How do I recognise an allergy??

[chasehutt]

Hi Ladies
My DS is 6 1/2mo and has reflux and diagnosed with milk protein allergy. We have been trying foods lately and I was wondering what you notice with intolerances? He has started to choke a bit with his vomiting which was natural (the vomiting) and Im just wondering he seems to go red and then takes a while to clear his throat. He is also teething but Im wondering if maybe its an allergy to something he is eating. I just wondered what do I look for??? Thanks for your help

[Spectra]

Do you mean his cheeks go red and stay red for a bit after swallowing the food?  Are you able to take a peek in his mouth to see if his tongue is red and/or swollen, I know that can be a hard thing to tell at this age.  What foods have you tried so far that he has this reaction to?

Symptoms for allergy are usually itching of the mouth, trouble swallowing, nausea, vomiting, trouble breathing, wheezing, tummy pains, hives, eczema, weakness, lightheadedness, anaphylaxis.  They don't need to exhibit all of these symptoms.  My son is allergic to wheat and will have bad diarrhea within a few hours and then red splotchy eczema within 24 hours.  Whereas if he has oats and/or barley, which he is also allergic to, he will have the diarrhea, eczema, and also continuous vomiting after 2 hours for an hour, then he goes pale, clammy, weak, lethargic.

So the symptoms and severity can vary, but I'd be curious as to what foods you are feeding him.  Does he get any diarrhea?  Gas?

[chasehutt]

Thank you for responding.

I think I have pin pointed what exactly he is reacting to and the common ingredient is oat flour... he vomits for up to 2hrs after, but not continuous - just bouts that seem forceful and then he kind of goes red while doing it and coughs and seems to have trouble clearing his throat, like when I have something stuck or it goes down the wrong pipe and you cough and kind of huff. I have not looked in his mouth but i have stopped giving him those foods with that ingredient in it and I havent seem him do it. He does have diaherra after also, ,typically a few hours later. I have taken him back to all the starter foods again to watch and really take note of whats going on.

Does that sound like it? Should I go to an allergist? My GI Specialist told me not to go to allergist for the milk protein allergy as they will test him in the hospital when is around 10/11 months and my pediatrician wants him to go for lactose testing. So now Im wondering if the forcefull vomiting is worth going for..

I definately dont think its a major reaction, oh he also does have flair ups of red excema but I thought that was just his skin, I guess I will start watching that as well. It seems like all these things are never ending...
Thanks for your help.

[Spectra]

Sounds like a reaction for sure to the oats.  I would definitely mention it to your GI Specialist first, can you call them?  Maybe if you tell them they'll send you to the Allergist?  If not, you could just wait until the lactose testing is done first and just avoid the Oats in the meantime.

Does he get weak at all when this happens?

[chasehutt]

ok - yeah I think I will call the GI, they will usually see me or I can at least speak with the nurse prac on call. I dont think he gets weak, I would probably notice that right? god I hope so! hehe. I have a referral already to an allergist maybe I will just make an appointment and see what the GI says in the meantime.

Thank you!

[Spectra]

Yeah, you'd notice it hehe.  My son would pass out in my arms and I couldn't wake him up.  Let us know how it goes!

[chasehutt]

oh wow - thats scary! ugh!
Thanks again for the help

[chasehutt]

Spoke with my GI Specialist and they agree that it sounds like an allergic reaction so now they want me to stop all food except for rice cereal and his allimentum obviously. Wait for two weeks for his gut to heal and then we can start again. He is not happy about it, as he is used to eating a whole jar of #2 and 3tbls of cereal. Im thinking that this time I might just make his food, I had intended on doing that in the beginning but it all got too easy picking out jars and just going with it.
* Do babies typically grow out of it? is it likely we will start all over again and then by the time we get to reintroduce "oats" or whatever it is that is causing the problem that he will be fine?
*if I make my own food for him - do I have to try and give him every food?? ohhh feeling a little lost. I know its going to be fine its just that hes nearly 7mo and I feel like its been never ending with him and problems.
 

[Spectra]

Aw, that's too bad that he has to stop eating.  Hopefully that will help.

Most do grow out of food allergies by the 2nd or 3rd years, some don't, but most do.  They'll probably advise you to avoid oats for awhile yet.  My doc doesn't even want to try it again soon.
By the sounds  of it he'll probably be fine with other foods, just avoid other grains in the mean time.

When I started re-introducing foods, as I too started from scratch when I put him on Neocate, I didn't know what foods were good or bad, I was advised to introduce a new food once a week as long as they had no reaction.  Start with the low reacting food first like sweet potatoes, squash, etc.

Thankfully you're getting a hold of this early and hopefully things will get easier for you.  I know it can be worrisome when you first learn about it, but hopefully it will get better.  Once you get use to it, it's really a breeze.  I've learned to adjust and I too make his own foods or shop in the Organic section of the grocery store as their cookies and crackers and cereals have straightforward ingredients, which makes it easier to avoid the foods he is allergic to.