When Mika was born at the beginning of July, her mother, Kayla Gosse noticed something was wrong: she wasn’t eating or gaining weight.

After several trips to the hospital and appointments with her family doctor, a pediatrician diagnosed Mika with a severe milk protein allergy.

The doctor prescribed her a special formula and gave the family samples that Gosse says have worked for her daughter, but it costs almost $800 a month.

The cost of the prescribed formula adds up to be $50 for a two-day supply and it’s not covered by insurance.

 “Which is why I ended up getting two part-time jobs for right now,” says Gosse.

The mother of three small children says family and community organizations have helped with part of the cost.

There’s also a funding program accessible to the family, but it will involve Gosse having to make several trips from Kentville, N.S., to Halifax.

Gosse says in order to receive help from the program, she’s required to take her three-month-old to the IWK Health Centre where the hospital’s own specialists can diagnose Mika.

PC MLA for Kings North, John Lohr, says Gosse shouldn’t be required to make the over one hour drive to Halifax.

“The baby was diagnosed in the valley and should have been able to solve this in the valley without going to the IWK,” Lohr says.

Nova Scotia Health Minister, Randy Delorey says he acknowledges that travelling for health care can be a challenge, but points out that Nova Scotians are lucky to have specialists at the IWK Health Centre.

“We can look at the quality of the assessments being done by the subspecialists in these very rare situations to make sure we are getting the right treatment,” Minister Delorey says.

Gosse says the situation has caused a lot of stress in her baby’s first months, but mainly she wants others with special circumstances like hers to not feel alone. 

“I just want other people to know they're not alone, and it shouldn't be this difficult to get help.”

The family will wait for a first referral to the IWK, then after that a second diagnosis.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Sarah Ritchie.