Eosinophilic esophagitis is a disorder caused by a type of white blood cell, known as eosinophils, accumulating in your esophagus. Eosinophils are important for fighting off some types of infections, but if your baby has eosinophilic esophagitis, his eosinophils are abnormally active. This can happen because of an allergic reaction to some foods and can also affect the intestines, resulting in constipation. This disease can make it difficult for babies to tolerate solid food so you will need to introduce new foods gradually to avoid flareups of this disease.
Step 1
Put your baby on an elemental diet while introducing new foods. An elemental diet consists of special formulas or beverages that do not contain any whole proteins, only amino acids. They are designed to not trigger the allergic reaction and will ensure that your baby does not become malnourished while you try to introduce new foods. One elemental formula that you can use for your baby is Neocate.
Step 2
Take your baby to an allergist for allergy testing. Because eosinophilic esophagitis is often caused by an allergic reaction to certain foods, allergy testing can help you identify possible food triggers. The allergist might look for antibodies to certain foods or do skin testing, in which the allergist will inject a small amount of food under your child's skin to look for an allergic reaction.
Step 3
Introduce safe solid foods to your baby's diet gradually. Your allergist will help you identify what foods are safe to try on your baby. Only introduce one new food every few days. Be on the lookout for signs of a flareup of eosinophilic esophagitis, such as diarrhea, vomiting and chronic coughing. If you notice any of these symptoms, eliminate the most recently introduced food from your baby's diet to see whether the symptoms go away.
