LONDON — A British mother is speaking out about her experience of being “gaslighted” by medical professionals after discovering that her breast milk was causing her baby’s allergy. Kate Lancaster, 39, recounts how her daughter, Violet, developed painful rashes and digestive issues, leading Lancaster to suspect something was wrong, despite being told by doctors that everything was fine.
“I knew there was something wrong, even though I hadn’t had a baby before,” Lancaster told The Times of London. She described feeling dismissed by healthcare providers, who reassured her that Violet’s symptoms were normal, which led to feelings of frustration. “Before you get that diagnosis, you’re kind of made to feel like you’re going crazy a bit,” Lancaster said. “You’re being told, ‘No, no, everything’s fine,’ that you’re overthinking it or overanxious.”
It wasn’t until a friend suggested that Violet might be suffering from a cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA), a condition where infants react to proteins in cow’s milk, that Lancaster was able to pinpoint the issue. CMPA is the most common food allergy among infants and young children, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. In Lancaster’s case, Violet’s allergy wasn’t due to direct cow’s milk consumption but because Lancaster’s breast milk contained traces of dairy, which she had been consuming.
Upon eliminating dairy from her diet, Lancaster quickly noticed that Violet’s symptoms improved, offering relief after a long and exhausting battle for answers.
Determined to help others avoid the same struggle, Lancaster has turned to social media to share her experience and raise awareness. Lancaster also runs a website under the same name, where she shares resources and personal insights into managing food allergies in infants.
“That’s really what fuels what I do with the page,” Lancaster said. “I just don’t want anyone else to have to feel like that. I want there to be better training, more information, more guidance, and just more support for allergy parents.”
Lancaster’s advocacy work has extended to collaborating with the Natash Allergy Research Foundation (NARF), a charity founded by the parents of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who tragically died in 2016 from an allergic reaction after eating a baguette containing sesame seeds. Lancaster feels a deep sense of solidarity with other families affected by allergies, emphasizing the importance of raising awareness and improving resources for parents dealing with food allergies.
“It’s a really, really tricky, lonely, frustrating journey to actually get to the point of a diagnosis,” she said. Lancaster’s mission now is to ensure that no parent feels alone in the fight to protect their children from life-threatening food allergies.
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