Will an allergy ever present itself as anyphylactic shock the first time?

[Jonahs Mom]

I really want to, but am terrified to give DS shellfish. 

Can anyone tell me how severe he could react if I give it to him? The first thing I want to try is shrimp, since he would eat that most often, and then crab and lobster one day.

My SIL, who is a nurse, says that he probably would just get a rash or upset digestive system the first time because his immune system won't have 'met' that food before, so can't react that strongly the first time, but the second time he could get it. or something like that...

It makes sense, but it doesn't at the same time, kwim?

He has had fish before, does that help?

[Spectra]

Is he prone to allergies?

[daybyday]

I have "heard" that as well...that an anaphylactic reaction will not occur the first time...I don't know if that's an Old Wives Tale or not....

as Melanie asked, is he prone to allergies? are you allergic to shellfish?

Both my LO's have had shellfish, but there is NO family allergies....

[Jonahs Mom]

No allergies, just a worried mummy! 

[JudyLee]

My understanding is that if there is no family history of ANY allergies then you should be right to try any food. If there is any historys of an allergy to a specific food group, then you need to beware of how you approach it.
If they have any eczema as well, that is an indication sometimes that they will react to some foods.

Now - a trick you can also try - is to not give them the actual shellfish to eat, but to say make a soup up with the shellfish, then give them some of the liquid to try first. They are getting 'essence' of shellfish, so if they do react it wont be as strongly.

Also yes - it is true, that they might not react first time, and after each successive exposure to the food they might start to develop stronger reactions. It takes a bit of time for your body to recognise that it has a problem with a certain food. So definitely look for the skin reactions, bowel reactions...

Good luck.

[fifibobandmore]

I tried my DD on shrimp first when she was about 10 months old and no reaction to that but when I tried her on prawns, musuls and cockuls she had a reaction to them. I always have piritan syrup in the house as I am always introducing new foods every week to my children and then if they do have a reaction I give them the dosage it states for there age  and it seems to stop them reacting to the food they have just had that they have reacted too. The worse reaction my DD has had and she is very sensitive to food is a tummy up-set for 24 hours.

But when I tried my DS#1 on Tuna I had to get the emergency services to him as he could not breathe and even now almost 6 years later under medical advice I tried him again on Tuna and the same reaction unless it is atlantic freh Tuna then he is fine but can not have any tinned tuna or any other sea tuna so I just avoid it all together. His hard to breathe reaction was the first time of trying him on it and he was only 9 months old

[momtoandrewandthomas]

I do have a friend that her son had a severe, emergency reaction to formula after being breastfed for several months exclusively.  I do think it is possible.  I like the idea of the soup as being a safe place to start.

[Mydreamcametrue]

I have always been told that you have to be exposed to the allergen once to have an allergic reaction to it.

Example:  My son is severly allergic to amoxillion.  He took it the first time, fine, 2nd time around we were on day 5 of it and the reaction started.

Sounds to me like you are in the clear though.  No other allergies, no family history. 

[sarah13h]

Erm, am I right in thinking that technically your little one will have been exposed to whatever you were eating when you were pregnant (and bf-ing, is applicable)?  If you're that worried, why don't you try a skin test first, by rubbing some on exposed skin.  Then, if there's no reaction, try the soup.

[em_here]

I have always been told that you have to be exposed to the allergen once to have an allergic reaction to it.

Example:  My son is severly allergic to amoxillion.  He took it the first time, fine, 2nd time around we were on day 5 of it and the reaction started.

Sounds to me like you are in the clear though.  No other allergies, no family history. 

Totally agree with this Doc told me first time, its unusual for anything to happen as you need to be exposed to the allergen more than once for the immune system to recognise it as an allergen.  Good luck with the shellfish, just take it slow, hope it goes good

[Shdef]

If he has a small scratch or something on his arm, put some of the substance on it. No reaction, no history of allergies... he should be fine

[Mashi]

Hmmmm contrary to what others are saying, I have needed adrenaline twice when I went into anaphylactic shock - once at age 12 from a bee sting and once at age 15 from eating poppy seeds.  AFAIK it was the first time in my life I had ever eaten poppy seeds -- my mom didn't even know what they were and I had never seen or heard of them before so we are pretty positive it was the first time I had eaten them. 

[em_here]

It is unusual, but not impossible, just like nothings impossible

[Zoey]

If there is no family history and LO is two and he doesn't have allergies or eczema - he will probably be fine.  If it's going to be part of his diet, than have at it - have some benedryl on hand and be sure to give the shrimp (or whatever) way before he is going to sleep so you can monitor him or before you're going to be someplace where emergency access is limited.  Also, do one food at a time, several time before adding a new shellfish/fish/ocean dwelling creature.

You are wise to be worried, and you can always call your pedi for his opinion but it would seem it will be fine

[Mydreamcametrue]

Just checking in to see what you decieded and if you gave him shellfish, how it went.

Wendy