figure things out with her.

I checked the rice milk out at the supermarket today - there were 4 brands - 3 brands said not under 2 and 1 brand said not under 5.

Are you serious? I checked my local coles - about 5 brands - all said 5 yrs.... its a nambour conspiracy!!

Bad mummy moment warning ahead :

I never even checked whether I could or couldn't give the boys rice milk - both have been on it since they were just on 12 months (and lactose free formula after I finished BF). I think the issue is that it is not a "complete milk food for infants". But if you are not giving them lactose free milk (some bubs are alergic to the protein in milk) and don't want to give boys soy milk because of the oestrogen issues, then rice milk is the go. Really though, if a 12 month old is having a full, balanced diet, then calcium enriched rice milk should surely be ok.

Okay, feeling bad here, I have recently switched DS over to calcium enriched rice milk - I didn't know it was a problem before two! Maybe we should see a dietician.......can anyone recommend a good one in Melbourne? ;)

Arimeh- We have very similar sounding poo issues here. As well as tummy pains from cows milk. Before switching to rice milk the Dr suggested i try a lactose free milk. So i did and poo is a much better consistency and no more screaming from tummy pains.

From what i have read kids can have an intolerance to the lactose or to the milk protein. If it is just the lactose then lactose free milk is great. I can only get UHT though, but she seems to like it ok. If the intolerance is to the protein then obvioucly you need a non-dairy alternative.

You already suggested soy wasn't the best alternative so i thought i'd be controversial and state my opinion, but it is just that, my opinion after doing some research. ;) I wouldn't give anyone soy milk, particularly not my kids. I think soy products are ok in small amounts, but not as the main milk drink in anyones diet. I know alot of the reasearch is not all that valid and a bit controversial, but there is enough evidence for me to steer clear of the stuff. I used to be the soy chai queen, but no longer! Before giving your kids Soy make sure you do a bit of reading and are happy to do so. ;)