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With their options running out, a desperate family is asking the world to help their 16-month-old boy. Little Elliot Carter suffers from two rare diseases that cause his body to reject food. The toddler from New Haven, Michigan, can only eat two things: allergen-free breast milk and ice chips. Anything else causes a severe or even life-threatening reaction.
His mother Leah Carter knew something was wrong the first time she tried to feed him. "Within 20 minutes he started vomiting," she told WDIV ClickOnDetroit. Over a year later, the family now knows that Elliot has two severe medical conditions.
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One, Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES), means Elliot is allergic to protein. The other, Mass Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), causes his body to see food as a threat. And together, they form a dangerous combination that's stumped medical experts. "He doesn't have a lot of great options outside of us figuring this out," pediatric surgeon Dr. Nathan Novotny told WDIV.
Elliot's growth has completely stalled, and feeding tubes aren't helping. The only nutrition that works is dairy-free and soy-free breast milk, and his mom doesn't have enough. Now the family is asking nursing women for their help. The donors need to follow a strict diet, meaning they can't eat anything that would trigger Elliot's allergies.
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If you're currently breastfeeding or know someone who is, contact this donor page for more information. But anyone help defray the cost of Elliot's medical treatments by donating to the Carters' GoFundMe.
Here's hoping for a holiday miracle for this precious family.
[h/t Scary Mommy
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