Photo:JGI/Getty
JGI/Getty
Lancaster’s daughter Violet developed rashes and was in pain from digestive issues, according to the outlet.
“Before you get that diagnosis, you’re kind of made to feel like you’re going crazy a bit,” Lancaster, 39, said. “There is sadly a lot of that gaslighting in that initial [phase]. You’re being told, ‘No, no, everything’s fine,’ you know, that you’re overthinking it or overanxious.”
It wasn’t until a friend made her aware that her daughter could be suffering from a cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA) that Lancaster and Violet were able to get relief.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, CMPA is the most common allergy among infants and young children. But Lancaster’s case was rare in that Violet was allergic to the cow’s milk proteins from her breast milk because Lancaster was consuming dairy.
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After ceasing eating dairy, Lancaster found that Violet’s symptoms resolved.
Now, the dedicated mother of two is making sure other moms don’t have to walk the same difficult path she did. Her instagram page,@thedairyfreemum, has gained 77,000 followers. Along with awebsiteof the same name, she is spreading the word and making a difference.
“That’s really what fuels what I do with the page, because I just don’t want anyone else to have to feel like that,” she told theTimes. “I want there to be better training. I want there to be more information, more guidance and just more support for allergy parents in general, really.”
For Lancaster, there’s solidarity in fighting for awareness regarding allergies.
“It’s a really, really tricky, lonely, frustrating journey to actually get to the point of a diagnosis,” she said.
source: people.com